HowWeDoIt_Stage1 - Aletheian Advisors

This quiz is a bit of fun with a serious purpose. It’s not 100% accurate, of course, but it should give you some insights into what sort of organisation your company is. We split companies into four types that we call Archetypes. Once you have an idea of how your company operates and what sort of Archetype it fits you can move on to Stage 2. At this stage you can decide whether that archetype is the best one to achieve your company’s strategy and objectives. Enjoy the quiz.

1 / 10

If an employee breaks the rules, what excuse is most likely to get them forgiven?

They broke the rules to score some points against a competitor

They broke the rules to make an extra bit of profit

They broke the rules to do something extra for a customer

They broke the rules to try to make the company’s product work better

2 / 10

If a new customer makes a difficult request, what is your reaction?

You will help the customer if it allows you to demonstrate how great your product is

You will only help the customer if it improves your competitive position – e.g. if it is a prestigious account that competitors would love to land

You will help the customer if it makes commercial sense – e.g. if you expect them to become a very profitable account

You will always bend over backwards to do everything you can for customers

3 / 10

What is most likely to get praise, a promotion or a bonus in your company?

Finding a way to beat competitors

Making a significant improvement to your product or service

Making an unexpected extra profit

Going “above and beyond” for a customer

4 / 10

What is the key investment needed to grow your company to the next level?

Expanding the sales team and improving the customer experience

Investing in whatever will beat the competition

Investing in further product development

Improving your purchasing power and investing in more inventory

5 / 10

Who, out of the following, is the most powerful/influential figure in your company [If the CEO plays several of these roles, choose the one that is most important to the CEO]?

The person who drives the company’s competitive strategy

The Chief Engineer/Chief Technician or whoever is responsible for the maintenance, development and production of your core product(s)

The person responsible for sales and customer relations/customer experience

The person who is seen as mainly responsible for driving profitability

6 / 10

Who are your most valuable employees?

Those who provide really great customer service

Those who compete hardest against our competitors

Those who show the greatest commercial acumen

Those who are behind the development of our really great product(s)

7 / 10

What information does your management team always ask for before making an important decision?

How it will affect your competitive position

An assessment of how it will affect customers and the customer experience

How it is likely to impact profitability

What the impact will be on product delivery

8 / 10

If you are hiring a new junior employee who you hope will learn the business and will go on to make a big contribution to the company in the future, which candidate would you be most impressed by?

The one who shows great interpersonal skills

The most ambitious candidate

The one who displays the greatest commercial acumen

The one who shows genuine interest and passion for your product and/or sector

9 / 10

Who is the ideal person to lead your business?

A technical person who knows everything about the company’s product

A highly commercial person, such as an accountant or a former banker

Someone who really understands the customer base

Someone who understands the competitive landscape and how to survive and thrive against strong competition

10 / 10

What key metric is the most important for your Management Team – the thing they are obsessed with?

Customer satisfaction data

Profitability

Performance versus competitors

Feedback on how well your product or service is performing for customers

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