There are multiple ways to use the OLA in your organization. The flexibility of the instrument allows you to determine, ahead of time, what view of the organization you are seeking. Are you looking at the total organization or sub-units within the organization? With the OLA you can pursue multiple views utilizing the same instrument.
Use #1: To determine how the entire organization views the organization and its leadership
 
  • Have the OLA completed by the entire organization on the entire organization and its leadership
  • Note: for larger organizations. You may find it impractical to have the entire organization take the OLA. If so you will want a representative sample from your organization to complete the OLA. Find out how to establish a Critical Mass Number for your organization to provide this representative sample.
  • The report provided will show results for the total organization and addition reports can provide results by sub-groups (departments, divisions, work units, teams)
Use #2: To determine how different sub-groups within the organization view their specific sub-group and its leadership
 
  • Have the OLA completed by people within particular sub-groups (departments, divisions, work units, teams) of the organization, taken on the specific group and its leadership
  • This will allow for more targeted interventions to take place within specific parts of the organizations...with specific leaders.
Use #3: To show desired changes in the organizational culture over time
 
  • Complete a pre and post assessment using the OLA to determine if targeted interventions (training, organizational improvement plans, etc.) have been successful in moving the group toward greater organizational health.
In addition to these uses, the OLA provides your organization with these benefits:
 
  • Going through the OLA process will help your organization identify the kind of culture it wants to promote and then take specific steps to create positive organizational change.
  • A new language is created to allow people within the organization to talk about their culture (and servant leadership) in specific terms.
  • The process of becoming a healthier organization becomes an organization-wide effort involving all people in the learning and change process.
  • The OLA can be used as a learning tool within training programs.