Organizational Network Analysis

    Identify and Engage Your Hidden Influencers

    Your organization is full of hidden influencers: those that guide and leader others without having formal, positional authority. ONA will help you find your hidden influencers so that you can support them, learn what they are doing well, and keep them from becoming burned out and leaving your organization.

    ONA Outcomes

    • Create sustainable change
    • Break-down silos
    • Increase innovation
    • Reduce overloaded employees
    • Improve communication

    Questions ONA Can Help You Answer

    • Who drives change?
    • Which employees are overloaded
    • Who are our innovators?
    • Who are the experts?
    • Is there diversity in our networks?
    • Who are the role models?
    • How influential is our identified HiPo population?
    • How influential are our formal leaders?
    • Who should our mentors be?
    • Who should we involve in key initiatives?

    Through our research, three main categories of informal influencers have emerged:

    ROLE MODELS

    These are people employees admire and naturally go to when they need advice on how to do their work or move forward in their careers. They greatly affect others’ morale and provide guidance on how to succeed in the organization.

    EXPERTS

    These are those that employees and customers seek out when they need information. Newer employees apprentice under these more knowledgeable colleagues, and leaders and peers go directly to them when they need quick answers or assistance on key initiatives.

    CHANGE AGENTS

    These are individuals who have the charisma, political savvy, or optimism to get things done in the organization. Often this group is the most visibly influential; however, there are some who quietly exert their influence by working through more prominent peers or formal leaders.

    Sample Questions

    EXPERTS

    • Who do you rely on for information or problem solving to do your work?

    ROLE MODEL/MENTOR

    • Aside from your manager, whom do you go to for career related advice at least once a week?
    • Whose opinion most influences your decisions?

    CHANGE AGENTS (a.k.a. brokers and energizers)

    • Who could best sell an innovative idea or product to key stakeholders?
    • Who gets you excited about new ideas?

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