Get in touch with your company's DNA!
Some of our beopledd colleagues use the ‘DAC Wheel’ on a daily basis, for both external and internal purposes. We find it particularly helpful for organisational development and service design exercises. Especially in cases where there’s a need to find Direction, create Alignment and make sure there’s Commitment in the end. Meindert Giessen, senior consultant at beopledd, explains how it works.
Can you describe when the DAC Wheel can come in handy?
Meindert: “We often use it with fast growing SME’s. E.g. when management teams are exploring the direction they need to take to support growth and find their focus.”
How does the DAC Wheel help to make things clear?
Meindert: “Thanks to the DAC Wheel we can easily connect with, challenge and align the ideas of different team members. This is very useful when reflecting on to how the company should interact with its clients and employees. Out of the DAC Wheel process you can easily distil a number of values that can be translated into behavioural guidelines.”
Can you give another example on how to use the DAC Wheel?
Meindert: “At beopledd we used it for our DNA exercise; it gave us great insight into how to further develop our brand. The fun thing is that you can also use the DAC Wheel in large organisations, where it becomes the ultimate tool to translate the company’s strategy into departmental action plans.”
What are the advantages of using the DAC Wheel for such exercises?
Meindert: “The DAC Wheel gives a rather complete image of how a company deals with its customers and employees. It offers a holistic view of the organisation, and also succeeds in helping people to get in touch with their company’s DNA. I like it because it’s not a difficult or complicated tool to work with and it really helps people to easily reflect and dialogue on otherwise difficult questions.”
Are there certain things you need to take into account when using the DAC Wheel?
Meindert: “Of course. For example: before starting the exercise there should be an agreement on what participants are going to map on the DAC Wheel… the current situation (as is) or the preferred situation (to be). Otherwise, one could get confused. And if you use the DAC Wheel in a consultancy setting, the consultant has to make sure that the outcome of the DAC Wheel exercise becomes a concrete tool (e.g. a value sheet), which can be referred to on a regular basis. That’s imperative to make it also stick in everyday reality.”
Final question… how long does it take to do this DAC Wheel exercise?
Meindert: “A half-day exercise can already give great results. After the exercise, the outcome has to be translated into a concrete management tool. Quick and fun to work with!”
Want to know more about the DAC Wheel and how it really looks like? Get in touch with Meindert Giessen or Raf Vanzeer for more information.
Meindert Giessen
