There is so much truth in this David.  I'll add that all too often survey's are used instead of th eleadrs doing what is necessary to foster an open conversation on a day to day basis about the things that really matter.

The opposite response to ignoring can also be just as much of a waste - by opposite I mean forming committees to address issues identified by the survey.  With a member of the leadership team as a figurehead these committees start programs and initiatives that all too often don't affect change and leave people more resigned than before because they worked so hard and made no progress.  The activity creates an illusion that something is being done for a time but unless the leaders are more than figureheads and willing to own the issues personally well intended action will make little substantive difference.