Wish List for 2013

‘Tis the season for making lists and checking them twice, and I’m betting that one of those lists that you’ll be spending time on has to do with work and your wishes for making meaningful improvements. Am I right? Don’t we all want to make a fresh and improved start in January? Well, if you’re like me you’ll be setting goals for improving workplace productivity, relationships, and fun. Here are five tips on how to narrow down those wishes to the most important ones that will have the greatest positive impact.

1. Identify what is no longer going to be something that you do. I think this is critical. Don’t keep spending time and energy on tasks, people, customers, reports, problems, or whatever it may be, that don’t make you happy or support getting your organization to its goals. Take the time to be clear about what you should be doing, as well as what you shouldn’t, before you go any further with your list making.
2. Make this the year of the elephant. So often I see organizations tip-toe around issues, personalities, and/or problems that are obvious to everyone. No one wants to "rock the boat." But at the same time, isn’t that elephant sitting in on and disrupting every meeting, taking advantage of privileges, leading managers around by the nose, or stirring up one conflict after another? Isn’t the result of appeasing the elephant weighing down your organization’s morale, energy, leadership confidence and overall productivity? Utilizing a planned and focused organization development methodology to address and eliminate the elephant can be just the spark your organization needs to set 2013 on fire.
3. Don’t take it all so seriously. I’m not advocating you relax the quality of your work or the commitment you have to your organization. What I am suggesting is that you wish for and find a way to balance personal time with time dedicated to hard work, 24/7 expectations, and an economy that appears it will remain anemic for the next 12 months or so. Somewhere in among all the things you’re doing you need to have fun. That can be a collective fun with workplace potlucks or planning time for personal breaks, or whatever you enjoy that can recharge you. If you’re looking for a fabulous book on the importance of play and creativity don’t miss reading Play, by Dr. Stuart Brown.
4. Make learning a priority. Professional development is one of the key areas that has been cut during this recession. The sad thing about that is that we all need continuous improvement. It doesn’t matter if it’s people skills, leadership techniques, certifications, or staying up to speed on the latest technology impacting the way we work. In this global environment where the only thing we can count on is change, learning is important for sustaining a competitive advantage. In 2013, do what you can to open your organization up again to investing in the minds and spirits of your employees. You may find executive coaching is a great way to invest in development while having the least amount of disruption on productivity.
5. Play the role of reporter. So much of our focus these days is on "ME." Take 2013 to move that focus to make it all about your colleagues, co-workers, customers, family and new acquaintances. Have an inquiring mind that wants to hear their stories, ideas, opinions and experiences. Learn to use your ears more than your mouth. Value the input and feedback from others and reinforce their value and contributions to the organization. Improving communication and collaboration in the workplace is important for creating and sustaining trust, as well as motivating risk-taking and innovation.

Creating your wish list based on these ideas will go a long way toward introducing and sustaining positive change in your organization, leading to success in 2013.

Dr. Stuart Brown

This article was written by Deborah A. King, SPHR, CEO and Sr. Organizational Effectiveness Consultant with Evolution Management, Inc. Debbie and her team are energized about transforming human performance through the evolution of workplace culture. Contact EMI for more information about how we can assist your organization: www.evolutionmgt.com or 770.587.9032

The White House, Congress, Your Organization, and Change

Exceptional leaders realize and are quick to take action when dysfunctional behaviors in their organizations set the stage for impending chaos and destruction. These leaders have learned to work with change, not ignore it.

Dysfunction can form on a variety of organizational platforms. Have you ever experienced negative consequences, missed opportunities, or a hostile work environment as a result of any of the following?

• Broken relationships
• Lack of trust
• Lack of customer confidence
• Inability to communicate
• Silos curtailing the ability to unite
• Ego maniacs, who will not listen or accept the ideas and opinions of others
• Resistance to the changes a global, technically advanced society is driving
• Fear of losing some level of power or authority
• Inability to embrace a vision of "we’re in this together" rather than "it’s all about me"

Whether you work in the public or private sector, if you are responsible for reaching performance goals and are encountering resistance, be aware that you can harness power for achieving successful change by correctly planning and implementing change initiatives that involve and motivate employees and stakeholders to engage in adapting to the future.

The Dynamics of Human Behaviors

Nothing changes in an organization until the people involved understand the need for change. If performance doesn’t evolve to match expectations, a performance improvement plan might be helpful, or perhaps assigning an executive coach to work with a struggling employee might be a practical way to achieve transition. When we’re dealing with change and dysfunction in our political arenas, of course we always have the option to express our satisfaction with the pace of change through our right to vote.

Regardless of the sector you are working in, consider these points as you prepare to drive successful change in your organization:

• Just by our nature, it’s important to assess and understand the readiness of people within the organization to embrace change. If they’re not ready, you can’t force it. However, before giving up on our employees or public servants, consider and plan for the impact of human dynamics of change. We live in a sophisticated and complicated global marketplace. Initial steps are often needed to help employees prepare for a transition. Before they can attempt to move forward individuals may need:
• help in understanding the reason(s) why change has to happen.
• new skills and abilities to engage in exploration of ideas and/or dialogues that aren’t all about them.
• clarity of their role and responsibilities for effecting change in the organization.
• a way to save face for what was said or done in the past, in order to move on.
• to celebrate the achievements of the "old way of doing business" in order to accept the new, fast-paced, technology-changed ways of the future.
• The pace of change will probably be different for each individual involved in a change effort. Pace is often determined by past change experiences, how rooted the employees are in the belief being changed, and their personal abilities to successfully manage their own change, as well as motivate and lead others to change.
• Fear of the unknown is a common barrier to embracing change. As much as possible, help individuals understand what the future is going to look like and what role they will be playing in a "changed" world.
• Frequent communications about change, the importance of change for survival, and the successes the organization is achieving – big and small – will be important for employees to hear and identify with. Repeat these messages through a variety of communication channels.
• Providing training and a change model for successfully managing personal change can also be helpful in assisting with a road map of the behaviors required for successful change, and where those "change monsters" might be hidden. Consider sharing these resources:

Who Moved My Cheese

Our Iceberg is Melting

Transitions - Making The Most of Change

Change Monster

Execution - The Discipline of Getting Things Done

So What’s Next?

We all know the world is going to continue to change. But, have we really considered what that requires of each and every one of us? There is no doubt about it. You hear people say it every day, "The only thing you can count on is change." So, it’s inevitable – we all need to build skills that support flexibility, resilience, collaboration and respect for diverse options, ideas, and styles.

Just as organizations need to improve relationships, communications and performance, so too does the White House and Congress. They’re going to have to learn to work together if we’re to move beyond the gridlock and dysfunctionality of today’s political climate. As a result of stakeholder expectations, businesses, as well as government agencies, are going to have to continue to look for ways to streamline processes, cut costs, integrate technology and train employees on the competencies required for the future.

Change has been following us like a shadow for a number of years. Many organizations have avoided it, but yet continue to catch a glimpse of it lurking along the sidelines. A few have successfully navigated the change process and have instilled a culture of continuous improvement in their organizations. But the sad message is that the majority of organizations that have attempted to change have failed. I’m sure you’re aware of this, but here’s the disappointing fact - over 70% of organizational change initiatives fail, primarily because of:

• lack of planning.
• lack of employee preparedness and participation.
• lack of leadership buy-in for the long haul.

Getting serious about successful change requires:

• commitment at the top to the change message, required resources and a willingness to remain committed over a period of time that relates to the complexity of the organizational changes being introduced.
• abilities to motivate managers to check their egos at the door and be open to new ideas and approaches.
• assessment and employee participation to determine readiness and what’s required for successful change.
• adequate planning and communications about short- and long-term goals and objectives.
• a common language about change, so everyone is speaking and understanding the same message.
• celebration of big and small successes, to continue to motivate stakeholders and reinforce the benefits of the vision of the future.
• support and guidance by professionals experienced in a variety of change management methodologies, tools, and practices that allow change to be experienced in conjunction with the cultural and business advances the organization is seeking, and not as a stand-alone change management training exercise.

The future holds change for all of us. That’s a very good reason to embrace it, aid your organization in understanding it, and building the appropriate team with the skill sets to work with change, rather than against it.

 

Randy Pennington

 

This article was written by Deborah A. King, SPHR, CEO and Sr. Organizational Effectiveness Consultant with Evolution Management, Inc. Debbie and her team are energized about transforming human performance through the evolution of workplace culture. Contact EMI for more information about how we can assist your organization: www.evolutionmgt.com or 770.587.9032.

What Do You Do?

Think about the last networking or social event you attended. What was the most common question you were asked? That’s right - "What do you do?" A good ice breaker.

We all like to talk about how we spend our work time; well, at least most of us do. I happen to love what I do: Organization Development (OD) consulting. It’s interesting; it’s multidisciplined; and although there are certainly similarities across human behaviors and organizational processes, each organization is unique.

I’m often asked what OD is. My answer can be short: "OD is an approach to bring about organizational change." Or, depending on who’s asking and how interested they are, I might go on to say: "Usually I’m engaged when leaders realize they must change in order to adapt to some type of change in their environment: changing market conditions, changing expectations of customers, changes in funding capabilities."

Why Organizations Need OD

You may not be thinking about Kurt Lewin while working on organizational change, but the father of modern social psychology is also widely recognized as the founding father of OD. Through Lewin’s research we learned the importance of group dynamics and action research, two of the key foundations for organization development work.

It was Lewin who wrote, "If individuals are active in decisions affecting them, they are more likely to adopt new ways. Change proceeds in a spiral of steps, each of which is composed of a circle of planning, action and fact-finding about the result of action."

My experience demonstrates that leaders may recognize that their organizations must change, but few have more data beyond their own perceptions about what’s wrong. And very few know how to go about planning and implementing change. There are some that attempt change alone, but their attempts at forced change are overwhelming disasters, ending with employees feeling disillusioned and wondering, "Who’s steering the ship?"

Organizations sincere about wanting to plan and initiate successful change need organization development knowledge and experience provided by an internal or external OD consultant. The OD consultant’s role is not to examine, diagnose, prescribe and fix the organization. Instead, the consultant serves as the catalyst for guiding and facilitating processes designed to help the organization look at itself, understand its challenges, and create actions to close the gaps between who or where they are, and who or where they want to be.

The OD consultant is capable of calling on techniques, theories and methodologies from a variety of disciplines; i.e., behavioral sciences, anthropology, sociology, thinking and organizational learning, mind maps, body mind synchronicity, decision making, and coaching to list a few. This is not a consulting field where "one size fits all." What works for one organization will probably not lend itself to another organization. The consultant will take the time to listen and explore with the organization their history, culture, practices, expectations and change objectives before suggesting options for how to move forward in planning for change.

Organizations have been utilizing OD support since the ‘50s, and they still need it. The OD interventions designed for the organization will be unique to its people, considering a diversity of ideas, perceptions, readiness, beliefs, expectations, etc. As Warren Bennis wrote in 1969, "Change is the biggest story in the world today, and we are not coping with it adequately…." I think that statement is timeless. Change continues to challenge us. It’s demanding, elusive, and yet ever present and impactful. Why do organizations need OD? In order to survive.

How Does The OD Process Work?

When I talk about OD, I often point to the benefits that can be achieved by any organization: private sector businesses as well as government agencies. Some of the benefits include expanding organizational capabilities to:

• improve interpersonal and team processes and relationships.
• create a pathway for more effective communications.
• enhance the organization’s capabilities to cope with challenges.
• improve leadership and managerial competencies and abilities.
• deal with conflict in a healthy manner.
• cultivate an atmosphere of trust and collaboration.
• structure the organization to improve efficiencies and performance.

The OD consultant starts with the end in mind; i.e., a process to answer the question, "What does the organization want to achieve?" Based on the answer the organization agrees to, the consultant will work with the various stakeholders to develop a Change Plan or "travel guide." Think of the guide as a map detailing how to successfully move from Point A to Point M using collaborative and facilitated processes along the way.

Organization change doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a process that demands sufficient acknowledgement of elements such as: time, patience, expertise, data gathering, analysis, planning, resources, collaboration, co-creation, trust, confidentiality, conflict, fence-mending, coaching, facilitation, exploration, intuition, decision making, risk-taking, stakeholder participation, open communications and let’s not forget coaching or training along the way. Yes, I love what I do!

So What’s Next?

Every organization today is faced with issues of change: Budgets are being cut and people are retiring and leaving with knowledge and experiences that haven’t been documented. Workplaces are dealing with management styles that haven’t kept up with the expectations of the current workforce. Multiple generations working together are clashing over expectations and preferences, workplace cultures aren’t adapting quickly enough resulting in a lack of productive ways to work together. Technology is changing faster than organizations can assimilate to, and the list continues to grow.

If your organization is considering a change initiative, the first step is to ensure the organization has the leadership bold and secure enough to take a good look in the mirror. Next identify internal or external OD resources to assist. This point can be dicey, because the OD consultant needs to be neutral. If the OD consultant is too close to management, it may be difficult for employees to be candid and hopeful that positive change can occur.

The worst thing I’ve seen organizations do is recognize there is a problem, but sit back and hope that it resolves itself. I’m not saying it never happens, but the odds of the problem resolving itself are slim. What usually happens is the culture begins to accept the dysfunction that the problem is causing and then begins to fester, resulting in other dysfunctional reactions and solutions filling in the void that management is not addressing.

If it’s time to address change in your organization, find the right resources to help develop your guide to successful change. If EMI can assist you, we’d appreciate your consideration. Make change happen so that the next time someone asks you or your employees, "What do you do?" the answer can be, "I work for the best organization on the planet!" Wouldn’t that be cool?

As always, I welcome your comments to my posting. If you found this article interesting please pass it along to others in your network who can also benefit from it. Have a great week.

Towers Watson

This article was written by Deborah A. King, SPHR and President of Evolution Management, Inc. an SBA 8(a) certified firm. For 18 years, EMI’s team of experienced HR and change management consultants have been partnering with organizations interested in improving their workplace environments, as well as their organizational performance. We’d appreciate an opportunity to work with you. Contact us at 770.587.9032 or visit our website at www.evolutionmgt.com.

Change Takes More Than a Great Idea

Have you seen the movie Salmon Fishing in the Yemen? It’s a British romantic comedy based on a book written by Paul Torday.

I recently rented the movie having heard very little about it. Imagine my delight when, in the end, the movie reveals itself as a leadership training video, disguised as a comedy. Who would have expected a lesson for leaders on organization development and the process of successful change? Organization Development (OD), as you know if you’ve been reading this forum for any length of time, includes methodologies for working with planned change at the individual, team and organization level. Organization has a broad definition and includes individuals, teams, businesses, and social/economic communities of people (i.e., Yemen).

So without giving away too much of the plot and the ending, let me share the overview of the story from a leadership perspective. We all know that leaders are responsible for bringing about change. The change can be specifically focused on improving profits, streamlining processes, introducing new technologies, and building teams. It can be as intense as improving economic conditions or creating opportunities for dialogues about world peace.

Often leaders with a vision - an aha moment - see solutions and possibilities and get so excited about these newly discovered opportunities that they totally forget to think about what steps are necessary to ensure a successful change. Can you see where I’m going with this?

It doesn’t matter if your vision is to bring salmon fishing to the desert or to modernize your manufacturing plant with robots. And, it doesn’t matter if you have all the money required to pull off a wild new idea. What does matter is understanding that visionary decisions involving change require appropriate planning and ownership by more than just the leader.

Transition and Communication Plans

It doesn’t automatically happen that a leader has a brilliant idea and all the stakeholders required for success immediately jump on board. In fact, human nature is more likely to cause stakeholders to resist change more often than to embrace it. That’s an important point to keep in mind. Stakeholders need to understand, participate, and own the change.

As a result of this need, the participation of an OD consultant on the change leadership team is invaluable to the change leader, as the consultant (internal or external) will assist the leader in understanding and clarifying the current "As Is" opinions, perceptions and expectations of stakeholders. Armed with an appreciation of where stakeholders currently are in their thinking, the leader is better positioned to design the planning and communications strategies for how to navigate the organization and all its stakeholders from the "As Is" state to the desired new state of "To Be."

A typical Transition Plan will include activities such as:

• Interviews and surveys to gather appropriate data from stakeholders
• Invitations to stakeholders to participate in facilitated events to share information and brainstorm about what is required to support successful change
• Identification of short and long-term risks and techniques for mitigating each situation
• Development of a reasonable change pace, including schedules for data collection and analysis, identification of themes and recommendations for strategic interventions
• Ideas on mitigating risk
• Clarification of goals including responsibilities, accountabilities, tasks and metrics for recognizing success

One note about the pace of change – if the organization goes too fast, stakeholders may have a problem catching up. If the change is occurring too slowly, momentum may be difficult to establish and sustain. Gauging the right pace is an important element of understanding the "As Is" environment.

A Communications Plan is a second critical tool to ensure that the right stakeholders are receiving the right information through the right medium, at the right frequency. Not everyone needs to know, or wants to know, all the details of the change. Not everyone wants to participate at the same level. It’s the leader’s responsibility to clearly understand stakeholder needs and to accommodate them in a respectful, inclusive partnership for change.

You’ve heard it before: communicate, communicate, communicate. You can’t communicate too often. Individuals translate messages differently. Utilizing a variety of methods for getting the word out, opening up the two-way dialogues, and keeping everyone informed is not a small task. Plan for and utilize the skills of a good change communicator to provide stakeholders with up-to-date information. Without these avenues, human nature will have stakeholders guessing at how to fill in the blanks, and usually the results are not with upbeat, positive messages, but more than likely rumors grounded in doomsday, negative, doubtful messages.

So What’s Next?

I don’t want to spoil the movie for you, so let’s just end with a formula for positive, successful change:

Planning

Participation

Communications

Proper Project Speed

Economists continue to stress that US businesses are sitting on a lot of money, waiting to see what will happen with employment regulations and of course, the election in November. I caution business leaders about the dangers of leaping to invest and update business strategies too quickly before having a Plan of Action. Change can be an exciting journey if you’ve been involved in the planning and decision making. On the other hand, without appropriate information and participation, change can result in extreme behaviors grounded in fear and mistrust, blocking progress and innovation. And as we’ve seen in some situations, fears can go so far as to invite behaviors that sabotage any future change efforts by the leader.

So what’s next? If you’re a business leader and think that change is in the future of your organization, don’t wait until you’re ready to roll out the initiatives to realize you need to plan. If you’re not in a leadership position, encourage your leaders to take the time now to get the right people involved in understanding the vision, as well as helping to chart the course for a successful business shift. The first element to good project management is planning.

As always, I welcome your comments to my posting. Please share your thoughts below. If you found this article helpful, I’m very happy for you to pass it along to others. Have a great week.

This article was written by Deborah A King, SPHR, CEO and Organizational Effectiveness Consultant with Evolution Management, Inc. Debbie and her team are energized about changing individual and workplace practices and can help you navigate a plan for successful change. Contact Debbie for more information: Debbie@evolutionmgt.com or 770.587.9032.

EMI is a certified woman-owned, small business and recently receive SBA certification into the 8(a) Business Development program.

Roberta Katz



Are You Asking the Right Questions?

We all do it: We all ask questions day in and day out. But have you ever wondered if you are asking the right questions?

A few days ago I stumbled across a book I hadn’t read in years, QBQ! The Question Behind the Question, written by John G. Miller as an aid for reframing questions in order to generate more personal accountability, which in turn results in a shift in attitude and resulting behaviors.

As I thumbed through the book, I reread his guidelines for creating a QBQ:
1. Begin with "What" or "How" (not "Why," "When," or "Who").
2. Include an "I" (not "they," "them," "we," or "you").
3. Focus on action.
You get it. Not "When are they going to do something about this?", but rather "What can I do?"

Sounds simple until you start putting it into practice in difficult situations where you’d like to blame someone else. By using the model you’ll find yourself taking some personal accountability for the solution that is needed. Isn’t that what our bosses are looking for today? Employees with creativity and a willingness to take risks in order to make a difference?

So when the book opened to the short chapter (it’s only two pages) entitled, "The Risk of Doing Nothing" I saw the conundrum our workplaces are dealing with having one foot in old school practices and beliefs and one in the new, yet to be defined. We’re asking employees to avoid failure, but at the same time be creative problem solvers. How can we expect new solutions and new thinking if we’re not prepared to applaud mistakes?

Is Inaction a Viable Alternative?

Some people will avoid taking a risk at any cost. This avoidance is usually fueled by fear. A fear of failure, of losing credibility, of stepping into the spotlight, or worse, a fear of making a mistake and losing a job as a result. But in today’s highly-competitive market, can anyone afford to allow fear to hold them back?

We all recognize that no job comes with a guarantee of job security – just look at the unemployment statistics. And it may seem like not rocking the boat will afford smooth sailing, but the counterintuitive reality reveals that the fear of taking initiative because of the perceived risks that may be involved could just land you in the unemployment line tomorrow. As Miller writes, "Taking action may seem risky, but doing nothing is a bigger risk!"

Organizations that have embraced lean manufacturing and Six Sigma methodologies recognize the importance of taking action through a process of asking the right questions. The right questions come from examining processes with the primary goal of maximizing customer value while minimizing waste.

When organizations encourage and nurture cultures where employees can safely step outside their comfort zone and take actions that have an element of associated risk, those employees are:

• Learning and growing. Inaction on the other hand leads to stagnation and the inability to deal with change.
• Discovering new solutions to old problems. Inaction is focused on the past, not the future.
• Demonstrating courage and leadership. Inaction speaks volumes about fear.
• Building confidence. Inaction shines a beacon on self-doubt.

As Miller writes, "It’s better to be one who is told to wait than one who waits to be told." Which behavioral style is your organization seeking?

So What’s Next?

Many organizations are still built on models of competitiveness and reprimands for failures. Performance management systems that rank employees against their peers. Reward and recognition programs based on the success of "established" processes, regardless of their current value to customers. It’s time for HR and OD leaders to take risks – to step out of the box and embrace bold changes. Inaction in this global, fast paced environment could cause the organization to stagnate and die.

I believe it’s time for leaders to develop organizational transition plans geared at shifting cultures. We need to embrace collaborative and supportive environments where individuals are encouraged to share knowledge and information, working together to find new solutions to organizational problems - and that means getting comfortable with failure. Did you know that Henry Ford, known today for his innovative assembly line and American-made cars, failed in early business attempts that left him broke five times before he founded Ford Motor Company? Making mistakes is an important part of the growth process. As information evolves and is transmitted so quickly, we need organizations filled with employees willing to share knowledge, not hang on to it because they want to be promoted over their colleagues.

It’s also time to re-evaluate our performance management systems and move toward continuous recognition of individuals for their strengths and contributions, as well as how they partner and work with others to improve workplace performance, profitability and customer satisfaction. In an environment where knowledge and ideas must be shared across disciplines and business lines in order to survive, it just doesn’t make sense to support old HR processes that undermine teamwork. The old "forced ranking" system that American businesses came to love as a result of its success at GE appears to be fading. A recent report published by the Institute for Corporate Productivity indicated the percentage of "high-performing" companies using forced ranking systems has plummeted from 49% to 14% in just two years.

Successful organizations are realizing that it’s not only time to ensure we have the right individuals doing the right work, but we need to be asking the right questions. A one-size-fits-all approach to operational and people management isn’t practical. These organizations are recognizing the value of cultivating a solid approach to organization development planning and implementation. They know there is no magic bullet or short-cut to good management practices of people, and ultimately the management of the business. It’s not about ranking or the numbers, it’s about dialogue.

So, are you and your business leaders asking the right questions? As you prepare for your fall retreats and strategic planning events for the coming year, I encourage you that this might be the most valuable question you can ask.

As always, I welcome your comments to my article. Please share your thoughts below. If you found this article helpful, I appreciate you sharing it with others. Have a great week.


This article was written by Deborah A. King, SPHR, CEO and Sr. Organizational Effectiveness Consultant with Evolution Management, Inc. Debbie and her team are passionate about change and embracing the organizational designs and needs for a successful future. Contact Debbie for more information: Debbie@evolutionmgt.com or 770.587.9032.

Andrew Sobel – The Skill of Asking the Right Questions

Department of Continuous Renewal – Striving for a Holistic Approach to Change

Should organization's view change as a program, or as an event? This was the topic of an interesting conversation I recently had with a colleague responsible for guiding his organization through successful change. As a result of that thought-provoking exchange, I thought it might be helpful to my readers to explore ‘change’ and the field of ‘organization development’ since we’re all dealing with some kind of change.

In 1965 John W. Gardner, writing about change, speculated that perhaps what was needed in a world dealing with so much change was a "department of continuous renewal that could view the whole organization as a system in need of continuing innovation." Gardner, along with management consultants including McGregor and Argyris, was trying to identify a workable solution for dealing with the magnitude and complexity of change occurring in our country at the time in politics, society, and workplaces, as well as in relationships between different generations and races.

Gardner’s idea for the Department of Continuous Renewal does exist in many organizations today. It may or may not be titled Organization Development (OD) Department but that’s what the assigned staff is responsible for. However, almost 50 years after Gardner brought attention to the need for managing continuous change the OD profession, as well as the organizations in which we work, continue to struggle in clearly defining what organization development is and how to intentionally apply it.

Primary Characteristics of OD

OD is often defined as an educational strategy adopted to bring about a planned organizational change. With that said, be aware that the strategies designed and implemented can differ enormously from one situation to another. In some cases the need may be focused on assessing and understanding the organizational culture in order to make intelligent and well-informed recommendations about ways to improve performance. In others, the need may be helping employees adjust to the dynamics of working with peoples that are different from each other – in traditions, backgrounds, gender, years, education, work styles, etc. Yet another example might be helping a team impacted by a merger or acquisition realign with a new mission, vision and goal. Whatever the strategy, OD almost always concentrates on the values, attitudes, relations, and client – the ‘people side’ of business.

Secondly, the focus of the change work is directly linked with the demands the organization is facing, which vary in intensity and can be as extreme as changes required for the organization to survive.

OD relies on that educational strategy mentioned above to emphasize experienced behavior. Utilizing assessment, feedback, training, meeting facilitation, and other experience-based methodologies, the OD professional is able to generate publicly-shared information and experiences needed for adequate action planning.

Most often, the individuals guiding change - ‘change agents’ - are external to the organization. Certainly internal OD consultants do great work. I’m not declaring that they don’t. What I am suggesting however, is that external consultants have the benefit of bringing an innocence, or unbiased perception, when observing the organization and clarifying surfaced problems. Having experience working internally and externally, I find that there is usually, rightly or wrongly, a real or perceived notion that the ‘external’ consultant is bringing more experience to the engagement, which often aids in gaining executive commitment to change.

OD implies a collaborative relationship between the consultant and the client system, and that’s where my passion lies. The word collaboration can mean a lot of different things. As you consider the word, what does it mean to you? For me, it involves working with people jointly committed to a goal, working in a way that demonstrates mutual trust and influence. It’s a way of coming together where no one is alone.

OD leaders of change share a set of values about the world in general, and human organization in particular, which influence their strategies, interventions and responses to client system behaviors. We believe that bureaucratic and impersonal values reduce organizational effectiveness while values supporting human factors, open communications and trust lead to healthy and productive organizations.

And last, but not the least OD professionals are guided by a set of goals which include:

• Improve interpersonal competence.
• Shift values so human factors and feelings are considered legitimate.
• Develop an increased understanding between and within working groups in order to reduce tensions and improve efficiencies.
• Develop effective teams.
• Develop better methods of conflict resolution.
• Share and develop an understanding that the organization is an organic system; not a mechanical machine.

So What’s Next?

Considering these characteristics of OD, it’s easy to see that a program, or holistic approach to change, is one that can be more efficient and effective in producing and sustaining change across an organization rather than approaching it in small and random pockets dependent on the leader’s willingness to deal with change.

What difference would it make to your organization if the change program was managed by the ‘Department of Continuous Renewal’? What impact could an orchestrated change plan, with at least the following eight components, working simultaneously in concert with each other have on the success of your requirements for change? Noted below is a brief overview of EMI’s Holistic Change Model.^©

I.   The foundation of the change program is built on the desired vision, mission, goals and culture, intentional values, performance objectives, behavioral standards, leadership expectations.

II.  Surrounding the core foundation are eight gears working in harmony with each other:

1. Strategic Change Planning – including a Transition Plan, Communication Plan, clarification of language and definitions, structure and chartering of change team
2. Individual Check-In – opportunities and tools for employees to identify where they are now, where they are going, what they need to let go of, as well as acquire, training needs, and chances for collaborating and participating in change initiatives
3. Team Realignment and Development – understanding restructuring and impact of change, individual contributions, re-engagement, performance metrics and training
4. Leadership Assessment and Development – clarification of leadership styles needed for organizational impact and goal achievement, assessment of competencies, attitudes, skills and passions, executive coaching and development
5. Stakeholder Integration – assessment of needs, clarification of expectations, opportunities for collaboration and involvement with change team
6. Performance Expectations – modified position descriptions, updated development plans, relationship building (internal and external), continuous performance management feedback and development
7. Communications – frequent updates, two-way (horizontally, vertically and diagonally engaging employees) dialogues, integration of technologies and social media, effective planning and facilitation of meetings, easy to understand messages, attention to WIIFM (What’s In It For Me?) questions, town hall/brown bag opportunities for staff and management to dialogue
8. Change Metrics and Plan Modification – periodic check-ins, alignment of change plan with other internal and external impacts, celebration of achievements, program modifications

III.  Surrounding these eight dynamic components is a Program Management team to ensure:

• Knowledge sharing occurs between the Change Team, organizational leaders and internal and external change consultants
• Timely follow-up on action plans and open items
• Barriers to change are addressed and resolved
• Future needs are anticipated and planned for as the organization shifts

So often I observe an organization focused on an individual OD intervention, such as meeting facilitation, or executive coaching. It’s excellent that leaders understand there is a need. However, my observation is that the time and investment made in that one engagement would have a much better ROI if it was integrated into a more holistic approach to organizational change.

As you think about how change is occurring in your organization, I hope this glimpse of a holistic approach is helpful to you. As always, I welcome your comments to my posting; please click below. I also appreciate your sharing a copy of this article with others you believe will find it interesting. Have a great week.

This article was written by Deborah A. King, SPHR, CEO and Sr. Organization Effectiveness Consultant with Evolution Management, Inc. Debbie and her team are ready to assist with organizational change to improve effectiveness, efficiencies and the overall workplace experience for employees. If you’re interested in learning more about our services, please contact us: www.evolutionmgt.com or 770.587.9032.

Tom Orths