ODS FUTURE 1

How large a role OD will play in the constantly changing organizational, political. And economic milieu of the future will depend upon a number of interrelated conditions. Most of the conditions we are generally favorable to OD, but countertrends and/or uncertainties will have to be addressed. These conditions and contingencies have to do with leadership and values; knowledge about OD;OD training; the interdisciplinary nature of OD; diffusion of technique; integrative practice; mergers, acquisitions, and alliances; rediscovering and recording history; and the search for community. Leadership and Values:

For OD to flourish, top-management-CEOs, boards of directors, top executives, including the human resources executive-and OD consultants must place high value on strong individual, team, and organizational performance coupled with people-oriented values. As O Toole says, management can choose to try to create organizations that have both profitability and humanistic/developmental objectives whether or not the two are necessarily correlated. In an almost schizophrenic situation in the United States, some top managements are highly attentive and committed to this duality of objectives, and others are concerned only with the bottom line/or the price of stock. As George Strauss says, some executives have a slash and burn mentality. Most OD consultants, as we have seen in chapter 4, have strong orientations toward organizational effectiveness coupled with democratic and humanistic values. OD Training:

The quality of OD training in the United States appears to be high if one looks at the curricula of university programs, NTLs array of training experiences the training offerings of various consulting and training organizations. and the attention paid to OD matters in conferences of the OD Network, the Academy of Management, the American Society for Training and Development, and other national and international organizations. We would agrue that the future will hold a need for availability of T-group training- as a training intervention, not as an organizational intervention-particularly for both aspiring OD practitioners and managers. And we should not overlook the utility T-group training for any or all organizational members. including first-line supervisors. 1. Wendell L.French,Cecil H.Bell, Veena Vohra, Organization Developmentsixth edition,Dorling Kindersley India Pvt Ltd, 2006, p.g.229

Interdisciplinary Nature of OD:

ODs future, to a significant extent, is related to other disciplines. Historically,OD has been a highly interdisciplinary, eclectic field. It has been built from theory, research, and practice in social psychology, adult education, community development, general systems theory, family group therapy, anthropology, philosophy, counseling, psychiatry, general management, social work, human resources management, large conference management, and other fields.

Diffusion of Technique: OD techniques and approaches have been widely disseminated in society, at least on the American and Canadian scene, and in many parts of Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Latin America, and elsewhere. In large measure this positive development demonstrates that OD processes are being widely perceived as having considerable value. It is also a compliment to the professionals of the field, including OD trainers, researchers, and writers. However, at least two problems may be lurking around the edges of this wide dissemination of technique. One problem is that techniques may be used without sufficient understanding of their theoretical. research, and/or historical foundations. The consequences may be misapplication and, in turn. unnecessary cynicism and resistance on the part of clients.The other problem is the possibility of a gradual diffusion of the OD field across other specialties, with the resultant loss of some of its integration of values, theory, research, history. and practice. It is not a problem of semantics but a potential problem of loss of focus-ODs central values. what to teach. what to learn, and how to communicate the basics and the subtleties of the field. Integrative Practice : We refer to total quality management (TQM), quality of work life (QWL), and reengineering programs, in particular. The emphasis on teams in TQM and QWL , makes OD a natural partner in these efforts. The lack of emphasis on participative approaches in reengineering efforts makes OD-practitioner involvement less likely, but not less necessary. Important conceptualization relative to, this integration has occurred.

OD practitioners need to be as knowledgeable as possible about such structural interventions and these integrations. At the same time, we believe that experts in the technological aspects of these fields also need to be knowledgeable about OD. An ideal arrangement may be for OD professionals to join with such experts on consulting-teams.

Mergers, Acquisitions and Alliance: As the tempo of business transactions worldwide increases, the phenomena of acquisitions, mergers, and alliances will also become more evident. Interventions that have grown out of the 00 field can be highly relevant in helping two or more organizational cultures meld and in ameliorating the potential dislocation and pain that can occur when organizations are combined. Such interventions will require a high degree of interpersonal. political, and cultural skill of the consultant or consulting team-even more so when than one country and/or language is involved. Rediscovering and Recording History : The history of OD is indispensable for retaining and improving effective OD interventions and approaches. Some portions of OD history is in danger of being lost forever, although some are likely to be reinvented from time to time. Hundred devised by OD consultants have been tremendously successful in particular applications and used perhaps two or three times again, but never recorded and published. Focusing on the broad, fundamental participant action research process is of overriding importance, but nevertheless intervention techniques are extremely important for the 00 professionals tool kit. The Search for Community : The search for community will be increasingly high on the agendas of organizations and OD efforts in the future, either explicitly or implicitly Outcomes such as the production of high-quality goods and services, making a profit, and staying viable and competitive are, and must be, superordinate goals for vast numbers of organizations in essentially free-enterprise economies. Consequently, the interests of most organizations of all kinds are clearly served by being productive, efficient, and adaptable, lest they find themselves out of business OD interventions take people toward a sense of community, because the values underlying OD stem largely from what people have said over and over again in private interviews and safe group settings as to what they want from their organizations and from other people.

OD CONSUTANTS ROLE2
Organization Development as a Distinctive Consulting Method OD consultants establish a collaborative relationship of relative equality with organization members as they together identify and take action on problems and opportunities. OD consultants co-learners and collaborators: they work with people in the organization to discover what needs to be changed and now to go about it. 2. Wendell L.French,Cecil H.Bell, Veena Vohra, Organization Developmentsixth edition,Dorling Kindersley India Pvt Ltd, 2006, p.g.3

The role of OD consultants is to structure activities to help organization members learn to solve their own problems and learn to do it better over time. OD consultants typically do not give substantive solutions to problems. Rather they create learning situations in which problems are identified and solutions are developed. OD consultants are experts on organizational change and organizational dynamics, and on structuring learning situations for problem solving and decision making.OD consulting thus fosters increased competence, growth, learning, and empowerment throughout the client system.

ISSUES IN CONSULTANT-CLIENT RELATIONSHIP3

A number of interrelated issues can arise in consultant-client relationships in OD activities, and they need to be managed appropriately if adverse effects are to be voided. These issues tend to center on the following important areas: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. Entry and contracting Defining the client system Trust The nature of the consultants expertise Diagnosis and appropriate interventions The depth of interventions On being absorbed by the culture The consultant as a model The consultant team as a microcosm Action research and the OD process Client dependency and terminating the relationship Ethical standards in OD Implications of OD for the client

1. Entry and contracting An initial discussion that can lead to an OD consulting contract can occur in various ways, but typically events evolve something like this example. The telephone rings: An executive has some concerns about his or her organization and the consultant has been recommended as someone who could help. After a brief description of some of the problems and a discussion of the extent to which the consultant's expertise is a reasonable fit for the situation, an agreement is made to pursue the matter over a meal or through an appointment at the executives office During the face-to-face meeting, the consultant explores with the potential client some of the deeper aspects of the presenting problem. If communications between managers aren't as thorough and as cordial as they ought to be, the consultant asks for examples to get a better fix on the nature of the problem and its ,dynamics. 3. Wendell L.French,Cecil H.Bell, Veena Vohra, Organization Developmentsixth edition,Dorling Kindersley India Pvt Ltd, 2006, p.g.196

In the first meeting, the consultant and the client probably begin to sort in out what group would be the logical starting point for an OD intervention .Considerable thought must be given to exactly who is to be included and thus who is to be excluded-in the first interventions. The exclusion of key people, in particular, can be a serious mistake. If the problem appear to lend themselves to OD interventions , the consultant describes how he or she usually proceeds in such circumstance. The more formal compensation aspects of the initial contract are also important and need to e clarified for the peace of mind of both client and consultant. One course of action is to have an oral arrangement for an hourly or daily fee, with no charge for a brief telephone discussion, and usually no charge for a longer first exploration. Thereafter, a bill might be sent for time spent, or a bill might be submitted for the total agreed-upon price for the particular project. Contracting in both a psychological and financial sense, occurs over and over in OD consulting. 2. Defining the client system The question of who the client is quickly becomes an important issue in consultant-client relationships. We think a viable model is one in which, in the initial contact, as single manager is the client, but as trust and confidence develop between the key client and the consultant, both begin to view the manager and his or her subordinate team as the client, and then the manager's total organization as the client. 3. The trust issue A good deal of the interaction in early contacts between client and consultant is implicitly 're1ated to developing a relationship of mutual trust. For example, the key client may be fearful that things will get out of hand with an outsider intervening in the system-that the organization will be overwhelmed with petty complaints or that people will be encouraged to criticize their superiors. Subordinates may be concerned that they will be manipulated toward their superiors' goals with little attention given to their own. These kinds of concerns mean that the consultant will need to earn trust in these and other areas and that high trust will not be immediate 4. The nature of the consultants expertise Because of the unfamiliarity with organization development methods, clients frequently try to put the consultant in the role of expert on substantive content, such as on personnel policy or business strategy. We believe it is possible, and desirable, for the OD consultant to be an expert in the sense of being competent to present a range of options open to the client, but any extensive reliance on the traditional mode of consulting, that is, giving substantive advice, will tend to negate the OD consultant needs to resist the temptation of playing the content expert and will need to clarify his or her role with the client when it becomes an issue. The OD consultant should be prepared to describe in broad outline what the organization might look if it were to go very far with an OD effort.

5. Diagnosis and appropriate interventions Another pitfall for the consultant is the temptation to apply an intervention technique he or she particularly likes and that has produced good results in the past, but may not square with a careful diagnosis of the immediate situation . A consultant should do what he or she can do, but the intervention should be appropriate to the diagnosis, which requires an intensive look at the data.The wider the range of interventions with which the consultant is familiar , of course, the more options the consultant is familiar, of course, the more options the consultant can consider . 6. Depth of intervention A major aspect of selecting appropriate interventions is the matter of depth of intervention. In Roger Harrisons terms, depth of intervention can be assessed using the concepts of accessibility and individuality. By accessibility Harrison means the degree to which the data are more or less public versus being hidden or private and the ease with which the intervention skills can be learned. Individuality means the closeness to the persons perceptions of self and the degree to which the effects of an intervention are in the individual in contrast to the organization. It requires a careful diagnosis to determine whether these interventions are appropriate and relevant. If they are inappropriate, they may be destructive or, at a minimum, unacceptable to the client or the client system. 7. On being absorbed by the culture One of the many mistakes one can make in the change-agent role is to let oneself be seduced into joining the culture of the client organization. Even though one needs to join the culture enough to participate in and enjoy the functional aspects of the prevailing culture-an example would be goodnatured bantering when everyone is clear that such bantering is in fun and means inclusion and likingparticipating in the organizations pathology will neutralize the consultants effectiveness. 8. The consultant as a model The OD consultant needs to give out clear messages-that is, the consultants words and apparent feelings need to be congruent. The consultant also needs to check on meanings, to suggest optional methods of solving problems, to encourage and support, to give feedback in constructive ways and to accept feedback, to help formulate issues, and to provide a spirit of inquiry. 9. Consultant team as a microcosm The consultant-key client viewed as a team or consultants working as a team can profitably be viewed as a microcosm of the organization they are trying to create. In the first place, the consultant team must set an example of an effective unit if the team is to enhance its credibility.

10. Action research and the OD process A related issue is whether the OD process itself will be a subject to the ongoing action research being experienced by the client system. The issue of congruency is, of course, important. but the viability of the OD effort and the effectiveness of the consultants may be at stake. Unless feedback loops relate to various interventions and stages in the OD process. The change agents and the organization will not learn how to make the OD interventions more effective.

11. The dependency issue terminating the relationship Sometimes the organization may simply be temporarily overloaded by externally imposed crises occupying the attention of key people. Under such conditions, the best strategy may be one of reducing or suspending the more formalized OD interventions and letting people carryon with their enhanced skills and then returning to the more formalized aspects at a later date. If the dynamics of these and the other circumstances we have described were more defined, the resolution of the problem of what to do when the OD effort seems to be running out of steam might take directions other than' reducing or terminating the involvement of the change agent. 12. Ethical standards in OD Five categories of ethical dilemmas in organization development The types of ethical dilemmas they see are: (I) misrepresentation and collusion, (2) misuse of data, (3)manipulation and coercion. (4) value and goal conflicts, and (5) technical ineptness Misrepresentation of the consultants Skills :- To distort or misrepresent ones background, training, competencies, or experience in vita sheets, advertising , or conversation . Professional / Technical Ineptness :- The potential for unethical behavior stemming from lack of expertise is persuasive in OD. Misuse of Data : The possibilities for unethical behavior in the form of data misuse on the part of either the client or the consultant are abundant. Data can be used to punish or otherwise harm persons or groups, An obvious example would be a consultants disclosure to the boss the names of those who provided information about the bosss dysfunctional behavior. Collusion :- An example of collusion would be the consultant agreeing with the key client to schedule team-building workshop when department head Z is scheduled to be on vacation Coercion : It is unethical to force organizational members into settings where they are, in effect, required to disclose information about themselves or their units, which they prefer to keep private Promising Unrealistic Outcomes : The temptation to make promises in order to gain a client contract .

Deception and conflict of value :- Deception in any form is unethical and will destroy trust . 13. Implications of OD for the client An OD effort has some fundamental implications for the chief executive officer and top managers of an organization .

1. To enlarge the database for making management decision 2. To expand the influence processes 3. 4. 5. To capitalize on the strengths of the informal system and to make the formal and the Informal system more congruent. To become more responsive To legitimatize conflict as an area of collaborative management

6. To examine its own leadership style and ways of managing 7. To legitimatize and encourage the collaborative management of team, interteam and organization cultures. We think that these items largely describe the underlying implications for top management and that the OD consultant needs to be clear about them from the beginning and to help the top management group be clear about them as the process unfolds .

POWER AND POLITICS AND OD4

The Nature of OD in Relation to Power and Politics: Organization development was founded on the belief that using behavioral science methods to increase collaborative problem solving would increase both organizational effectiveness and individual well-being. This belief gave rise to the field and is a guiding premise behind its technology. To increase collaborative problem solving is to increase the positive face of power and decrease the negative face of power. Thus from its perception OD addressed issues of power and politics by proposing that collaboration. co-operation, and joint problem solving are better ways to get things done in organizations than relying solely on bargaining and politics. Change occurs by changing norms and beliefs, usually through education and reeducation. e empirical-rational strategy of change seeks facts and information in an attempt to find better ways to do things. Change occurs by discovering these better ways and then adopting them. The power-coercive strategy of change focuses on gaining and using power and on developing enforcement methods. Change occurs when people with more power force their preferences on people with less power. 4. Wendell L.French,Cecil H.Bell, Veena Vohra, Organization Developmentsixth edition,Dorling Kindersley India Pvt Ltd, 2006, p.g.220

Virtually, all OD interventions promote problem solving, not politics, as a preferred way to get things accomplished . OD values are consistent with the positive face of power, but not with the negative face power. Values such as trust, openness, collaboration, individual dignity. and promoting individual and organizational competence are part of the foundation of organization development. The role of the OD practitioner is that of a facilitator, catalyst. problem solver and educator. The practitioner is not a political activist or powerbroker. Sources of influence produce a substantial power base that will enhance the likelihood of success. Michael Beer has identified additional means by which an OD group can gain and wield power in organizations. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Competence Political access and sensitivity Sponsorship Stature and credibility Resource management Group Support

Paying attention to these to these source of will enhance the like hood of success of OD programs. What advice is available for OD practitioners who want to operate more effectively in a political environment? Several rules of thumb are implied by the fact that power accrues to persons who control valued resources or commodities. 1. Rule One : Become a desired commodity, both as a person and a professional. Becoming a desired commodity as a person means being interpersonal competence by virtue of their training, experience, and expertise. 2. Rule Two: Make the OD program itself a desired commodity. OD programs become desired commodities when they are instruments that allow individuals and organizations to reach their goals. 3. Rule Three : Make the OD program a valued commodity for multiple powerful people in the organization. When the OD program serves the needs of top executives, it gains an aura of respect and protection that sets its above most political entanglements 4. Rule Four :Create win-win solutions. The nature of organizations and the nature of organization development suggest this rule. 5. Rule Five: Mind your own business, which is to help someone else solve his or her major Problem 6. Rule Six: Mind your own business, which is to be an expert on process, not content organizational politics revolve around decisions: Should we seek Goal A or Goal B? Should we use Means X or Means Y? The proper role of OD consultants is to help decision-makers by providing them with good decision-making processes, not by getting involved in the answers. 7. Rule Seven Mind your own business because to do otherwise is to invite political trouble. A subtle phenomenon is involved here when people engage in illegitimate behavior, such behavior is often interpreted as politically motivated.

RESEARCH ON OD5

A positive feature in the research on OD is the incidence of longitudinal studies. In the review article by Pate, Nielsen, and Bacon, 18 of the 37 studies examined are longitudinal research efforts. Longitudinal research allows both short and long term effects of OD interventions to be noted, it allows tighter research designs. Development of theory will go hand in hand with more longitudinal research on OD. Several longitudinal research efforts of a programmatic nature exist. Advances in measurement techniques and valid measurement instruments have also contributed to better research on OD. Practitioners and clients are aware of the value and usefulness of research on OD. But credit is also due to the numerous excellent reviews and critiques of OD research that have appeared in the professional journals and a number of books. Freidlander and Brown, Alderfer, Faucheux, Amado, Laurent, Beer and Walton have written comprehensive reviews and critiques of OD research in the Annual review of Psychology. Michael Beer, George Strauss, Jerry Poras And Peter Robertson have told the broad story of OD in three important handbooks. Marshall Sashkin and Warner burke reviewed the state of OD research in 1987 and identified several possible trends. One is the use of meta analysis to evaluate OD studies. Porras and Silvers reviewed and published OD research from 1985 through 1989. In a comprehensive review Porras and Robertson examine the effects of different OD and human resource interventions on individual and organizational performance. All these contributions played a role in emphasizing the need for competent research on OD and have raised the level of research sophistication.

CONCLUSION
Enormous opportunity and potential exist for the OD movement in the future. Organizations throughout the world need the unique help that can be provided by highly trained international using people-oriented action research approaches . The future of OD is bright, as long as the high quality, hard work of the past continues, and providing it does not become fashionable for top leaders to revert to autocratic or capricious practices in times of high turbulence or crises. Much challenging difficult work remains to be done but also great fun and many rewards in working with people in making their organizations more successful and satisfying

5. Wendell L French,Cecil H Bell,Jr.,organization Development Behvioural Science Interventions for Organization Omprovement, sixth edition, Pearson Education, 2005

BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. Wendell L.French,Cecil H.Bell, Veena Vohra, Organization Developmentsixth edition,Dorling Kindersley India Pvt Ltd, 2006, 2. Wendell L French,Cecil H Bell,Jr.,organization Development Behvioural Science Interventions for Organization Omprovement, sixth edition, Pearson Education, 2005