MGT6430 Organization Development

Syllabus & course overview Writing suggestions Groundrules News Overview of OD Experiences with organizational change Change Drivers Behavioral Sciences Approach (fads & flaws) The Learning Organization OD Principles Stages Nature of OD Role of change agent Ethics Next week: Team building

 Share your experience & expertise Confidentiality & discretion Come prepared (reading & study questions) Check with your team (when absent) Early drafts of paper for feedback Transfer of learning to work

Sample OD News

Leading transitions: Interview with Bridges & Mitchell Assessment and plan for cultural change at NASA Ready & able to change: away from traditional organizational model Police organization in transition Bureau of Labor Statistics mass layoff summary
Briefly present the facts/content Highlight why it is news, what it reflects about the marketplace Link to our topics of discussion

Search terms: change, leading change, OD, organization development, transition management, downsizing, organizational culture, teams, etc

The Learning Organization Organization as Organism

Stages of OD

1. Scouting the system. The Change agent (CA) observes and inquires in order to get an initial fix on the client system, determine how receptive the system is to change, identify strategic leverage points, and determine fit between what is needed and what the CA has to offer.

2. Entry & Contracting. During this initial stage the CA works with the client system to build a working relationship, set reasonable parameters and expectations, clarify roles, identify benefits and risks, and establish credibility. This process is repeated with each groups of stakeholders in the client system.

3. Diagnosis--data gathering and feedback. Decisions in OD are data based and derive from the experiences and interactions of system constituents. During this stage the CA promotes initial "unfreezing" (Lewin's change model), decides on an appropriate model for guiding change, presents a clear purpose for data gathering, collaborates on methodology used, obtains both quantitative and qualitative data, and organizes data to provide useful feedback.

4. Planning. During this stage the CA and client system move to a conclusion regarding the data. More responsibility and control is sifted from the CA to the client system, commitment to the next step is ensured, and needed changes are structured (often in the form of policy).

5. Implementation of action. The plan is carried out as assigned, coordination checked, and the CA is available as needed for questions and unexpected problems that may arise.

6. Evaluation. It is important to assess how well the intervention meets the objectives. The CA should work with the client system to select appropriate measurements, identify indicators of change, monitor progress and regress (and reframe the latter), and keep people informed.

7. Termination. When the work of the CA is done, that role is terminated and they exit the organization (if an external CA) or return to their previous assignment (if an internal CA). This final stage is highlighted by the CA and organization reviewing the change process, noting the problems and successes, identify significant learnings, and terminating.

Nature of OD
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. Dynamic and complex Process oriented Collaborative teamwork Equifinality Customized solutions Cultural change Systemic connections Action research Change agent Top support Long term & ongoing

Team Discussion

What is your theory of change? Why/how do people change? How does change occur in different levels of human systems?
Think of a change in your organization. What influenced the outcome of change? What was the mechanism of success, or what should have been done to learn from failure?