OD Process

Learning objectivesComponents of OD processDiagnosis of the whole systemThe action i.e. Nature of OD interventions & analyzing discrepanciesPhases of OD program

Components of OD processDiagnosisActionProgram Management

The diagnostic component represents a continuous collection of data about the total system, its subunits, its processes, & its culture.Diagnosis

Focus of clients major concernsWhat are strengths?Its problem areas?Its unrealized opportunities?Is there any discrepancy between the vision of desired future & the current situation?(Diagnosis identifies strengths, opportunities & problem areas)

Action plans are developed to correct problems seize opportunities & maintain areas of strength.

Action

Focuses onConsists of fact finding about the results of the actions.

Program ManagementDid the action have desired effects?Is the problem solved or the opportunities achieved?

COMPONENTS OF OD PROCESS

Actions directed at problem/opportunity No1

Actions directed at problem/opportunity No 2

Actions directed at problem/opportunity No 3

Actions directed at problem/opportunity No 4

Problem/Opportunity 1 Evaluation of effects of actions

Problem/Opportunity 2 Evaluation of effects of actions

Problem/Opportunity 3 Evaluation of effects of actions

Problem 4 Evaluation

Problem solved/Opportunity realized Terminate actions

Problem solved / Opportunity not realized Initiate new actions

Problem solved / Opportunity not realized. Redefine problem; Initiate new actions

Problem 4 solved; but new, related problem 5 develops, actions are directed at problem 5

Step 1 Step 2Step 3Step 4 Diagnosis of the state of the organizationActions to correct problems & realize opportunitiesEvaluation of the effects of Actions/ InterventionsNew actions/ interventions as needed

System DiagnosisYielding "Strengths" 1,2,3,4Yielding Opportunities 1,2,3,4Yielding Problems 1,2,3,4

DIAGNOSIS

Diagnosis Defined

Diagnosis is a collaborative process between organizational members and the OD consultant to collect pertinent information, analyze it, and draw conclusions for action planning and intervention.

Major methods forcollecting data

Questionnaires Interviews Observations Unobtrusive methods

Questionnaires

One of the most efficient ways of collecting data Contain fixed-response questions about various features Administered to large numbers of people simultaneously Can be analyzed quickly Permit quantitative comparison and evaluation Data can easily be fed back to employees

Questionnaires

Major advantages Responses can be quantified and summarized Large samples and large quantities of data Relatively inexpensive Major potential problems Predetermined questions - no chance to change Over interpretation of data possible Response biases possible

InterviewsInterviews may be highly structured resembling questionnairesInterviews may be highly unstructured starting with general questions thatallow the respondent to lead the way

Interviews Major advantages Adaptive - allows customization Source of `rich data Process builds rapport with subjects Major potential problems Relatively expensive Bias in interviewer responses Coding and interpretation can be difficult Self-report bias possible

Observations

A more direct way of collecting data Observe organisational behaviors in their functional settings

Observations Major advantages Collect data on actual behaviour, rather than reports of behaviour Real time, not retrospective Adaptive Major potential problems Coding and interpretation difficulties Observer bias and questionable reliability Can be expensive

Unobtrusive measures

Data is not collected directly from respondents but from secondary sources Use records of absenteeism or tardiness, grievances, quantity and quality of production or service, financial performance and correspondence with key customers, suppliers or governmental agencies Helpful in diagnosing the organisation, group and individual outputs

Unobtrusive measures Major advantages Non-reactive, no response bias High face validity Easily quantified Major potential problems Access and retrieval difficulties Validity concerns Coding and interpretation difficulties

Diagnostic activities- Activities designed to provide an account of things as they are needed for 2 reasonsFirst- To know the state of thingsSecond- To know the effects & consequences of actions.

Diagnosing the System

Diagnosing the System

Small, Simple & relatively homogeneous subsystemsQ) What are major problems of the team? Q) How can team effectiveness be improved? Q) Do individuals know how their jobs relate to organizational goals? Individual interviews Group meeting to review theinterview data Questionnaires Observation of staff meetingsAnd other day- to-dayoperations Intergroup subsystems Q) How does each subsystem see the other? Q) What problems do the two groups have in working together? Q) How can they collaborate to improve performance of both groups? Confrontation meetings,Organisation mirroring meetingsInterviews of each subsystemfollowed by sharing the dataMeetings or observations ofinteractions

Diagnostic TargetsInformation soughtMethods of Diagnosis

Diagnosing the System(MBO) is a process of agreeing upon objectives within an organization so that management and employees agree to the objectives and understand what they are in the organization.

Diagnostic TargetsInformation soughtMethods of Diagnosis Individuals Q) Do people perform according to organizations expectations? Q) Do they need particular knowledge or skills? Q) What career development opportunities do they have/ want/ need? Interviews Information from diagnostic meetings Data available withHR department Roles Q) Is the role defines adequately? Q) What is the fit between person and role? Q) Is this the right person for this role? Role analysis , MBOObservations Interviews

The Confrontation MeetingWhat is a confrontation meeting?One day meeting of entire management of an organization in which they take a reading of their own organizational health

ProcessClimate setting 45-60 min.Information Collecting 60 min.Information Sharing 60 minPriority setting and group action planning 75 min.Action Planning 60-120 minutesImmediate follow-up by top team 60-180 min.(Four-six weeks later) Progress review 120 minutes

When is it appropriate to conduct a confrontation meeting?Need for the total management group to examine its own workingsVery limited time available for the activityTop management wishes to improve conditions quicklyReal commitment by top management to resolve the issueOrganization is experiencing , or has recently experienced, some major change

Organizational MirroringSet of activities in which host group receives feedback about how it is perceived and regarded from reps across organizationIntended to improve inter-group relationships

ProcessHost group asks key reps from interface group to meet and provide feedbackPre- and post interviews by consultant to magnitude of issue(s), prepare participants and answer their questionsAt the actual session:Opening remarks by manager of host group to set toneGuests use fishbowl discussion to maintain natural flow; hosts listenHosts fishbowl discuss, ask for clarification from guestsSubgroups of guests and hosts form to address most important changes host group needs to makeReconvene in large group to hear summaries of each sub group and form master task listAction planning, tasks, responsible parties, completion dates established and agreed, concluding mirroring sessionFollow-up meeting to assess and review progress

The Fishbowl Technique What to observe: communication power & influence roles conflict norms decision making problem solving leadership goal clarity task/maintenance

Diagnosing the Process

Diagnosing the Process

Organizational Processes Information soughtMethods of Diagnosis Conflict resolution & managementQ) Where does conflict exist? Q) Who are involved parties? Q) How is it being managed? Interviews Flowcharting critical processes Meetings between both groups Superior-subordinate relations Q) What are the prevailing leadership styles? Q) What problems arise between superiors and subordinates? Questionnaires Interviews Strategic management & long range planning Q) Who is responsible for looking ahead and making long term decisions? Q) Do they have adequate tools and support? Q) Have the recent long range decisions been effective? Interviews of key policy makers Group discussions Examination of historical records

Diagnosis The Marvin Weisbord Six-Box Model identifies six critical areas where things must go right if organisation is to be successful. According to him, the consultant must attend to both formal and informal aspects of each box. This model is still widely used by OD practitioners

Six-Box Organizational ModelPurposes:What Business Are we in?Leadership Helpful Mechanisms: Do we have adequate technologies?Rewards: Do all needed tasks have incentives? Structure: How do we divide up the work?Relationships: HowDo we manage conflict Among people? With technologies?Environment

Third wave consultingFirst wave refers to AGRICULTURAL REVOLUTIONSecond wave refers to INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTIONThird wave refers to the INFORMATION & TECHNOLOGICAL REVOLUTION

Weisbord identifies 4 useful practices" for the third wave consultantAssess the potential for action (look for situations with committed leadership, good business opportunities, & energized people)Get the whole system in the roomFocus on the futureStructure tasks that people can do themselves

ACTION COMPONENT

Action ComponentAction plans are OD interventions specifically tailored to address issues at individual, group, inter-group, or organizational levels as well as issues related to selected processes.

Actions Interventions are the actions taken to produce desired changes. Four conditions that give rise to the need for OD interventions: The organisation has a problem ( corrective action to fix it) Organization sees an unrealized opportunity ( enabling action to seize the opportunity) Features of organization are out of alignment ( alignment action to get things back in sync) Yesterdays vision is no longer good enough ( action for new vision actions to build necessary structures, processes and culture to make new vision a reality)

The nature of OD interventionsOD interventions focus on real problems rather than hypothetical problems.Real set of individuals involved in the group & the group are the problem solvers.Planning actions, executing actions & evaluating the consequences of actions of actions are integral to OD.The interventions activities have 2 goalsAn educational goalAn accomplishing goalOD problem solving interventions tend to focus on real problems central to the organizational needs.OD interventions use several learning models not just one

Intervention strategies are based on results of the diagnostic process and the specified goals of the client system.

Interventions Human process interventionsIndividualGroup basedInter-group basedTechno structural interventionsBalance score cardBPROutsourcingdownsizing

Example:Team Building (Group based)Special teams Diagnostic meetings Team building focused on goal setting, decision making, problem solving etc.Building & mainitaining effective interpersonal relationships Team building focused on task accomplishmentRole negotiation

Analyzing discrepancies (gaps)What is happeningWhere one isWhere one wants to beWhat should be happening

The Program Management

Phases of OD programEntryContractingDiagnosisFeedbackEvaluationInterventionPlanning changeWARNER BURKE

A model for Managing ChangeProgram Management Cummings and Worley identified 5 sets of activities required for effective change management:

Motivating ChangeManaging the TransitionDeveloping Political SupportCreating a Vision Sustaining MomentumEffective Change Management

Program Management Contd..John P. Kotter Kotters 8-stage process for managing organizational change: Establishing a sense of urgency Creating a guiding coalition Developing a vision and strategyCommunicating the change vision Empowering a broad base of people to take action Generating short term wins Consolidating gains and producing even more change Anchoring (institutionalizing) the new approaches into the culture 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 HBR, Mar-Apr 1995, p.61

Parallel Learning StructuresA structure (specific division and coordination of labor) is created that operates side-by-side with the formal hierarchy and structure with the goal of increasing organizations learning.These are the devices for introducing & managing change in large bureaucratic organizations

Parallel learning structures are useful when the organization needs to:Develop and implement organization-wide innovationsFoster innovation and creativity within a bureaucratic systemCapture the organizations collective expertiseSupport the exchange of knowledge and expertise among performers.

Phase 1: Initial definition of purpose & scopePhase 2:Formation of steering committeePhase 3:Communicating to organization membersPhase 4:Formation & development of study groupsPhase 5: The inquiry process.Phase 6:Identifying potential changesPhase 7:Experimental implementation of proposed changesPhase 8:Systemwide diffusion & evaluation