Chapter 3

The Organization Development Practitioner

1- Discuss the roles and characteristics of OD practitioners.

2- Describe the competencies required of effective OD practitioners.

3- Compare the internal versus external OD practitioner.

4- Understand the values and ethics guiding the practice of OD.

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 Who is the Organization Development
Practitioner?
The term organization development practitioner includes three sets of people:

Internal or external consultants who offer professional services to

1 organizations, including their top managers, functional department
heads, and staff groups.

 What are the

Those specializing in fields related to OD, such as human resource similarities and
2 management, organization design, quality control, information differences between
technology, and business strategy. those types?

Managers and administrators who have gained competence in OD and

3 who apply it to their own work areas.

2
 Competencies of an Effective
Organization Development Practitioner
OD practitioners should have the following basic skills and knowledge to be
effective:

1 Intrapersonal Skills or “Self-Management” Competence

2 Interpersonal Skills

3 General Consultation Skills

4 Organization Development Theory

3
 Competencies of an Effective
Organization Development Practitioner
Knowledge foundation competencies OD practitioners need to have:

A. Organization culture - B. Work design - C. Interpersonal relations - D.

1 Organization behavior Power and politics - E. Leadership - F. Goal setting - G. Conflict - H.
Ethics

A. Learning theory - B. Motivation theory - C. Perception theory

2 Individual psychology

A. Roles - B. Communication processes - C. Decision-making process -

3 Group dynamics D. Stages of group – development - E. Leadership

Management and A. Planning, organizing, leading, and controlling - B. Problem solving

4 organization theory and decision Making - C. Systems theory - D. Contingency theory - E.
Organization structure - F. Characteristics of environment - and
technology - G. Models of organization and system

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 Competencies of an Effective
Organization Development Practitioner
Knowledge foundation competencies OD practitioners need to have:

Research methods / A. Measures of central Tendency - B. Measures of dispersion - C. Basic

5 statistics sampling theory - D. Basic experimental design - E. Sample inferential
statistics

Comparative cultural A. Dimensions of natural Culture - B. Dimensions of industry culture - C.

6 perspectives Systems implications

Functional knowledge A. Interpersonal communication (listening, feedback, and articulation) -

7 of business B. Collaboration/working - Together - C. Problem solving - D. Using new
technology - E. Conceptualizing - F. Project management - G.
Present/education/coach

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 Competencies of an Effective
Organization Development Practitioner
Knowledge core competencies OD practitioners need to have:

A. The concept of fit and alignment - B. Diagnostic and design model for
1 Organization design various subsystems – C. Key thought leaders in organization design

Different research methods … such as?

2 Organization research

Different dynamic methods … such as?

3 System dynamics

History of organization A. Human relations movement - B. NTL/T-groups/sensitivity training - C.

4 development and Survey research - D. Quality of work life - E. Tavistock Institute - F. Key
change thought leaders - G. Humanistic values - H. Statement of ethics

Theories and models Different theories and models … such as?

5 for change

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 Competencies of an Effective
Organization Development Practitioner
Skills core competencies OD practitioners need to have:

1 Managing the consulting process 2 Analysis / diagnosis

Designing / choosing appropriate,

3 4 Facilitation and process consultation
relevant interventions

5 Developing client capability 6 Evaluating organization change

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 The Professional Organization
Development Practitioner
Role of Organization Development Professional Positions

Stage of
External Consultants Internal Consultants
Change
Entering  Source clients  Ready access to clients
 Build relationships  Ready relationships
 Learn company jargon  Knows company jargon
 “Presenting problem” challenge  Understands root causes
 Time-consuming  Time efficient
 Stressful phase  Congenial phase
 Select project/client according to own criteria  Obligated to work with everyone
 Unpredictable outcome  Steady pay
Contracting  Formal documents  Informal agreements
 Can terminate project at will  Must complete projects assigned
 Guard against out-of-pocket expenses  No out-of-pocket expenses
 Information confidential  Information can be open or confidential
 Loss of contract at stake  Risk of client retaliation and loss of job at
 Maintain third-party role stake
 Acts as third party, driver (on behalf of client),
or pair of hands

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 The Professional Organization
Development Practitioner
Role of Organization Development Professional Positions

Stage of
External Consultants Internal Consultants
Change
Diagnosing  Meet most organization members for the first  Has relationships with many organization
time members
 Prestige from being external  Prestige determined by job rank and client
 Build trust quickly stature
 Confidential data can increase political  Sustain reputation as trustworthy over time
sensitivities  Data openly shared can reduce political intrigue

Intervening  Insist on valid information, free and informed  Insist on valid information, free and informed
choice, and internal commitment choice, and internal commitment
 Confine activities within boundaries of client  Run interference for client across organizational
organization lines to align support
Evaluating  Rely on repeat business and customer referral as  Rely on repeat business, pay raise, and
key measures of project success promotion as key measures of success
 Seldom see long-term results  Can see change become institutionalized
 Little recognition for job well done

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 The Professional Organization
Development Practitioner
Role of Organization Development Professional Positions

1 What are the advantages / strengths of external and internal OD consultants?

2 What are the disadvantages / weaknesses of external and internal OD consultants?

What are the benefits of using OD team which includes both internal and external consultants
3 together?

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 The Professional Organization
Development Practitioner
Role of Organization Development Professional Positions

1 Marginality

2 Emotional Demands

3 Use of Knowledge and Experience

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 The Professional Organization
Development Practitioner
Role of Organization Development Professional Positions

Use of Consultant's Knowledge and

Experience  Plans implementation
 Recommends and/or prescribes
 Proposes criteria
 Identifies available options
 Feeds back data
 Probes and gathers data
 Clarifies and interprets
 Listens and reflects
Use of Client's Knowledge and  Refuses to become involved
Experience

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 The Professional Organization
Development Practitioner
Careers of Organization Development Professionals

1 Internal Consultant 2 External Consultants

What are the characteristics of each?

What is the relation between both?

What are the combining affects on the practitioner behavior?

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 Professional Values

1 Humanistic values.

 Conflicts between
employees

2 Economical values.  Such as … ?

 Conflicts with outside

groups

3 Ecological values.

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 Professional Ethics

Ethical Guidelines

1 Responsibility for Professional Development and Competence

2 Responsibility to Clients and Significant Others

3 Responsibility to the Profession

4 Social Responsibility

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 Professional Ethics

Ethical Dilemmas

Antecedents Process Consequences

Role of the Role Episode Ethical Dilemmas

change agent
Values
Goals  Role conflict  Misrepresentation
Needs  Role ambiguity  Misuse of Data
Skills  Coercion
Attitudes  Value and Goal
Abilities Conflict
… etc.  Technical Ineptness
Role of the
client system

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