organization development process

An Experiential Approach to Organization Development 8 th editionCopyright ©2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall

Chapter 4Slide 1

Chapter 4

Role and Style

of the OD Practitioner


Chapter 4Slide 2

Learning Objectives

• Define role of OD practitioner.

• As a potential OD practitioner, identify:– Your strengths and– Areas of improvement.

• Experience and practice:– Your style of intervention and– Influence in a group.


Chapter 4Slide 3

Figure 4.1 Stage 2 of OD’s 5 Stages


Chapter 4Slide 4

Haphazard VersusPlanned Change

• Change programs do not happen accidentally.

• Initiated with purpose and require leadership.

• OD practitioner deals proactively with changing forces.


Chapter 4Slide 5

Two Types of Changein Organizations

• Random or haphazard change.– Forced on organization by external

environment.

– Not prepared for.

• Deliberate attempts to modify organization.


Chapter 4Slide 6

External Practitioner

• Not previously associated with client.

• Advantages.– Different viewpoint and objectivity.– Not dependent upon the organization.

• Disadvantages.– Unfamiliar with organization.– Unfamiliar with culture, communication

networks, and power systems.


Chapter 4Slide 7

Internal Practitioner (part 1 of 3)

• Member of organization who can be:– A top executive.– Employee who initiates change in work

group.– From human resources or OD department.


Chapter 4Slide 8


• Advantages.– Familiar with culture and norms.– Knows power structure.– Personal interest in organization.


Chapter 4Slide 9


• Disadvantages.– May lack specialized skills.– Lack of objectivity.– Likely to accept organizational system.– May lack necessary power and authority.


Chapter 4Slide 10

External-Internal Practitioner Team (part 1 of 3)

• Team combines external practitioner working with internal practitioner.

• Probably most effective approach.

• Partners bring complementary resources.


Chapter 4Slide 11


• External practitioner brings:– Expertise, objectivity, and new insights.

• Internal practitioner brings:– Knowledge of issues and norms, and– Awareness of strengths and weaknesses.


Chapter 4Slide 12


• Provides support to one another.

• Achieves greater continuity over OD program.

• Team combines advantages of both while minimizing disadvantages.


Chapter 4Slide 13

OD Practitioner Styles

• Practitioners have variety of styles.

• View styles as degree of emphasis placed upon 2 dimensions:– Effectiveness - degree of emphasis upon

goal accomplishment.– Morale - degree of emphasis upon

relationships and satisfaction.


Chapter 4Slide 14

Five Practitioner Styles (part 1 of 6)

1. Stabilizer style.

2. Cheerleader style.

3. Analyzer style.

4. Persuader style.

5. Pathfinder style.


Chapter 4Slide 15

Figure 4.2Practitioner Styles


Chapter 4Slide 16


• Stabilizer Style.– Maintains low profile.– Tries to survive by following directives.


Chapter 4Slide 17


• Cheerleader Style.– Places emphasis on member satisfaction.– Does not emphasize organization

effectiveness.


Chapter 4Slide 18


• Analyzer Style.– Places emphasis on efficiency.– Little attention to satisfaction of members.


Chapter 4Slide 19


• Persuader Style.– Seeks compromise between cheerleader

and analyzer styles.– Achieves average performance.


Chapter 4Slide 20


• Pathfinder Style.– Seeks high organization efficiency and

high member satisfaction. – Desired style for OD practitioner.


Chapter 4Slide 21

Pathfinder Practitioner Focuses on Six Processes:

1. Communication.

2. Member roles in groups.

3. Group problem-solving.

4. Group norms and growth.

5. Leadership and authority.

6. Intergroup cooperation.


Chapter 4Slide 22

Readiness of Organization for OD

• Key personnel first decide if change needed.

• Learning goals of OD appropriate?

• Cultural state of client ready for OD?

• Key people involved?

• Members prepared and oriented to OD?


Chapter 4Slide 23

The Intervention

• Intervention is:– Coming between members of organization.– For purpose of change.

• Interventions are planned activities.

• External practitioner usually intervenes through top manager.


Chapter 4Slide 24

Who Is Client?

• Who client is becomes complex as practitioner intervenes.

• Client may be:– Organization.– Certain divisions.– An individual.


Chapter 4Slide 25

Practitioner Role in Intervention

• Operates on belief that team is basic building block.

• Concerned with how processes occur.

• Does not take control.

• Believes that assisting client leads to lasting solution.


Chapter 4Slide 26

Table 4.1OD Practitioner Skills and Activities


Chapter 4Slide 27

Six Key Skill Areas Critical to Success of Practitioner

1. Leadership.

2. Project management.

3. Communication.

4. Problem-solving.

5. Interpersonal.

6. Personal.


Chapter 4Slide 28

Figure 4.3Practitioner Skills Profile


Chapter 4Slide 29

Forming Practitioner-Client Relationship

• A system of interacting elements.

• Consists of:– Practitioner.– Client contact. – Client target system.


Chapter 4Slide 30

Figure 4.4System’s View of Change Relationship


Chapter 4Slide 31

Initial Perceptions

• Initial intervention is:– An evaluation by client and practitioner of

each other.

• First impressions important.

• Relationship based on mutual trust and openness.


Chapter 4Slide 32

What Perception Is• The process that individuals use to:

– Give meaning to environment.– Interpret and organize sensory

impressions.

• What one perceives can be different from reality.

• People behave on basis of:– What is perceived versus what really is.


Chapter 4Slide 33

Figure 4.6Perception Formation and Effect on

Relationships


Chapter 4Slide 34

Selective Perception

• Selectivity of information that is perceived.

• People tend to ignore information that conflicts with their values.

• Accepts other information that agrees with their values.


Chapter 4Slide 35

Closure

• Individual fills in missing information in order to complete perception.

• Individual perceives more in situation than is really there.


Chapter 4Slide 36

Dilemma Interactions

• Questions about client’s definition of problem.

• Client’s awareness of need for change.

• Client’s unrealistic expectations.

• Client’s misuse of power.

• Value differences with client and practitioner.


Chapter 4Slide 37

Practitioner Style Model

• Practitioner brings knowledge, skills, values, and experience.

• Client system has own subculture and readiness for change.

• Together determine practitioner’s style and approaches.


Chapter 4Slide 38

Figure 4.7Practitioner Style Model


Chapter 4Slide 39

Developing Trust Relationship

• Openness and trust between practitioner and client essential.

• Basic responses to build trust:

– Questions.

– Advising.

– Reflection.

– Interpretation.

– Self-disclosure.

– Silence.


Chapter 4Slide 40

Creating Climate for Change

• Practitioner “practice what he or she preaches.”

• Create climate of:– Openness.– Authenticity.– Trust.


Chapter 4Slide 41

Practitioner-Client Relationship Modes (part 1 of 5)

• Apathetic.

• Gamesmanship.

• Charismatic.

• Consensus.


Chapter 4Slide 42

Figure 4.8Four Practitioner-Client Relationship

Modes


Chapter 4Slide 43


• Apathetic Mode.– Keeps quiet about true ideas with

practitioner.– Skeptical about change.


Chapter 4Slide 44


• Gamesmanship Mode.– Keeps quiet about true ideas with

practitioner.– Manipulates strategic factors.


Chapter 4Slide 45


• Charismatic Mode.– View of changes taken from leaders’ cues.– Members view change as desirable if

leaders approve.– Limited number of members share their

own ideas.


Chapter 4Slide 46


• Consensus Mode:– Both client and practitioner share

perceptions. – Differences are worked through. – OD practitioner attempts to operate from

this mode.


Chapter 4Slide 47

Formalization of Operating Ground Rules

• Formalization of obligations in contract advisable for external practitioner.

• Internal practitioner.– Does not need contract.– Ground rules should be formalized.


Chapter 4Slide 48

Contract with External Practitioner Specifies Items

• Point of contact.• Role of

practitioner.• Fees.

• Schedule.• Anticipated

results.• Operating ground

rules.


Chapter 4Slide 49

Warning Signs in Practitioner-Client Relationship

• Level of commitment to change of client.

• Degree of power to influence change.

• Client’s manipulative use of practitioner power.


Chapter 4Slide 50

OD ApplicationBain & Co.

• Bain & Co. is major worldwide consulting firm.

• Works collaboratively with clients to assist them in:– Making decisions in areas including

strategy, organization, and operations.


Chapter 4Slide 51

• Known as creator of “relationship consulting.”

• Works directly with chief executive.

• Focuses on total system.

• Collaborate with client to:– Study, define, and assist in implementation

of solution.

• Does not make decisions.– Serve as catalyst to help in the process.


Chapter 4Slide 52

Key Words and Concepts

• Analyzer style.– High on effectiveness.– Low on morale.

• Apathetic mode.– Follows established routine.– Avoids responsibility.


Chapter 4Slide 53

• Charismatic mode.– Relies on leaders to determine if change

desirable.

• Cheerleader style.– High on morale.– Low on effectiveness.

• Client sponsor.– Person or group in organization that

requested practitioner’s help.


Chapter 4Slide 54

• Client target system.– Organization needing help in change.

• Closure.– Tendency to fill in missing information to

complete perception.

• Consensus mode.– Decisions made through sharing

viewpoints.


Chapter 4Slide 55

• Dilemma interactions.– Result from questions from practitioner.– Regarding client’s problem definition and

value differences.

• External-internal team.– Change agents from outside and inside

organization.

• External practitioner.– Change agent from outside organization.


Chapter 4Slide 56

• Gamesmanship mode.– Sees life as if playing a game.– Goal is to win.

• Internal practitioner.– Change agent from within organization.

• Interpretation.– Responses used by practitioner to explain

something in terms client can understand.


Chapter 4Slide 57

• Intervention.– Entrance into client system.– Includes variety of roles and activities.

• Pathfinder style.– High on effectiveness.– High on morale.

• Perception.– Process individuals use to give meaning to

environment.– Interprets sensory impressions.


Chapter 4Slide 58

• Persuader style.– Moderate emphasis on morale and

effectiveness.

• Selective perception.– Selectivity of information that is perceived.

• Stabilizer style.– Low on effectiveness.– Low on morale.


Chapter 4Slide 59

OD Skills Simulation 4.1Practitioner Style Matrix

• Purpose:– To give you information about approaches

to practitioner-client relationship.– Information may help to:

• Reinforce existing strengths and• Indicate areas that need improvement.


Chapter 4Slide 60

Preparations for Next Chapter

• Read Chapter 5.

• Prepare for OD Skills Simulation 5.1. – Prior to class, form teams of six and select

roles. – Complete Step 1.

• Read and analyze Case: The Old Family Bank.


Chapter 4Slide 61

organization development process

Documents

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experiential approach

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member of organization

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