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Organisational Development

capability project

Reporting our findings

Produced with support from

A leading workforce programme delivered by

Kent, Surrey and SussexLeadership Collaborative

Thames Valley and WessexLeadership Academy

South WestLeadership Academy

Delivered in partnership with

2Organisational Development capability project: Reporting our findings

Foreword: Paul Taylor and Karen Dumain 3

Foreword: Christina Quinn 4

Introduction 5

Background 6

Methods – what we did 7

Findings 9

Recommendations 19

Acknowledgements 20

Appendix 1: Questions to LDP leads 22

Appendix 2: Invitation to the focus groups 23

Appendix 3: Survey questions 24

Contents


Do OD (organisational development) is a leading workforce programme delivered by NHS Employers in partnership with the NHS Leadership Academy. Since its launch in February 2013, Do OD has worked alongside organisation development (OD) practitioners in the NHS, helping them to connect, share, learn and grow. Together with its passion and practitioners from the OD community, Do OD has begun to shape a new phase of OD in the NHS.

Capability and confidence among OD practitioners has been a thread running through the programme’s work in the last two years. At the first OD in the NHS conference in 2013, the community prioritised OD capability as one of the top areas for action. That sparked the birth of a group we termed ‘the OD capability group’, which set off on an adventure in November 2013.

The OD capability group was a small and impactful fellowship of practitioners who, with support from a helper, conducted cycles of action research to explore what capability and confidence felt like. The group published its findings at the second OD in the NHS conference in 2014, as part of Doing OD in the NHS: Volume I. The group recommended two very important things: that every OD practitioner should find their ‘safe space to stay sharp’, and that there is a further inquiry into capability and confidence.

With support from Christina Quinn, director of leadership in the South West Leadership Academy, aided by the Kent, Surrey and Sussex Leadership Collaborative and Thames Valley and Wessex Leadership Academy, a three-month project was funded to inquire further into this issue.

Kathryn Winterburn, head of leadership and OD with the Yorkshire and Humber Leadership Academy, rose to the challenge of working with the Do OD team to carry out the inquiry. This report is the result of that work.

The response has been incredible. In recent weeks, the team has been immersed in data, way more than expected. It shows just how important this topic is and how willing people are to share their stories, ideas, questions and feedback.

This report is a bridge between the ‘Phase 1’ work of the OD capability group and the ‘Phase 3’ work that will take place as a result of Kathryn’s report. The team looks forward to discovering what it might find on the other side of this bridge and exploring it with you.

Do OD would like to thank Kathryn, Christina, Amanda, Caroline, Julia, Nathaniel, Carolyn and James for building the solid foundations from which we can now launch the next phase of this work. Thanks to Rebecca and Jan for the backstage work that made it all come together. Thank you to everyone who contributed their time and wisdom.

Now, let’s see what great stuff we can achieve together to make a difference.

Paul Taylor and Karen Dumain, Do OD

Foreword: Paul Taylor and Karen Dumain


Foreword: Christina Quinn

As I read this report, I am struck by how consistent the message is and how important the work of OD is to organisations and also the professionals who work in this dynamic field. The dedication and passion of people who work in organisations in order to support the development of cultures that foster best practice never fails to amaze me. I am lucky I work with many of these people. What they tell me is that while their work is essential and they are committed and passionate, sometimes, not always, OD is not seen as a priority. I hope that through this report, and the extensive work of other experts, we can continue to keep the spotlight on the immense possibilities that OD offers organisations – but most importantly people.

I find the report also celebratory, not self-congratulatory, a real pause and reflection on the significant contribution OD and those who practise it have on their organisations. Yes, we need to do more. We need to ensure the full possibilities of OD are clear, at all levels of an organisation, especially at board level and we need to keep going, and we will of course, but good job so far. Let’s see what other possibilities arise from this process. Christina QuinnDirector of Leadership DevelopmentSouth West Leadership Academy


Introduction

This report is the product of a three-month scoping inquiry that set out to pose the question: “How can we better support OD practitioners to feel more capable and confident?” The work completed to answer this question has been carried out collaboratively with the OD community across the system. It builds on work undertaken in 2014 by the Do OD capability group and gives specific consideration to the following questions:

• WhatisthecurrentpictureoftheODworkforce?• Whatdevelopmentandcontinuingprofessional

development (CPD) is currently offered to practitioners?

• Whatarethevalues,standardsandqualitymeasures that practitioners measure themselves against?

• WherearethegapsinODdevelopment?

The methods adopted were designed to facilitate an active inquiry and the process sought to adopt an emergent action, research-based approach. As such, the inquiry itself aimed to model quality OD practice in action.

The report aims to describe the activity that was completed and share headline data, before offering some suggestions for potential next steps. It begins by providing a brief contextual background, before describing the inquiry methods adopted. The report then moves on to describe the findings, before making some recommendations to take the work forward.


Organisation development (OD), as a specialism within industry and organisations, has existed since the 1940s, but it is only in the last ten years that it has become increasingly popular in the NHS, with a proliferation of specific OD roles. That said, it is often misunderstood and it can mean different things to different people. There is a wealth of definitions, and OD practitioners may have their own favourite, but this does not mean that anything goes in OD. At its core, OD emerges from a set of values and principles that shape the practice. Beyond the definition debate, the practice of OD operates in service to the organisation and works with it to help achieve its particular purpose and ambitions. It is not task based but supports the task. It is not a prescription. It is an enabling profession and when enacted well, the skills, processes, approach, questions and values that OD practitioners bring generally offer a different, often challenging perspective, that serves to release new possibilities.

Background

In the current climate of the NHS, building OD capability is increasingly important. The ambitions set out in the Five Year Forward View (5YFV) are substantial. The complex quality and financial challenges require new answers. Supporting and helping OD practitioners to become more confident and capable will have an impact on the organisations they serve. Enabling OD practitioners to be better equipped to support the rest of the system is a vital and intentional step towards tackling the complexity currently faced by organisations and the wider system. This responsibility is recognised by Do OD, Local Delivery Partners (LDP) and the NHS Leadership Academy, and the work that focuses on building OD capability is a means towards this end. The purpose of this inquiry is to bring the community closer to understanding better ways to achieve this particular ambition.


Methods – what we did

This section describes the process of the inquiry, the range of methods adopted, their sequence and the reason for adopting the particular method.

A range of qualitative methods were used to gather data from OD practitioners and others, to gain a greater understanding of how OD is currently practised in the NHS. As a qualitative inquiry, the findings of this report provide a rich picture of OD in the NHS, illustrated by significant themes that were surfaced by practitioners themselves. These will be described in further detail in the findings on pages 9–18.

An inquiry approach was adopted from the outset and each method sought to sequentially build on its predecessor. However, given the time frame over which the data was collected, an inevitable pragmatism ran concurrent such that this work offers organisational utility rather than pure academic rigour, nor can it be claimed to be action research in the purist sense. Participation in the inquiry was open to members of the NHS OD community and promoted through Do OD, LDP OD networks and members of the community itself. Participation was voluntary and no attempt was made to randomly sample the OD population. Generic demographic data was captured, which is indicative of the population rather than comprehensive. The inquiry generated a significant amount of raw data. More than 50,000 words were captured from 155 survey respondents, 35 focus group participants and a dozen more individual conversations. The data offers a comprehensive snapshot of the current practice of OD in the NHS.

There were four main elements to the inquiry:

i. Reflective discussion with the original Do OD capability group

The inquiry began by looking back and engaging with the core members of the group. This reflective session opened with two or three questions to generate discussion about the nature of the previous work carried out and the learning generated. The outcomes from this discussion influenced the shape and nature of the questions that would be put to the focus groups. In an attempt to conduct the inquiry in a manner in keeping with OD principles, it was important to reference the previous work and build on it.

ii. Structured interviews with LDP leadsThese interviews, which took place from mid-April to early May, were essential to understand what development offers currently and previously have existed for OD practitioners from the regions. It was important to understand the criteria used to determine the specific development offers, who the target audience is for those development offers and the desired benefits (Appendix 1, see page 22). This aspect of the inquiry offered an opportunity to obtain a regional perspective of how OD is supported by a group of professional developers, with close links and relationships to practicing OD specialists, thus providing an important perspective on current OD practice.


iii. Focus group sessions These three-hour sessions were carried out from 11 to 29 May in four locations (Taunton, London, Leeds and Cambridge) to facilitate accessibility and wide participation. Prior to attending, participants were asked “give some thought to your understanding of capability within the OD field; what does good look like, how do you maintain your practice and what else might be helpful.” The focus group sessions ran as a facilitated discussion with the intention of moving towards a greater collective understanding of what building OD capability means and how that might be achieved. Specific questions were used to guide the discussion (see Appendix 2 on page 23). A total of 35 people attended the sessions. Comprehensive notes of the discussions were taken and these were analysed to draw out key themes and patterns.

iv. Online survey The survey ran from 22 May to 8 June. One hundred and fifty five people responded. Twenty questions were asked with both free text and pre-selected answers. This inquiry sought to capture as many different perspectives as possible to be reflective of the community and offer an accurate or comprehensive picture, and so a survey was used to reach a wider audience.

Throughout the process, the findings were tested out and discussed with other practitioners in the NHS as well as externally. This method of sensemaking was utilised to clarify assumptions and check consistency with experience inside and outside the NHS.

The following sections of this report will describe the main findings and key themes of the inquiry. It begins by considering each method in turn with some initial discussion and recommendations for further analysis and next steps.

“OD capability: curiosity, balancing theory and pragmatism, being in a relationship with clients, working out what’s your role, what’s the best intervention you can make here.”

“I’ve been grateful for all the free Do OD stuff because that’s what I’ve relied on to develop my skills.”


Findings

Reflective group discussion with core members of the OD capability groupDuring November 2013 to January 2014, a small inquiry group was established as one of the seven Do OD projects. Its aim was to inquire into the issues facing the NHS in building OD capability and recreate the conditions of building that OD capability using a cooperative inquiry approach. Its work identified some specific challenges, in particular that OD is a contextual practice which challenges the standard NHS paradigm. The group recommended that key to developing and building the capability of OD practitioners is to have ‘safe spaces to stay sharp.’ Further information about this work is available on the Do OD website.

Given that project was the first phase and precursor to this scoping project, it was important at the commencement of this work that the reflections of the core group were obtained. The group offered sign posting to their previous work that informed the direction of this inquiry. Of particular note in this group conversation was the sophistication of thought about how OD practitioners develop, which was gained through their own immersion and lived experience of the cooperative inquiry process. There was acknowledgement that the process had changed and enhanced their own practice. There was also recognition of the significant challenges and discomfort it takes to create ‘safe spaces’ for such reflection and learning in a dynamic system. That said, the value of such opportunities for reflective practice is not only noted here but is reinforced within the focus groups later.

LDP-structured interviewsFrom an LDP perspective, there is an acute recognition of the important role that well-practised OD can offer to organisations and the wider system. As such, there is a commitment to provide development support to OD practitioners. While all LDPs are required, within the remit of a service-level agreement with the NHS Leadership Academy, to provide such support, most would like to provide more development in this area. On the whole, the LDPs OD development support offer had been shaped by or through stakeholder engagement, in particular using OD and HR networks as well as leadership leads to inform their offer. Three LDPs had commissioned formal OD programmes (two of which provided accreditation). One LDP had developed and was refreshing an OD competency framework, with the rest maximising networks and master class offers based on practitioner needs. One LDP had previously offered bursaries and access to experiential learning through the support of an external practitioner working in tandem on specific projects. All LDPs could see a range of benefits of developing and building OD capability to achieve the cultural components of transformation and change, deliver increased system working and understanding which will be required to deliver the 5YFV. Additionally, some LDPs highlighted the efficiency benefits of a highly skilled OD network that resulted in less reliance on expensive external consultants.

“Confused opinions of OD stem our impact across the system.”

“Building in-house capability changes the way you work as an organisation.”

http://www.nhsemployers.org/campaigns/organisational-development/our-projects/do-ods-seven-projects/do-od-developing-the-od-workforce


Focus group themesThe themes that surfaced during the focus group sessions were largely consistent across all sessions. A significant number of practitioners described their journey into OD as almost accidental, stating that they didn’t find OD but it found them. Often OD is additional to an existing role. This can lead to a situation where practitioners come into the discipline with a need to learn the theoretical underpinnings of the specialism. Indeed, some practitioners described their own desire to learn more about OD: “I’m still unsure if I am an OD practitioner”, and some suggested that OD may need to be more clearly defined. Simultaneously, focus group participants expressed frustration that their organisations didn’t necessarily understand OD and therefore their roles were sometimes not valued.

Participants described how they were often called on to undertake short-term ‘remedial’ work where problems had been identified in the organisation or were engaged in transactional activity which affected their capacity to engage at more strategic levels:

“Give us a quick fix – we know you need a day with us but we only have an hour and a half; can you come and fix it?”

In organisations where OD has a profile and high value, focus group participants described a journey to arrive at this juncture. Many credited this to the support or sponsorship of a senior leader in the organisation, such as the chief executive or other executive director who ‘got it’ and therefore provided legitimacy and mentorship to the practitioner and function. When describing what OD capability means to them, focus group participants on the whole agreed that engagement with senior leadership is an essential requisite.

Participants suggested they ought to be selling themselves better in order to create a better understanding of OD. In recognising this, participants also began to surface a number of paradoxes that surround the field and which they as practitioners seemed to be wrestling with:

• ODasamindsetorODasatoolkit• short-termoperationalfixesorlong-termstrategic

change• certaintyorambiguity• powerofconversationortransactional

visible activity.

This last point was perfectly illustrated by one participant:

“I spend a lot of my time at work just talking to people in different teams and that seems to have more impact than actually doing any work.”

The language of participants exposed some of the qualities and characteristics required by practitioners: bravery, willing to take risks, creativity, strategic thinking, analytical skills, ability to see the bigger picture, how things connect across the whole and confidence. These qualities, however, can be difficult to maintain particularly where OD practitioners operate as lone practitioners feeling isolated, which can lead to a loss in confidence:

“I just need to know what I need to learn. There is nobody to advise me or help to work out if my thoughts and processes are correct. I’m learning as I go and trying to work out what I need to achieve.”

These themes reflect the findings of the original OD capability group and, just as that group identified the need for practitioners to have a ‘safe space to stay sharp’, the focus group participants also recognised the value of Do OD and the regional networks as spaces to connect with other OD practitioners. Indeed, the focus groups themselves


provided reassurance and based on the feedback, participants were grateful to connect with other practitioners.

• Itwasgoodtomeetnewcontacts.• Iwouldhavelikedmoretimetogether–really

useful listening to others’ journeys.• Itwasgoodtogettogetherwithother

practitioners.• ItsupportedmythinkingtocontinuemyOD

journey.• MoreODforumswouldbewelcome.• Groupconversations–spacetodiscussand

debate was helpful.

Survey dataThe full set of questions that participants were asked to complete can be found at Appendix 3 (see page 24). The following section provides a summary of the responses. It is worth highlighting that the data generated by the survey was substantial and qualitative. Within the confines of this report, the summary reflects major themes and trends as highlighted by respondents. Inevitably, decisions have been made on particular areas of interest and emphasis. The summary that follows does attempt to reflect the data in a thorough and comprehensive manner.

The demographic picture of OD practitioners, as represented by survey respondents, paints a picture of diversity. A significant range of job titles exist among respondents. Of the 155 respondents, 82 had OD in their title, and of that figure, 37 were OD specific, with the other 45 indicating a role where OD is part of something else. Therefore, just under half of respondents didn’t have OD in their job title.

When the 82 OD job titles are removed, the next significant grouping is leadership, with ten respondents featuring leadership in their job title. Learning and development, HR, workforce

and transformation follow closely in terms of popular titles. This would seem to echo what the focus groups were telling us – that often OD is additional to another role or that the role “morphs” into OD over time, and with only a proportion of respondents operating solely as OD practitioners.

While responses were received from people across the whole country and a few from further afield in Wales and Scotland, the highest response rates came from London (16.1 per cent) and the North West (15.5 per cent) respectively. It is not clear if this suggests that there are more people in OD roles or if the survey was more widely publicised in these two regions. Response rates from the remaining regions made up 7–8 per cent of responses each.

Responses were received from all sectors in the NHS, with the highest response rate from the acute sector at 39.8 per cent. Responses were also high from mental health at 13.1 per cent, and reflected the range of new integrated services, including acute and community, mental health and community as well as fully integrated acute, mental health and community services. Additionally, responses were received from people working in a range of national and arm’s-length bodies.

In terms of pay grades of OD practitioner, 60 per cent of the respondent population were distributed across bands 8 through to 9. Twenty-nine per cent were in bands lower than band 8. The majority of respondents were in band 8a (19.6 per cent), which would suggest the field is predominantly senior in its make-up.

The experience of OD practitioners paints an interesting picture, with 60 per cent of respondents having worked for less than five years as an OD practitioner in the NHS and over half of that number have worked for less than three years. At the other end of the tenure spectrum, 15 per cent have ten or more years in OD in the NHS with 24 per cent in the five to ten-year range.


Coaching

Culture change

Diagnostic

Employee engagementFacilitation

Leadershipdevelopment

OD strategy

Organisational diagnostic

Organisational design/redesign

Staff engagement survey

Talent management

Team development/ facilitation

Training

Transformation

ValuesAppraisal

16%

5%

1%

3%

2%

11%

2%

4%3%9%

2%

15%

11%

8%

4% 2%

How long have you been an OD practitioner in the NHS?

How long have you been an OD practitioner in total?

This picture doesn’t change significantly when considering OD experience in totality as 49 per cent of respondents have less than five years’ experience. This is significant as it suggests that for most of the respondents their work experience is gained in the NHS.

“When it’s done well, you want it to be invisible, but the danger of that is it can be undervalued. The value is not visible.”

While 40 per cent of respondents indicate they have been an OD practitioner in the NHS for longer than five years, 51 per cent state they have been an OD practitioner for more than five years in total.

“We can be at our best and in over our head at the same time, on the edge, feeling the fear.”

0

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

1 year or less

1 to 3 years

3 to 5 years

Answer options

5 to 10 years

10 years or

more

Resp

onse

1 year or less

1 to 3 years

3 to 5 years

Answer options

5 to 10 years

10 years or

more

0%5%

10%15%20%25%30%35%40%

Resp

onse


The main activities performed by OD practitioners during the last 12 months

Coaching

Culture change

Diagnostic

Employee engagementFacilitation

Leadershipdevelopment

OD strategy

Organisational diagnostic

Organisational design/redesign

Staff engagement survey

Talent management

Team development/ facilitation

Training

Transformation

ValuesAppraisal

16%

5%

1%

3%

2%

11%

2%

4%3%9%

2%

15%

11%

8%

4% 2%


Respondents were asked to list the three main activities they were engaged in during the last year. With some adjustment for the purposes of aggregation, when totalled, the two areas that most occupied practitioners were coaching activities and team development. The chart suggests that 53 per cent of respondents’ time, during the last 12 months, was spent working in direct contact with individuals and groups via coaching, team development, leadership development and training. This explains the data reported in the later question on organisational engagement, where 42 per cent of respondents describe their organisation as “somewhat engaged – I am called upon to work with teams or individuals to support their development, but people don’t refer to it as OD.” Activity that occupies the remainder of the time appears to be varied and fragmented with only a small amount of time spent on organisational diagnostics, design and strategy.

This emphasis may not be particularly surprising when considered against where OD sits in organisations. When asked in which functional area of the organisation their role sits, 44 per cent of respondents stated HR, with a further 16 per cent stating they are situated in the learning and development (L&D) function. As such, that means that 60 per cent of respondents are enacting their OD practice through a HR or L&D lens. Only 10 per cent of respondents identified their position within a stand-alone OD function, which has implications for this group as they can find the role isolating and unsupported.

Respondents were asked to rate how engaged they believed their organisation was with their work and the OD agenda. The responses would suggest that on the whole organisations are engaged, with 54 per cent of respondents describing their organisations as engaged or highly engaged. This is a positive turn for OD practitioners since it contrasts with some reflections shared later in the survey where a lack of engagement by the organisation is one of the factors which gets in the way of the OD practitioner making a contribution.

“Lack of board engagement (gets in the way).”

“Lack of engagement at a senior level with OD. I work with individuals and teams who come forward. What we need to do differently is to engage with managers so that our OD interventions are targeted at areas that need support.”

“Do OD has really made a difference for people trying to make changes.”


Please rate how engaged you think your organisation is with your work and the OD agenda?

Describing the contribution that OD provides to the organisation is a mixed picture with a diverse range of responses. The selection below offers a flavour of perspectives when respondents were asked to describe the contribution that their practice makes to the organisation.

• “Mypracticeofferschallengeandstructuretoexisting organisational thinking, processes and practices. I am mindful of offering interventions which support sustainable change rather than ‘flash in the pan’ offers which crumble away over time. Developing increased awareness (individual, team, organisational level) and encouraging responsibility is key to this. Building advocacy also plays a role in sustaining change.”

• “Imakeagreatercontributiontoindividuals, teams and services rather than to the organisation as a whole. Significant contribution to these smaller ‘units’ piecemeal to whole organisation. The contribution can be widespread – main impact would be on teams.”

• “IhopethatIamagoodresourcefortheorganisation and find that a number of people will ask for my advice, seek information and support. I hope this makes a positive impact and adds value, through being a good role model and supporting my team to be at their best as well.”

• “Alignsdevelopmentwithorganisationalstrategy.”

Ans

wer

opt

ions

32

2529

Response0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

Lack of engagement in OD per se. Focus is on individual/mandatory training and development.

Somewhat engaged. I am called on to work with teams or individuals to support their development, but people don’t refer to it as OD.

Engaged. My work is connected to and integral to business plans. I have clear direction and am involved in organisational decisions. OD has an identity in the organisation.

Highly engaged. I work with the CEO and other executives at a strategic level and my contribution is sought out. The executive understand the impact and promote OD throughout the organisation.


• “ODiskeytobuildingcapability,changingtheway we work.”

• “ODenablesindividualsandteamstoimprovepatient experience.”

• “Buildsleadershipcapability.”

• “Itcontributestowardsimprovingstaffretention,productivity and engagement.”

A significant number of responses to this question used language that is suggestive of a theoretical stance, with only a minority of respondents answering in the first person. This may simply be a result of the survey method used and respondents using short-hand in the free text space, equally it could have some significance in how respondents represent their contribution.

The respondents are, however, very clear on where they see the specialist function making a contribution to the NHS. Culture change, strategic change and transformation are areas of greatest contribution recognised by respondents:

• “ODshouldnotbeseenasastand-alonefunction; it should be seen as an integral part of every member of our workforce… this could be complemented by central expertise to strategically align to the business of the organisation. Essentially, it should be an ongoing narrative.”

• Whenaskedifanythinggetsinthewayofarespondent’s ability to make a contribution, by far the most common response related to a lack of clarity and understanding of OD. This is summed up in the following statement:

• “Don’talwaysfeelthereisaplatformforODpractice due to lack of clarity around the OD role and lack of understanding of OD as a function in the organisation.”

Lack of time, capacity and money came as a close second and lack of senior level buy-in is another challenge. A number of respondents stated that OD had been added to their role and this impacted on their ability due to their capacity. Capacity is also problematic for the respondents who are operating as individual OD practitioners in organisations.

What is clear is that the OD workforce, as represented by respondents to the survey, is a well-qualified group with high-level thinking skills. Forty-five per cent of respondents are educated to undergraduate degree level, 63 per cent of respondents possess a masters-level degree and a further 52 per cent hold a professional qualification such as CIPD. Additionally, respondents describe a range of other qualifications including psychometric, coaching, neuro-linguistic programming and other more ‘technical’ certifications.

“Asateam,wetriedtocomeupwitha quick definition… we never actually did… it was a full paragraph.”

“OD is an approach, not a department.”


What development have you undertaken specifically to support you in your role as an OD practitioner?

It is not insignificant that respondents look to Do OD to support them in their role, with nearly 70 per cent stating that attendance at Do OD events supported them as an OD practitioner. Regional OD network events follow closely, with just over 60 per cent utilising these as a means of support. Responses to this question reveal a particular significance when considered against later responses about what gets in the way of development.

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

In-house accredited

OD programme

In-house non-accredited

OD programme

Attending Do OD events (including OD in the

NHS conference)

Attending regional OD

network events

External non-accredited

OD course or workshop

External accredited

OD course or workshop

Answer options

Resp

onse

Money, time and capacity were cited as the main challenges to development, so it is important to recognise that the events provided by Do OD and the regional networks are currently free for participants. In seeking to build OD capability, these methods provide significant support and financial value. When respondents were asked what they currently do to develop their practice overwhelmingly reading, research and accessing


networking opportunities were described, and again reference was made to the Do OD and regional networks. The picture described is largely one of self-directed learning in which respondents appear to value opportunities to come together with other practitioners, which echoes focus group participants.

When asked what further development would help them in their role as OD practitioners, a small proportion stated a formal course, training or qualification in the field. By far, the most popular responses were access to networks, masterclasses, workshops and experts from the field. Additionally, supervision, mentoring and buddying were listed. One or two respondents stated that funding to enable time out would be helpful. But on the whole, the suggestions were relatively low-cost options that focus on access to other practitioners or OD specialists.

“Moreofwhatyouarealreadydoing, but help raise the profile and identity of OD even more. Keep one step ahead and keep the profile up.”

Respondents are positive about the work of Do OD, recognising it as a practical resource for sharing practice and learning and that it has raised the profile of the role of OD in the NHS. When asked what more we could do, respondents suggested more action to raise the profile of OD, more thought leadership and more visibility of the impact of OD, success stories and advocacy as some of the ways to build OD capability in the NHS.

“I think you are doing a fantastic job, but I would never say no to more learning/networking, allowing opportunities to share ideas and best practice.”


Recommendations

This report has shown that OD as a specialism is neither prescriptive nor mechanistically instrumental in its nature, instead it seeks to work collaboratively with the system to generate new possibilities. The recommendations that follow attempt to remain true to this OD principle. A key approach in the field is to help the system to see itself. The data generated by this inquiry is substantial and significant, and offers a mirror to the OD community. The recommendations and actions suggest a variety of means to enable this to occur.

Recommendation 1It is recommended that the OD community has the opportunity to make sense of this data for themselves and use it as a means of reflection on their own practice. This approach may be frustrating to those who seek rapid solutions, instead it is a solution that role models good OD practice since it is a means by which to help the system, the OD community, to diagnose its own solutions.

Action 1: The report will be presented to the OD in the NHS III conference, where views, reactions and suggestions will be sought from the OD community. These will shape the basis of the next steps for the Do OD capability workstream.

Action 2: Reconvene the OD capability group, refreshing its membership and terms of reference, supporting the group to lead the next phase of work with support from Do OD, LDPs and the NHS Leadership Academy.

Recommendation 2Key stakeholders involved in supporting the development of OD practitioners across the system should consider their current development offers and, in light of the findings, seek to enhance the availability of opportunities in response to the needs of the OD community.

Action 3: The LDP leads will discuss the findings of the report at their meeting on 7 July and consider actions they can take at a regional level to support their OD networks and enhance their offer to the OD community, with support from and in collaboration with Do OD.

Action 4: Do OD, the LDPs and the NHS Leadership Academy to take stock of their individual and collective responses to the findings of the report and make proposals to the OD community in support of the identified needs at local, regional and national levels.

Recommendation 3The findings of this report should be used as a springboard to celebrate the activity and commitment of OD practitioners in the NHS who are already making a difference to patient care. The report should launch the next phase of the OD capability project, helping practitioners across the system to feel more confident and capable.

Action 5: The response from the OD community to be used to shape the next stage of the Do OD workstream on OD capability.

Action 6: Regional OD networks hosted by LDPs and national OD events hosted by Do OD to reflect the development needs identified by the OD community and work collaboratively with practitioners across the system to enhance learning.

Action 7: Do OD and LDPs to discuss further opportunities for collaboration on development opportunities, enabling both a regional and national approach to support so that OD practitioners are enabled to make choices based on their needs. Work with the system to explore options at individual, organisational, regional and national levels.

Kathryn Winterburn


Acknowledgements

Kathryn would like to express gratitude to the following people who gave their time and contributed to this inquiry.

Paul TaylorNHS Employers and Do OD

Karen DumainNHS Leadership Academy and Do OD

Christina QuinnSouth West Leadership Academy

Carolyn NorgateGuy’s and St Thomas’s NHS Foundation Trust

Julia PetheridgeNHS Thames Valley and Wessex Leadership Academy

AnneMarie ArchardLondon Leadership Academy

Marita BrownLondon Leadership Academy

Caroline ChipperfieldNHS Thames Valley and Wessex Leadership Academy

Maggie WoodsNHS Thames Valley and Wessex Leadership Academy

Amanda GrindallKent, Surrey and Sussex Leadership Collaborative

Maxine CraigNHS North East Leadership Academy

Catherine LoftusNHS North West Leadership Academy

Anna O’KaneThe East Midlands Leadership Academy

Karen BloomfieldHealth Education East of England

Adam TurnerWest Midlands Leadership Academy

Tom PowerNHS Scotland

Hazel MurgatroydBradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust

Jane HowcroftNHS Sheffield Clinical Commissioning Group

Julie GlossopNHS Sheffield Clinical Commissioning Group

Debbie Massey5 Boroughs Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Clare BeaumontHealth Education England

Phoebe NwobiriMedway Community Healthcare NHS Trust

Sarah ThomasSussex Community NHS Trust

Charlie CloverThe Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust

Richard French-LoweCamden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust

Caroline ClarkCentral London Community Healthcare NHS Trust

Vicki LangleyNHS High Wield Lewes Havens Clinical Commissioning Group

Rai GalloWhittington Hospital NHS Trust

Cat CarpenterNHS Greater East Midlands Commissioning Support Unit and NHS Arden Commissioning Support

Jo ParkinsonSouth Eastern Hampshire Clinical Commissioning Group


Rebecca MatthewsAshford and St Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Jenny WilliamsNorthampton General Hospital NHS Trust

Jo CatlinPeterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Helen BillingsBirmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust

Verity ThomasHealth Education England

Wendy ParryEast and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust

Lauren SandersHealth Education England

Charlie ShawHertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

Julia SmithKettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Kerry HendersonSomerset Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Jess HenrySomerset Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Louise NettoTaunton and Somerset NHS Foundation Trust

Sarah FrazerDevon Partnership NHS Trust

Di WalshSequol

Chris ChapmanNorthern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust

Chris EdworthySouth Devon Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Juliet WinterNorth Bristol NHS Trust

Alison DeanDevon Partnership NHS Trust

Jackie StevensNHS North East Hampshire and Farnham Clinical Commissioning Group

The 155 survey participants who took the time to complete the online survey.

The West Midlands OD Network which allowed us to come and test out some of the initial findings with its group.

Special thanks to Anne-Clare Gillon, University of the West of Scotland, Dick Axelrod of The Axelrod Group and Barbara Bunker, University at Buffalo, for their generosity of time and willingness to discuss and support my reflections on the initial findings and for sharing their respective insights about the field of OD in general.


LDP: Contact: Date of call:

• DoyouofferdevelopmentopportunitiesspecificallyforODpractitionersinyourregion?

• Ifso,whattypeofofferiscurrentlyavailable?(For example, formal in-house OD programme, externally commissioned taught programme, networking,masterclassesorsomethingelse?)

• HowdidyoudecidethenatureoftheODdevelopmentofferinyourregion?Whatcriteriaor influences were used to shape and determine theoffer?

• WhohaveyoubeentargetingforODdevelopment?(Forexample,thekindofjob titles)

• Whohasbeenattending?Isthereadifferencebetweenattendeesandtargetaudience?

• Whatchallengeshaveyoufacedincommissioning/providingODdevelopment?

• Whathasbeensuccessful?Howdoyouknow?

• IndevelopingtheODworkforceinyourregion,whatbenefitsdoyouhopetoreap?Howwillyoumeasureit?

• HowdoyoudefinegoodODcapability?Whatdoesitlookliketoyou?

• Whatwouldyouliketodoorareplanningtodoin2015/16?

• Whatareyourgaps?Whatwouldyouliketodobuthaven’tdone?Whathasgotintheway?

• Haveyouestablishedanypartnershipwork?(For example, other LDPs, organisations or consultancies)

• Isthereanythingfurtheryouwishtoaddatthis stage?

Appendix 1: Questions to LDP leads


Appendix 2: Invitation to the focus groups

Prior to attending, we would be grateful if you could give some thought to your understanding of capability in the OD field. For example, what good look likes, how you maintain your practice and what else might be helpful. We will use the time for a facilitated discussion that moves us towards a greater collective understanding of what building OD capability means and how it might be achieved.

Focus group questions1. Thinking pairs – how did you come to be an

ODpractitioner/doingOD?Describeyourpersonal journey into OD, what development you have and what you wish you had known on your journey.

2. In small groups – what does OD capability mean toyou?Shareanexperienceofwhenyouhavebeen fully capable of using all your skills and resources. Share an experience of when you felt most deeply challenged or out of your depth.

3. What does OD capability mean in your organisation?Shareexamplesofhowtheorganisation utilises OD in service to its goals/strategy.HowandwheredoesODshowup?Whatdoyousee?Whatwouldyouliketoseethatyoumightnotbeseeing?


1. What’syourjobtitle?

2. Whereinthecountryareyou?

3. Whatkindoforganisationareyouin?

4. What’syourpayband/grade?

5. How long have you been an OD practitioner in theNHS?

6. How long have you been an OD practitioner in total?

7. Please list the three main activities that you have been engaged on during the last year. (For example, organisational diagnostic, staff survey, transformation projects, team facilitation, training, coaching)

8. In which functional area of your organisation doesyourroleasanODpractitionersit?

9. How engaged do you think your organisation iswithyourworkandtheODagenda?

10. What contribution does your practice make to theorganisation?

11. Is there anything that gets in the way of your ability to make a contribution to the organisation?

Appendix 3: Survey questions

12. Whatqualificationsdoyouhold?Includethosein progress (click all that apply).

13. What development have you undertaken specifically to support you in your role as an ODpractitioner?

14. What do you do to maintain and develop your practiceasanODpractitioner?

15. What further development would help you in yourroleasanODpractitioner?

16. Does anything get in the way of your development?

17. Where do you believe that OD as a specialist discipline could make its greatest contribution totheNHS?

18. WhatelsecouldDoODdotohelp?

19. What do you think would help build OD capabilityintheNHS?

20. Isthereanythingelseyou’dliketotellusabout?Whatquestiondoyouwishhadbeen asked?

Contact us

www.nhsemployers.org/OD www.leadershipacademy.nhs.uk/resources/organisational-development @NHSE_DoOD

For more information about the report, please contact [email protected]@[email protected]

@nhsemployers

NHS Employers

www.youtube.com/nhsemployers

Published June 2015. © NHS Employers 2015.Ref: EINF41801

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