ROLE OF AN ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT(OD)

CONSULTANT

By Laxmi Panchabhai (06) Sneha Tamboli (08) HR SYMMS

DEFINITION OF OD

Theory and practice of planned, systematic change in

the attitudes, beliefs, and values of the employees through creation and reinforcement of long-term training programs

Action oriented Organization-wide analysis of the current situation and of the future requirements

Objective

ROLE OF AN OD CONSULTANT

Identification

Solving
Coping

"When helping other individuals, groups, organizations, or larger social systems, Consultants behave in a number of roles they judge to be appropriate for the client, the situation, and the consultant's own style
."

DIFFERENT ROLES ..

Advocate Technical Expert Trainer/Educator Joint Problem Solver Alternative Identifier and Linker Fact Finder Process Consultant

ADVOCATE

Consultant tries to impose his or her ideas on

The client.
Consultants tell people what to do and/or how to do it To influence the client toward a particular goal or solution SKILLS : Persuasive techniques, and presenting skills

TECHNICAL EXPERT

Information specialists. Specialized knowledge, skill, and professional expertise. Can be technical experts on policy, computers, research methods, Distinction between an advocate role and a technical expert role is the degree of influence the consultant uses or tries to have and the fervour with which he or she prescribes the right answers.

The danger : client resistance to the information, client compliance with the information without commitment to follow through, dependency of the client on the consultant to continue to provide the answers

SKILLS :Well to know his or her subject matter thoroughly and have presenting skills

TRAINER/EDUCATOR

Appropriate during a consultation when the client needs To acquire some information, learn some skill or value some idea or process

Between technical expert and trainer/educator lies in determining what the Client will do with the information

Limitation of the trainer/educator role is its focus on individuals or

groups learning information or skills which may or may not be transferable

to the Ongoing situation in the organization

SKILLS : assessing learners needs and progress,Training techniques, facilitation skills, design skills, individual learning styles, group dynamics

and presentation skills

JOINT PROBLEM SOLVER

Almost as a peer Defining the problem, testing assumptions and alternatives, identifying issues

Testing the feasibility of different options.

The consultant's role : To bring objectivity,

Sensitivity, willingness and ability to ask difficult questions, and confront issues and People.

SKILLS :Knowledge of several problem solving processes,

diagnostic Models of organizations, group processes, thinking processes in individuals, and Research method

ALTERNATIVE IDENTIFIER AND LINKER

Helps an individual or group identify alternatives that they

don't know about and/or are not within the consultant's range of expertise.

The consultant links the client with external resources.

Lippitt and Lippitt :OD consultants should not limit resources other

to their own expertise and that increasingly they will have to know

consultants who have particular expertise in organization design, computer technology, etc

SKILLS :network building, diagnosic models of organizations and groups, and both sensitivity and skill in "saying good-bye"

FACT FINDER

Researcher collecting information

Critical aspects of problem solving An inherent danger in this role is that the very activity of collecting information, of asking questions, almost always sets up an expectation that something will happen as

a result of asking the questions

SKILLS: research design, sampling methods, design of questionnaires and interviews, observation methods, analysis methods and statistics

PROCESS CONSULTANT

Consultant focuses largely on the interpersonal and inter-group dynamics that affect problem solving and decision making

The assumption here is that if information exchange and decision Making is conducted efficiently, the client's operations will improve SKILLS : problem solving and decision making processes, group dynamics, inter-group problem solving processes, negotiation and conflict management processes.

OD CONSULTANTS: INTERNAL VERSUS EXTERNAL

Internal OD Consultant

Familiar with the organization's culture and norms Disney, IBM, General Electric, General Motors Cost saving No time waste

Disadvantage

lack of OD skills lack of objectivity

Do not have the necessary power and authority

OD CONSULTANTS: INTERNAL VERSUS EXTERNAL

External OD Consultant

Freedom Different point of view Formal More Independent , Risk taker Positive impact

Disadvantage :

Unfamiliar with the culture, communication networks, and formal or

informal power systems

Increased cost Not trustworthy for company

SOLUTION???

OD researcher John Lewis, The External-Internal OD Consultant

HOW DO OD CONSULTANTS WORK?

Change management

Group problem solving

Talent Management Meeting design and facilitation Team development Business Process Redesign Customized Training

WHO CAN USE OD SERVICES?

All Institute organizations Institute-wide, school, or departmental projects.

ROLE OF OD-ACROSS SECTORS:

1.Understanding what the client wants. 2.Analysing the current situation (Systems context). 3.Understanding & devising strategies to reach the desired situation.

MULTIPLE ROLES-OD CONSULTANT

1.Fact-finder. 2.Joint problem-solver. 3.Trainer/Educator. 4.Information Expert. 5.Process Consultant. 6.Advocate.

7.Change Agent.

COULD YOUR ORGANIZATION BENEFIT FROM WORKING WITH AN OD CONSULTANT?

Is there a sense of unrealized potential at my organization?

Does my organization lack direction due to inadequate

structure or guidance from upper management?

Does my organization cling to obsolete products, services, or practices?

Are we experiencing low staff morale or high turnover? Has the organization grown or shrunk very quickly?

CONTINUED

Is it in an "identity crisis," lacking a clear sense of purpose?

Are there conflicts about my organization's future direction? Has my organization experienced major changes in its environment,

such as a move to new facilities?

Has my organization implemented a new technology? Is my organization bogged down with inflexible rules or directives? Are there people in the organization who are stopping or hindering progress?

Has my organization's external environment changed dramatically?

~ adapted from Principles of Organization Development, ASTD Info Line

WHY WOULD YOU NEED AN ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANT ?

An OD consultant works to bring about positive changes by:

Meeting with you to discuss the reasons for the consultation Gathering data about the problem Analyzing the data

Reporting the results back to you

Suggesting ways and guiding the organization to implement the desired changes

WHAT MIGHT AN OD CONSULTANT SUGGEST AS A WAY TO CREATE CHANGE?

FOR THE ORGANIZATION

Vision, mission and values development Goal setting

Organizational restructure and redesign

Commitment to new programs Commitment to new ways of managing Communication and teamwork skills

WHAT MIGHT AN OD CONSULTANT SUGGEST AS A WAY TO CREATE CHANGE?

BETWEEN EMPLOYEES

Values clarification Conflict resolution

Norm setting
Role clarification and negotiation Improving communication abilities

WHAT MIGHT AN OD CONSULTANT SUGGEST AS A WAY TO CREATE CHANGE?

FOR INDIVIDUALS Job redesign Training and management development Career development Individual observation and feedback Individual skill coaching Serving as a sounding board for decisions Technical skills training Administrative skills training Management/supervision training Decision making and problem solving Project planning and implementation

GOALS:
1.To face competition. 2.To enable survival.

3.To bring about improved organizational performance.

ACTIVITY
1.Plot the position of your organization.
2.Plot the desired position.

3.Use Kurt Lewins model ( of Change Management).

FINDING THE RIGHT OD CONSULTANT ONE SIZE DOES

NOT FIT ALL

BY

MARIA C. SEDDIO

The three major categories of consulting :

1.Outsourced functional expertise vendor

Eg. Contracts for the Legal Department; Staffing and Recruiting for Human Resources

2.Subject specific expertise

Eg. SAP implementation; Web-site design

3. Deals with uncharted waters, new experiences.

track record and fit are what counts -- what the consultant has
achieved in other settings and how well the organization and the consultant can join together to define and achieve desired outcomes.

WHAT ARE THE CORE COMPETENCIES FOR OD CONSULTANTS?

Core Competencies

Understanding the business context and challenges; including the organizational history, short-term financial expectations, external, market-driven pressures and strategic vision for the future.

Joining the organization and becoming a member-at-large in order to understand and empathize with its constituents.

WHAT ARE THE CORE COMPETENCIES FOR OD CONSULTANTS?

Core Competencies

Assessing opportunities for growth and development; for closing the gap between the current and desired state for the organization and

for putting in place a process for ongoing renewal and revitalization

Influencing key stakeholders to take ownership for success of change initiatives and the development of the organization and its

people

WHAT ARE THE CORE COMPETENCIES FOR OD CONSULTANTS?

Core Competencies

Coaching for leadership at every level and having the skill set to
assess, define and implement personal and professional development strategies to achieve desired outcomes.

Enrolling the organization in a process of self-discovery and identity

formation; generating excitement and interest in strategic questions that foster self-reflection and broad inquiry excitement and interest in

strategic questions that foster self-reflection and broad inquiry

Observing (keenly) the relationships and interactions that form the complex adaptive system that is known as the organization.

HOW DO YOU SELECT A CONSULTANT FOR

ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Criteria for selection

A systems orientation A theoretical foundation A learning perspective A leadership philosophy A psychological stronghold

SO,OD COSULTANT IS

Examines and seeks to replicate the processes involved in creating and sustaining a healthy, resilient and innovative business.

Processes focus on the development of the organization through the engagement and interaction of the people involved.

Include how the organization learns, the philosophy of leadership that guides decision-making

The setting of strategic direction, the ways in which the organization understands and leverages change, the emphasis on people development and planning for the future

SO,OD COSULTANT IS

To help the organization with its people

(helping the organization to develop a leadership team that

works effectively together, or to create a communication strategy

for rollout to their membership community)

The organization needs to find a way to keep itself alive Adaptation through variation

The role of the OD consultant - use a big-picture perspective

The OD consultant : fundamentally a purveyor of difference. Identity formation and self-discovery as the organization understands, adapts and renews itself