May 9, 2023

Introduction

Organizational Development is a strategy that organizations utilize to help teams or individuals understand and work through change and/or conflict. As an OD consultant it is my role to facilitate and implement interventions that best help the client(s) to understand and work through change in a collaborative environment – however it is ultimately up to the client whether they’d like to implement the change or not. The primary difference between OD consultants and other consultants is that in OD consulting the process of consulting is collaborative and the identification of the problem, the data gathering used to understand the team or individual dynamics, and creation of solutions are done jointly. In other consulting roles, consultants are told what the problem is, and the consultant offers a solution and then leaves the solution with the client to implement.

There are seven known phases of consulting to be carried out, and they are: Entry, Contracting, Data Collection/Analysis/Diagnosis, Feedback, Action Planning, Intervention, and Evaluation. Below is a brief description of each of the phases.

Entry

This is the initial phase of the consulting process, and is when the client and consultant meet to formally discuss what issues/concerns/change management projects the client may be facing.

Contracting

This is the agreement phase, when the client and consultant agree to what project is being undertaken, and also answers the how and when the assignment will begin, as well as the cost for the consultation.

Data Collections/Analysis/Diagnosis

In this phase the consultant gathers data through an agreed upon method. The data is then analyzed.

Feedback

After the data is analyzed the consultant meets with the client to provide their findings from the data collected and offer a diagnosis.

Action Planning

In this phase, based off of the diagnosis of the collected data, the client and consultant plan on how to best address the client’s concerns and resolve the issues.

Intervention

In this phase strategies are implemented with the intention of resolving the client’s primary concern/problem.

Evaluation

After the strategies have been implemented, this phase allows for the consultant and client to meet and review how successful the intervention was. This phase also allows for discussion on what was learned through the experience – highlighting opportunities for future improvement, and successes.

Consulting Strengths and Deficiencies

Based on a self-assessment taken, I have more opportunities to improve upon, as opposed to things I need to do less of. For example, under General Skills, I know that I often struggle with being brief and concise, and because I am a new consultant, I could use more practice reading group process accurately and having a clear theory base. I need to practice offering to finding answers to questions – less often, and I need to help clients instead generate their own ideas for problem solving. For Contracting, it would appear that based on my self- assessment, I need to do more, talking about money and fees without embarrassment – again I am new, so likely this will get easier with time. I also need to be able to say “no” without feeling badly about doing so and present my biases and theoretical foundations more. Lastly I need to assess personal needs that determine acceptance of the contract more. In regard to problem solving, I need to focus on helping clients maintain a logical sequence of problem solving, challenging ineffective solutions, describing how other clients have solved a similar problem, and evaluating possible solutions critically. Again, I believe these traits will come with time and practice the more I’m able to offer my services as a consultant. EvaluatingAs I continue my career in HR and as an OD professional, I will build a supply of forms and inventories, to aid in evaluation, as well as arranging for next steps and follow-up.

Learning Goals

I would like to learn to be more concise and speak with authority throughout this process. I commented to a classmate in a previous class that I was not an expert, and the Professor corrected me and said she disagreed, that we as master’s level students were experts, especially as we neared the end of our programs. It resonated with me, and I feel different now than I had at the beginning of the MSOD program. I feel strongly that I can capitalize on everything I’ve learned thus far and contribute to the academic knowledge I’ve gained through this real- world example with an external client.

Since my coursework is designed as a group project of equals, I look forward to learning what it is like to be apart of a team that all truly cares about the end goal. Unfortunately, that has not always been my experience in my course work thus far – even working with other adult professionals. For my current course our client is external to all 4 of us in the group, and I am looking forward to how that dynamic will play out. Already I feel more positive about offering my opinions regarding different data collection methods, and interventions that we are able to offer our client.

Lastly, I look forward to practice offering possible solutions through a more critical lens, I have no ties to the client and therefore can truly remain objective. Similarly, I feel I will have an easier time challenging ineffective solutions, and I hope I can learn how to not feel badly about saying “no” to practices, methods, or solutions that I do not believe will be helpful or impactful to the client’s primary objective.

Summary

In conclusion, Organizational Development is a collaborative process where the consultant acts as a facilitator to help clients navigate through change and conflict. The consulting process involves the seven phases of entry, contracting, data collection/analysis/diagnosis, feedback, action planning, intervention, and evaluation. Through the provided self-assessment, I was able to identify my strengths and areas for improvement. The learning goals I identified include being more concise and speaking with authority, working effectively in a team, and practicing critical thinking when offering solutions. With these goals in mind, I feel positive that I can promote success for both myself and the clients I will work with in the future.

Applications of Psychology in Organizations (OD 630)