The Future of Organization Development

The Global Committee on the Future of OD

Jeana Wirtenberg, Ph.D

Ted Nguyen

Elena Feliz

Center for Human Resource Management Studies

Fairleigh Dickinson University
October 15, 2004

Global Committee on the Future of OD

October 15, 2004
Objectives:
Introduce The Global Committee on the Future of OD A catalyst for change
Describe how we are linking OD values and contributions worldwide to create vital,
successful organizations and communities
Present Highlights from Phase I and plans for Phase II Research:
Assessment of the current state of OD Key Strengths and Areas for
Development
Global Business Challenges and Opportunities
Implications for the OD Profession and OD Practitioners to Add Value
Phase II Survey and Action Learning research Plans
-

Describe Community Outreach and Communities of Practice Uniting, energizing and

mobilizing OD practitioners, business leaders and academics worldwide to advance
the field of OD in an ever-changing world

Global Committee on The Future of OD

Strategy
VISION

Linking OD values and contributions worldwide to create vital, successful

organizations and communities.

MISSION

Uniting energizing and mobilizing thousands of OD practitioners, business

leaders and academics worldwide to advance the field of OD and add value
to all stakeholders, in an ever-changing world.

Accomplishments To Date
1. Literature Review
An extensive analysis was conducted synthesizing business challenges and opportunities from more than 80 recent
research documents.
2. SWOT
A survey was sent to over 6,000 OD practitioners with over 900 responses.
3. Business Leader Interviews
Business leaders from the companies represented by the Advisory Board members were interviewed one-on-one.
4. Business and Academic Advisory Board Interviews
OD Leaders represented on the Business and Nonprofit Advisory Board as well as the Academic Advisory board
members were interviewed one-on-one.
5. Knowledge Management Portal
An electronic tool has been developed to connect people worldwide in the creation and sharing of knowledge.
.
6. Established Advisory Board of OD Executives from business, government and non-profit sectors.
7. Established Communities of Practice for business, government and non-profit sectors.

Global Committee on the Future of OD

Chair: Ted Nguyen
Sponsors: Don Cole, President, The O.D. Institute
Mila Baker, Chair of Board of Trustees, OD Network
Rita Aloni, President of International OD Association

OD Global Committee Current Progress

and Future Plans
Appointment
OD
Global Comm.

Q3-03

Advisory
Boards

Q4 - 03

Research

Q1 - 04

SWOT
Survey

Communities
of Practices

KM
Portal

Q2 - 04

Q3 - 04

Knowledge Management
Portal Design

Set up Boards:
Business/Academic
Business Advisory
Board Mtgs.

Q4 - 04

Knowledge Management
OD Body of Knowledge

Knowledge Management
Portal Launch

Government/Non-Profit
Board Mtgs.

Business/Academics
Interviews

Phase II Client Survey

Communities of
Practice

Literature Review
Marketing
Marketing&&Communications
Communications
Change
ChangeManagement
Management

Business/Academic
Business/AcademicPartnerships
Partnerships

Q1 - 05

Global Committee on the Future of OD

Action Plan:
Conducting Global Research with clients in every sector and region of the
world, to understand their business challenges, and co-create ways for OD
to help their businesses succeed.
Establishing Global Communities of Practice in every sector and region of
the world to support OD practitioners in the collaborative creation, sharing,
and application of best practices and knowledge.
Building a Knowledge Management strategy to identify the OD body of
knowledge and provide technology tools (KM Portal) and infrastructure for
the virtual sharing of information and best practices globally.
Designing and implementing a targeted Communications and Marketing
strategy to build greater understanding of the field of OD.
Strengthening business and academic partnerships to research and create
new models and theories to solve business problems.

Research
(Jeana Wirtenberg, PhD)

Phase I OD SWOT Survey Over 900 Responses

Top Three Strengths

Systemic Orientation/Change Management
Techniques and Processes Teamwork/Leadership Development
Values OD Brings to Practice

Top Four Areas For Improvement

Lack of Definition and Distinction of the Field of OD
Lack of Quality Control of Practitioners
Insufficient Business Acumen of Practitioners/Insufficient
Emphasis on Customer Needs
Insufficiently Clear ROI/Value of the Work

Phase I Action Research - Integrated Key Themes (#1)

Globalization, Multi-Cultural, and Whole System Perspective
Industry Consolidation, M/A, and Strategic Alignment
Business and Product Life-Cycle
Global Economy, Market and Shareholder Demands
Implications
OD Profession
Build collaborative global/multicultural OD networks and partnerships
Support business leaders in becoming whole system thinkers
Address business issues appropriately at each stage of the life cycle
Partner with other OD and non-OD professional associations
Teach business theory in OD Academic programs
Identify best practices for industry consolidations, M&A, strategic alignment, and different
phases of business life cycles

OD Practitioner
Build skills and competencies in multi-cultural sensitivity and diversity
Focus on addressing most formidable business challenges and adding value (based on
understanding of basic business theory)
Foster collaborative relationships across traditional organizational
boundaries

Value to Business Leaders and Businesses

Strategies are aligned and executed in a way that meets both financial goals
and core values
More positive results from organizational realignments, industry consolidations,
M&As, by understanding and addressing cultural dimensions
Increased market share and shareholder value, due to effective application of
change management principles to business and product life cycles

Phase I Action Research - Integrated Key Themes (#2)

Building Great Workplace, Productivity, and Performance Culture
Organizational Alignment
Speed, Innovation, and Flexibility
Capturing Elusive Customers

Implications
OD Profession
Embed and Leverage OD strengths to foster employee engagement
Enhance skills around fostering innovation and flexibility in workforce
Increase focus on what it takes to build a performance culture (e.g., training in
productivity and quality methods)

OD Practitioner
Partner with business leaders to build great workplaces
Focus on enhancing productivity and performance
Ensure work is linked to business imperatives around speed, customers,
innovation, etc.

Value to Business Leaders and Businesses

Enhanced productivity and profitability through organizational alignment
Enhanced commitment of workforce for better overall performance
Clarity of purpose and mission to inspire and engage workforce
Improved ability to attract and retain top talent

Phase I Action Research - Integrated Key Themes (#3)

Leveraging Technology and Worldwide Integration
Leveraging and aligning technology with business strategies
Speed, flexibility and innovation
Learning and Knowledge Management

Implications
OD Profession
Marry capabilities of technology with individual and organizational needs
Understand best practices in technology integration and implementation
Model virtual training and learning in professional activities
Recognize and address challenges of technology from a people perspective
(e.g., virtual teams and meetings)

OD Practitioner
Support business leaders in implementing new technologies
Build resiliency into organizations as they integrate new technologies
Foster continuous learning and knowledge sharing in organizations
Stay current with technology advances and incorporate them in our practice

Value to Business Leaders and Businesses

Leveraging and alignment of technology with business and people
strategies
Exploit technology and readily adapt to the latest technological advances for
competitive advantage
Use technology to support learning and innovation for better results

Phase I Action Research - Integrated Key Themes (#4)

Corporate Social Responsibility is Increasing
Greater accountability for business ethics and governance
Corporate role in human rights and widening economic gaps
Accountability for the use of natural resources

Implications
OD Profession
Identify best practices in socially responsible business practices
Develop skills and competencies in supporting socially responsible business
practices, ethics and governance
Embed socially responsible values and associated results in corporate
drivers and key metrics (e.g., balanced scorecard)
Use our values based heritage to create a paradigm shift in the way
business is perceived and conducted

OD Practitioner
Coach and support business leaders in shifting/enhancing socially
responsible orientation and actions (show them whats in it for them)
Build expertise in skills, competencies and understandings re ethics,
governance, and socially responsible practices

Value to Business and Business Leaders

Improved reputation among citizenries, consumers and investors
Enhanced commitment of employees as they find increased meaning in work
through focus on corporate citizenship and contributions
Mitigate/reduce costs and negatives associated with litigation
Enhanced sustainability of Enterprises through responsible use of natural
resources

Phase I Action Research - Integrated Key Themes (#5)

Building Leadership and Organizational Capabilities for the Future
Changing Work and Workforce
Leadership Talent Identification, Development, and Retention
Leadership Courage, Decision Making and Problem Solving

Implications
OD Profession
Ensure business leaders have basic understanding of OD theory and
practice
Build competencies in leveraging diversity for business advantage
Leverage conflict mediation and appreciative inquiry skills and
competencies among OD professionals around the world
Create HR/OD collaborative relationships and partnerships

OD Practitioner
Coach leaders to find meaning and purpose and provide an environment
that supports the whole person
Work with HR and business leaders to actively advocate our beliefs and
values for individuals and workplaces
Model leadership courage, decision making and problem solving

Value to Business Leaders and Businesses

Greater leadership bench strength to build long-term business success
Enhanced ability to make difficult decisions and address paradoxes
Access to wide array of choices around models for building organizations,
careers and learning

Phase I Action Research - Integrated Key Themes (#6)

Regulatory Environment and New Organizational Forms
Business and Government Partnerships are creating both challenges and
opportunities
In U.S., increasing government regulations pose competitive challenges
New organizational models emerging across traditional sectors (public-private)

Implications
OD Profession
Research best practices and new models in public-private partnerships
Stimulate interest and awareness about emergent organizational forms
Do action research/action learning with pioneers in collaborative cross-sector
emergent organizational forms

OD Practitioner
Be open and opportunistic in identifying emerging organizational forms
Explore new organizational forms through experimentation (e.g., high potential
experiences on special projects)
Leverage high potential talent to fuel interest and awareness
Use OD win-win values to shift paradigm from adversarial to partnerships across
traditional boundaries (organizations, sectors, industries)

Value to Business Leaders and Businesses

Intractable problems that can only be addressed at the systems level are
understood and ameliorated
Better results through enhanced win-win collaborative relationships and
partnerships among public, private and nonprofit sectors
Reduced costs and faster speed to market for critical products (e.g., drugs) as

Phase I Action Research Visioning Themes

The field of Organization Development is clearly defined, well understood, recognized
and valued by practitioners and clients alike. OD professional associations speak with one
voice and have a common identity. OD professionals demonstrate competencies and
practices that are distinguishing hallmarks of excellence.
OD profession easy to recognize and differentiate from others.

OD Practitioners demonstrate business savvy.

OD supports strategy identification,

execution and measurement. The focus of OD is on enhancing productivity and
profitability, and we use metrics to monitor our progress. The OD field is clear about its
ROI and OD professionals are credible partners to leaders.
Practical - business focused - able to move from the conceptual to application and bring others
along.

Academia and Business partner synergistically.

This partnership develops practical

applications of OD, new models, research and theory. The next generation of OD
practitioners are prepared to succeed in all sectors.
Business and academia partner to research and create new models and theories to solve
business issues.

We create sustainable and humane Enterprises, embedding values, and creating a

positive work environment. We build bridges, help to find common ground, and address
organizational and cultural divides. We manifest our belief that social responsibility and
business results can successfully co-exist.
I feel satisfied in my work. I feel cared about. I want to stay.

Phase II Research
Client Survey Research Goals
1. Validate Business Success Factors:
Understand the relative importance of the factors driving business
success from a people and organizational perspective, and current
organizational effectiveness in each of the key areas
2. Determine Future Intentions to Utilize OD in key areas
3. Identify Preferred Sources of Expertise and Support
4. Ensure Capacity to sort Data by Key Demographics
e.g., Industry, Size, Region, Function

Phase II Research
Action Learning: Guiding Questions

How can we create the conditions for collaborative deep

inquiry and learning from our actions and activities on an
ongoing basis?
How can we leverage Action Research and Action Learning
both as:
A SERIES OF EVENTS marked by inclusivity, reflection, and
feedback
A transformational PROCESS that creates and embeds the
conditions and competencies for inquiry and continuous
learning?

To what extent would viewing OD practice as

transformational Action Learning create the requisite
paradigm shift for OD practice in organizations in a diverse,
interdependent world?

Phase II Research
Action Learning Outcomes
Design and implement a plan to identify and capture learning
relative to:

The process of reinventing the profession

Lessons learned along the way
Translating tacit learning / knowledge to explicit recorded knowledge
Identifying and sharing successes that can be replicated
Learning from mistakes that can be avoided
Creating vehicles, conditions, and processes for continuous reflection
and learning from OD practice

Create vehicles that enable all components of the Global

Committee (COPs, Communications and Marketing, Change
Management, Integration and Liaison, Knowledge Management,
Research) to:
Develop insight and capture learning on a regular basis (within group)
Share insights and learning (within group and across groups).

Communities of Practice
(Elena Feliz)

The Global Committee on the Future of OD

Landscape of our Communities of Practice...
THE BUSINESS SECTOR Jenny Flowers, Chair
Strategy: Grow the grassroots industry teams and contacts, maximizing
the Team Leader, Volunteer and Advisory Board relationships
to achieve world-wide participation in assessing challenges,
state of OD, best practices, and competencies in that specific
industry.
Four teams, with Team Leaders and members identified, are working
toward objectives:
Pharmaceutical/BioTech/Medical Device (PBM) Linda Klug, Aventis
High Tech/Telecom (HTT) David Lipsky, Sony
Financial Services (FS) Dorothy Obeirne, UBS
Energy/Manufacturing/Utilities (EMU) Lucille Maddalena, Morris Business Group, Inc.

Three Teams need Team Leaders and volunteers:

Healthcare and Hospitals (HH)
Consumer/Food Products (CFP)
Retail

The Global Committee on the Future of OD

Landscape of our Communities of Practice...
Government Sector Genevieve Jones, Chair
Strategy: Leverage key stakeholders, advisory board and membership
to focus on federal, state and local/municipal in the U.S. to
grow grassroots team to renew our focus and to evolve our
approach to OD in this sector.
Nonprofit Sector Terri McNichols, Chair
Strategy: Explore how OD as a profession can add value to U.S.-based
nonprofit organizations. The Nonprofit sector team will look
at how OD can empower the sector to deliver their missions
more effectively.
Country/Region Elena Feliz, Chair
Strategy: Belief in the Power of One designate Country Liaison in
countries like Canada, Thailand, Finland, Germany, India, Africa,
etc., who will create local team linking with ODI, ODN, IODA as
appropriate. In the U.S., leverage OD regionals and network.

Usingthe
theGlobal
GlobalCommittee
Committeeon
onthe
thefuture
futureof
ofOD
ODPortal
Portal
Using
Step 1: Access the Portal using your
Internet Browser

Strategy and objectives:

Review Expected Outcomes
& Key Deliverables

View mission
statement

PublicMain
MainPage
Page
Public
teams: Leadership Team
information

Click for
members
only area

workstreams: Purpose,
Structure & Scope

Step 2: Click on the

Existing Members
link

register:

StepNew
2: New
Member
members
Register

Existing users:

Accessingthe
theMembers
MembersArea
Area
Accessing

New users: Enroll by clicking on the

Register Section

Step 3: Logon using your Userid

and Password

Step 4: Navigate through the Portal by clicking

on the appropriate link

The Future of Organization Development

Three Thought Questions on the Future of OD
1.

Should OD be considered a Profession and/or Discipline? If so, how

should standards and qualifications for OD practitioners be determined?

2.

Does/should OD have a unique identity that OD practitioners own

and/or is our focus more on transferring OD competencies and
knowledge to business leaders and/or project managers so that can
be more self sufficient? What are the implications for the OD
profession?

3.

Can and should OD practitioners leverage our values-based OD heritage

to support fundamental shifts in the way business is perceived and
conducted (i.e., building more humane, sustainable enterprises)?
If so, what are the key results we want to achieve? What are the most
effective ways we can influence others in these areas?

The Future of Organization Development

Comments?
Questions?
Suggestions?

The Future of Organization Development

Thank you!!!