Organisation
Development
We started working with a UK government
office based overseas, in late 2006. Over the
course of nearly two years, we have worked with them
on a variety of activities bounded by clear project
or programme objectives. These
have included:
- Carrying out a whole organisation
review using individual consultations, small focus
groups and an electronic “open letter”
- supporting and developing the top management team,
- carrying out 360°feedback
- fostering closer team working throughout the organisation
- working to develop a customer service ethos
- management training for middle managers
- coaching individuals
- using Future Search methodology to help describe
the direction the organisation wanted to move in
What has set our work with this
organisation apart is our constant and consistent
feedback to the client about how we see the whole
organisation interacting. Each
activity we carry out will have an effect elsewhere
and on others. Our role is to make explicit the
connections we see and the patterns that are being
revealed to us - as well as carry out the tasks associated
with the specific programme. In doing so, we are helping
explain in practice what we mean by Organisation Development.
The organisation has, over the course of 18 months,
begun to understand these connections and patterns
and to start to name them for themselves.
“One of the best things
about the last time I went back [to the organisation]
was when a previously sceptical staff member said to
me “This OD
stuff is useful, isn’t it? It isn’t all touchy-feely.” Through
our work together he had seen the value of making connections
explicit. He even pointed out a pattern that he
saw in our interactions. He said “We
need to take more responsibility for our own change. We
can’t keep using you as our driver for it.”
Jane Linklater
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