Organizational Development

Improve your company's performance--and culture--with organizational development

Organizational development is a collaborative effort to examine and improve system-wide practices and relationships in an organization. There is an emphasis on including and respecting the opinions of all team members, and a focus on developing self-awareness and interpersonal skills.

The goal of the organization development process is not only to increase efficiency within an organization, but also to create a change that benefits the company and the world in which it operates. Organizational development is used both as intervention, to guide an organization through change or crisis, and as a preventive or maintenance tool, to keep an organization on track for continued success.

Primary organizational development issues include:

1. Organizational development interventions like conflict management and resolution
2. Strategic planning
3. Change management
4. Performance management
5. Leadership coaching

 

Take an organizational development class or seminar

To use organizational development as a maintenance tool, a course or seminar may teach you all you need to know. Company management can enroll in the courses to learn how to help lead organizational development, or the entire staff can enlist in a class or retreat to build a stronger team.
Try: The eLearning website from the Society of Human Resource Professionals offers several organizational development e-courses, with topics ranging from organizational effectiveness to recruitment and retention strategies. The Leader's Institute offers leadership and team-building retreats at locations throughout the United States.

Enlist the aid of an organizational development consultant

If you're new to organizational development, or if you're going through a crisis or a major change within the organization, you may want to bring in an expert. They may have worked with other companies coping with the same challenges as yours, or they may have experience working in your industry. Organizational development consultants may also know better how to bring all employees together to work toward improving the organization.
Try: The Organization Development Network's website includes a searchable directory of organizational development consultants, including their contact information, website, languages spoken, experience and specialty. The Consultants Mall offers an alphabetical listing of organizational development consultants.

Invest in online organizational development tools or software

If you want to make organization development an ongoing priority in your company, organizational development software or online organizational development tools may be the perfect investment. It costs less than hiring a consultant, and you'll always have it at hand if you need to address team-building or workplace environment issues.
Try: Kolbe WAREwithal software helps managers assess and predict organizational viability, team efficiency, team profitability, and return on investment and effort. The software allows companies to examine "what-if" scenarios, guides them on coaching employees, and provides insight into employee motivation. Web-based software from iCohere uses on a collaborative approach to the organizational development process, focusing on team-building and communication.

 

• While the organizational development process may be initiated by company management, the role of the individual is critical. Only by bringing together every team member at every level can the organization development process succeed. That's why it's key to equip employees with organizational development tools to develop their relationship, communication and self-awareness skills.

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