Lessons for OD Practitioners

Abstract

This chapter focuses exclusively on OD practitioners and what message they can take home from my findings in neglected organizations. I will present eight lessons that should be taken into account when trying to redress neglect in the workplace. The first six lessons apply to both internal and external change agents (Sections 8.1 through 8.6). Then I offer some advice for external consultants in particular (Section 8.7). Section 8.8 contains some pointers OD professionals can use to assess whether they are suitable for the job of change agent in a neglected organization. Finally, Section 8.9 discusses the interaction between internal change agent and external consultant. The key to this interaction is the role the OD consultant plays toward the manager leading the recovery. The external consultant acts as a sounding board, encouraging the change agent to maintain a healthy distance and keep things in perspective amid backstabbing, resistance, and subversion.