This is the 14th Revision of the Organization Development Professional Skills list which began in the 1970's. Each revision has been based on input from professionals and organizations whose intention is to continue the growth of those professionals who espouse continual learning as a part of their skills.

For each skill listed below, indicate how well you think you currently perform the skill and how important you believe the skill to be in your organization development practice. Use the following scale:

How Well the Skill is Performed: How Important the Skill is:
 

Phase 1: Entry

Marketing Phase

1. Awareness of the business environment in order to identify organizations presently undergoing crises or accelerated change or growth.

2. Locate and match the size, character, structure and commitment for change of potential clients with the consultant's skills and abilities.

3. Fluently and convincingly convey qualifications, knowledge and skills to prospective clients.

Initial Contact Phase:

4. Understand and be (or become) familiar with the nature of the prospect's business, and adapt to and use the language of the client system.

5. (missing; to be added later)

6. Understand and be familiar with the nature of the prospective client's business, and adapt to and use the language of that system.

7. Determine who the appropriate decision-maker(s) are; establish contact with these people; consciously build rapport with them; and model attitudes and behaviors that will lead to client trust.

8. Determine what is necessary to establish a mutually satisfying relationship with the system or subsystem contact.

9. Conduct a mini-assessment to determine:
 

a) the client's values, history, philosophy, visions, key challenges and degree of sensitivity to change

b) the organization's size, product/service lines, profitability, etc.

c) the domains of the organization which need to be examined during the initial diagnosis

d) the unique nomenclature and characteristics of the client system.

10. Contract psychologically with the client for cooperation, collaboration and joint responsiblity, and then model these essential behaviors.

11. Help the client organization reflect on its own motivations, and on the discrepancies of goals within the system that are creating dissatisfaction.

12. In collaboration with the client, mutually identify and clarify outcomes to be achieved.

13. Evaluate the client's hopes and expectations in a realistic manner, based on knowledge from and experience with other change efforts.

14. Articulate to the client, in a clear and under- standable manner, the appropriate OD process and its anticipated effect on bottom-line results.

15. Communicate the intricacies and complexities of a system and how changes in one area impact the other areas.

16. Assist the client in seeing the consequences of continuing existing counterproductive behavior in their organization.

17. Recognize and respond to concerns about qualifications, competency, expertise and credibility.

18. Present and discuss the theoretical foundations of system/organizational change in a concise and accurate manner.

19. Commit to remain objective in observations during the entire change process.

20. Model appropriate personal motivations, expectations, values, abilities, and limitations; model those behaviors the client is being (or will be) asked to accept.

21. Articulate one's personal, philosophical and ethical boundaries in the consultation process.

22. Stay grounded in the OD consultant's role as a catalyst for change; avoid taking on the organization's responsibility for implementing and accepting change.

23. Use (and be able to explain) a clear, straight- forward compensation structure and billing process. These should allow for an appropriate and organically-determined workload throughout the consultant's association with the client.

24. Determine if the client is willing and able to pay the fee required.

25. Solicit from the client an appropriate commitment of human and non-human resources.

Phase 2: Start-Up

26. Continue the development of processes begun in the entry phase, by gathering more detailed information and continuing to build rapport. These efforts will include, but not be limited to:
 

a) Identifying the critical success factors, as seen by the client at the time.

b) Understanding and appreciating the world the client comes from and the reality and perceptions within which it operates.

c) Further assessing and clarifying the real issues as they continue to surface, seeking to dramatize natural tensions and discrepancies as appropriate.

d) Acknowledging differences and understand the implications of those differences.

e) Helping clients reflect on their motivations for change.

f) Being aware of how the consultant's own biases can influence the process.

27. Identify the formal and informal power in the client organization in order to gain further commitment and mobilize people in a common direction.

28. Ensure that the desired changes are aligned with the organization's goals and objectives.

29. Develop relationships at all levels that are grounded in trust and credibility.

30. Seek commitment and participation from all those affected within the organization.

31. Deal effectively with resistance as it surfaces.

32. Define the roles of leadership, internal and external consultants, and all other participants in promoting and implementing the desired changes.

32. Map out a plan for managing the change process.

34. Recognize the skill level required to solve a long- standing problem or recurring/ongoing conflict.

35. Maintain a tolerance for working through the process, especially when things grow complex or emotionally-charged.

Phase 3: Assessment and Feedback

Determine the appropriate process(es) for collecting data:

36. Determine the types and amount of data that will help the organization focus on the issues and maximize its people's efforts.

37. Rely on a broad view for data collection and analysis in order to identify general issues.

38. Utilize an appropriate mix of data-gathering methods to ensure efficiency, objectivity, comparability, completeness, accuracy/validity and flexibility.

39. Ensure that the chosen method fits organizational needs, the consultant's skill level, and everyone's available time.

Document the current condition:

40. Gather quantities of data in a fast and comprehensive manner, i.e., have the total system in the room.

41. Look for deep patterns and the order that is available.

42. Establish unity through identifying and clarifying common work goals.

43. Clarify boundaries of confidentiality.

44. Understand and explain how diversity will affect the diagnosis of the culture.

45. Encourage and facilitate the client system to be open, so that the truth comes out.

46. Be alert to possible misconceptions or misunderstandings brought about by cultural differences.

47. Provide clear communication in multiple forms to meet varying needs.

48. Identify existing paradigms. Envision and describe first steps toward the new paradigm as part of the outcome.

49. Probe issues as they surface, researching and identifying root causes rather than symptoms.

50. Help the organization discover and obtain missing data.

51. Continue to be open for additional concerns to assess (and different avenues through which to locate and assess them), in order to clarify additional issues as they surface.

52. Focus on collecting relevant and valid information.

53. Observe accurately; attend to and take in the raw data as it presents itself.

54. Stay in the present, focusing on the ongoing process--in particular, being aware of tension indicators.

55. Observe and document what exists without making judgments.

56. Encourage and facilitate open and honest disclosure.

57. Assess current activity in terms of its existing and potential impact on the attainment of organizational goals.

58. Facilitate the creation of a common database focusing on the lack of congruence between the espoused organizational culture and the actual culture.

59. Identify the sources of anxiety and discrepancy in order to dramatize real and perceived differences.

60. Observe behavior that affects the informal systems, such as the flow of information and power dynamics.

61. Focus on major system outputs, and trace them as they flow throughout the entire system; maintain and demonstrate a clear understanding of systems fit.

62. Accurately determine and express where the organization is and where it wants to be.

63. Look for and identify patterns that emerge throughout the data gathering process; as appropriate, bring these to the attention of the client.

64. When gathering and presenting data, maintain an appropriate balance between completeness and usefulness.

Analyze and interpret relevant data:

65. Use statistical models, along with computer technology, to analyze data.

66. Recognize practical and useful information--and what information is not useful or relevant.

67. Synthesize data into appropriate themes, factors, groups, etc.

68. Identify the relationships between the formal and informal systems within the organization.

69. Analyze and interpret data in collaboration with individuals and groups within the organization.

70. Know how data from different levels of the organization affect one another.

71. Involve individuals and groups creatively in the interpretation of the data, thereby generating ownership by the participants.

72. Probe and explore hidden causes in order to develop a sufficient and thorough understanding of the problem.

73. Organize information in a cause-and-effect sequence.

74. Identify observations based on assessment results, not on impressions or personal views (either one's own or the client's).

75. Address the organizational element of each problem just as rationally as the technical part should be addressed.

76. Link significant information with the central challenges or the organization.

77. Consider and explain long-range organizational changes necessary for success.

78. Make comparisons across information sources and time periods.

79. Trace the existing or potential consequences of a specific action or behavior as it affects different parts of the organization.

80. Recognize complex emotional patterns in the data, and/or from your observation in large or small-scale meetings.

Provide useful and focused feedback:

81. Create and maintain a non-threatening atmosphere in which the client feels that working with the feedback data will result in beneficial outcomes.

82. Get commitments from relevant organization members that there will be no retaliation to those people who tell it like it is.

83. Facilitate a healthy group process that will allow dissatisfaction to come out through free and open dialogue.

84. Help the client system receive effective feedback that is relevant, descriptive, verifiable, timely, limited, comparative, understandable, and appropriate.

85. Discuss how the feedback directly relates to organizational effectiveness, and how it validates the accuracy of the assessment.

86. Respond to discomforting concerns sensitively, compassionately, courageously and with a sense of caring.

87. Understand the impacts that diverse cultural norms of timing, communication styles and relationship building will have on the choice of feedback techniques.

88. Help the client understand, clarify and own the relevant data.

89. Help those who provided the data to understand, clarify and own the data.

90. Ensure that the relevant people fully discuss the implications of the data.

91. Ensure that all conclusions and propositions are directed toward organization changes that are relevant and feasible.

92. Facilitate a visioning process that then leads to establishing the first steps for change.

93. Identify and build on assessed and demonstrated strengths in creating the preferred future.

94. Simplify, narrow, and reduce the study at the appropriate time so that it focuses on the next steps the client can take.

95. Plant seeds for appropriate and meaningful interventions, which will be grown and developed through system synergy.

Phase 4: Action/Intervention Planning

96. Obtain a preliminary commitment for support of the implementation of the action plan.

97. Focus on the area that will generate the greatest amount of positive change at the lowest cost.

98. Move participants from an obsession with pain and problems toward a positive vision of the future. Map out the transition state for them.

99. Help participants brainstorm and generate imaginative and creative alternatives.

100. Facilitate a participative decision-making process that critically judges the choices of the intervention.

101. Facilitate a mental rehearsal of the intervention to anticipate likely consequences, side effects and potential gains.

102. Consider quick-fix solutions as well as long-term strategies.

103. Determine what resources are available and allocate them appropriately in any proposed implementation.

104. Ensure that there is linkage between the purpose, the activity or intervention, the support from top management, the cost, and other persons and teams in the system.

105. Co-create--with as much of the client system as possible--a written implementation plan that is concrete, cost-effective, measurable, simple, clear, flexible, results-oriented, and logically-sequenced.

106. Clarify all roles, responsibilities, and due dates for all implementation tasks.

107. Obtain a clear commitment to review and evaluate outcomes early on.

108. Design and communicate the plan so that buy-in exists at all levels of the client system.

109. Manage resistance effectively, while understanding that, if there is no resistance, you are not facilitating a change process.

110. Helping as many people and levels in the organization as possible, determine the next steps for moving toward the preferred future and/or new paradigm.

111. Develop a reward system that supports the new, desired state.

Phase 5: Intervention

112. Display a good sense of timing in order to gain the greatest amount of impact.

113. Help the client break through barriers and resistance, while getting them ready for the change or intervention.

114. Intervene at an appropriate depth--one that is neither too shallow nor too deep.

115. Help the organization deal with the impact that changes in one part of the system with have on other parts.

116. Facilitate concurrent interventions.

117. Plan interventions (from brief group interventions to large-scale events)--and be equally spontaneous and redesign in response to the needs of the moment.

118. Use and demonstrate group and intergroup facilitation skills.

119. Apply management, organizational, and systems theory in a relevant way.

120. Reflect an awareness of how organizational dynamics and realities impact on what the consultant does.

121. Facilitate interactions among people that build community.

122. Balance risk and experimentation safely for the client system.

123. Spot potentially damaging consequences to a client system.

124. Help client systems realize untapped potential.

Phase 6: Evaluation

125. Initiate ongoing feedback in the client-consultant relationship.

126. Choose the appropriate evaluation method (i.e., the same option(s) that were available for the initial assessment) and level (i.e., reaction, learning, behavioral change, organizational impact).

127. Evaluate the results of the intervention as an added value to the bottom line, and in terms of the increased overall effectiveness of the organization.

128. Establish a feedback system to monitor the change effort continuously, both during the intervention (formative evaluation) and at the end (summative evaluation).

129. Recognize progress relative to change goals.

130. Reinforce positive change, and notice and correct negative change.

131. Develop and administer valid, reliable, and practical evaluative instruments.

132. Analyze evaluation data, link outcome expectations with outcome measurements and present results clearly and in a useful manner.

133. Determine what were the changes in the culture, organizational performance (bottom line), quality, safety, turnover, etc.

134. Identify to what degree the intervention or action plan was implemented successfully.

135. Link the intervention to how many dollars were saved or earned as a result of what occurred.

136. Determine if the pain within the organization has it been reduced and do the members of the organization feel helped.

137. Identify if the top management pleased with the progress of the organization and know by the effects of the effort that it is successful.

138. Link with whether the organization ready to continue and recycle the improvement effort.

139. Ensure that the consultant's actual time and cost in line with original estimates?

140. Integrate feedback and learning from the evaluation into the continued correction and adjustment of the change effort.

Phase 7: Adoption

141. Transfer OD skills to members of the client organization so that participants learn how to learn.

142. Maintain (or increase) the change momentum.

143. Help to enhance morale as the system or organization attempts (or continues) to change.

144. Link the ongoing change process to both the organizational structure and daily operations.

145. Base changes on business strategy and business needs.

146. Balance the need to have a plan to guide the change effort with the flexibility to take advantage of events as the change effort unfolds.

147. Get members of the organization to accept owner- ship of the change.

148. Get a commitment from top management--as well as from a wide organizational mix of people--to carry on the continuous transformation.

149. Mobilize internal resources and support for ongoing self-direction, self-learning, and self-renewal.

150. Work to diffuse the innovation beyond early or prototype efforts into the daily activities of the organization.

151. Spread the change process to other parts of the organization or division that are ready for it.

152. Give special attention to areas where slippage into old attitudes or behaviors begins to occur.

153. Transfer the OD process to the person or department trained to be the OD resource within the system.

154. Gradually wean the client organization away from dependence on the consultant.

155. Transfer skills and knowledge into a client system and replace dependency with interdependency.

156. Shift the emphasis from project-driven to strategy-driven change.

Phase 8: Separation

157. Facilitate discussion with the client regarding the next steps for the change project.

158. Ask appropriate questions, analyze the situation, and identify client needs and possible follow-up initiatives.

159. Ensure that improvement will continue after disengagement from the client.

160. Recognize and accept when separation is desirable.

161. Initiate open discussion about the disengagement option.

162. Recognize when continued assistance in facilitation change can be counterproductive.

163. Decide whether to continue the current project, begin a new unrelated or related project, or terminate temporarily or permanently the relationship with the client.

164. Plan for post-consultation contact with consultant.

165. Facilitate the separation process.

166. Transfer the process and responsibility for continuing progress to the client.

167. Clarify appropriate conditions whereby the consultant could be called back.

168. Address psychological issues related to separation so as to reduce consultant involvement effectively.

169. Understand and respond to the post-separation emotions of all parties.

170. Complete all administrative tasks related to separation.

171. Plan a departure that meets the needs of all those involved.

172. Follow up with the client as appropriate after departure.

General Competencies

173. Develop openness to deep listening to others. Learn to adapt to different communication styles.

174. Clarify personal values that you wish to hold amid multiple perspectives.

175. Be creative and increase your capacity to tolerate complexity, ambiguity and chaos.

176. Be both tough and supportive during the same work session.

177. Know "what is mine" when living amid the conflict.

178. Develop trusting and helpful relationships with clients and with all members of the client system.

179. Stay focused, centered and looking for fractiles amid chaos.

180. Know thyself by developing self-awareness of the influences of cultural dynamics on beliefs.

181. Know your biases, assumptions, judgements, conventions and habits.

182. Be willing to compromise and develop new ways, that combine present beliefs with ongoing new knowledge.

183. Work from a position of creative indifference.

184. Be aware of personal motivations and intentions-- those of change participants and their own as well.

185. See where the client is at any time, and respect that when working with the system.

186. Face and accept emotional situations with a minimum of personal defensiveness.

187. Facilitate clear, meaningful contact between oneself and the client system.

188. Demonstrate sensitivity to the sensory and physical functioning of oneself and others.

189. Be able to keep a pulse on what is happening.

190. Commit self authentically to clients.

191. Pay attention to the spontaneous and informal.

192. Stay life centered and energized by the environment.

193. Tune into the emotional reactions of others and oneself.

194. Consistently maintain confidentiality.

195. Remain physically and mentally healthy while under stress.

196. Play multiple roles--and, when necessary, switch among them.

197. Focus on the energy in the client system.

197. Withstand and deal with others' poor inter-personal skills, while modeling healthy people skills.

199. Resolve ethical issues with integrity and in accordance with the OD profession's code of ethics.

200. Use the latest technology effectively (i.e., various computer packages, e-mail, faxes, etc.).

201. Interpret cross-cultural influences in a helpful manner.

202. Exhibit self-awareness, and be aware when his or her personal needs are being satisfied by client affiliation.

203. Invite, accept, and respond appropriately to feedback.

204. Recognize the influence of his or her own interactions on others and groups.

205. Utilize a solid conceptual framework based on research.

206. Ask the right questions and listen to individuals' and large groups' emotions.

207. Be comfortable with quantum leaps, radical shifts, and paradigm changes and have a high tolerance for uncertainty..

208. Bring the group unconscious to the conscious.

209. Act with intention and understand the consequences of that intention.

210. Use humor creatively and effectively to create catharsis within a group.

211. Model what clients are asked to accept.

212. Preserve the best from our profession, and continue to improve the OD body of knowledge and skill.

213. Model creativity and bring it out within each system

214. Continually learn how to learn and be open to be taught by others.

215. Exhibit self-control and discipline.

216. Have a high tolerance for uncertainty.

217. Energize others and oneself.

218. Be skilled in handling diversity and diverse situations.

219. Frame and clearly communicate directions to individuals and groups.

220. Use a spiritual foundation and inner power sources for the benefit of the larger universal system.

----------------------- end of OD skills list --------------------

Note: This list was originally available at ODNet but public access was discontinued. A more current version may be available with ODNet membership.