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NHS LeadershipAcademy

OD Toolkit

DevelopingTogether

1.Introduction

2.The Basics

3. Skills and Capabilities

4. OD Diagnostic Toolsand Techniques

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4

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64

2.1 Who is this toolkit for?2.2 Defining OD - Theories and Models2.3 Practical Tips2.4 Links and Resources

3.1 Working in OD3.2 Core Competencies3.3 OD and Leadership3.4 Practical Tips3.5 Links and Resources

4.1 Diagnostic Tools4.2 OD Interventions4.3 Evaluation Tools

5.1 Using this toolkit5.2 Conclusion 5. Summary 88

The NHS North West Leadership Academy wishes to acknowledge and thank OD leads and practitionersfrom across the north west for their invaluable help in producing this toolkit.

We particularly wish to thank Louisa Graham, Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, andJanet Thompson, Excellence Through People, for their rich contributions.

Change is a familiar concept to NHS staff, andwith increased emphasis on quality of service,productivity and cost saving. The NHS is nowfaced with a raft of service reform initiatives, allof which mean change.

In this new, fast-evolving landscape we need todo things differently.

Organisational Development (OD) describesmany different activities undertaken to improvethe overall performance of an organisation,and is vital in helping organisations maintaintheir position within the healthcare communityand ensure their future success. OD is astrategic tool which is integral tounderstanding and shaping a cross- communityresponse to meet current and future demands,as highlighted in key documents over recentyears;

• High Quality Care for All, 2008,• Transforming Community Services Enabling

New Patterns of Provision 2009• Equity and Excellence Liberating the NHS,

2010

• Health and Social Care Bill, 2012• Franc s Report – Independent inquiry into

care provided by Mid Staffordshire NHSFoundation Trust Jan 2005 – Mar 2009

These reports and legislation have providedfurther momentum to the growing OD agendain the NHS, particularly where it is perceived asplaying a pivotal role in delivering benefits,such as improving the quality of care forpatients.

The Francis Report will exert further significantinfluence on OD, in setting down clearprinciples which should guide any redesign of‘the system as a whole’, which should;

These four principles describe the essentialelements of OD, and mirror the North WestLeadership Academy’s own definition; “Organisational development is

about improving organisationalperformance through implementing a planned process of leading andmanaging change that aligns keylevers such as Vision, Values,Strategy, Structure, Processes,Systems, Ways of Working andPeople Capabilities”.

Across NHS North West we have a wealth ofOD knowledge and experience - the purposeof this toolkit is to share core knowledge, skillsand techniques, disseminating good practiceand bringing about greater consistency andeffectiveness in applying this vital resourceacross the OD and HR community.

1. Introduction“There is nothing permanent except change”Heraclitus, Greek philosopher, 6th Century BC

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1 be patient–centred

2 engage staff

3 promote goodgovernance andeffective leadership

4 ensure the role oforganisations are clear

This toolkit is primarily intended for thoseworking in OD practitioner roles, such as Headof OD or OD Advisors, but will also be of useto those in other roles, such as;

• Chief Executive Officers• HR or Workforce Directors• HR Business Partners and/or HR Managers• Personnel working in a Training and

Development type function• Senior Leaders or Managers

In providing an understanding of what OD isand how to apply this approach, this toolkitaims to support all those directly involved inmaking a sustained transformation, howeverlarge or small.

To be effective an OD approach needs to beembedded into the organisation’s culture andbe a tool of choice by leaders at all levels in theNHS.

How is it relevant to your role?Whilst primarily written for OD practitioners toprovide a toolkit of advice, guidance andtechniques to apply, real benefits do exist forother roles.

2. The Basics2.1 Who is this toolkit for?

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ODPractitioner

For the experienced OD Practitioner as a ‘rubber stamp’ confirming your approach reflects best practice principles.

For others, as a ‘refresher’, encouraging you to think about the way you do things, about introducing different tools andtechniques, whether new or perhaps used previously.

For new or less experienced OD practitioners, as a ‘How to..’ guide – providing you with a key resource setting out thefundamentals of OD, and a cohesive toolkit of techniques to go out and use.

The toolkit can also serve as a self-assessment guide, for you to evaluate your own skill level and competences, as well asidentifying and tackling development areas.

Role How can it help

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ChiefExecutive

Officer

As well as setting out OD principles, the toolkit defines the practicalities of using this approach to innovate, to problem solve,to engage staff and to measure the impact of such changes on patient, service user and staff satisfaction - helping you tounderstand how and where to use an OD approach to add value to your organisation.

HR orWorkforce

Director

This toolkit will enable you to consider whether you are really implementing OD – acting as a checklist, you can assess whetheryou are using a pure OD approach, and have the skills and capabilities in your team to take an OD approach. It should alsoprovide information and guidance to help you raise OD up the strategic agenda, promoting the benefits of incorporating thisapproach into the fabric of the organisation to the Executive Team or Board.

HR BusinessPartner or HR

Manager

In your role you may have experienced issues which are difficult to resolve, have exhausted various different options and trieddifferent techniques without making real progress. This toolkit can help by illustrating how an OD approach to doing thingsdifferently can bring about a positive, lasting, tangible difference.

Training andDevelopment

Personnel

Staff in these roles are often seen as undertaking OD, but whilst Training and Development is not OD, training and personaldevelopment techniques are part of an OD toolkit. This guide can help you to understand the scope of OD, how it might applyto their work and how it could be incorporated into more traditional classroom or development activities.

SeniorLeaders orManagers

All leaders and managers undertake OD in its broadest sense - in trying to innovate or problem solve; the first task is taking abaseline and gaining an understanding what is currently going on, often by asking staff or patients for their views; the secondtask is working with teams or individuals to explore ways to bring about improvements; the third is about implementingchanges or ideas; the fourth is about determining the impact or difference the change has made. In providing different waysof working you may not have considered previously, this toolkit offers ideas on how to engage with your staff to innovate andcreate service improvements.

Role How can it help

How to use this toolkit This toolkit is designed to be either read fromcover to cover or used as a key referenceresource to which you can return wheneverneeded. Each section provides a wealth ofinformation and signposts to other usefulresources.

The toolkit consists of three core sections –

1. The Basics – this section defines OD,exploring a range of relevant theories andmodels of OD, how they can be used toinform OD projects and the approachtaken.

2. Skills and Capabilities – focuses on thedesirable skills, knowledge and behavioursrequired of effective OD practitioners;provides an overview of the OD PractitionerCompetency Framework and its links toleadership; offers developmental tips tohelp OD practitioners reach their fullpotential.

3. OD Diagnostic Tools and Techniques– provides a wide range of tools andtechniques for use in a variety of settings;an overview of what the tools andtechniques could be used for; practicaltechniques to try and where to find moreinformation.

Useful terms Understanding some specific terms used in thecontext of this toolkit:

OD Practitioner – any person experiencedin organisational development who worksin a consultancy style using OD tools andtechniques, regardless of role or band.

Client – the person commissioning thework, to whom an OD practitioner wouldusually report about the progress andoutcomes of their work – sometimes butnot necessarily the OD practitioner’s linemanager, but often occupying a leadershipposition. May also be referred to as the‘sponsor’.

Project Lead – the person responsible forday-to-day management of a project orprogramme of work. Depending on size orscope, this could be the OD practitioner, anExecutive Director or the Head of OD. Thismay be someone outside of the OD orHuman Resource function, particularlywhen involving a large corporate project.

OD Intervention – one or more activitiesbringing about change or improvement,whether to a specific role, a team, or to thewhole organisation. This can vary widely, asthe Toolkit illustrates - to help diagnosewhat is happening, using a focus group togather staff views; to bring aboutimprovements, such as teambuildingevents to boost performance; 360 degreefeedback to enhance self awareness;assessment centres to ensure robustselection decisions. In practice a series ofOD interventions tend to be used atdifferent levels to create positive andsustainable behavioural change.

Diagnosis or Diagnostic Tools – themethods an OD practitioner uses tounderstand an issue and determine whereand what needs to be improved. Mostdiagnostic methods involve engagementwith key stakeholders, often throughinterviews, focus groups or questionnaires.Some diagnostic work is carried out byusing existing data sources such as previouspatient or staff satisfaction surveys.

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This section will focus on defining OD,exploring the theories and models that can beused to help identify issues and developinterventions that will contribute to thetransformation of individual and organisationalperformance.

The section is broken down into:

Defining OD – the various definitions ofOD and what it encompasses.

The Behavioural Science Approach – theunderpinning theories and models whichsupport an OD approach.

Diagnostic Models – an overview of anumber of models which provide a startingpoint when trying to diagnose whereproblems lie, and the aspects of theorganisation your intervention needs totackle to bring about the desired change.

Consultancy Approaches – details modelsdescribing how best to lead and managean OD project, explaining the practicalsteps you can expect to take when tryingto use an OD approach to bring aboutchange.

Defining ODOD has been variously described in theChartered Institute of Personnel andDevelopment (CIPD) factsheet as:

• A planned process of change in anorganisation’s culture through the utilisationof behavioural science technology, researchand theory (Warner Burke).

• A long-range effort to improve anorganisation’s problem solving capabilitiesand its ability to cope with changes in itsexternal environment with the help ofexternal or internal behavioural-scientistconsultants, or change agents as they aresometimes called (Wendell French).

• An effort (1) planned, (2) organisation-wide,and (3) managed from the top, to (4)increase organisation effectiveness andhealth through (5) planned interventions inthe organisation’s ‘processes’, usingbehavioural science knowledge (RichardBeckhard).

• A system-wide process of data collection,diagnosis, action planning, intervention and

evaluation aimed at (1) enhancingcongruence among organisational structure,process, strategy, people and culture; (2)developing new and creative organisationalsolutions; and (3) developing theorganisation’s self renewing capacity. Itoccurs through the collaboration oforganisational members working with achange agent using behavioural sciencetheory, research and technology (MichaelBeer).

The North West Leadership Academy definesOD as:

“Organisational development is aboutimproving organisational performance throughimplementing a planned process of leadingand managing change that aligns key leverssuch as Vision, Values, Strategy, Structure,Processes, Systems, Ways of Working andPeople Capabilities”.

What will be apparent is that there is no singledefinition of OD - standard practice by one ODpractitioner may be outside of the scope ofanother practitioner’s role. The field of OD isbroad and complex, principally as ODpractitioners work in many different roles –

2.2 Defining OD – Theories and Models

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such as Learning and Development, HR, orOccupational Psychology – and can workwithin an organisation or as an externalconsultant.

It is however evident from the definitionsprovided that conclusions can be drawn aboutthe core characteristics of OD, and morespecifically it is “an interdisciplinary andprimarily behavioural science approach thatdraws from fields such as organisationbehaviour, management, business, psychology,sociology, anthropology, economics, education,counselling and public administration” -McLean (2005).

Behavioural science, organisational psychologytheory and models in conjunction with changemanagement methodology strongly influenceOD. The solution to an issue faced may requireresearch into more specific theories of, forexample, team dynamics, leadership, culture,employee engagement or ‘the psychologicalcontract’.

The Behavioural Science ApproachThis approach sets out that organisationaldevelopment is a “programme of applyingbehavioural science to organisations” Frenchand Bell (1999). Understanding behaviours,what causes certain behaviour, what motivatesand how to influence or change behaviour is apivotal part of OD.

Its basic assumptions and propositions are:

1. Organisations are socio-technical systems, inthat to sustain and create strong performance

senior leaders need to try and align peoplewith technological systems. 2. Work and interpersonal behaviour of staff isinfluenced by many factors.3. Employees are motivated not only byphysiological needs but also by social andpsychological needs 4. Different people have different perceptions,attitudes, needs and values. 5. Conflict at work is unavoidable 6. Personal goals and Organisational goalsmust be joined together.

Hundreds of theories and models can beclassified as a behavioural science approach –here are just a few:

Theories of Motivation:Motivation is what causes us all to take action;motivated people are those individuals whohave made a decision to devote considerableeffort to achieving something that they value.

McClelland (1961) Needs BasedMotivational TheoryThis theory sets out three types ofmotivational needs that all peoplepossess in varying different levels:

1. The need for achievement 2. The need for affiliation3. The need for power or authority

McClelland said that most peoplepossess and exhibit a combination ofthese characteristics. Some peopleexhibit a strong bias to a particularmotivational need, and this need

consequently affects their behaviour,preferences and leadership style.

According to this model:

1. The need for achievement or nACH -these individuals tend to seekopportunities for them to accomplish orattain goals and objectives. Motivated byachieving challenging tasks or feeling asense of progression in their job, theyvalue feedback on performance.Accomplishing a task further motivatesthem to achieve yet more challenginggoals.

2. The need for affiliation or nAFF -motivated through relationships theyhave with people, they will enjoy and bemotivated by interactions with thosewith they feel they have developed astrong rapport or friendship. Feeling likedand held in high regard in turn motivatesthem to achieve more.

3. The need for power nPOW - thisperson is motivated by authority, byfeeling in control and being able to leador take charge. They are also motivatedby the status and recognition given tothe person who is ‘the boss’.

The following diagram shows thebehaviours and traits for each of thediffering needs and where high or lowlevels of motivation exist:

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nACH(need for

achievement)

nAFF(need for

affiliation)

nPOW(need for power)

HIGHMust win at any costMust be on top and

receive credit

LOWFears failure

Avoids responsibility

HIGHDemands blind loyalty

and harmonyDoes not tolerate

disagreement

LOWRemains aloof

Maintains socialdistance

HIGHDesires control and

everyone andeverything

Exaggerates ownposition and resources

LOWDependent/subordinateMinimises own position

and resources

How to Use the Model:This model can help leaders understand themost effective ways to motivate staff byunderstanding their needs, and thus enablingthem to apply the most suitable style of

leadership to get the best results from theirteam. By appreciating these differences,workplaces, teams and processes can bestructured to ensure all stuff are motivated.

Other Theories of Motivation• Maslow’s (1954) Hierarchy of needs• Herzberg (1968) Motivation Hygiene theory • Vroom (1964) Expectancy theory• McGregor’s (1960) X and Y theory• Alderfer (1969) ERG Model

Further detailed information and illustrations ofeach of these and other models are readilyavailable on the internet.

Theories of Organisational CultureIn his book Organisational Culture andLeadership (1992), Schein defined culture as “apattern of shared basic assumptions that thegroup learned as it solved its problems ofexternal adaption and internal integration, thathas worked well enough to be considered validand, therefore, to be taught to new membersas the correct way to perceive, think and feel inrelation to those problems”.

The DetailsOrganisational culture can be defined as the“way we do things around here”, it is theunspoken norms, informal rules which existwithin organisations and guide employeebehaviour. According to Schein there are threelevels of organisational culture, as displayed inthe diagram below;

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Artifacts:Stories, metaphors, rituals,

heroes and symbols

Beliefs, Values and Attitudes

Basic Assumptions

Schein: Culture Iceberg

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Artifacts are those aspects of the culture whichare visible and on the surface, for example thetypes of uniforms staff wear, the stethoscopearound a doctor’s neck, or the physicalenvironment such as private offices for seniormanagers and open plan offices for staff. Theyare usually easily discerned as they tend to betangible, overt or verbally identifiable, yet itcan be hard to understand why they exist.

Beliefs, Values and Attitudes are the espousedvalues of the organisation, setting down theexpected standards of behaviour required ofstaff when interacting with each other, andwith patients or service users. These valuestend to be expressed in vision and missionstatements, or in strategic documents such asthe organisation’s annual plan.

Basic Assumptions tend to be in a person’sunconscious, they are the deeply held beliefs,attitudes and behaviours which make theculture what it is.

How to Use the Model:According to Schein, culture is the mostdifficult part of an organisation to change.Most reform tends to focus on changingprocesses and procedure with sometransformation aimed at bringing aboutchange at an Artifact level. This model can helpan OD practitioner to determine the level ofcultural change the intervention is intending totackle, as just changing the Artifacts is unlikelyto lead to deeper, longer lasting change whichimpacts on staff behaviours and beliefs.

Other Theories of Organisational Culture• Deal and Kennedy (1982) – 4 Different Types

of Organisations• Hofstede (1980) – Cultural Dimensions

Theory• Handy (1972) – Relationship between

organisational structure and its culture,Handy identified 4 different types oforganisational culture

Change Management ModelsAccording to Bridges (1995), “it isn’t thechange that does you in, it’s the transitions”.Bridges distinguishes between change andtransition - change is situational, for example amove to a new site, whilst transition ispsychological, a process in which peopleinternalise and to come to terms with whatchanges mean for them.

The DetailBridges’ theory of change managementoutlines a three phase process to dealing withtransition and change. If these three phases aremanaged well then the organisational changeit is more likely to be effective. The threephases are;Stage 1 - Ending, Losing, Letting Go To assist staff in moving out of this stage, ODpractitioners or managers need to help people

deal with their tangible and intangible losses,and mentally prepare to move on.

It is about getting staff to let go of the oldways and their old identity - the first stage isabout drawing a line, creating an ending anddealing with their losses.

Stage 2 – Neutral Zone An ‘in-between’ time when the old has gone,but the new is not fully operational. During thisstage critical psychological realignments andrepatterning takes place. It is about helpingpeople get through it, and potentiallycapitalising on uncertainty by encouragingthem to be innovators.

Stage 3 – The New Beginning This is where the transition period is endingand the new beginning has arrived. During thisstage managers and OD practitioners need totry and help people to develop a new sense ofidentity, a fresh sense of purpose and theenergy to help make the changes work.

How to Use the Model This model is useful whenever change occurs;it can help OD practitioners who have toimplement the change, or who are workingwith groups of staff who are struggling toaccept the changes.

The model can be used in coaching, or in one-to-one support sessions with staff, andquestions can be developed to help staffunderstand why they are finding changedifficult, and then help them move onpsychologically. It can also be a way to help

The new beginning

Ending, losing, letting go

The neutral zone

Leve

l of

man

agem

ent

Time

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staff to grieve for what they have lost and havetheir losses acknowledged openly andsympathetically.

The model may also be used with changemanagers, as a tool to get them to think aboutthe impact the change will have on their staff.As an OD practitioner you could ask thefollowing questions, which are taken fromBridges’ book entitled Managing Transitions,Making the Most of Change (1995), to helpthem to consider the change from their team’sperspective:

1. Have I studied the changes carefully andidentified who is likely to lose what?2. Do I understand the subjective realities ofthese losses to the people who areexperiencing them, even when they seem tome to be overacting?3. Have I acknowledged these losses withsympathy?4. Have I permitted people to grieve andprotected them from well-meant attempts tostop them from expressing their anger orsadness?5. Have I clearly identified what is over andwhat is not?6. Have I found ways to mark the ending?

Other Change Management Models • Lewin (1947) Three Stages of Change –

unfreeze, change and freeze• Kotter (1995) Eight Step Change Model• Prosci (1998) The ADKAR model of change

management

Diagnostic ModelsWhich diagnostic model you chose to use willdepend very much upon what aspects of theorganisation your intervention needs to focuson, in order to bring about the desired change.You may feel that these models often seem tofocus on the same core factors but through aslightly different lens – this is indeed true,emphasising the importance of taking a holistic‘whole systems’ approach to understand anissue as well as determining the impact anintervention may have on the entireorganisation.

In diagnosing any situation, you may find thatchoosing one model is beneficial – whetherbased on personal preference, the organisationinvolved or familiarity with the terminology ituses, as well as your knowledge of thepresenting issue.

McKinsey 7Ss Model

The McKinsey 7S Model is strongly alignedwith the Behavioural Science approach and thedefinition of OD put forward by the NWLeadership Academy.

The framework was developed in the early1980s by Tom Peters and Robert Waterman ofthe global consulting firm McKinsey andCompany, and the model was published intheir article “Structure Is Not Organisation”(1980) and in their books “The Art of JapaneseManagement” (1981) and “In Search of Excellence” (1982).

What is the model about?

• The premise is that there are seven internalaspects of an organisation that need to bealigned and mutually reinforced to achievesuccess

• It proposes that an organisation is not just astructure, but consists of 7 interdependentfactors which can be broken into two groups:

Hard factors – generally easier to define oridentify as they are often either tangibleobjects, or well documented in reports, plansand strategy statements. They can often beinfluenced directly by management actions.

Soft factors – tend to be more difficult todescribe and comprehend as they are lesstangible and more influenced by culture.Capabilities, values and corporate culture arecontinuously evolving, and therefore planningor influencing their characteristics is less easy.Whilst they are below the surface, they stillhave a great impact on the hard factors of theorganisation.

Both groups are equally as important indetermining organisational success, and thediagram below displays theirinterdependencies, and how change in anyelement creates a knock-on effect on everyother factor.

Hard Factors Soft Factors

StrategyStructureSystems

Shared ValuesSkillsStaffStyle

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Structure

Staff

SharedValues

SystemsStrategy

StyleSkills

The McKinsey 7S Model

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The Hard Ss

Strategy It is the ‘how’, the organisational plan, and should detail the actions the organisation plans to take either in response to or inanticipation of changes in its external environment.

Structure The way the organisation is structured in terms of reporting, often strongly influenced by its size and diversity.

Systems The daily activities and procedures staff undertake to get the job done, whether formal systems such as Finance and IT, orinformal systems such as communication processes.

The Soft Ss

Style The culture of the organisation, the way people behave and comprising two elements:1. Organisational Culture: the dominant values, beliefs and norms, which develop over time and become relativelyenduring features of organisational life - “the way we do things round here.” 2. Management Style: the style of leadership adopted, what managers do and the way they do things, rather than whatthey say.

Staff The people, their skill sets and their levels of capability; it also encompasses talent management and staffing plans.

Skills The ability to do the organisation’s work; it should reflect overall performance of the organisation - what it does well, how itshifts and develops to exceed in new areas.

Shared Values A set of traits, behaviours, and characteristics the organisation believes in – these values would be evidenced in its cultureand work ethic, and are often described in the organisation’s mission and vision statements. Placed in the middle of themodel to emphasise their importance being central to the development of all other elements. The company'sstructure, strategy, systems, style, staff and skills all stem from why it was originally created, and what it stands for. As thevalues change, so do all the other elements.

The Detail

The following section will now look at each of the elements in more detail:

How to Use the Model

This model can provide a useful frameworkenabling you to step back from a situation, byanalysing each essential element independentlyand finding the root cause. Examining theinterdependencies between factors can identifywhy a specific intervention may not bereaching its potential as limited considerationhas been given to one or more of the 7Sfactors. The model can be used to highlightwhat needs to be realigned to improveperformance, or to maintain alignment (andperformance) during other types of change. The 7S model can be used in a wide variety ofsituations where an alignment perspective isuseful, for example to help you:

• Improve organisational performance • Examine the likely effects of future changes

such as introducing new systems or process,leadership changes and restructure

• Align departments and processes during amerger or acquisition

• Determine how best to implement aproposed strategy

• Improve team functioning and effectiveness• As a diagnostic tool to determine why an

intervention or solution is not deliveringagainst its original aims in terms ofnoticeable benefits or improvements

Using the model to scope out where theproblems lie

The model can be used as a diagnostic tool asit can help you when working with keystakeholders to understand and analyse thecurrent situation in each of the variouselements. It can also determine where the

stakeholders want to get to, and for you as theOD practitioner to identify the gaps andinconsistencies in order to develop a holistic,whole systems solution that will help reach thedesired outcome.

There are a number of questions you can askto find stakeholders’ perspective and enableyou to understand the context, the currentsituation, where there are overt presentingissues and where there may be covert issuesyet to emerge;

Strategy - What is your strategy, your vision or aims?- How is the organisation/team responding

to the changing demands?- What changes do you see that will

significantly affect your organisation/teamover the next - years?

- What are your success criteria for thisorganisation/team?

- What will have to change in order to meetyour success criteria?

Structure - How are decisions made?- What are the reporting arrangements?- How would you describe the organisation’s

structure? Do you feel it is flexible andresponsive enough to meet your changingneeds?

- How well do the different parts of yourorganisation work together?

- What are the lines of communication? - How effective is communication

vertically/horizontally?- Do people have the appropriate levels of

authority and responsibility?

Systems- What systems are used to help run the

organisation/team? (For example financialsystems, IT, HR)

- Are the systems effective in helping you doyour job?

- What internal rules or processes do theteam/organisation use to keep them ontrack?

- What information do you need fromoutside/inside of your organisation/teamthat you are not receiving at present?

Style- How would you describe the

leadership/management style in theorganisation/team?

- How effective is that leadership?- Do team members tend to be competitive

or cooperative?- How is conflict handled in your

team/organisation?- How far is risk-taking encouraged?

Staff- What are the key roles in your team that

you could not do without?- What arrangements do you have in place

for developing staff to reach their fullpotential?

- What positions do you struggle to fill?- Who are your key people?- What are their strengths and weaknesses in

relation to your organisation’s goals?

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Skills- Do current team members have the skills

they need to do their jobs?- Where are their skill gaps?- How are skills monitored and developed?- What skills do you need to develop in your

team/organisation over the next 2 years inorder to perform and function effectively?

Shared Values- What are the main drivers for this team in

the way they do things?- What is the core purpose on which this

organisation/team is built ?- What do you consider to be the core values

of the organisation/team?- What values need to change to ensure

future success?- How would you describe the culture of

where you work?- What are the positive aspects of the

culture?- What are the negative aspects of the

culture?

Using the model to evaluate theeffectiveness of your proposed solutions

The model can be used to evaluateeffectiveness of the solutions you areproposing, checking that you have consideredall aspects of what makes an effectiveorganisation - for example, does theintervention you are proposing consider itseffect on each of the 7Ss? You may need to goback and adjust or align different elements ofyour proposal, then re-analyse how that thenimpacts on other elements.

It can also help you when recommending acourse of action, by identifying that by makingchanges in one aspect of the organisation,other elements may also need to be realignedor changed to release benefits. For instance, ifyou recommend revitalising the organisation’sValues, it may also mean changing HR policiesand procedures, the introduction of a newappraisal process, or new training programmesto ensure staff have the skills to ‘live the values’then incorporated into the organisation’sstrategy, and vision and mission statement.

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live the values

The Six Box Model

The Weisbord six-box diagnostic framework isstill widely used by OD practitioners, despitebeing published some time ago (1976), and isparticularly useful when trying to take asystematic approach for analysing relationshipsbetween the variables which influence howan organisation is managed.

Weisbord’s model of organisationallife is made up of six broadcategories- Purposes, Structures,Relationships, Leadership,Rewards and HelpfulMechanisms.

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PurposeWhat business

are we in?

LeadershipDoes someone

keep the boxes inbalance?

StructureHow do we

divide up thework?

RelationshipsHow do we manage

conflict amongpeople? Withtechnologies?

RewardsDo all needed

tasks haveincentives?

HelpfulMechanisms

Have we adequatecoordinating

technologies?

Environment

Purpose

An organisation’smission and goals.

Definition of the Six Factors:

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Rewards

The intrinsic andextrinsic rewards that

staff associate with theirwork - intrinsic include

having a sense ofchoice, feeling like theyare progressing in theircareer, whilst extrinsic

rewards includebonuses, pay rises etc.

Structure

The way it is organised,whether by function, byspecialist groups, how

multi-disciplinary teamswork together, project

teams etc.

Relationships

How people and teamsinteract with one

another, also the way inwhich staff interact with

technology such as ITsystems or equipment.

Leadership

The typical leadershiptasks - maintaining

order, defining purpose,managing conflict and

defending theorganisation’s integrity.

HelpfulMechanisms

Could define as the‘cement that binds theorganisation together’making it more than agroup of individuals

with separate needs -the processes every

organisation needs tosurvive, for exampleplanning, control,

budgeting andinformation systems

that every staff memberneeds to do their job.

How to Use the Model

In 1980 Preziosi developed an OrganisationalDiagnosis Questionnaire (ODQ) based on theSix-Box model and designed to provide surveyfeedback data for intensive diagnostic efforts,and this is freely available on the internet.

The questionnaire generates data in each ofWeisbord’s suggested six areas as well as in aseventh area which is Attitude TowardsChange, added to aid OD practitioners’understanding of how open staff are tochange, prior to attempting to initiate asystem-wise change.

As with the 7S model, it should be used as amap by which to find where problems lie andto give consideration to which elements of theorganisation the intervention needs to betargeted to bring about demonstrableimprovements. It is a useful tool in guidingconversations with key stakeholders as it helpsthem to visualise the organisation as a whole,rather than simply focusing on what they thinkis the presenting issue. It can help structurescoping meetings by enabling the practitionerto gather information and understand theextent of issues. The practitioner can thencorrelate what people say in conjunction withother forms of organisational data - forexample staff satisfaction surveys, performancedata etc - determine the breadth of issues andsolutions needed to tackle the problem at thecore.

The Burke Litwin Model ofOrganisational Change

The premise of this model is that “ODinterventions directed towards structure,management practices and systems (policiesand procedures) result in first order change;interventions directed towards mission andstrategy, leadership and organisational cultureresult in second order change” French and Bell(1999).

It looks at change from two aspects –

First Order Change, or transactionalchange is about changing features such assystems or process whilst the organisation’sfundamental nature stays the same, suchas its culture and values. Changingstructure or management practice willcause changes in the work climate –defined as the employee’s perceptions andattitudes to the organisation – andwhether it is a good or a bad place towork, friendly or unfriendly, easy-going orhardworking. These changes requiretransactional leadership.

Second Order Change, ortransformational change is aboutsignificantly changing the nature of theorganisation, and is often more radical,focusing on bringing about change to theorganisation’s mission or strategy and howleaders lead. It is about changing theculture in order to produce changes inindividuals and organisationalperformance.

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tackle the problemat the core

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The Model

ExternalEnvironment

Leadership

Motivation

Work Climate

ManagementPractices

OrganisationalCulture

Systems andPolicies

IndividualNeeds & Values

First order (transactional) change Second order (transformational) change

TaskRequirement

Mission &Strategy

OrganisationalStructure

Individual andOrganisational

Performance

Feedback Feedback

Feedback Feedback

A slightly more sophisticated and complexmodel than the 7S and the Six-Box models, itstill incorporates a number of similar essentialorganisational elements such as systems,polices and structure. It is considered to moreclosely align to an OD approach bypractitioners as often OD interventions arefocused more towards bringing about secondorder change, by transforming the culture andimproving performance.

It can help the OD practitioner to assess asituation, determine the type of changerequired - first or second order - and targetinterventions towards the factors that will helpto produce the desired change. As with theother models considered, it highlights howchange in any one of the factors will eventuallyimpact on the others.

Consultancy ApproachesThere are various ways to approach andmanage an OD programme successfully, andthis section will provide a number of effectiveframeworks. It is impossible to cover everycircumstance, but many OD programmesfollow a common approach - by outlining thecore phases of OD programmes or approaches,used by both internal and external consultantsand OD practitioners, pragmatic advice can begiven on how to translate it into workplaceactions.

Action Research Model

As its name suggests, action research is acombination of two elements, and is problem-centred, client-focused and action-orientated.It takes a collaborative approach by involving

leaders or the facilitators of change, with thosewho will be affected by it. It aligns with the ODphilosophy and values in that if people areinvolved in decisions that affect them, they aremore inclined to adopt the new ways ofworking (Senior and Flemming 1999).

Action Research is a cycle and does not endonce change has been completed, insteadseeing change as an ongoing process wherethe focus is on continuous improvement inorder to stay at the forefront and deliver a highquality service. Each of the phases of themodel (as with Burke- Litwin’s model discussedearlier in this section) can be used to form theOD process.

1. Preliminary diagnosisUnderstanding management’s perceptionof the problem, and using available data orinformation to assess where the potentialissues lie.

2. Data gathering from the client groupAsking those staff affected by the currentproblems and potential change for theirview of the situation, the issues and why ithas arisen – by questionnaires, focusgroups, interviews or observations. Thisstage establishes what people think, feeland do in terms of the tasks they perform,their ways of working and the relationshipsthey have with each other (Prince 1987).

3. Data feedback to the client groupOccurs after the OD practitioner has drawntogether all the key pieces of informationto identify the common themes, andpresented back the findings whilst

protecting confidentiality, particularly afterone-to-one interviews.

4. Exploration of data by the clientgroupA facilitated discussion with the group,often exploring the themes in more detailand applying closer examination as to whyan issue has arisen. An opportunity to hearwhat others think and to give feedback ifthey think the OD practitioner hasinaccurately captured their thoughts,feelings and ideas, so having ownership ofthe feedback.

5. Joint action planning by the clientgroupRequires the OD practitioner to encouragecreative thinking techniques to generatepotential solutions to the problems. Aimedat gaining the group’s commitment to thechanges, and to the methods used in itsimplementation.

6. Implement the changeIntroducing and making the changes, oftenled by the OD practitioner in collaborationwith members of the client group.

7. Assess the changeAs with the evaluation stage of Burke’smodel, assesses if the change has beenachieved and determining its impact.Where hard objectives and quantifiableperformance measures exist it is morestraightforward, but softer less tangibleobjectives such as behavioural or culturalchange this can be harder to quantify andmay require further surveys, focus groups

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or interviews, or reviewing staff satisfactionand retention.

8. Feedback to the client groupFocusing on what has been achieved, andwhat else needs to be done to ensure itbecomes engrained in the organisationalculture, Further input from the group candetermine how to do this and could requirethe cycle to start again.

Burke’s 7 Phase Model

OD activities are sometimes called interventionsand may require management as a project, orpart of programme of projects. Key to successfrom the outset is clarity on its purpose andextent, and support for its implementation.Burke (1994) described a successful ODprogramme consisting of 7 phases whichunfold over time, and to be successful, eachphase needs to be effectively executed (Frenchand Bell (1999). In summary, these phases are:

1. Entry – the initial contact between ODpractitioner and the client commissioningthe work.

2. Contracting – clarifying what eachparty expects in terms of key deliverables,outcomes, timescales, available resourcesand budget.

3. Diagnosis – gathering of informationand analysis to identify key themes andestablish the required intervention.

4. Feedback – providing feedback on thediagnosis and exploring the analysis withthe client to seek further clarification fromthe client perspective.

5. Planning change – discussing optionsand interventions in partnership with theclient to bring about the desired change,so the client fully owns the solution goingforward.

6. Intervention – execution andcompletion of the activities as set out inthe plan.

7. Evaluation – assessing the effectivenessof the intervention, and its success inmeeting the desired outcomes set out inthe contracting stage such as enhancingperformance, increasing patientsatisfaction or changing staff behaviours.

The following table details the 7 phases,actions at each stage and some promptquestions to use when meeting with the clientor to ask yourself as the OD lead on theproject.

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the key to success fromthe outset is clarity

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Use open questions to establish context - what the teamdoes, their challenges, presenting problems or need forinnovation.

At this stage you may wish to suggest ideas at a high level interms of what you could provide to help move issues forwardor develop more creative ways of working. In determiningthe parameters of the brief it is vital to agree the level whereimprovement is required, if you have consent to trysomething new or different, and what your initial actions.

This stage is important to build your credibility with the clientand start to gain their trust.

1. Entry - Theinitial contactbetween the ODpractitioner andthe client.

Phase Actions

• What is the aim of the OD intervention and desiredoutcomes?

• Where do you feel the issues lie?• What is working well at the moment that we could build

upon? • What leadership support will be given to the intervention?• Is there a common understanding amongst stakeholders

why the OD intervention is required or is furthercommunication work needed?

• How have people been consulted and involved so far? Howshould this continue in the future?

• What assumptions are being made? What would theimpact be if these change during the work?

• What do all those affected already know and what are theongoing communication plans?

• How will links be made to the overall strategy and otherstakeholders working on interdependent OD activities?

• What is the best way to provide feedback on progress?• What would success look like to you?

Some prompt questions

Draw up terms of reference document or project plan, whichclearly sets out your commitment in delivering andimplementing the intervention, and how you will diagnosethe issues.

Set out your timescales, what is in scope, what you will beproviding and what you expect your client to provide - forexample if you need a staff survey, your client will need tocommit to facilitating the time for its completion. This is keyas your client’s focus may be on the problem itself, theirexpectations can change as a result of your work, and ithelps to prevent surprises and ensure shared understanding.

You should provide your plan to the client in draft, and seekfeedback prior to sign-off.

2. Contracting -Establishingmutualexpectations andclarifying keydeliverables,outcomes,timescales,availableresources andbudget.

• Who will project manage this piece of work?• What are the key actions and detailed deliverables?• What are the timescales?• What is the budget for internal and external resources,

time as well as money?• What are the risks associated with the activity and can

these be mitigated?• What are the constraints around the scope of the work? • Who will be responsible for overall communication and the

role of HR/L&D/OD/other teams involved? • How will performance ownership be established, and

performance managed? • What evaluation will take place and who will manage this? • Who will set up any necessary administration and logistics

for delivery?

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Diagnosis can take many different forms;- desk top research, for example review of staff surveys,- Interviews on a one-to-one basis with key team members- Focus groups, to collect team views- Observations- Questionnaires- Process mapping- Benchmarking exercises against other teams/organisations- Review of literature and best practice, or using knowledgemanagement to identify lessons learnt from past

3. Diagnosis -Fact-findingthrough thegathering ofinformation andsubsequentanalysis, drawingtogether keythemes andhighlightingareas requiringintervention.

Phase Actions

What will be the communication process for: • explaining why the research is being done?• gaining commitment to support the research?• engaging with the research?• feedback to those involved the outcome of the research

and next steps? • How have staff responded to focus groups, questionnaires,

interviews in the past? Which method do you think wouldwork best with your team?

• What data is available that I might find useful? How can Iget hold of this?

• Who else would like to be involved in this stage?• Who do you think I need to meet, interview, involve in this

stage?

Some prompt questions

Feedback should be continuous throughout the projectwhether update reports, regular briefings or more informallythrough catch up conversations or e mails. Ideally the clientshould never chase for information.

Initial feedback should include an analysis of what the datasays (both quantitative and qualitative), and yourunderstanding of the problem. You may be working onsensitive issues, and it is important to phrase feedback in away that avoids criticism of your client or their team.

When providing ongoing feedback, progress updates shouldinclude how the intervention is being received on theground, and any further changes needed based on feedbackand experience.

4. Feedback -Providingfeedback onDiagnosis andexploring theanalysis with theclient to seekfurtherclarification fromtheir perspective.

• How would you like to be kept informed of progress?• Who needs to receive what information, when and in what

format?• How will the feedback be used to inform the final

decisions?• How and when will the decisions on the design phase be

taken? Who needs to be involved at each stage of thefeedback and decision making?

• How will knowledge and learning be cascaded to relevantgroups of staff?

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Building on the feedback section, you put forward yourrecommended options, their benefits and disadvantages, andthe implications of implementing your preferred intervention.

Open questions to the client will establish the feasibility of theoptions from their perspective, and how committed they areto your recommendations. You should ask for their feedbackand suggestions so they feel able to influence the options youare presenting, as their ownership of the solution is vital.

The types of interventions you recommend will depend uponwho your stakeholders are, the degree of urgency, theorganisation’s culture, the parts of the system that need to beimpacted and the types of staff involved. The interventionselected at this stage will depend on levels of organisationalreadiness - some organisations embrace innovation andradical change, whereas others prefer smaller incrementalsteps.

5. Planningchange - Basedon Feedback, thisstage is aboutdiscussingoptions andinterventions tobring about thedesired change,in partnershipwith the client.

Phase Actions

• Do the proposals at this stage reflect the brief’srequirements?

• Who is responsible for design of the OD intervention andactivities and its sign-off?

• Who will form the project team and what will be theirroles?

• What budget considerations have to be taken intoaccount?

• Who will select the people, technology or support needed?• Will new working patterns or travel impact on planning

delivery?• Who will manage & monitor any nominations processes?• How many deliverers are needed?• How will consistency and quality of delivery be developed

and maintained? • What metrics and measures should be tracked and fed into

the strategic reporting processes?• Will these detailed plans meet the original brief?

Some prompt questions

The implementation of the intervention can be complexespecially when the project is at a strategic level.

Development of a project plan would be useful, setting outall of the actions you need to take, as project managementskills will be needed throughout the implementation stage.

Interventions vary from running a training course,redesigning processes, to whole system change.

6. Intervention -The executionand completionof the activitiesas set out in theplan.

If learning, development or group activities are to bedelivered:• How will the learning be delivered? Blended learning: what

mix?• How will content be scoped, designed and delivered? What

are the resource implications of these choices?• What will be the maximum number of participants for

anything undertaken face to face, and what support maybe needed?

• What feedback is required, and how does this link toexpected success measures?

• How will any pilot be managed and reviewed?• Who will manage ongoing feedback, and its impact on

design and delivery?• Who will assess suitability of existing and new resources to

be used? What does evaluation of existing resources tellus?

• What support will deliverers (facilitators, trainers and otherse.g. HR) need? How many will be involved and who willmanage quality in delivery?

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The best way to evaluate whether you have met the originalaims is to present a report back to the client, detailingsuccesses and highlighting any further actions that arerequired to achieve the final objectives.

You may wish to detail what you have delivered in terms ofproducts - for example a new appraisal process, a trainingcourse, a team event. You will also want to talk about theimpact this intervention has had, such as feedback receivedfrom those affected by the change, such as for examplefeedback from training evaluation, or from a pilot area.

7. Evaluation -Assessing theeffectiveness ofthe intervention,in terms of itssuccess inmeeting thedesired outcomesas set out in thecontractingstage.

Phase Actions

The questions that guide evaluation should have been askedat the outset. By the evaluation stage there will have alreadybeen significant learning, and it is vital to reference what hasbeen agreed around evaluation.

• To what extent were the desired outcomes achieved?• What evidence is there of success factors?• What unexpected feedback has been received?• How does this feedback need to be communicated, and

built into other OD activities?• Would this type of OD activity be undertaken again, and

why?• How will the learning and knowledge gained from the OD

intervention be captured, shared and embedded in otherOD activities?

Some prompt questions

Additional links or tools you have found helpful

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This section of the Toolkit includes a lot ofinformation, and before applying models askyour colleagues what has worked best forthem and why. This will guide you in makingyour choices and in what you recommend toothers as an OD Practitioner, as a model orapproach which worked well in one settingmay not be equally as effective in another.

Some colleagues may find the information tootheoretical and difficult to apply, so try to thinkabout the key messages and consider all partsof an organisation - people, process andprocedures - when identifying where issues lieand what solutions will bring aboutimprovements.

There is specific language associated withthese models which can appear as jargon tomany people. Therefore, as with all goodcommunication, take care with selecting whichmessages would be of most interest to youraudience and consider carefully how toposition those.

In summary, to use theinformation in this section,remember: • All OD activity starts with awareness of the

extent of your role in bringing about changeor improvement, and gaining a genuineunderstanding of the issue from the client’sperspective.

• Always take time to understand the model orapproach you are considering, its pros andcons. No single model is perfect, and acombination of several approaches can elicitvital information you need when scoping outan issue.

• Use the information to provide a framework,or a prompt list of areas to consider whenfact-finding or developing a solution.

• Ensure you fully understand and canarticulate the underpinning ideas andtheories for your chosen recommendations.

• Use a model or approach whenrecommending your proposed solutions andthe areas you hope to address - it willcontextualise it for the client and highlightwhere further energies need to be directed.

• Be aware that changes to one aspect of theorganisation may have a knock-on effect toother aspects, and ensure you always stepback and reflect on the wider ramifications ofyour recommendations.

2.3 Practical Tips

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www.cipd.co.uk/hr-resources/factsheets/organisation-development.aspx

French, W. and Bell, C. (1999) Organization Development: BehaviorScience Interventions for Organization Improvement, Wendell

Cheung-Judge,M. & Holbeche, L. (2011) Organisational Development,: APractitioner’s Guide for OD and HR, Kogan Page

Theories of Motivationwww.businessballs.com

Adair, J. (1990) Leadership and Motivation, The fifty-fifty rule and theeight key principles of motivating others. Talbot Adair Press

Organisational CultureSchein Cultural Iceberghttp://agents2change.typepad.com/blog4/2012/01/examining-culture-6-thats-just-the-tip-of-the-iceberg.html

For information on Deal and Kennedy (1982) - 4 Different Types ofOrganisations Mind Tools holds information www.mindtools.com

Hofstede (1980) – Cultural Dimensions Theory http://geert-hofstede.com/organisational-culture.html and www.mindtools.com

Handy (1972) – Relationship between organisational structure and itsculture, Handy identified 4 different types of organisational culture

http://www.managementstudyguide.com/charles-handy-model.htm

Change ManagementBridges, W. (1995) Managing Transitions, Making the Most of Change.Nicholas Brealey Publishing

Kotter’s 8 Steps to Managing Change can be found in Kotter, John P(1995) Leading Change. Harvard Business School Press

Prosci (1998) ADKAR Employee Models of Behaviourhttp://www.change-management.com/tutorials.htm

Lewin, K. (1951) Field Theory in Social Science. Harper and Row

McKinsey 7Ss Modelwww.mindtools.com

Thomas, M. (2003) High Performance Consulting Skills: The InternalConsultant's Guide to Value-added Performance, Thorogood

McKinsey Updates www.mckinseyquarterly.com is an online businessjournal of Business Management Strategy articles

The Six Box Modelhttp://www.marvinweisbord.com/index.php/six-box-model/

http://g-rap.org/docs/ICB/Preziosi%20-%20Organ.%20Diagnosis%20Questionnaire%20ODQ.pdf

Burke Litwin Model of Organisational ChangeBurke, W.W. & Litwin, J.H. (1992) A Causal Model of Organisation,Performance and Change. Journal of Management, 18 (3), pp. 523-545

Action Research ModelSenior, B. and Flemming, J. (1999) Organisational Change, FinancialTimes/ Prentice Hall; 3 edition

2.4 Links and Resources

As with definitions of OD itself, the activitieswhich involve an OD practitioner can also bevery diverse, requiring a wide range of skillsand capabilities to carry out the role effectively.

This section of the Toolkit will look at:

Working in OD – the range of roles,responsibilities and tasks undertaken by ODpractitioners on a day-to-day basis.

OD Core Competencies – the expectedcompetencies of an OD practitioner as setout in the North West Leadership AcademyOD Practitioner Competency Framework,including various developmental remediesand advice on how to progress andadvance.

Leadership and OD – exploring thesignificant links between OD andleadership, and how effective leaders workin line with OD principles and practices. Inaddition we look at how OD practitionerscan apply leadership skills and abilities tobe effective.

3. Skills & Capabilities

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1. Understanding OrganisationalContext

2. Building ImpactfulRelationships

3. Evidence-based Improvement

4. Professional Effectiveness

5. Business Focus

6. Leading, Enabling andSustaining

The 6 CoreCompetencies

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3.1 Working in OD If you ask an OD practitioner to describe ‘atypical day’, their likely response would be thatthey don’t exist!

OD practitioners work in many different guises,cover a wide breadth of work and have a

range of job titles. Below is a diagram whichdepicts some of the areas of work an ODprofessional may find themselves involved in:

Leadership

Culture

Change

Development

WorkforcePlanning

Recruitmentand Retention

TalentManagement

Structures,Systems and

Processes

Leadership andManagement

Support

KnowledgeManagement

UnderpinningBasics

Resourcingand Capability

Depending on your role and organisation, youmay be involved in some or all of these areas.You will know if you are working in anorganisation which has fully embraced thebenefits of OD if your work covers a range ofthese areas rather than just one or two. If notyou might want to consider wider promotionof the benefits of OD, the value it could bringand how an OD approach can bring about realimprovement and innovation.

Using core elements of OD, below are sometypical roles and responsibilities a practitionermay undertake, although this list is by nomeans exhaustive!

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Leadership

Culture Change Development

• Diagnosis• Consultation & influence

• Competency framework• Process development• Communication

• Design & deliver programmes• Analysis• Evaluation

LeadershipCultureDiagnosis – OD practitioners are oftenrequired to help diagnose the culture –examples might be organisational values,both espoused and lived, organisationallydesired and actual behaviours,‘presenteeism’ , ‘hierarchical’ or ‘macho’cultures – often by reviewing data such asstaff satisfaction surveys, developing theirown questionnaires, running focus groupsand reviewing other metrics such as patientsatisfaction levels or complaints.In addition, the OD practitioner might gainan understanding of contributing factors,such as how leaders model certainbehaviours, the systems/processes in placeand the stories that are told around theorganisation all of which influence theculture. The OD practitioner’s job is aboutlooking at how they can shape the cultureto bring about positive changes forpatients, service users staff, andstakeholders.Culture change does not happenovernight, it evolves over time as a result ofmany other changes in the organisation.Time spent with managers to ensure thatvalues and behaviours are understood andthat their behaviours reflect theexpectations of the organisation at alltimes.

Consultation & influence – For ODpractitioners the requirement to be able toinfluence without authority is crucial andthis entails the ability to consult widely.Certain characteristics are essential here,being able to build a rapport with people

and gain credibility quickly. Listening to theprospective of others and being able to seethe world through their lens is key. As ishaving an awareness of and using bothformal and informal networks, findingallies and champions within thosenetworks, to build forums for consultationand increased momentum for change.

ChangeCompetency framework – Due to thenature of OD, practitioners are ofteninvolved with managing and influencingorganisational change. As an example,consider the development of a competencyframework to help staff clearly understandwhat is expected of them within their roles.To achieve this the OD practitioner wouldestablish the core elements of a role,potentially completing a ‘critical incidenttechnique’ – whereby a range of staffincluding managers are interviewed to findthe core skills, attributes and behavioursthat should be applied in a set of givensituations. Focus groups might then beconducted with staff to obtain furtherdetail with role holders validating anddeveloping the information gathered.

The competency framework would then bewritten, maintaining consultations withcore staff throughout to ensure theframework is both meaningful and user-friendly.

The final stage of developing a competencyframework is where change managementskills come into play. People need to usethe competency framework, incorporate itinto their processes - for example

recruitment or appraisal - and ultimately towork in line with the behaviours as set outin the framework. This can meansignificant adjustment and behaviouralchange for some staff, and this is often thehardest type of change to achieve.

Process Development – OD practitionershave a clear understanding of the manymodels of change process some of whichare described in this toolkit. ODpractitioners use this knowledge to addressthe more complex aspects of change thosebeing the psychosocial dimensions entailedwithin any change process.

Communication – The OD practitioner willneed to use their communication skills toraise awareness that the framework exists,and to persuade and influence in sellingthe benefits of using it. They may thenneed to advise and help implementchanging processes, guide managers andstaff on its use, as well as monitoring andevaluating the effectiveness of theframework in bringing about positivebehavioural change.

DevelopmentDesign & deliver programmes – So far,this Toolkit might give the impression thatmuch of the OD practitioner’s role isresearch, with emphasis on diagnosis,evaluation and report writing. Whilst theseelements do play an important part, mostOD practitioners find themselves rollingtheir sleeves up and getting directlyinvolved in the delivery of interventions,certainly when development is needed. Forexample, facilitation, master classes, focus

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groups, coaching and mentoring.OD practitioners are often involved in thedesign and delivery of leadershipprogrammes - the practitioner will oftenhave completed a scoping and diagnosticexercise prior to the design and delivery ofa leadership programme, identifyingspecific diagnostic development required toenhance leadership skills. Many ODpractitioners have advanced facilitationskills and/or educational qualifications andare able to deliver programmes inconjunction with specialist trainers.

Analysis – The OD practitioner may havecompleted a specific training/learningneeds analysis to fully understand wherethe skills gaps lie, as well as establishing abaseline of current levels of knowledge andskills. The practitioner will then design theprogramme, ensuring at each stage thatthe content and delivery methods will bringabout the desired changes and deliver areturn on investment.

Evaluation – On the programme’scompletion the OD practitioner willundertake a training evaluation to measurewhether its objectives have been met andthat programme had made a tangibledifference.

Resourcing and Capability

WorkforcePlanning

Recruitmentand Retention

TalentManagement

• Analysis and Identification• Future Proofing• Commissioning and Procurement

• Robust selection & Induction• Reward & recognition schemes• Appraisals & Employee Engagement

• Recognising talent• Recording talent• Promoting and diffusing talent• Skills and development

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Resourcing and CapabilityWorkforce PlanningAnalysis and Identification – Workforceplanning requires OD practitioners to workalongside HR colleagues and servicemanagers to systematically analyse thetype, capacity, knowledge base, desiredwork experience and overall capability ofthe workforce required, and to thenidentify the steps to get the right numberof right people in the right place at theright time.

Future Proofing – This requires the ODpractitioner to fully understand the size,shape, age profile and overall demographyof its workforce, and the way in which theworkforce reflects the diversity of its localpopulation and its ability to meet its futurehealthcare, health and well-being needs,wishes and aspirations. This requires theOD practitioner to understand populationtrends, and locally produced joint healthneeds assessments.

Commissioning and Procurement – ODpractitioners working within large complexorganisations and or at regional and sub-regional levels need to understand theprocesses for commissioning and procuringeducation and training programmes, usingdiffering delivery models andmethodologies. In addition, they arerequired to understand the timescales,funding flows and legalities associated withthose processes, be they in higher orfurther education institutions, the public,voluntary or commercial sectors.

Recruitment and RetentionRobust selection and Induction – ManyOD practitioners are trained inpsychometric testing and have abackground in recruitment or psychology.In conjunction with HR, the OD team willoften be required to design and runassessment centres as part of selectionprocesses for certain roles.

OD practitioners can work with therecruiting manager to determine thepotential benefits of using an assessmentcentre and the criteria against which theprospective candidates are assessed, forexample the NHS Leadership Framework.They would also train the observersinvolved in assessing candidateperformance, as well as determining whatexercises would give a realistic preview ofthe required skills, behaviours andattributes to be effective in the role - if therole required leadership and team-workingit may involve a group discussion activity, orif it required report-writing or presentationskills, it may be beneficial to include thisactivity. The aim of the centre is to developa robust selection procedure which enablesa candidate to be assessed whilst carryingout similar activities to those required inthe role.

In addition, induction is a vital part ofrecruitment and retention. All ODpractitioners know that an effectiveinduction builds both higher and longerlasting levels of motivation amongstemployees. OD practitioners often designinduction entitlements for new employeesand play a key part in supporting the value-

based and behavioural aspects of theseinductions. As with any organisationalprocess OD practitioners will be involved inthe evaluation of the effectiveness of theinduction of employees.

Reward & recognition schemes – ODpractitioners can also develop staff rewardand recognition schemes to celebrate andacknowledge outstanding work. Guidingsenior managers on suitable awardcategories will in turn help to influence theculture of the organisation, as havingawards for say teamwork, leadership, orproviding exceptional patient care, sendssignals to staff that these are thebehaviours which the organisation values.In addition, by showcasing the work inthese areas, staff are likely to be motivatedto produce further outstanding work.

Appraisals & Employee engagement –Retaining staff commitment, skills,knowledge, productivity and positiveworking relationships is essential toorganisational success.

Employee involvement and engagementstrategies, tools and techniques - such asregular and valued one-to-one meetings,appraisals, feedback on work performance,surveys, focus groups, suggestion boxes,newsletters, thanks and celebration events,team and whole service time outs - allcreate opportunities to ensure theemployee voice is heard. They enable theorganisation to more fully harness the ideas,creativity and innovation that exists withinthe workforce for the benefit of patients,service users, carers and fellow colleagues.

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Analysis of exit interview data is importantin establishing why areas of theorganisation have low staff retention levels,and OD practitioners can use this data toexplore how improvements might be madeto increase job satisfaction and improveretention.

Talent Management Recognising talent – OD practitioners, asagents of organisational change andenablement, are often involved inidentifying particularly talented individualsand ensuring those talents are recognisedand utilised effectively. In this way ODPractitioners can contribute to addressingthe recruitment of future leaders, creatinga more diverse and inclusive workforce,reduce the costs of both recruitment andretention, and harness and diffuse talentmore efficiently and effectively throughoutthe organisation or system.

Recording talent – OD practitioners,alongside their HR colleagues and seniorleaders, are required to work together torecord where talent sits within theorganisation as accurately as possible. This

promotes a more effective approach tosuccession planning, identifying thoseindividuals ready to take the next step intheir careers either immediately, within 1-3years, 3-5 years, or who might benefit fromjob rotation or stretch assignment. Inaddition it identifies those individuals withtalent who are happy and remain highlymotivated to continue their current roleand on whom the organisation maycrucially rely on to do so.

Promoting and diffusing talent – Havingidentified and recorded talent the ODpractitioner is now more able, as is theorganisation, to use that talent acrossboundaries, systems and services for thebenefit of patients, services users, carersand employees. In addition they may bedeveloped as mentors for emergingleaders, new entrants to the profession andboth internal and external coaches,working on organisational, system and onoccasion, national platforms.

Skills and Development – In addition tospotting particular talent, a core role of theOD practitioner involves taking a holisticview and considering how allorganisational processes, procedures,behaviours are aligned and integrated,seeing OD as a common thread whichhelps to intertwine all elements oforganisational life.

For example, it is key that an organisation’svalues are fully embedded in its fabric,rather than simply existing in a standalonedocument. As well as helping design thesevalues, the OD practitioner can look attheir incorporation into other processes,such as their communication in inductiontraining, how managers welcome newstaff, and how to ensure staff are aware oftheir direct relevance to expectationsaround actions and behaviours.

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Underpinning Basics

Structures andProcesses

Leadership andManagement

Support

KnowledgeManagement

• Identification• Analysis and evaluation

• Coaching & support• Consultation & engagement

• Data intelligence• Research• Policy development• Planning

Underpinning BasicsStructures and ProcessesIdentification - OD practitioners,alongside their colleagues in HR andperformance, are responsible for theidentification of structures, systems andprocesses that will enable the achievementof organisational objectives within giventimescales. This process begins with theidentification of the organisation vision,mission, deliverables and expectedoutcomes. Any such structures, systems orprocess should be aligned to theorganisation vision and one of the key rolesof an OD practitioner is to enable allemployees to understand how their rolecontributes to the achievement of thatvision. In short, all employees have a line of

sight between their individual objectivesand those of the organisation.

Analysis and evaluation - All structures,systems and processes, once implemented,can be analysed in terms of factorsincluding their efficiency, effectiveness,overall impact, financial viability, futuredesirability and fitness for purpose. It is therole of the OD practitioner to undertake ananalysis and evaluation of all of thosefactors listed above using the tools andtechniques identified within this document,such as SWAT analysis, LEAN thinking, 7Sframework etc.

Leadership and ManagementSupport Coaching and support - OD practitioners

are regularly called upon to provide adviceand support in a wide range of contexts,using their coaching skills to help managersfollow the best course of action for theircircumstances. This can involve coachingmanagers to undertake challengingconversations around performance, dealingwith conflict or relationship difficulties, orbuilding greater team cohesion, to namejust a few scenarios. An OD practitionermight provide advice around identifyinglearning and development needs – thiscould be through one-to-one sessions or bygroup facilitation sessions with keyindividuals, using 360 degree feedbackmechanisms to identify strengths, areas fordevelopment, and advising how to meetspecific development needs.

Consultation and engagement - Aspecific example of how OD practitionersmight be involved with consultation andengagement might be advising managersaround stress audit results – if results haveindicated some high stress risk areas, theOD practitioner’s role will be to work withOccupational Health and the managementteam to establish why staff may be findingaspects of their work stressful and todevelop solutions to improve workingconditions. This can involve runningconsultation and engagement sessionswith staff to explore their views andcreative thinking exercises about makingpotential improvements.

Knowledge ManagementKnowledge management (KM) is vital to aknowledge-based organisation andunderpins the operations of anorganisation and as such should:

• Inform policy and decision makingprocesses and contribute to the learningculture within the organisation. • Support individual learning as an integralpillar of a learning organisation withpeople working collaboratively to shareknowledge across the organisation before,during and after projects or interventions. • Capture knowledge from individuals foreasy, timely and meaningful access byothers. • Support working internally and externally

Data intelligence - The OD practitioner’srole in gathering data from a wide range ofsources including just some of thefollowing:-• Learning from peers - peer assists are atechnique to learn early on in the ‘doing’phase, such as a project design meeting • Learning whilst doing – time forreflection, learning from the last event sothat it can be applied to the next • Learning after doing – at the end of theproject review what went well and whatcould have been done differently • Finding the right people – know who toask and have the ability to reach themeasily • Networking and communities of practice(Cops) – people with common interests ordisciplines from networks or communitiesto share their knowhow • Capturing Knowledge – find a way tocapture what has been learned in orderthat it can be reused by others, sometimesimmediately or at a later date • Embedding it in the Organisation – beingprepared to let go, allowing it to becomean unconscious competence so that KM isembedded in the core business processes • Evaluation – being able to measure theeffectiveness of KM to the organisation

Research - In addition to those arenas forlearning identified above OD practitionersneed to gather, analyse and make full useof both hard and softer intelligencegathered through consultation andresearch mechanisms. This could be

gathered from within the organisation orvia more widespread research maybe at aregional, national and international level.

Policy Development and Planning –Using a broad base of data and intelligenceenables OD practitioners to moreappropriately develop effective andsuccessful policies, plans and practice.

Information – OD practitioners can utiliseHR or workforce information whenconducting a root cause analysis,identifying apparent trends and themes, orin guiding decision-making. This couldinclude sickness absence intelligence,retention rates and benchmarkinginformation from other organisations of asimilar makeup.

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Having looked at the ‘what’ an ODpractitioner’s role and responsibilities mayinvolve, this section will consider the ‘how’ byexamining the relevant skills, knowledge andbehaviours required to effectively deliveragainst the wide range of goals encompassedby the role.

To provide just an overview of what a good ODpractitioner might need:

• well developed consultancy skills• strong organisational and political awareness

and understanding• change management experience and

advanced transformational leadership skills• strong project management expertise• ability to manage service level agreements• to be reflective, analytical and evaluative• to be creative and solution-focused• advanced facilitation skills• strong interpersonal and communication

skills for challenging conversations, givingsensitive feedback, being supportive,negotiating and influencing and able tomarket the benefits of an OD approach

• to be emotionally intelligent, read unspokencues and emotions and moderate ownbehaviour accordingly

• to apply coaching and mentoring skills to arange of situations and individuals

• to be professional, authentic and act as a rolemodel at all times

• to deliver results and be outcome-focused.

The North West LeadershipAcademy OD PractitionerCompetency FrameworkSuccess as an OD practitioner, like other areasof expertise, requires specific capabilities and todetermine what these look like, the NorthWest Leadership Academy, in partnership witha consultancy called OPP, carried out acollaborative exercise with colleagues from alllevels across the region. Based on feedback,OPP developed the following OD PractitionerCompetency framework to support, enable,identify, recruit or commission OD activity andintervention.

The 6 areas of the OD Practitioner CompetencyFramework are:

1. Understanding OrganisationalContextShows a clear understanding of theorganisation, its activities and structures.Takes this into account during planningand delivery.

2. Building Impactful RelationshipsProactively seeks to engage with keystakeholders to gain their buy-in andsupport. Uses compelling and cleararguments to influence and convinceothers.

3. Evidence Based ImprovementDevelops OD solutions and approachesbased on a thorough analysis of the issues.Drafts and implements plans to achieveagreed outcomes.

4. Professional EffectivenessApplies professional OD tools andtechniques to transform the business.Seeks to enhance individual, team andorganisational capability through OD.

5. Business focusSupports the development of businessawareness in the organisation. Develops anunderstanding of the organisation’sposition in the healthcare market place andthe commercial challenges it faces.

6. Leading, enabling and sustainingInspires enthusiasm and belief in others,articulating and sharing a vision. Enablesothers to bring about and sustainimprovements in service delivery.

3.2 Core Competencies

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The framework is set at three levels as depicted below,Level 1 aimed towards more senior OD practitionerswho are operating at a strategic level, whilst Level 3 isaimed at staff who have a broader or more junior role.Within organisations the numbers of OD practitionerswill vary, with most operating at Level 3, fewer at level2 and potentially only one individual operating at thestrategic Level 1. In addition to seniority, the level atwhich the practitioner is functioning may also dependupon their own development needs, the organisation’sOD requirement, and the development resourcesavailable to help individuals to progress.

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Understandingorganisational

context

Businessfocus

Buildingimpactful

relationships

Evidence basedimprovement

Professionaleffectiveness

Leading,enabling &sustaining

The Structure of the OD PractitionerCompetency FrameworkEach competency consists of an overarchingdescription with the desirable skills,knowledge, behaviours and actions listedunder each of the three role levels.

Developmental hints and tips are provided foreach competency to help you identify potentialremedies to develop your capability and moveup the levels. All development activities shouldbe planned and reviewed with a line manager,coach, or mentor, as appropriate.

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Level 3Awareness

1. Shows awareness oforganisational issues that mayimpact their projects.

2. Alert to the impact of thehistorical context of initiatives.

3. Notes the views and preferencesof key individuals and groupsand seeks to influence beyondaccountability. Is aware ofpolitical factors whendeveloping and deliveringprojects.

4. Aware of links with otherinitiatives and draws these tothe attention of others.

5. Develops and maintains a localnetwork to share learning andideas.

1. Understanding Organisational Context - Shows a clear understanding of the organisation, its activities and structures.Takes this into account during planning and delivery.

Level 2Scan

1. Scans the horizon for issues andopportunities that impact theachievement of organisationalgoals and draws these to theattention of senior management.

2. Aware of the context of issues,including their history. Awarehow others in NHS NW aredealing with issues.

3. Clarifies the influence andmotivations of key individualsand groups, considering politicalfactors

4. Seeks links with other initiativesthat may impact current orfuture activities.

5. Develops and maintains anetwork across the region toshare learning and ideas.

Level 1Seek

1. Actively seeks to identifyemerging and future issues thathave implications for OD workstreams.

2. Sets the organisation in contextusing internal and externalreference points.

3. Shows political astuteness,shaping the strategy to takeaccount of the influence andmotivations of key individualsand groups.

4. Recognises which other initiativesneed to be linked to current orfuture OD work streams.Recognises opportunities for andchallenges to transformationalchange and champions OD’s rolein making a difference

5. Develops and maintains anetwork within and acrossregions to share learning andideas.

Developmental Hints and Tips

• Read key documents - Annual Report, Boardminutes, press releases, newsletters, staffbulletins, Department of Health publications -to increase your awareness of internal andexternal priorities and drivers.

• Speak to key influencers with historicalknowledge of the organisation. Find out howthis has influenced decisions and contributedto where the organisation is now. Usereflective practice and mentoring to explore,understand and articulate the issues.

• Use psychometric tools to understanddifferent preferences and motivations, andhow these may influence your responses todifferent situations and decision making.

• Consider using a coach to help articulatedevelopment needs, build networks in thisarea and put in place a development plan.

• Seek out those with a proven track record inOD and ask for their support andinvolvement in developing capability, byshadowing, mentoring, coaching or offeringthe opportunity to reflect ideas and bestpractice.

• Look for opportunities to explain andadvance the understanding of the role of OD.

• Complete the NHS Leadership Framework360 degree feedback tool to identify yourstrengths and areas for further development

• Consult with key stakeholders to find outwhat their challenges are when designing anOD Strategy to ensure your proposedinterventions will address key priorities

• Consult with peers in other organisations;find out what their challenges and prioritiesare. Seek to share knowledge, experienceand best practice

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gain a clear understandingof your organisation, itsactivities and structures

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Level 3Awareness of Own Impact

1. Knows who the stakeholdersand customers are, their viewsof the issues and their levers.

2. Seeks input and ideas fromstakeholders and customers.

3. Monitors stakeholder views andreports these to OD colleaguesand managers.

4. Asks key questions to challengethinking and assumptions.

5. Communicates confidently,clearly and succinctly usingappropriate methods andlanguage, avoiding jargon.

6. Aware of impact on others andadapts style accordingly.

7. Gives consistent messages andthinks of creative ways tosustain key messages over time.

2. Building Impactful Relationships - Proactively seeks to engage with key stakeholders to gain their buy-in and support.Uses compelling and clear arguments to influence and convince others.

Level 2Seeks to Influence

1. Works with stakeholders tomaintain buy-in and support inline with agreed stakeholdermanagement plan.

2. Engages with stakeholders toinform, influence, persuade andgather ideas.

3. Monitors stakeholder views andshares these with OD colleaguesand managers.

4. Asks key questions to challengethinking and assumptions.

5. Communicates confidently,clearly and succinctly usingappropriate methods andlanguage; avoids jargon.

6. Aware of impact on others andadapts style accordingly.

7. Thinks of creative ways to sustainkey messages over time.Develops arguments based onthe evidence and linked to keybusiness objectives.

8. Identifies champions and buildsalliances.

Level 1Engages and Negotiates

1. Works with stakeholders tomaintain buy-in and support inline with agreed stakeholdermanagement plan.

2. Ensures the development of clearstakeholder management planbased on views, preferences andinfluence.

3. Confidently engages stakeholdersto prepare the way, anticipatingpositions and arguments.

4. Asks key questions to challengethinking and assumptions.

5. Chooses the appropriatelanguage, style and methods ofcommunication to get themessage across and achieve thedesired outcomes

6. Aware of impact on others andadapts style accordingly.

7. Develops powerful argumentsbased on evidence to persuade,influence and positionstakeholders. Communicatesstakeholder positions and ways ofworking with them to the teamto ensure a consistent approach

8. Identifies champions from variousorganisations and buildsalliances.

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Developmental Hints and Tips

• Evaluate the effectiveness of an ODintervention, ask your key stakeholders forfeedback on work and what could beimproved. Identify what the success factorswere and the actions you could take in thefuture when carrying out similar activities tohave a greater positive impact.

• Seek to shadow (from inception toconclusion and review) an OD project lead tounderstand the types of influencing andnegotiating that occurs in and out ofmeetings, in groups and on an individualbasis. As OD activities vary greatly incomplexity, this development suggestion canbe tailored to suit any level of skill andcompetence.

• Use psychometric tools to understanddifferent styles (interpersonal and, forexample, when negotiating) and workingpreferences and how these may influenceyour responses to different people anddecision-making.

• Understand negotiating models andindividual negotiating preferences. Builddevelopment of negotiating skills intodevelopment plans. Engage in negotiationsas appropriate to skill level and role.

engage with key stakeholdersto gain buy-in and support

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Level 3Gathers and Drafts

1. Gathers information in asystematic way to inform designof development interventions.

2. Identifies key trends oropportunities and feeds theseinto the OD team.

3. Adapts delivery to take accountof changing priorities andfeedback.

4. Efficiently manages resources toachieve deliverables

5. Continuously evaluates initiativesto improve effectiveness ofapproaches.

6. Drafts and coordinates effectivedelivery timetables.

3. Evidence Based Improvement - Develops OD solutions and approaches based on a thorough analysis of the issues.Drafts and implements plans to achieve agreed outcomes.

Level 2Identifies and Evaluates

1. Gathers information in asystematic way, ensuring allrelevant sources are consulted.

2. Identifies key issues and linkswithin data and draws insightfulconclusions.

3. Evaluates alternative optionswhen recommending a wayforward.

4. Manages resources efficientlyand effectively.

5. Develops appropriate plans andestablishes on-going review andmonitoring.

6. Takes account of longer termimplications and requirementswhen recommendingapproaches.

7. Conducts a thorough andmethodical analysis of issues.

8. Adapts plans to take account ofchanging priorities, consideringrisks and building incontingencies

9. Designs project interventions tofocus on organisationalobjectives.

Level 1Prioritises and Leads

1. Identifies key managementinformation needs for OD andensures systems are in place togather this.

2. Identifies key issues and linkswithin data and draws insightfulconclusions.

3. Identifies and prioritises activitiesbased on alignment with theorganisation’s strategic direction.

4. Secures necessary resources toachieve the OD Plan andmanages these efficiently andeffectively.

5. Adapts plans to take account ofchanging priorities and feedback

6. Drafts and maintains an effectiveOD plan, seeking contributionsfrom the organisation

7. Ensures a thorough andmethodical analysis of issues.

8. Identifies risks and ensures theseare managed effectively.

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Developmental Hints and Tips

• Use your own self-knowledge, previousperformance feedback and tools, such apsychometrics, to understand your strengthsand development areas for this competency,much of which is based on systems, facts,planning and methodical analysis.

• Know the management information systemsin your organisation. Find out what ismeasured, how the data is collated, how thedata is used and the constraints of the data.

• Identify those who are considered to bespecialists in the gathering, analysis andapplication of management information andlearn from them.

• Identify those who have strengths in using amethodical and analytical approach to ODactivities and consider how to learn fromthem.

• Consider your own understanding ofcontinuous improvement and projectmanagement. Greater understanding can beachieved through reading, and particularly byapplying those techniques.

• Reflect on your own level of comfort withusing multiple sources of information, whichmay conflict, and your skills in analysing thekey issues to be able to make informeddecisions. Seek advice, support, anddevelopment from those with a track recordin those areas and supplement this withother development activities such aspreparing information for others and gettingspecific feedback on your performance.

• Understand the role of risk management inyour organisation, how risk is managed inprojects and how it is applied to ODactivities.

use thorough analysis of the issuesto formulate andgenerate solutions

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Level 3Applies

1. Applies relevant OD tools andtechniques when deliveringdevelopment interventions.

2. Stays abreast of newapproaches in design anddelivery and uses these toenhance developmentinterventions.

3. Enhances respect for, andacceptance of, OD throughprofessional design anddelivery.

4. Maintains a network ofappropriate contacts to sharebest practice and assist on-goingprofessional development.

5. Encourages new thinking tomove the organisation forward.

6. Helps individuals and teams tochange and perform at a newlevel.

4. Professional Effectiveness - Applies professional OD tools and techniques to transform the business. Seeks to enhanceindividual, team and organisational capability through OD.

Level 2Selects

1. Selects appropriate OD tools andtechniques to apply to the task.

2. Stays abreast of developments inOD and seeks to apply thesewhere relevant.

3. Enhances respect for OD throughprofessional behaviour, buildingcredibility and acceptance.

4. Maintains a network ofappropriate contacts to sharebest practice and assist on-goingprofessional development.

5. Increases awareness of OD, itsremit and value to theorganisation.

6. Focuses on the appropriate levelto effect change (e.g. individual,team, organisational).

7. Challenges the status quo wherenew approaches add value andnew thinking is needed.

8. Measures achievement of ODinterventions using relevantmetrics.

Level 1Leads and Champions

1. N/A

2. Stays abreast of developments inOD and ensures team does thesame.

3. Enhances respect for and use ofOD through professionalbehaviour, building the credibilityof the team.

4. Maintains a network ofappropriate contacts to sharebest practice and assist on-goingprofessional development.

5. Champions OD, its remit andvalue to the organisation at thehighest levels.

6. Identifies opportunities fortransformation to help theorganisation achieve its goals.Shapes service provision byintegrating best practice and newideas from the market

7. Challenges the status quo andassumptions, showing how newapproaches could benefit theorganisation.

8. Identifies relevant metrics todemonstrate the effectiveness ofOD.

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Developmental Hints and Tips

• Seek to understand the wide range of ODtools and techniques and how to criticallyappraise their effectiveness in differentsituations.

• Use networking, reading, email alerts,conferences to stay abreast of differenttrends and learn about new approaches.

• Challenge the use of familiar, long-established tools and techniques if thesehave not been selected for use in aconsidered and rigorous way.

• Regularly review own networks to ensurethey reflect changing needs. Be prepared toleave some, maintain some and join newones as appropriate.

• When introducing new tools and techniques,research best practice and the learning othershave experienced in applying them. Use adry/practice run to ensure that the process isfully understood and any practicalities can beironed out before using for the first time.

• Look outside the NHS to organisations with atrack record in using OD tools, as many areused in service improvement and continuousimprovement activities. Read press articles,case studies etc. and where practical, see if itis possible to meet people from otherorganisation to share learning.

utilise tools and techniques totransform the business

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Level 3

1. Seeks ways to enhance theefficient delivery of services.

2. Aware of new commercialopportunities and passes ideason to managers.

3. Promotes the use of ODsolutions, enhancing marketreputation.

4. Delivers effectively within time,cost and quality parameters.

5. Shows an awareness of the costimplications of activities and ofchanges to activities.

5. Business focus - Supports the development of business awareness in the organisation. Develops an understanding of theorganisation’s position in the Healthcare market place and the commercial challenges it faces.

Level 2

1. Shows an awareness of the costimplications of activities, seekingto enhance efficient delivery.

2. Identifies opportunities forrevenue generation within theorganisation and support othersto capitalise on these.

3. Markets services effectively usingappropriate channels andmethods.

4. Produces accurate specificationsfor service delivery in order toestablish cost and qualitycontrols.

5. Monitors the cost of activitiesand alerts others to variationsthat might lead to overspend orover-delivery.

6. Supports others to identifycommercially viable rates tocapitalise onexpertise/Intellectual Property(IP).

7. Contributes to effective businesscase development, identifyinglevel of investment needed andpotential returns.

Level 1

1. Identifies the cost implications ofchanges to the OD plan ensuringexpenditure is aligned withbudget

2. Develops a strategy for revenuegeneration and encourages anentrepreneurial culture withinthe organisation.

3. Ensures services are marketedeffectively using appropriatechannels and methods.

4. Encourages team to enhance theefficient delivery of services.

5. Identifies and secures thenecessary budget to achieve ODobjectives.

6. Understands the market value ofin-house expertise and seeks toadd value to the organisation byutilising this.

7. Develops well-constructedbusiness cases which identify levelof investment needed andpotential returns.

8. Oversees governance issues ofbusiness activities to ensureadherence to relevant standardsand controls.

9. Ensures business opportunities donot interfere with core delivery.

Awareness of Efficiency Issues

Supports Business CaseDevelopment

Leads and DevelopsBusiness Focus

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Developmental Hints and Tips

• Maintain and engage in business networks toextend awareness and understanding ofbusiness and commercial issues.

• Take opportunities to listen to, read, and askfor the views of senior people within your,and partner, organisations to highlight issuesand broaden your perspective.

• Complete a PESTLE Analysis of yourorganisation - Political, Economic,Sociological, Technological, Legal,Environmental – a tool which can be used toaudit an organisation's environmentalinfluences, be used to guide strategicdecision-making.

• Seek a mentor with a background in theprivate sector.

• Read the Annual Reports and financialinformation of your organisation and learn,at least, the basics of balance sheets and themanagement information that they areconstructed from.

• Understand the sources of revenue for yourorganisation, the cost centres and how thisimpacts on decisions to allocate resources.

• Speak to those in your organisationresponsible for business development andseek to understand their perspective.

• Read widely in the business and other pressto appreciate more about the role ofentrepreneurism and what drives thedevelopment and marketing of services.

seek an understandingof the opportunitiesand challenges withinyour organisation

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6. Leading, enabling and sustaining - Inspires enthusiasm and belief in others, articulating and sharing a vision. Enablesothers to bring about and sustain improvements in service delivery.

Level 3Leads Own Area

1. Acts as role model for desiredculture.

2. Gives tangible examples of howchange will bring benefits.

3. Holds others to account foragreed performance anddeliverables.

4. Enables others to bring aboutsignificant change in their ownarea through learning anddevelopment.

5. Works collaboratively,respecting difference andfocusing on shared goals.

6. Shows drive, resilience andenthusiasm.

7. Explains the ‘why’ of change togain buy-in.

8. Identifies conflict and seeks toresolve this.

Level 2Leads Across Areas

1. Act as a role model for thedesired culture and leadershipbehaviour Acts to develop self-awareness by reflecting onimpact of own behaviour orseeking out feedback fromothers.

2. Clearly articulates where theorganisation is going, usingtangible examples.

3. Holds others to account foragreed performance anddeliverables.

4. Coaches to enable others tocreate sustainable change.

5. Works collaboratively, respectingdifference and focusing onshared goals.

6. Shows drive, resilience andenthusiasm

7. Explains the basis and thinkingbehind the organisational visionto gain the support of others inrelation to OD interventions.

8. Identifies and seeks to resolveconflict.

Level 1

1. Leads by example, modelling thebehaviours needed to developthe organisation.

2. Communicates the direction andaims of the organisation in aclear way.

3. Holds others to account foragreed performance and deliverywhich impacts on ODachievement

4. Coaches to enable others tocreate sustainable change.

5. Sets the tenor for collaborativeworking, respecting difference,resolving conflict and focusing onshared goals.

6. Shows drive, resilience andenthusiasm to encourage andmotivate the team and to achieveresults at the highest level.

7. Articulates a clear vision of therole and contribution of OD tothe organisation.

8. Anticipates potential conflict andseeks to pre-empt this.

9. Promotes a sense of collectiveownership for the success of OD.

10. Fosters independence, enablingothers to transform the business.

Leads Excellence in All Areas

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Developmental Hints and Tips

• Seek to understand a range of performancemanagement and development techniques,when to apply them and how to ensureownership of performance is established.

• Take roles or secondments that will giveopportunities to develop in OD and inleading OD activities.

• Identify resistance to undertaking ODactivities and, with support, plan to engagewith the resistance and influence a positiveoutcome. Extend this to multiplestakeholders and issues, according to thelevel of development stretch required.

• Seek feedback on own performance throughmultiple methods and use reflective practiceto discern the key trends to act upon.

• Take opportunities to articulate the role ofOD and the purpose of specific OD activities.Consider the questions this prompts fromothers and the insights this provides aboutlevel of personal impact.

articulate a sharedvision and inspire others

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This section will focus on the relationshipbetween leadership and OD - it could beargued that one cannot exist without theother, as an effective OD practitioner will needstrong leadership skills, whilst an effectiveleader will need an understanding of OD tobring about sustained behavioural change thatmakes a positive difference on the quality ofcare and service provided.

With ongoing pressure to streamline activities,improve efficiency and achieve demandingobjectives, the ability of senior managers tounderstand the culture and dynamics oforganisations and deliver strong leadershipcould be the difference between organisationalfailure and success. Whilst leaders need tounderstand organisational culture andbehaviour, it is likely to be the responsibility ofthe OD practitioner’s to raise their importancein assisting leaders to view their proposals andrecommendations from a different moreholistic perspective.

What is leadership? There are many different models and theoriesdescribing leadership, such as:

The Trait Model of Leadership –proposes that effectiveness as a leader isdependent upon the qualities andpersonality possessed by the individualleader – such as being confident, outcome-

focused, decisive and flexible, with physicalstamina and a willingness to takeresponsibility for their actions.

Behavioural Theories – the focus changesfrom characteristics - what they are -towards what they do – how theybehave.This theory focuses on the actionsof leaders, not their mental qualities orinternal states. According to this theory,people can learn to become leadersthrough teaching and observation.

Contingency and Situational LeadershipTheories – look at how leaders adapt theirbehaviour to be most effective dependentupon the given situation or task, and thepeople they are leading – for instance, onoccasion it may be appropriate to tell theirstaff what to do, whilst at other times itmay be more impactful if the leaderdelegates tasks and involves staff indecision- making.

Transformational Leadership Approach– proposes that there are two distinct typesof leaders - transactional leaders andtransformational leaders.

Transactional leaders focus towards basicmanagement processes of controlling,organising, and short-term planning,motivating staff by appealing to their ownself-interest. They exercise power through

their hierarchical position, using it to getstaff members to obey their instructions.

In contrast, a transformational leadercan lead at any level in the organisationwithout relying on their status to indicatethey are the leader. They influencecolleagues by being a role model, inspiringothers to follow, empowering staff andencouraging them to take greaterownership of their work. They create acompelling vision, and are able to buildtrust, enable creativity and supportindividual growth of their staff.

As with OD, leadership is a broad area, full ofdiffering concepts, definitions and descriptionswhich not only vary enormously, but are alsooften open to widely different interpretations.

For the purpose of this guide we shall align ourdefinition more towards the transformationalleadership approach, and define leadership asthe ability to create a vision and encourageothers to commit their energy andcreativity to that vision.

How does leadership align with OD? Leaders should shape the way people thinkand behave, leaders should behave consistentlywith the organisation values and philosophyacting as a role model in all of their

3.3 OD and Leadership

interactions. It is the leader’s responsibility toset the agenda and articulate this in such away that is understood by all. Leaders shouldinfluence the organisation’s culture and in turnthe long-term effectiveness of the organisation.Leaders and managers should set the contextwithin which staff members then strive forexcellence and work together to achieve goalsand deliver a high quality service.

Anyone with responsibility for managingpeople or resources is likely to have some ODrole, due to involvement in the delivery andcontinuous improvement of high qualitypatient care and experience. In the NHSresponsibility for OD begins at the top, withthe setting of the organisation’s vision, andstrategy to support achieving that vision. Allstrategy involves the effective use of resources,within which OD is an integral part, butbeyond that NHS leadership can utilise OD as aspecialist skill, a key part of which will becommunicating and explaining to managers atall levels their own OD responsibilities.

For the NHS to successfully undergotransformational change, it requires leaders atall levels to be committed, involved and ableto:

• Recognise influencing or driving factors intheir external environment by scanning theenvironment and political landscape - somecommon across the NHS, and others uniqueto specific NHS organisations.

• Understand these factors, their variousinfluences, and use rigorous analysis of themto help create a vision and direction for theirNHS organisation.

• Communicate the vision and direction,ensuring all staff groups understand what itmeans for them and their role.

• Engage staff, encouraging real dialogue togain their input into the organisation’sproposed direction.

• Identify where change can bring significantimprovements, and what to maintain orchange to continue incrementalimprovements. Successfully transformingservices in challenging environments oftenmeans leading different level of integratedchange in parallel, rather than working onseparate changes in sequence.

• Compile an effective plan from the outset, asdetailed execution and implementation willbe key to supporting staff and patientsthrough such service transformation.

• Measure and take feedback on plans, and beprepared to be flexible without losing sight ofkey aims and objectives.

Extensive research shows the link betweengood organisational practice and excellence inhealth care outcomes. One example of this isthe McKinsey Organisational Health Index (OHI)- the McKinsey Group (2009) identified nineelements of organisational health, as follows:

The presence of these ingredients enablesorganisations to be agile, resilient, sustainableand successful. Awareness of these helps bothleaders and OD practitioners to consider anddecide the most effective way of introducing,implementing and evaluating transformationalchange.

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Motivation

External orientation

Capability

Environment & Values

6

7

8

9

1 Direction

Accountability

Leadership

Co-ordination and Control

Innovation

2

3

4

5

Direction

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These elements and ingredients are linked together, with leadership at the centre, as shown below.

• Mission & Vision• Strategy• Quality ethos

Coordination• Complexity• Performance mngt• Systems & process

effectiveness

Accountability• Formal accountability• Empowerment• Psychological ownership

Externalorientation• Market orientation• Corporate Social Responsibility• Stakeholder engagement

Innovation• Creativity• Collaboration• Spread & diffusion of ideas

Motivation• Engagement• Psychological capital• Discretionary effort

Capability• Learning organisation• Knowledge management• Social impact

Environment &Values• Competitive climate• Ethical climate• Safety climate

Leadership• Leadership behaviours• Leadership capabilities• Leadership teams

from McKinsey

The NHS Leadership Framework incorporatesall of these ingredients into its model ofeffective leadership.

The Leadership Framework sets out thestandard for leadership to which all staff inhealth and care should aspire. Reflecting thetransformational leadership approach, theLeadership Framework is not restricted to thosewith designated leadership roles, but is built onthe premise that acts of leadership can comefrom anyone in the organisation. As a model itemphasises the responsibility of all staff indemonstrating appropriate behaviours, inseeking to contribute to the leadership processand in developing and empowering theleadership capacity of colleagues.

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acts of leadership cancome from anyone

As the diagram illustrates, the LeadershipFramework is comprised of seven domains.Within each there are four categories calledelements, under each of which are a series ofstatements which describe the leadershipbehaviours and the required knowledge, skillsand abilities that staff should be able todemonstrate. For a copy of the full LeadershipFramework please go towww.leadershipacademy.nhs.uk

The relationship between theLeadership Framework and theOD Practitioner CompetencyFrameworkTo highlight the relationship betweenleadership and OD, the Leadership Frameworkdomains and elements have been mappedagainst the OD Practitioner Competency

Framework. It is evident that there is a strongrelationship and significant overlap betweenthe two frameworks and that being effective inOD is strongly underpinned by demonstratingleadership qualities, and vice versa.

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Understanding Organisational ContextShows a clear understanding of the organisation, its activities andstructures. Takes this into account during planning and delivery.

OD Practitioner CompetencyFramework

Demonstrating Personal Qualities Working with others Improving ServicesSetting Direction Delivering the strategy

Building Impactful Relationships Proactively seeks to engage with key stakeholders to gain their buy-in andsupport. Uses compelling and clear arguments to influence and convinceothers.

Demonstrating Personal Qualities Working with others Setting Direction Delivering the strategy

Evidence Based Improvement Develops OD solutions and approaches based on a thorough analysis ofthe issues. Drafts and implements plans to achieve agreed outcomes.

Managing services Improving ServicesSetting Direction Delivering the strategy

Professional EffectivenessApplies professional OD tools and techniques to transform the business.Seeks to enhance individual, team and organisational capability through OD.

Demonstrating Personal Qualities Working with others Managing servicesCreating the vision

Business focusSupports the development of business awareness in the organisation.Develops an understanding of the organisation’s position in the Healthcaremarket place and the commercial challenges it faces.

Managing services Improving ServicesSetting Direction Delivering the strategy

Leading, enabling and sustainingInspires enthusiasm and belief in others, articulating and sharing a vision.Enables others to bring about and sustain improvements in service delivery.

Managing services Improving ServicesSetting Direction Creating the vision

Links to domains of the NHSLeadership Framework

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This section of the Toolkit again includes asignificant amount of information, not all ofwhich will be relevant in every situation.Always consider how best to filter thisinformation both for you and for those withwhom you will be working.

In summary, to use the information in thissection, remember:

• Increase your understanding and use of theNHS Leadership Framework, as leadership is avital part of any OD activities.

• Demonstrate your understanding of the linksbetween OD and leadership to others – theymay not appreciate that they alreadyundertake many OD activities withoutidentifying them as such. Realisation ofprevious success should increase people’swillingness to engage with OD.

• Consider your OD development needscarefully with your line manager (and coach/mentor if appropriate).

• Select the level of information you workwith, according to your own developmentneeds and what you need to perform well inyour role.

• Be alert to the opportunities to network andincrease your understanding, using thisToolkit as a way of discussing OD with yourcolleagues.

• Access the considerable coaching andmentoring support services available via theNHS North West Leadership Academy

3.4 Practical Tips

regularly review anddevelop your networks

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NHS Leadership Frameworkwww.leadershipacademy.nhs.uk

NHS North West E:WINThis portal has case studies based on improving workforce quality andproductivity.

www.ewin.nhs.uk

NHS Institute for Innovation & Improvementwww.institute.nhs.uk

There is a Handbook of Quality and Service Improvement Tools whichprovides helpful information about tools as well as change and projectmanagement. It also references specific reading and further informationin, for example, Improvement Leader Guides.

NHS North West Leadership Academywww.nwacademy.nhs.uk offers a number of development activities tosupport the development of leaders across the NHS in North West andthe development of OD. The OD Practitioner Competency Frameworkcan be located here.

CIPD www.cipd.co.uk The HR and development professional body. There is alarge amount of information on this website about OD and developmentactivities for OD skills.

Additionally, there are a large number of journals with a broad readership(e.g. Harvard Business Review) and specialist publications which can beobtained, sometimes free, via this website by those who are members ofthe CIPD.

BooksHarley, J. & Bell, A. (2009) Placing Ladders: Harnessing our leadershippotential, Kingsham Press.

Bridges, W. (1997) Creating You & Co.: Be the Boss of your own career,Nicholas Brealey Publishing

Social Networking SitesLinkedIn www.linkedin.com has a number of useful networking groupswhich are available to its members - some examples of potentially usefulgroups include:

• Organisational Development Group – for OD professionals to discussand share experience and expertise.

• Organisational Development Professional Group – for anyone in OD,leadership and management consultancy, performance managementand business change.

3.5 Links and Resources

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4. OD Diagnostic Toolsand TechniquesThis section has a practical focus and aims toprovide you with a range of potentialinterventions to utilise in your place of work.

To help you determine the most suitableintervention, the table overleaf provides anoverview of various tools and techniques todiagnose the situation you are facing, as wellas ideas for potential interventions.

At this stage it is important to note that whilstall of the tools discussed in this section areproven in bringing about improvements, theymust be appropriate for presenting the issues -tools which have worked well for you in thepast, and which may be your ‘favourites,’ maynot prove as effective in your current situation.By ensuring you fully understand yourobjectives, you will be able to choose the toolsbest able to support you in achieving thedesired outcomes and benefits.

This section is broken down into the followingareas:

Diagnostic Tools – the methods you needto get a clear understanding of thepresenting issues and find out what is reallygoing on. It provides various employeeengagement and consultation tools toestablish what staff think and feel abouttheir current situation, and the wayforward.

OD Interventions – the activities to bringabout innovation, improvement andchange. A number of different approachesare highlighted to consider whendeveloping a proposal and taking action.

OD Evaluation Tools – the heart of OD isabout evaluation, measuring to see if theintervention has made a difference. Thissection provides an overview on how tocomplete an evaluation, and how toevaluate the impact of a change on thoseaffected by the proposal from an equalityperspective.

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ObservationReview of organisational metrics (patient satisfaction,complaints)Survey or questionnaire of staff and key stakeholdersFocus groupsBenchmarking exercisesResearch7S model6 Box ModelBurke - Litwin ModelKnowledge Management

ServiceImprovement

Themes OD Diagnostic Tools andTechniques

Training/learning needs analysisLeanProcess MappingRole redesignCreative thinking tools Facilitated eventsFocus groupsForce field analysis Stakeholder analysisSWOT

OD Intervention

Survey or questionnaire (e.g. Staff Survey)Focus groupsInterviews7S modelKnowledge Management

StaffEngagement andConsultation

Appreciative InquiryCreative thinking tools Facilitated events

Organisational metrics (e.g. staff turnover and retentionfigures, staff survey results, exit interview feedback)SurveyFocus groupsInterviews7S model6 Box modelBurke-Litwin ModelTransactional vs Transformational EvaluationKnowledge Management

Culture Training needs analysisLarge scale consultation exercisesAppreciative InquiryTeam buildingSWOTStaff Engagement Activities

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Training needs analysisAppraisalSelf evaluation against the NHS Leadership Framework

LeadershipDevelopment

Themes OD Diagnostic Tools andTechniques

360 degree feedbackPersonality testingAssessment or development centresTraining programmeAction learningCoaching or mentoringCareer CoachingTraining EvaluationProject management

OD Intervention

InterviewsObservationQuestionnaire

TeamDevelopment

Team building exercises (for example experiential exercises)Facilitated group discussionsCreative thinking toolsSWOTPersonality testing and use of psychometric team tools

take opportunities tolisten, observe and ask

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Questionnaire What is it used for?Questionnaires are used widely by ODpractitioners to gather large volumes ofqualitative and quantitative data from staff andstakeholders on a range of topics. They tend tobe used when initially diagnosing problems,when assessing levels of satisfaction, and whenevaluating the impact of an intervention on aproject.

OverviewThe key to good questionnaire design isabsolute clarity around your objectives - as it isonly as good as the questions it asks, followthese principles:

1. Choose your questions carefully

Think about what you are going to use theinformation for and the overarching goalsbehind asking the questions - it is important toask only the questions that will help achieveyour goals, not simply because it would be‘interesting to find out’.

At this stage you should list all your potentialquestions.

2. Select the question type and responsescale

Review the questions you have listed, considerthe best way to ask each one and whatresponse scale or option would provide themost useful information.

Open questions in which the respondent has afree text box will encourage free thought andexpression and provide rich qualitative data,but are harder to analyse, more likely to bemisinterpreted and on a practical level canreduce participation from respondents facingtime pressures.

Closed questions which use rating scales of say1-5, or selection from predetermined answersare quicker to complete, analyse and compareanswers from different groups. They dohowever produce less qualitative data,potentially encourage less considered answersfrom respondents not fully engaged in theprocess.

3. Design the layout and questionsequence

A brief introduction describing what thequestionnaire is about and why their opinionsare important to you will create engagement

from respondents, as will stating how youintend to use the data, the purpose behind it,who you will share it with, and the levels ofconfidentiality/anonymity. Your contact detailswill allow any concerns or queries to be dealtwith.

Best practice in terms of sequencing indicatesthat starting with more straightforwardquestions is beneficial to get the respondents‘in the swing of things’ and not feel dauntedby the first few questions.

Your most important questions – those key tohelping you to achieve your goals – shouldfollow, as by having these at an early stage youwill ensure you capture the respondents’ viewswhen they are still paying their full attention tothe questions.

You can then complete your questionnaire byreturning to ‘easier’ questions - for exampledemographic questions, as respondents aremore likely to provide personal informationhaving already gone to the trouble ofcompleting the questionnaire.

Questions should be structured undersubheadings all based around the same topic.

4.1 Diagnostic Tools

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Where can I find out more?The University of Leedshttp://iss.leeds.ac.uk/info/312/surveys/217/...design...questionnaires/5 new links

The University of Loughboroughhttp://www.lboro.ac.uk/services/library/skills/topicslist/topic---questionnaire-design.html

Both provide some useful guides for theirstudents on questionnaire design, which istransferable when designing a questionnaire asan OD practitioner within an organisation.

The Hillingdon Hospital

http://www.thh.nhs.uk/documents/_Departments/Research/InfoSheets/17_questionnaire_design.pdf

A useful information sheet is available on theinternet on how to design a questionnaire.

Focus GroupWhat is it used for?Focus groups are a useful and effectiveconsultation tool often used as a staffengagement activity, giving them a real voice.Used in the exploratory stages as a fact-findingtool, they can develop a particular programmeof activities as well as being an evaluation toolto assess impact or generate furtherrecommendations. They can be used either asa method in their own right or as acomplement to other methods such as aquestionnaire, for triangulation and validitychecking,

OverviewFocus groups are a structured method ofobtaining thoughts, feelings, experiences,attitudes, beliefs and reactions from staff orstakeholders. It should be an organiseddiscussion whereby the facilitator uses a rangeof tools and techniques to gather valuablefeedback.

They are particularly useful tools in obtainingvarying perspectives at one time. If culturalissues exist within the team/organisation - forexample, power differences between theparticipants and decision-makers - or whereeveryday experiences and culture of particulargroups is of interest, and you wish to exploreperceptions and the degree of consensus on agiven topic.

When deciding on which participants to invite,you will need to consider the topic underdiscussion as this will strongly influence howyour group brings together different roles andprofessions - for example, junior staff may notfeel able to talk openly in front of more seniormanagers, despite your assurances that allviews are equally valid. Similarly having staffand their direct line managers together mightrestrict open discussion, depending on therelevant topic. In addition, a richer discussioncould result from grouping the sameprofessions together to share experience,whilst on some topics mixing professions,bands and roles could encourage a morediverse discussion.

Where can I find out more?The NHS Institute for Innovation andImprovement have published a booklet titled‘A Handy Guide to Facilitation – an overview offacilitation with helpful tools and techniques.’It provides a range of advice and tools on howto facilitate group discussions such as thosethat take place in a focus group.

InterviewWhat is it used for?Interviews tend to be used when trying toscope out a problem and determine whichsolution would bring about the desiredchange, and also as an evaluation tool.

OverviewInterviews are conducted on a one-to-onebasis, and tend to be used when the ODpractitioner requires a full and detailedunderstanding of the presenting issues. Theyare useful when exploring more sensitive orcomplex issues, interview data provides insightinto how a person feels, their motives,understanding and perspective, as intervieweestend to be more honest on a one-to-one basis,when less affected by peer pressure or otherconstraints.

Interviews tend to fall into the following threecategories – Structured, Unstructured andForced Choice.• Structured Interviews – where the interviewer

has a fixed list of questions to be answered –its benefits are that it ensures all topics arefully covered whilst still allowing the

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interviewee to express how they feel, or whatthey consider is important.

• Unstructured Interviews – where theinterviewer asks one or two openingquestions to set the tone around the topic tobe discussed, but then only uses probes toseek clarity and elaboration – its benefits arethat it provides the interviewee withcomplete control of the direction of thediscussion, and to express their views.

• Forced choice – in essence, basicallysurveys/questionnaire without the pencil orpaper. Whilst an element of forced choice orusing closed questions can be a useful way toget a definitive answer, other methods suchas an online questionnaire would elicit thesame information in a more cost-effectivemanner.

Where can I find out more?Search the internet using terms such as ‘usinginterviews in research’ and ‘interviews as aqualitative research tool’ for furtherinformation.

Training /LearningNeeds AnalysisWhat is it used for?As a diagnostic tool in the scoping phase, tounderstand training needs and then developsolutions and interventions to address the skillsgap.

OverviewA needs assessment is the process ofidentifying performance requirements and thegap between the levels of performancerequired and that which presently exists. A

training/learning needs analysis (TNA/LNA) is areview of learning and development needs; itconsiders the skills, knowledge and behavioursthat staff need, and how to develop themeffectively.

A TNA/LNA should be undertaken at 3 levels:

• Organisational level• Team/departmental level• Individual level

At each level you should ask –

• What is the problem? A lack of the rightskills, or is it a case of a lack of will?

• Is it a training problem? Can the problem besolved by running a training course, or will itrequire a different or combined approach?Training may not be the answer, or the onlyanswer.

• What skills and knowledge should beincluded in the training program? It isimportant to analyse the tasks that need tobe completed and the competencies requiredto be effective.

• Who needs to be trained? Is it just leaders orall staff? Who needs to be trained to makethe greatest impact?

Analysing training needs is a vital prerequisitefor any effective training programme or event.Simply ‘throwing’ training at individuals maymiss priority needs, or even cover areas that arenot essential. A TNA/LNA enables organisationsto channel resources into the areas where theywill contribute the most to employeedevelopment, enhancing morale andorganisational performance.

The data gathering process will involve the OD

practitioner using a range of tools andtechniques which include - observation ofindividuals in action in their role/task,interviews, surveys, questionnaires, focusgroups and also review of data, as for examplepatient satisfaction data to could reveal whythere are high levels of patient complaints.

Where can I find out more?CIPD Fact Sheet – ‘Identifying learning andtalent development needs’http://www.cipd.co.uk/hr-resources/factsheets/identifying-learning-talent-development-needs.aspx

Connecting for Health website sets outEducation, Training and DevelopmentStandards and Templates which can be foundathttp://www.connectingforhealth.nhs.uk/systemsandservices/icd/informspec/etd/standards

For information on the four steps toconducting training needs assessments thefollowing website provides a good overviewhttp://alumnus.caltech.edu/~rouda/?T2_NA

Organisational CapacityAssessmentWhat is it used for?An organisational capacity assessment can beused to evaluate the capability of anorganisation to perform core functions, solveproblems and achieve their strategic objectives.It should be an ongoing assessment of anorganisation’s ability to assess and react tofuture needs in order to maintain relevanceand effectiveness over time.

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OverviewA capacity assessment is aligned with the McKinsey 7Smodel and tends to look at the following areas;

Aspirations - the organisation’s vision, mission and goals,what it wants to achieve.

Strategies - the strategy and performance targets, it is the‘how’, how the organisation will achieve its goals.

Organisational Skills - includes the composition of staffingstructures, for example competence levels, skill mix, and theskills composition of senior teams.

Human Resources - the collective capabilities andexperiences of its people, it includes how talent is managedand retained.

Systems and Infrastructure - includes the systems theorganisation has in place which aid decision-making andplanning, such as technology, finances systems, HR systems.

Organisational structure - refers to the levels of hierarchywithin the organisation, levels of responsibility andaccountability, the effectiveness of inter-team working.

Organisational culture - for example shared beliefs andvalues, how these are ‘lived’ in the organisation.

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Where can I find out more?The McKinsey and Company have madeavailable to ‘not for profit’ organisations anOccupational Capability Assessment Tool(OCAT) which is available free viahttp://www.vppartners.org/learning/reports/capacity/assessment.pdf

Transformational versusTransactional Evaluation What is it used for?The transactional vs. transformationalevaluation can be used to determine thecurrent position or “state” the organisation istending to lean towards. As withtransformational and transactional leadership,the premise behind this evaluation tool is todetermine if the organisation tends towards amore transactional approach, focused onstructure, systems, management practices,rather than a more transformational approachconcerned with vision, strategy, leadership andculture.

OverviewThe tables at the end of the document providean overview of the types of areas which wouldmake up a transactional or transformationalapproach. As an OD practitioner you can usethe table and the key questions when meetingwith your client or key stakeholders during thescoping phase of an OD project.

An additional column on the far right could beentitled ‘Evidence’ might then be used to trackeach of the categories and could then becolour-coded:

Red: No evidence – urgent development isneeded

Amber: Evidence – development is requiredGreen: Evidence – development would

enhance current position.

The colour-coded table could then be madeavailable to the client during the feedbacksession regarding the presenting issues as aneffective visual tool for the client to identifywhere the problems lie and to what extent.

As with some of the other diagnostic tools, thismodel is closely aligned to the Burke Litwinmodel of organisational change, whichidentified ‘First Order’ or transactional changessuch as systems, policies, structures andperformance, as well as ‘Second Order’ ortransformational factors which included factorssuch as culture, mission and strategy.

Knowledge Management andOrganisational LearningWhat is it used for?Knowledge management is a method ofgathering, retaining and disseminatingorganisational knowledge, whether about pastprojects, organisational changes, problems orsuccesses. It is the effective management of

knowledge and information, and furthermoreabout developing an effective organisationalmemory, which is relied upon to help informfuture decisions and changes.

Knowledge management should be an integralpart of any OD intervention. It is useful in thescoping stages when finding out what hasgone before, understanding what works, whatis best practice and also has a pivotal role inthe evaluation stages of a project whenevaluation data helps to develop a neworganisational memory.

OverviewKnowledge management is defined as “thedeployment of a comprehensive system thatenhances the growth of an organisation’sknowledge” Salisbury (2003). It is an ongoingcycle of creating, using and disseminatingorganisational knowledge.

As defined by Aggestam (2006), knowledgemanagement refers to “the process in whichorganisations assess the data and informationthat exist within them, and is a response to theconcern that people must be able to translatetheir learning into usable knowledge”.

Knowledge management is considered to bean ongoing process as displayed below -picturetaken from Salisbury (2003)

�

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Knowledge management helps an organisationto learn, to innovate, to develop and grow.Effectively managing knowledge helps theorganisation to create a learning culture, whereit is seen as the norm to learn from pastmistakes, to continually scan for the horizonfor new developments, to create newinformation and encourage the transfer ofinformation from individuals to teams.

For knowledge management to be effective itneeds to focus on both hard and soft issues, asidentified in the McKinsey 7Ss model, and theFirst order and Second order factors ashighlighted in the Burke Litwin model ofchange management.

Where can I find out more?Within your own organisation, if you have alibrary services ask them if they have aknowledge management system. Speak tocolleagues find out what they know. Ask theclient what decisions, actions have gonebefore.

Aggestam, L. (2006) ‘Learning Organization orKnowledge Management – Which came first,the chicken or the egg?’ InformationTechnology and Control, Vol. 35, No. 3A.(2006), pp. 295-302

Salisbury, M. (2003),’Putting theory intopractice to build knowledge managementsystems’

Journal of Knowledge Management, Vol. 7 Iss: 2 pp. 128 - 141

gather as muchorganisational knowledgeas possible, both formallyand informally

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FacilitationWhat is it used for?Facilitation is used to bring groups together tothink about, plan and make decisions aroundservice improvement and shared issues. Theygo beyond focus groups that tend to be usedas a diagnostic technique and predominantlyconcerned with the resulting data. Facilitationis much more about the outputs and the waythe group function together, bringing about ashared understanding and engaging with andencouraging staff to collaborate.

OverviewAs defined by Roger Schwarz (2005) “Groupfacilitation is a process in which a personwhose selection is acceptable to all themembers of the group, who is substantivelyneutral, and who has no substantive decision–making authority diagnoses and intervenes tohelp a group improve how it identifies andsolves problems and makes decisions, toincrease the group’s effectiveness”.

Facilitation is a way of working with groups ofpeople to help them to achieve their objectives,assisting by providing them with effectiveprocesses and structures. The facilitator’sresponsibility is to design and plan the process,perhaps by activities or tasks to help them

progress as well as provide guidance andcontrol. This means ensuring there is mutualrespect towards each other, everyone canparticipate, there is shared understanding,people listen to one another and all takeshared responsibility for the outcome.

Where can I find out more?http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/RoleofAFacilitator.htm Mind Tools has a sectiondedicated to the role of a facilitator and howto guide an event through to a successfulconclusion.

The NHS Institute for Innovation andImprovement have produced a booklet called‘A Handy Guide to Facilitation’ which isavailable on their website. In addition as partof their Improvement Leaders’ Guides thebooklet ‘Working with groups’ also providesuseful information and tips. Furtherinformation can be found for now onwww.institute.nhs.uk.

Appreciative InquiryWhat is it used for?Creative thinking, problem-solving, groupfacilitation, staff engagement action learning,consultation and staff engagement in bringingabout change.

OverviewAppreciative Inquiry (AI) was pioneered in the1980s by David Cooperrider and SureshSrivastva, and is a process of facilitatingpositive change in human systems. It works onthe premise that within every system, team ororganisation there are some things that workwell and are ‘right’. AI builds on the factorswhich make an organisation or team successfuland effective, as a positive energy approachhelps to build on strengths, just asconventional problem-solving can help tomanage or eliminate weaknesses. By taking apositive perspective it should help theorganisation to view itself in a more positiveway, as with some problem-solving activitiesthe focus tends to be more towards what isnot working, rather than what is.

AI as a facilitation and problem solvingapproach consists of 5 ‘Ds’:

Define – the purpose of this stage is to try anddefine what you are looking at in a positivemanner. It is about taking a problem, forexample “to try and find ways to improve staffsatisfaction levels” and turning it into a morepositive statement such as “to make thisorganisation be a great place to work”. Thesubtle change in wording can have hugeimplications on what you focus on.

4.2 OD Interventions

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Discovery – this stage is about looking at whathas happened in the past and what is workingwell. So in the case of improving staffsatisfaction levels, it would be about the groupproviding examples of what makes themsatisfied at work, telling stories’ to highlightexamples.

Dream – this is ‘what might be’, it is abouttaking all the positives from the Discoveryphase and then brainstorming how the teamor organisation could accomplish the desiredstate. Dream stage is about thinking what thevision is.

Design – during this phase the group thinkabout the practicalities, in terms of whatpractical actions need to be completed to helpachieve the vision.

Deliver – is the implementation stage.

Where can I find out more?AI Commonshttp://appreciativeinquiry.case.edu/ is aworldwide portal devoted to sharing academicresources and practical tools on AI.

Creative ThinkingWhat is it used for?Creative thinking is used to help encouragepeople to think differently and come up withnew solutions and perspectives to issues,problems and opportunities. Using creativethinking tools can help staff to view situationsfrom different perspectives and to think moreabout solutions before considering barriers.

OverviewCreative thinking tools and techniques areoften used in facilitated group events, helpingindividuals to take a different perspective anddevelop alternative ways of getting thingsdone.

According to the NHS Institute for Innovationand Improvement creative thinking consists ofthree steps:

1. For the individual or group to focusattention on something they do notnormally focus on

2. Escape from traditional ways of thinking(e.g. think outside the box)

3. Suspend judgment (if it will or will notwork) and allow imagination to explore allpossibilities.

Tools and techniques that can help to do thisare:

• Brainstorming – is group idea generation,where no ideas are a bad ideas, the groupshould be encouraged to come up with ‘wild’ideas and to build on each other’s ideas.

• De Bono – 6 Thinking Hats – a systematicmethod of thinking in a completely new anddifferent way, by wearing a metaphorical"thinking hat" which has a different focus,which should help force the individual tothink in a way that is different to theirpreferred style.

• The 5 Whys – helps to get to the root causeof a problem, by asking ‘Why?’ five times.

• Appreciative Inquiry – please see section onAppreciative Inquiry.

• Ishikawa (fish bone) diagram – by helping to

identify the cause and effect of a problem, itcan get to the root cause and identify whereand why something may not be working.

• That is impossible – consider something wethink is impossible to do and asking how wecould make it possible.

• Force Field Analysis - helps you to make adecision by analysing the forces for andagainst a change, and exploring thereasoning behind your decision.

• Stop before you start – instead of rushinginto generating ideas, this asks you to thinkabout how the group are framing the issueand consider ways to reframe it differently inorder to open up possibilities.

• Others’ point of view or ‘fresh pair of eyes’ –thinking about how other people or anotherindustry might view or describe the situation.

• Breaking the rules – is about first identifyingthe underlying rules, norms and assumptionswe have about a given situation and thendeliberately thinking around them to createnew ideas.

• Stepping Stones – are where an extreme oroutrageous approach to an issue is presentedand the group try to suspend judgement andthink about connections or associations andidentify the underlying concepts within theidea.

A great deal of information on each of thesetools and techniques can be found bysearching on the internet.

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Where can I find out more?The NHS Institute for Innovation andImprovement have produced a booklet calledThe Handbook of Quality and ServiceImprovement Tools which is available on theirwebsite. Chapter 7 contains a number ofcreative thinking techniques.

In addition the booklet titled ThinkingDifferently also offers a range of creativethinking techniques. Further information canbe found for now on www.institute.nhs.uk.

Psychometric TestingWhat is it used for?Psychometric testing can be defined as“carefully chosen, systematic, standardisedprocedures for evoking a sample of responsesfrom a candidate, which are evaluated in aquantifiable, fair and consistent way” Smithand Smith (2005). It is used in a variety ofsettings including selection and recruitmentprocedures such as an assessment centres, aswell as in development centres, careercoaching, coaching, mentoring, educationalprogrammes, talent management and in teamdevelopment settings. Tests are designed andadministered to ensure that everyone’sexperience is equal with the same process,questions and feedback techniques beingemployed for everyone, regardless of thecontext in which it is used. Psychometric testsshould be administered and fed back by aperson who is trained to British PsychologySociety standards.

OverviewPsychometric testing consists of:

• Ability or Aptitude Tests - tests of a person’smental ability and are used to predictpotential and future performance. Theyspecifically focus on narrow skills with a clearconnection to the world of work such asnumerical analysis, verbal comprehension,error checking or diagrammatic reasoning.This type of test tends to be used inassessment or development centres.

• Critical Thinking Tests - assess a person’sability to look at a situation and clearlyunderstand it from multiple perspectives,whilst separating facts from opinions andassumptions. Again tends to be used inassessment or development centres.

• Personality testing - a standardisedquestionnaire that helps to reveal aspects ofa person’s personality or character, oftenused as part of learning and developmentprogrammes, talent management, coaching,recruitment and selection as well as in teambuilding exercises.

• Emotional Intelligence Testing - assesses theperson’s ability to identify, assess, and controlthe emotions of oneself, of others, and ofgroups. This tends to be used in adevelopment setting such as coaching orone-to-one work.

• Motivation and Interest Tests - look at whatmotivates or drives a person in life or work,examines a person’s values and the contextsin which they are likely to feel most satisfied.These can be used in assessment centres, butmore often is used in a developmentalsetting, for example in career coaching or aspart of a talent management intervention.

• Team Development Tests - used to diagnosethe characteristics of a team, and can include

looking at the similarities or differencesbetween team members in terms of theirpreferences as they go about their work.They can also look at how teams deal withconflict, respond under stress andcommunicate with one another. Can be usedas a diagnostic tool and to raise awareness ofstrengths and gaps in teams.

Where can I find out more?The British Psychological Society PsychologicalTesting Centre www.psychtesting.org.ukcontains details on a wide variety of personalitytests available.

Smith and Smith (2005) ‘Testing People atWork, Competencies in Psychometric Testing’,Blackwell Publishing.

360 Degree Feedback What is it used for?It is used to help an individual gain feedbackregarding their strengths and areas ofdevelopment from a range of people theywork with, which typically includes their linemanager, staff members and peers. It can beused to enhance self-awareness and tends tobe incorporated in development activities suchas leadership programmes and in teamdevelopment interventions.

OverviewIn the NHS all leaders have access to the NHSLeadership Framework 360 degree feedbacktool. The 360 degree feedback questionnaire isstructured around the 7 domains set out in the

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Leadership Framework, and provides anindividual with an insight into other people’sperceptions of their leadership abilities andbehaviours.

All doctors are now required to undertake a360 degree feedback questionnaire every fiveyears as part of their revalidation process, inlinewith General Medical Council requirements,and as part of this process are required to asktheir patients for feedback on the quality ofcare they have received.

Where can I find out more?The Leadership Academy website contains fulldetails of the Leadership Framework and howto access the 360 degree feedback tool.http://www.leadershipacademy.nhs.uk/develop-your-leadership-skills/leadership-framework/the-framework-overview

The General Medical Council have publishedinformation pertaining to using 360 feedbackor Multi Source Feedback Tools as part ofrevalidation, further information can be foundwww.gmc-uk.org/publications/13050.asp

Coaching and MentoringWhat is it used for?Coaching and mentoring are used asdevelopment tools, usually on a one-to-onebasis, and they can be useful at various stagesin a person’s career. They are generallyprovided by someone who is trained in eithercoaching or mentoring skills.

OverviewThe table below provides descriptions ofcoaching and mentoring, their similarities anddifferences, and what they respectively have tooffer.

Relationship generally has a set duration.

Generally more structured in nature andmeetings are scheduled on a regular basis.

Short-term, sometimes time-bounded andfocused on specific development areas/issues.

Not generally performed on the basis that thecoach needs to have direct experience of theirclient’s formal occupational role, unless thecoaching is specific and skills focused.

Focus is generally on development/issues atwork.

The agenda is focussed on achieving specific,immediate goals.

Coaching revolves more around specificdevelopment areas/issues.

Coaching

Ongoing relationship which can last for a longperiod of time.

More informal and meetings take place as andwhen the mentee needs some advice, guidanceand support.

More long-term and takes a broader view of theperson.

Mentor is usually more experienced and qualifiedthan the client. Often a senior person in theorganisation who can pass on knowledge,experience and open doors to otherwise out-of-reach opportunities.

Focus is on career and personal development.

Agenda is set by the client, with the mentorproviding support and guidance to prepare themfor future roles.

Mentoring revolves more around developing thementee professionally.

Mentoring

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Coaching and mentoring can be used as an ODsolution in a range of situations -leaders/managers may have individualdevelopment needs that require addressing ona one-to-one basis; as a follow-up toolresulting from 360 degree or personalityfeedback identifying areas for development;incorporated into training and developmentprogrammes to provide additional morepersonalised support and advice.

Coaching and mentoring can also be used tohelp improve a person’s job performance, theirmotivation to engage with their work, andprovide them with the opportunity to deploytheir ideas, abilities and knowledge effectively.

Where can I find out more?The North West Mentoring Scheme ran by theNorth West Leadership Academy has details onmentoring, what it comprises, and maintains adatabase of trained NHS mentors who wouldbe willing to support potential mentees.http://www.nwmentoring.nhs.uk/

The Northwest Leadership Academy also hasinformation on coaching, its benefits, andholds a database of trained coaches who arewilling to provide coaching to senior leaders.http://www.nwacademy.nhs.uk/sites/

Career CoachingWhat is it used for?Career coaching can be used as a tool tosupport individuals wishing to change theircareer direction, are looking for promotion, orthose redeployed, put at risk or made

redundant leading to them having to makechanges to their career direction. It tends to beused on a one-to-one basis.

OverviewCareer coaching is all about equippingindividuals with practical guidance on how tomove up, across or into a completely new fieldaltogether. It helps the individual to understandtheir career ‘needs and wants’, and how tofocus on identifying their transferable skills,knowledge, abilities and personal strengths.This information is then used to help themexplore and decide on their options.

Career coaching uses a combination ofcoaching skills combined with personalitytesting (for example MBTI, Hogan, SavilleWave) as well as utilising a range of tools tohelp the coachee understand their strengths,preferences, values and motives. Someexample tools include Schein’s Career Anchors,Holland’s Codes and competency analysis.

Career Coaches tend to be trained coacheswho have also completed specific training incareer coaching.

Where can I find out more?www.mindtools.com Has dedicated sectionson career coaching as well as information onSchein’s Career Anchors, Holland’s Codes, aswell as other career development techniques.

Team BuildingWhat is it used for?Its main goal tends to be to improving teameffectiveness by enhancing relationships, bettermanaging demands or tasks and improvingteam processes. Team building activities can beused with all teams, from board level teamsthrough to small teams as well as crossfunctional or departmental teams.

OverviewTeam building activities should help teams totake an inward look at their own performancein terms of behaviours, culture and processes.The ideal outcome should be strategies toimprove how the team functions, with buy-infrom the team members.

To achieve these outcomes, the OD practitionerneeds a variety of tools and techniques to helpthe team openly analyse its strengths and areasfor development, already highlighted in thissection. There is no ‘off the shelf’ solution, andthe nature of an effective team building activitywill be very much dependent on the team, theissues and desired outcomes.

Where can I find out more?The NHS Institute for Innovation andImprovement have produced a series ofImprovement Leaders’ Guides; the booklettitled ‘Working with groups’ providesinformation on facilitating group sessions andsome sample activities. Further information canbe found for now on www.institute.nhs.uk

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Strengths WeaknessesOpportunities and Threats(SWOT) AnalysisWhat is it used for?A SWOT analysis can be used in a variety ofsituations, including coaching when assessingdevelopment needs and in team buildingidentifying potential service improvements, andat a more corporate level to help determinestrategic priorities.

OverviewA SWOT analysis normally consists of a 2x2matrix:

The OD practitioner/facilitator/coach woulddraw out from the individual (or group) whatthey think should fall into each category.

Prompts to use when facilitating a SWOTanalysis:

Strengths:• What advantages does your team/service

have? • What do you do better than anyone else? • What unique resources can you draw upon

that others can't? • What do people in your market see as your

strengths? • What is your service/team Unique Selling

Position (USP)?

Weaknesses:• What could you improve? • What should you avoid? • What would others see as your weaknesses? • What factors could lose you business?

Opportunities:• What good opportunities can you spot? • What interesting trends are you aware of?

Useful opportunities can come from:

• Changes in technology and markets onboth a broad and narrow scale.

• Changes in government policy related toyour field.

• Changes in social patterns, populationprofiles, lifestyle changes, and so on.

• Local events.

Threats• What obstacles do you face? • What are your competitors doing? • Are quality standards/specifications for your

job, products or service changing? • Is changing technology threatening your

position? • Could any of your weaknesses seriously

threaten your business?

Where can I find out more?www.businessballs.com andwww.mindtools.com have guides on how tocomplete a SWOT analysis.

Strengths Weaknesses

Opportunities Threats

what do you do betterthan anyone else?

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Assessment and DevelopmentCentreWhat is it used for?Assessment and development centres consistof exercises designed to assess the full range ofskills, attributes and behaviours required forspecific jobs or roles. Assessment centres areused in selection or recruitment processes tohelp inform selection decisions, whereasdevelopment centres are used to assess aperson’s level of skill and desirable behavioursin order to aid their personal development.Development centres are often incorporated intalent management interventions and in someleadership development programmes.

OverviewAssessment centre – typically involvesparticipants completing a range of exerciseswhich simulate the activities carried out in thetarget job. It is often used in conjunction withother selection methods such as psychometrictesting, personality testing and interviews. Thetheory behind it is that best way to predictfuture job performance is to get the individualto carry out a set of tasks similar to thoserequired and evaluate their performance. Theoutcome from an assessment centre is toinform either an interview shortlist (the nextround in the selection process), or a ‘yes’ or‘no’ decision as to whether the individual hasbeen successful in their application.

Development centres – participants alsocomplete exercises simulating the activitiescarried out in a target job, but are however not‘pass’ or ‘fail’ events. Their outcome is instead

to identify potential areas for development andtraining needs, often in conjunction withpersonality testing or 360 degree feedback tohelp validate the feedback from thedevelopment centre. Participants usuallyreceive a feedback report as a result ofattending, with the results are usually beingdiscussed in a coaching setting.

Both methods involve;

• Group assessment activities• Participants applying a range of skills and

attributes in exercises designed to replicateworkplace activities as far as possible

• Trained observers looking at groupinteractions, individual behaviours andevaluating performance against a set criteria

• The set criteria is usually a work-relatedcompetency framework, such as a LeadershipFramework or a knowledge and skillsframework

Where can I find out more?The British Psychological Society –Psychological Testing Centre have publishedsome best practice guidelines in designing andrunning both assessment and developmentcentres. www.psychtesting.org.uk

Service ImprovementWhat is it used for?Service improvement tools and methodologiesare used widely in the NHS to streamlineservices, reduce waste, improve flow, increasecapacity, do more for less and ultimatelyimprove the quality of care for patients.

OverviewService improvement tools and methodologies(information is taken from the NHS Institute forInnovation and Improvement) include:

Lean - is an improvement approach toimprove flow and eliminate waste,developed by Toyota. Lean is basically aboutgetting the right things to the right place, atthe right time, in the right quantities, whileminimising waste and being flexible andopen to change. Lean thinking focuses onwhat the customer or the patient values: anyactivity that is not valued is waste. If youremove the waste, the customer or patientreceives a more value added service.

Process Mapping – helps the team or ODpractitioner to map the whole patientjourney or diagnostic pathway with a rangeof people who represent the different rolesinvolved. Mapping the whole patient journeywill help the team/OD practitioner to lookfor opportunities for improvement byvisualising how the whole patient journeycurrently works and identifying points ofinefficiency. It can capture the reality of aprocess and identify duplication, variation,and unnecessary steps.

Role redesign - is a workforce improvementtool which can help you improve patientservices, tackle staff shortages and increasejob satisfaction through the development ofnew and amended roles. It involvesreviewing roles and considering whetherroles can be extended (for example newresponsibilities being assigned to existingroles), if new roles need to be created, or

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evaluating whether existing tasks would bemore appropriate to be completed bydifferent staff in different professions.

An example of role redesign was theintroduction of the Advanced Practitionerrole. These role incumbents are experiencedclinical professionals who have developedtheir theoretical knowledge and skill to avery high standard. They can make somedecisions and often have their own caseload,carrying out tasks previously performed byanother professional, such nurses and alliedhealth professionals (AHPs) undertakingtasks previously assigned to doctors.

In addition to the above service improvementmethodologies, other tools and techniqueswhich can be improved to bring aboutimprovement include SWOT analysis,brainstorming, creative thinking tools,facilitated team events.

Where can I find out more?A wealth of information is for now availablevia the NHS Institute for Innovation andImprovement websitehttp://www.institute.nhs.uk. The Institutehas a range or resources available fordownload and purchase.

establish a deepunderstanding ofyour customers

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Project evaluation toolWhat is it used for?To evaluate the effectiveness of an ODintervention, and provide client reports onwhether objectives have been met, makingappropriate recommendations moving forward.

OverviewEvaluation measures the extent to whichobjectives have been met, highlightsachievements, identifies areas for furtherimprovement, and makes recommendations onfurther actions to be taken to fully achieve thedesired aims.

Where can I find out more?NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvementhave produced a series of ‘ImprovementLeader’ guides, including ‘Measurement forImprovement’ which can help in evaluating theeffectiveness of an OD project or intervention.

The Joint Information Systems Committee(JISC) website provides useful information onundertaking a project evaluation, providingsample questions and highlighting methodsthat can be used to evaluate impact.www.jisc.ac.uk.

The National Science Foundation – Directoratefor Human Resources and Education have

made ‘The 2002 User-Friendly Handbook forProject Evaluation’ available on their website,which is comprehensive document providinginformation and guidance on completing allstages of a project evaluation.http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2002/nsf02057/

Training Evaluation What is it used for?To evaluate the effectiveness of a trainingintervention, and to determine the level ofreturn on investment, making appropriaterecommendations for improvement to reducethe skills and knowledge gap, and deliverfurther benefits for the organisation.

OverviewThe CIPD defines training evaluation as aprocess which “involves the formal or informalassessment of the quality and effectiveness ofan employer’s training and learning provision,usually either by some measure of the merit ofthe provision itself (the input, for example thequality of course content and presentation)and/or by monitoring its impact (the outcomes,for example improved skills/qualifications orenhanced productivity/profitability)”.

According to Kirkpatrick, evaluation takesplace at four different levels and goes beyondusing “happy sheets” at the end of trainingsessions. Kirkpatrick (1959) put forward a

model which still has significant relevancetoday, outlining four levels for trainingevaluation:

• reactions – the degree to which participantslike or react favourably to the trainingprogramme

• learning – have the participants acquired theintended knowledge, skills, attitudes,confidence, and commitment based on theirparticipation in a training event?

• behaviour – the degree to which theparticipants have applied their learning totheir jobs

• results – from an organisationalperspective,how performance has improvedas a result of participants applying theirlearning, such as increased productivity, orreduced customer complaints

To evaluate the effectiveness of a trainingprogramme, using surveys, questionnaires,interviews, focus groups, development centresand observations can all help to determine ifthe programme has helped to create thebehavioural change improving organisationalperformance.

Where can I find out more?www.businessballs.com – See to section onHuman Resources – Training ProgrammeEvaluation.

4.3 Evaluation Tools

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www.cipd.co.uk - The CIPD paper ‘Value oflearning: assessing and reporting on the valueof learning to your organisation’ providespractical tools to assess and report on the valueof learning and training to the organisation.The website also features a useful Factsheetentitled ‘Evaluating learning and talentdevelopment’, setting out what trainingevaluation is, its purpose and an overview ofhow to complete an evaluation.

www.kirkpatrickpartners.com - the officialwebsite for the Kirkpatrick model, providing arange of resources and guides on how tocomplete a training evaluation.

Equality Impact AssessmentWhat is it used for?An equality impact assessment examines thepotential effects of policies or services onpeople in respect of age, disability, ethnicity,gender, gender identity, religion or belief andsexual orientation as well as socio-economicdisadvantage and human rights. It helps ensurethat the needs of everyone are taken intoaccount when developing and implementing anew policy or service, or changing a currentpolicy or service.

Equality impact analysis is a way of consideringthe effect on different groups protected fromdiscrimination by the Equality Act, such aspeople of different ages. There are two reasonsfor this:

• to consider if there are any unintendedconsequences for some groups

• to consider if the policy or change will befully effective for all target groups.

Using equality information, and the results ofengagement with protected groups and others,can help understand the actual or potentialeffect of your functions, policies or decisions.By identifying practical steps to tackle anynegative effects or discrimination, you can helpadvance equality and foster good relations.

OverviewEquality impact assessments should cover allstrands of diversity and can help organisationsgain a better understanding of the impact ofits functions and the way it makes decisions,by:

• considering the current situation • deciding the aims and intended outcomes of

a function or policy • considering what evidence there is to support

the decision and identifying any gaps • ensuring it is an informed decision

All NHS organisations will have a standardisedprocess in place for carrying out theseassessments internally, and as an ODpractitioner you would use this tool whenconsidering the proposal for change you areputting forward, prior to its implementation,allowing you to step back and consider itsimplications on all groups.

Where can I find out more?http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2002/nsf02057/NHS Employers website contains guidance andtemplate documents to use when carrying outan impact assessment.

Department of Health (2011) Paper titled –‘Improving Outcomes: A Strategy For Cancer,Assessment of the Impact on Equalities.’https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-national-cancer-strategy

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Transformational Elements: Leadership Customer Business Delivery

External EnvironmentKey questions• What are the key external drivers? • How are these likely to impact on the

organisation? • Does the organisation recognise these?

Understand howleadershipinfluences decision-making?

Understand level ofcustomercommitment?

Detailed deliverymodel? How toservice customers?

Mission & StrategyKey questions• What do top management see as the

organisation’s mission and strategy? • Is there a clear vision and mission statement?• What are employees’ perceptions of these?

Clear vision andpurpose? Shared?

Clear on how youwill delight thecustomer?

Aspirationssupported bycorporateobjectives?

Clear alignment inunderpinningstrategies?

LeadershipKey questions• Who provides overall direction for the

organisation? • Who are the role models? • What is the style of leadership?• What are the perspectives of employees?

Leadership teamidentified?

Customerconfidence inLeadership?

Detailed operatingmodel?

Compelling BusinessPlan?

Organisational CultureKey questions• What are the clear and covert rules, values,

customs and principles that guideorganisational behaviour?

Staff engaged / buy-in?

Staff have customerfocus?

Culture defined.Clear view ofbehaviours andattitudes required?

Capability gapsidentified anddevelopment planagreed?

Individual & Organisational PerformanceKey questions• What is the level of performance in terms of

productivity, customer satisfaction, quality, etc? • Which factors are critical for motivation and

therefore performance?

Processes to monitor/ manage workforceperformance?(People held toaccount)

Processes to monitor/ manage customersatisfaction?

Processes to monitor/ manage overallbusinessperformance?

Mechanism to check& challengeperformance?

Transactional versus Transformational Evaluation for Organisations

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Transactional Elements: Leadership Customer Business Delivery

Structure• How are functions and people arranged in

specific areas and levels of responsibility?• What are the key decision-making,

communication and control relationships?• Changes in structure, in the future?

Defined leadershiproles andresponsibilities(management)?

Clear AccountManagement roles?

Clear organisationstructure (teams)?

Defined team toservice customer?

Systems• What are the organisation’s policies and

procedures, including systems for reward andperformance appraisal, managementinformation, HR and resource planning, etc?

Management info Customer info (e.g.BI)

Underpinningsystems (BackOffice)

Delivery info

Management Practices• How do managers use human and material

resources to carry out the organisation’sstrategy?

• What is their style of management and how dothey relate to subordinates?

Meetings, Comms Communications Governancearrangement

Procedures - Howcustomer managed?

Work Unit Culture• What are the collective impressions,

expectations and feelings of staff? • What is the nature of relationship with work

unit colleagues and those in other work units?

Clear role modelbehaviours?

Educate customer? PR Feedback?

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Transactional Elements: Leadership Customer Business Delivery

Tasks & Individual Skills• What are the task requirements and individual

skills/abilities/knowledge needed for taskeffectiveness?

• How appropriate is the organisation’s “job-person” match?

• Staff Competencies?

Management skills? Customer skills Business &Commercial skills?

Delivery skills?

Individual Needs & Values• What do staff value in their work? • What are the psychological factors that would

enrich their jobs and increase job satisfaction?

How do leadersneed to bedifferent?

How will they bedifferent?

How does thebusiness need to bedifferent?

How will youoperate differently?

Motivation• Do staff feel motivated?• Do staff feel motivated to take the action

necessary to achieve the organisation’sstrategy?

Understand whatmakes staff tick?

Understand whatmakes customerstick?

How good isbusiness health?

Is the businessgrowing?

The template below is an example of how the information gleaned via use of transactional versus transformational evaluation forms might be recordedin the form of an OD intervention. Other examples of project documents can be found for now via www.institute.nhs.uk

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OD Intervention Definition Statement

Name, title and contact details of person requiring OD intervention

Name, title and contact details of person responsible for OD intervention

Background description of rationale for OD interventionTo include relevant quantitative information.

Key stakeholders and their requirementsPlease note that if a large OD intervention these stakeholders may be different to the project team members.

Aim of the OD intervention

Desired OD outcomes Specify what needs to be achieved (high level) to meet the aim.

Key deliverables and timescalesSpecify the start and finish points and key tasks that are to be undertaken with timescales. This will form the basis of a project plan.

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Success measuresSpecify how the OD intervention will be evaluated, including organisational metrics such as those relating to improvements in staff engagement,efficiencies, quality, inclusion and potential return on investment.

ResourcesList what will be needed to successfully complete the OD intervention. This should, if relevant to the size of the intervention, include theidentification of a Project Manager.

Assumptions

Constraints

Risks

Costs and resources needed These should be specified in detail and linked to the assumptions being made.

Signature(s) of all key stakeholders

Authorisation for OD intervention:

Cost code(s):

In using the information in this booklet,remember to:

• Challenge and refine thinking andunderstanding before taking action.

• As potentially considerable resources areapplied to OD, it is important to know thatthe expected outcomes are being achieved,requiring systems and processes that trackperformance against expectations orbenchmarks.

• Some of these may already exist and beextensively used, such as staff surveys, but itmay also be necessary to develop measuresspecifically for the OD being undertaken. Agood starting point for deciding on, andassessing the value of, any proposedperformance measure is to revisit what hasbeen stated as desired outcomes and successmeasures. If these do readily lend themselvesto (existing or new) performance measuresthis may mean that they are not well enoughdefined, or that a less quantitative, but notnecessarily less valuable, tracking measuremay need to be developed.

• Part of working in OD is helping others to

articulate their requirements, and a thoroughdiscussion and record of the issues is vital.This often prompts further refinement, andcreates more effective use of resources. It isimportant to record what is decided upon asthis will focus the aim of the OD, and provideopportunity for review and reflection.

• Plan and test the plans – a higher degree ofthinking and planning in the earlier stageswill improve implementation throughout theproject. Piloting is a helpful part of thetesting and refining process.

• For larger OD activities use projectmanagement techniques to manage thestakeholders and project.

• Ask what has been successful before andunderstand the factors that led to thatsuccess - seek to replicate and build on that.

• Involve as many people as possible but nottoo many!

• Use or adapt what you already have, ratherthan ‘re-inventing the wheel’.

• Hold regular reviews of progress and actswiftly where matters go ‘off-track’. Never

plough on regardless in the face of significantproblems - they are unlikely to go away andwill need specific action to resolve.

• Remember to celebrate successes.• Research where expertise can be found

internally and externally. Consider the meritsof using this expertise while ensuring thatskills are transferred into the organisation.

• When planning,aim to achieve early andquick wins in any translation or change. Thishelps to build confidence and bring tangible,visible, practical meaning to the intervention.

• Be prepared to challenge to test andunderstand perceptions. Done constructivelythis a can be a very valuable aspect ofsurfacing and managing conflict with the aimof achieving an improved outcome which issustainable in the long term.

5. Summary5.1 Using this toolkit

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And take care with the information in thisbooklet, because...

• Ignoring resistance and conflict will notusually make it go away. Change is oftenassociated with an OD activity, and peoplerespond to change in a variety of ways. It islikely that those involved with leading ormanaging change will encounter resistance,but it can be anticipated and support put inplace to help people through the change.

• It is unlikely that you will be able achieveeverything at once. Apply time and planningto a considered plan of small and large stepsbased on achieving the organisational Visionthrough clear strategy. People will moveforward through change at different rates.

• It is possible to be too rigid. The aim of whatis being undertaken should stay the same butfeedback may alter the shape and timings ofhow you achieve it. It is important to beadaptable and flexible while keeping in sightthe overall aim.

• It is easy to focus on just getting somethinggoing. It is often easier to start anintervention than to maintain, extend andcomplete it. Different expertise may beneeded for the start than for themaintenance and finish. Ensure your planstake account of the need to follow throughand embed to be successful and sustainable.

change is often associatedwith an OD activity

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OD is a complex subject area which has thevery real potential to provide practitionerswith broad and diverse work that is bothchallenging yet very rewarding. We hopeyou will be able to use this Toolkit as a keyresource in your work, providing usefulinformation which will help inform yourpractice, and assist in your futuredevelopment both personally andorganisationally.

Moving forward, your challenge is applyingyour knowledge and understanding of OD, thetools and techniques, to make a realdifference. It is important that you seek to putinto practice what you have learnt and startdemonstrating how OD can make a tangibledifference to the care provided to patients andservice users. This can only be achievedthrough action.

The North West Leadership Academy wants tohear your stories of how you have embeddedOD into your place of work.

As a community of OD practitioners, we needto promote the successes achieved anddemonstrate the pivotal role OD has indelivering a high quality service.

It is the intention of the NHS North WestLeadership Academy to develop anelectronic, interactive online platform bywhich we can share our knowledge, skills,expertise and experiences and a way oflearning from each other.

5.2 Conclusion

where is your talent, whoare your champions?

NHS North West Leadership Academy, 5th Floor,3 Piccadilly Place, Manchester M1 3BN

Email: info@nwacademy.nhs.ukPhone: 0161 625 7348