OD Diagnosing Organizational Effectiveness Tools

Diagnosing Organizational Effectiveness
A Roadmap Toward Corporate Sustainability
Presented by:
Professor Thema Geraldine A. Baricaua, MS, DPM
President, HR Approaches, Inc. (HRAI)
Resource Person, PMAP
www.exploreHR.org 1
Thought Provoking Questions
❖To what extent should consulting be
driven by consultant value versus
holding only the value of increasing the
client’s effectiveness?
❖How can OD practitioners help formulate

strategy, shape the strategy development
process, contribute to the content of
strategy, and drive how strategy will be
implemented?
www.exploreHR.org 2
❖ How can OD focus on the drivers of change
external to individuals, (such as the external
environment, business strategy, organization
change, and culture change), as well as the drivers
of change internal to individuals, (such as
individual interpretations of culture, behavior, style,
and mindset) ?
❖ How much should OD be part of the competencies

of all leaders? How much should it be the sole
domain of professionally trained, career-oriented
OD practitioners?
www.exploreHR.org 3
Are OD and Organization change and development
one and the same, or are they different?
Has OD become a collection of tools, methods, and

techniques? Has it lost its values?
Does it talk “systems”, but ignores them in

practice?
Are consultants facilitators of change or activists of

change?
www.exploreHR.org 4
Introductory Exercise
• Have you ever led or participated in an

Organization Diagnosis? If so, what was your
experience?
• What concepts do you use to guide you in

understanding organizations?
• What would you want to learn in this Diagnosing

Organizational Effectiveness Module?
HR Approaches, Inc. (HRAI)
www.exploreHR.org 5
Organization Development’s Five Stages
STAGE 1
Anticipate STAGE 2
STAGE 5 Need for Development
Self- Change of the
Renewal, Practitioner
Monitor, and Client
Stabilize Relationship
STAGE 4 STAGE 3
Action Plans, The
Strategies, and Diagnostic
Techniques Phase
HR Approaches, Inc.
www.exploreHR.org 6
Contents
1. What is Diagnosis; Some considerations; Organizational

Models (OMs)
2. Comprehensive Model for Diagnosing Organizational Systems
3. Organization-Level Diagnosis : Strategy, Structure, Culture,

People, and Technology
4. Group-Level Diagnosis : Group Dynamics and Group

Performance
5. Individual-Level Diagnosis : Employee Satisfaction and

Performance
HR Approaches, Inc.
www.exploreHR.org 7
Organization ENVIRONMENT
or Sub-organization
Individual
Team
START- Process
ENTRY
UP Global
Assessment Organization-wide
and feedback Community
Action Implementation & National
Planning
Evaluation
Adoption
Separation
www.exploreHR.org 8
High Politics Organization:
Common Approach to Business Problems
YES NO
DOES THE THING WORK?
DON’T MESS
DID YOU MESS WITH IT?
WITH IT
NO
YES
NO DOES ANYONE YOU DUMB

KNOW? *#@>!!
HIDE IT YES YES

WILL YOU
CATCH HELL?
YOU POOR
$#@! ~*%$
TRASH IT
CAN YOU BLAME SOMEONE ELSE?

NO
YES
NO PROBLEM
HR Approaches, Inc.
www.exploreHR.org 9
What is Diagnosis?
• Diagnosis is the systematic approach to

understanding and describing the present
state of the organization
• Diagnosis is the process of understanding how the
organization is currently functioning, and it
provides information necessary to design change
interventions.
HR Approaches, Inc.
www.exploreHR.org 10
What is Diagnosis in OD?
Jolie Nolan offers a comprehensive definition of diagnosis:
Organization diagnosis is a
❖collaborative process between organization members
and the OD practitioner
❖ to collect relevant information, organize it, and feed the data
back to the client system in such a way as to build
commitment, energy, and direction for action planning…
Organization diagnosis determines “what is” and “what it

could be”; it seeks a way to bridge the gap… it forms the
basis for determining subsequent interventions.
What is Diagnosis?
The purpose of the diagnostic phase is to:
❖ gather information to specify the exact

nature of the problem requiring solution
❖ identify the underlying causal forces
❖ provide a basis for change strategies and

techniques
HR Approaches, Inc.
Wider Aim in the Diagnostic
Stage
• In all OD diagnostic processes you need to focus on
how people react to any diagnostic intervention, as well
as on the diagnostic process itself.
• Burke once suggested that diagnosis is like a child throwing

a rock into the pond.
• Our job as OD practitioners is to watch the ripples that

the rock has created and not so much where the rocks end
up.
HR Approaches, Inc. 13
www.exploreHR.org
Wider Aim in the Diagnostic Stage
• The whole diagnosis process must be designed to gain

the engagement and involvement of those key
stakeholders whose support is essential to the project.
• They will need the organization to give them relevant

data to act upon, to tap into the diversity within the
organization in order to surface the common
ground, and to be held together to find
collective solutions that are implementable.
HR Approaches, Inc.
• The mark of your success will be that, at end of the

diagnosis process, people will be ready to move
towards the next stage and will be more
energetic and enthusiastic.
• To foster and increase connectivity between different

stakeholders so that diverse views within the
organization will be brought to the surface
and people will voluntarily re-examine their
own mental models.
HR Approaches, Inc.
• This can be done through a meaningful dialogue

process as well as the opportunity to make sense of
the change together.
• Through the mixing of different members, the

diagnostic process can also aim to equalize
imbalance in power and to help contain
people’s anxiety about change.
HR Approaches, Inc.
Some Considerations in Diagnosis
Diagnosis must provide relevant and
comprehensive data on:
▪ different elements of the organization
▪ processes it employs and
▪ interplay between organization and larger

environment, as well as among the
organizational elements
HR Approaches, Inc.
1. Diagnosis must provide a “snapshot” of
the organization
2. It must satisfy two needs:

❖ the need to know the state of things
❖ the need to know the consequences of
actions as they relate to goal achievement
3. In gathering data, consider methods that

will provide both quantitative and
qualitative data
www.exploreHR.org
4. Processed data (i.e. analyzed and organized for
presentation) must be easily understood by the
client and must “speak for itself”
5. Diagnosis is the basis for strategy formulation and

objective setting
6. Because organizational state is dynamic, diagnosis

must be constant
7. Diagnosis must be updated as organizational

changes occur
HR Approaches, Inc.
CONCEPTS OF SYSTEM MAPPING
Focal System the target organization or team
Sub-system parts of the organization or members of a team
Macro System the immediate external environment of an

organization or the organization to which the
team belongs
Related Systems persons, groups, or organizations within the

macro and mega systems that affect the focal
system
Mega System the larger community beyond the macro system
HR Approaches, Inc.
Subsystems
Related
Systems
FOCAL
SYSTEM
MACRO SYSTEM
MEGA
HR Approaches, Inc. SYSTEM
Exercise on System Mapping
Outline your
organization’s systems map:
Focal System
Macro System
Mega System
HR Approaches, Inc.
WHAT IS AN ORGANIZATIONAL
MODEL?
A conceptual framework or roadmap

which guides:
❖ Data collection,
❖Analysis, and
❖Action plans
for the organization being assessed
MODEL?
OM enables the Consultant to:
1. Identify the data which are

relevant and meaningful as well as data that
are insignificant and must be ignored
2. Determine the type of analysis to be applied to

the data
3. Interpret the meaning of analysis for action

planning purposes
MODEL?
Models are representations of reality
intended to facilitate the understanding
of that reality
All models have their strengths and

limitations
Their strength lie in their capability to

capture and at the same time simplify the
reality they are meant to represent
Some Organization Models
Kurt Lewin: Force Field Analysis

Weisbord Model
Swot Analysis (expanded)
7S (Mckinsey)
Stream Analysis
Appreciative Inquiry
Comprehensive Model for
Diagnosing Organizational Systems
HR Approaches, Inc.
Organization as Open System
Transformation
Culture
Behavior
Inputs and Outputs
(resources) Process
Technology
Structure
www.exploreHR.org
HR Approaches,Inc. 28
The Organization as an Open System
Environment
INPUTS OUTPUTS
❖ Information ❖ Finished
TRANSFORMATIONS Goods
❖ Energy
❖Social Component ❖ Services
❖Technological ❖ Ideas
Component
FEEDBACK
HR Approaches, Inc.
Comprehensive Model for Diagnosing Organization
A. ORGANIZATIONAL LEVEL
Inputs Design Components Outputs
Strategy
- General Organization
Environment Structure Culture
Effectiveness
- Industry
Structure Human Technology
Resources
B. GROUP LEVEL
Goal Clarity
Team
Task Group
- Organization Effectiveness
Structure Functioning
Design e.g., quality of
Group Group work life,
Composition Norms performance
C. INDIVIDUAL LEVEL
Skill Variety Individual
- Organization Effectiveness
Design Task Identity Autonomy
e.g., job
- Group Design
satisfaction,
- Personal
Characteristics Task Feedback personal
Significance about Results development
www.exploreHR.org
Organizational-Level
Diagnosis
HR Approaches, Inc.
Organizational-Level Diagnosis
Strategy
General
Environment Structure Culture Organization
Effectiveness
Industry
Structure
Human Technology
Resources
Systems
HR Approaches, Inc.
General Environment
General • The general environment

Environment represent the external elements
and forces that can affect the
attainment of organization
objectives.
• It can be described in terms of
amount of uncertainty present in
social, technological, economic,
ecological, and political forces.
HR Approaches, Inc.
Five Forces of Industry Structure
Buyer
Power
Supplier Threats of
Power Substitutes
Industry
Structure
Rivalry
Threats among
of Entry Competitors
HR Approaches, Inc.
Strategy
Strategy • A strategy represent the way an

organization uses its resources
to gain and sustain a
competitive advantage.
• It can be described by the
organization’s mission, goals
and objectives, strategic intent,
and functional policies.
HR Approaches, Inc.
Strategy Formulation
Analysis of
General
Mission – Environment
Why We and Industry
Exist Structure
Vision – Strategy Map :

What We Strategy :
Translate the
Want to Be Our Game
Strategy into
Plan
Action
Values –
What’s Analysis of
Important Organization’s
to Us Core
Competence
HR Approaches, Inc.
Strategy Formulation
Strategic
Outcomes
Satisfied
Shareholders
Strategy : Strategy Delighted

Our Game Map : Customers
Plan Translate Excellent
the Strategy Processes
Motivated
Workforce
HR Approaches, Inc.
Structure
• The structural system describes how
Structure attention and resources are focused on
task accomplishment.
• It represents the basic organizing mode
chosen to:
(1) divide the overall work of an organization
into subunits that can assign task to
individuals and groups and
(2) coordinate these subunits for completion
of the overall work.
HR Approaches, Inc.
Culture
• Organization culture represents

Culture
the basic assumptions, values,
and norms shared by
organization members.
• It orients employees to
company goals and suggests
the kinds of behaviors
necessary for success.
HR Approaches, Inc.
Elements of Corporate Culture Formation
Organization Top Industry

System and Management Characteristics
Policy View
Profile of Organization
Employees Structure
Corporate Culture
HR Approaches, Inc.
Human Resources Systems
Human • Human resources systems

Resources include mechanism for
Systems selecting, developing,
appraising and rewarding
organization members.
• HR systems influence the mix of
skills, personalities and
behaviors of organization
members.
HR Approaches, Inc.
Human Resources Systems
Recruitment
&
Selection
Training & Performance

Business Development Management Business
Strategy Results
HR
Systems
Reward Career
Management Management
HR Approaches, Inc.
Technology
Technology
• Technology is concerned with
the way an organization
converts inputs into products
and services.
• It represents the core of the
transformation function and
includes production methods,
work flow and equipment.
HR Approaches, Inc.
• What is the company’s general environment?

• What is the company’s industry structure?
• What is the company’s strategy?

• What is the company’s culture?
• What are the company’s structure, human
resources systems, and technology?
HR Approaches, Inc.
Inputs Design Components
Does the Strategy

General
Environment organization Structure Culture
strategic
orientation
Industry
fit with the
Structure
inputs? Human Technology
Resources
Systems
HR Approaches, Inc.
Design Components
Do the Strategy
design Structure
Culture
components
fit with each
other? Human Technology
Resources
Systems
HR Approaches, Inc.
Group-Level Diagnosis
HR Approaches, Inc.

Goal
Clarity
Organization Task Group Team

Structure Functioning
Design Effectiveness
Group Group
Composition Norms
HR Approaches, Inc.
Organization Design
• Organization design is the
Organization major input to group design.
Design
• It consists of the design
components characterizing the
larger organization within which
the group is embedded:
technology, structure, human
resources systems and
organization culture.
HR Approaches, Inc.
Group Components
Goal Clarity involves
how well the group
understand its objectives
Task Structure is
Group Functioning
concerned with how
is the underlying
the group’s work is
basis of group life
designed
Group Norms are

Group Composition
member beliefs about
concerns the
how the group should
membership of groups
perform task
HR Approaches, Inc.
Goal Clarity
• Goal Clarity involves how well the
Goal group understands its objectives.
Clarity • In general, goals should be moderately
challenging; there should be a method
of measuring, monitoring and feeding
back information about goal
achievement.
• The goals should be clearly understood

by all members.
HR Approaches, Inc.
Task Structure
Task • Task Structure is concerned

Structure with how the group’s work is
designed.
• Task structure can vary along

two key dimensions:
coordination of members’ effort
and regulation of their task
behavior.
HR Approaches, Inc.
Group Functioning
Group • Group Functioning is the

Functioning underlying basis of group life.
• How members relate to each

other is important in work groups
because the quality of
relationship can affect task
performance.
HR Approaches, Inc.
Group Composition
• Group composition concerns the
Group membership of groups.
Composition
• Members can differ on a number of
dimensions having relevance to group
behavior.
• Demographic variables such as age

education, and job experience, can
affect how people behave and relate to
each other in groups.
HR Approaches, Inc.
Group Norms
Group • Group Norms are member

Norms beliefs about how the group
should perform task
• Norms derive from interaction

among members and serve as
guides to group behavior.
HR Approaches, Inc.
• How clear are the group’s goals?
• What is the group’s task structure?
• What is the composition of the group?
• What are the group’s performance norm?
• What is the nature of team functioning in the

group?
HR Approaches, Inc.
Individual-Level
Diagnosis
HR Approaches, Inc.
Individual-Level Diagnosis
Organization Skill
Design Variety
Task
Group Design Task Significance Individual
Identity
Personal Effectiveness
Characteristics Autonomy Feedback

(skill, knowledge
attitude)
HR Approaches, Inc.
• Organization design is concerned

Organization
with the larger organization within
Design
which the individual job is the
smallest unit.
• Group design concerns the larger

Group group or department containing the
Design individual job.
• Like organization design, group
design is an essential part of the job
context. 59
HR Approaches, Inc.
www.exploreHR.org
• Personal characteristics of
Personal
Characteristics
individuals occupying jobs
include their age, education,
experience, and skills and
abilities.
• Personal characteristics can
affect job performance, as well
as how people react to job
designs.
HR Approaches, Inc.
Individual Jobs Dimensions
Skill Variety
Task Identity Autonomy
Five Key
Dimensions
Task Feedback About

Significance Results
HR Approaches, Inc.
Individual Jobs Dimensions
Skill Variety
The degree to which the
job requires a variety of
Task Identity different activities Autonomy
The degree to which The degree to which a job
the job requires provides freedom and
completion of a whole discretion in scheduling
and identifiable piece of the work and determining
work work methods.
Task Significance Feedback About Results

The degree to which a job The degree to which a job provides
has a significant impact employee with direct and clear
on other people’s lives information about the effectiveness
HR Approaches, Inc.
www.exploreHR.org
of task performance 62
Job Characteristics Model –
Hackman/Oldham
Core Job Personal and
Psychological
Dimension Work
States
Outcomes
Skill Variety Experienced
Task Identity meaningfulness • High internal
Task of the work work motivation
Significance Experienced • High-quality
work performance
responsibility for
outcomes of the • High satisfaction
Autonomy
work with the work
• Low turnover
Knowledge of the
Feedback
actual results of
the work activities
HR Approaches, Inc.
• What is the design of the larger

organization within which the individual
jobs are embedded?
• What is the design of the group

containing the individual job?
• What are the personal characteristics of

jobholders?
HR Approaches, Inc.
• How much skill variety is included in the jobs?
• How much task identity do the jobs contain?
• How much task significance is involved in the jobs?
• How much autonomy is included in the jobs?
• How much feedback about results do the jobs

contain?
HR Approaches, Inc.
General Questions
• What is the political landscape of the organization and how
will it affect the way the diagnosis should be carried out?
• What are the most effective ways to collect the data, given the
resources and time the client organization is willing to
commit?
• How can you use this diagnostic process to give people more
than they expect and thus increase your credibility even at
this early stage?
www.exploreHR.org
Data Questions
❖ What data do this project need that are both valid and robust
enough to support the case for change?
❖ Given the culture of organization:

▪ What kind of data will support the client in making informed
choices and planning actions?
▪ What framework and processes should you use to structure
and analyze the data to ensure they are palatable?
▪ E.G …hard data will be most useful in an engineering firm because

engineers are used to basing their decisions on quantifiable hard data,
whereas an organization in arts and media would want to know how things
feel, and how their supporters will respond emotionally to any changes.
www.exploreHR.org
Data Questions
• What kind of data would people at different levels of the

hierarchy need? What data do you need to increase support
and engagement among the different groups?
• Given the hierarchy, how can you ensure that all of the key
people at all levels in the organization will be given a voice,
without upsetting the people at the top?
• What theoretical and conceptual framework will you use to

decide which data collection approach and methods to use,
as well as for data analysis, so that the key individuals will
regard the data valid and robust?
Data Questions
• If you want external data, who, within the crucial stakeholder

groups, can help to make these external data collection
processes happen?
• What data collection methods will enable you to use internal

agents as much as possible? What training do these internal
change need?
1
Tentative problem
areas identified
3 4
2 Collect Data Analyze data Feedback data
5More data 6
YES NO Problem areas
needed identified
now?
No 7 Client target
motivated
No change at present to work on
problem
YES
8 Diagnosis:
Work on problem
causes.
The DIAGNOSTIC PROCESS Result is change.
9
Results monitored
HR Approaches, Inc.
Summary of tasks and skills
for the diagnostic process
HR Approaches, Inc.
Summary of Task and Skills for the
Diagnostic Process
TASKS OD PRACTITIONER SKILLS
◙ Work out what type of data ◙ Ability to diagnose the
will help move the project political terrain within the
forward. client system.
◙ Be ready to advise on data ◙ Ability to design and carry

collection methods. out data collection.
◙ Work out timeless, ◙ Ability to teach and coach

resources required, and the internal change team on
logistics. how to carry out the
diagnostic work.
www.exploreHR.org
SUMMARY OF TASK AND SKILLS FOR
THE DIAGNOSTIC PROCESS
◙ Work the “political” aspects of ◙ Ability to use structured
data collection, including the framework, big system
types of data that will shift the models, and/or specific
different interest groups. theoretical approaches to
guide the data analysis.
◙ Who needs to own the data
before they are willing to ◙ Ability to analyze feedback
support the change agenda. data and formulate options.
◙ Design the most suitable ◙ Ability to give clear

approaches, methods, etc presentation (and to support
given the culture of the others in doing so).
organization. HR Approaches, Inc. 73
www.exploreHR.org
SUMMARY OF TASK AND SKILLS FOR
THE DIAGNOSTIC PROCESS

◙ Decide who to involve in ◙ Ability to facilitate joint action
analyzing and making sense planning meetings:
of the data, and who should • Bring diverse views to the
help to feedback the data to surface,
those people who are crucial
to the decisions that need to • Help different groups
be made. discover common ground,
and
◙ Decide who should be
present to hear the feedback, • Enable groups to devise a
and who should be involved joint approach to moving
in helping to plan appropriate forward to the change target.
interventions.
HR Approaches, Inc.
SUMMARY OF TASK AND SKILLS
FOR THE DIAGNOSTIC PROCESS

◙ Workout the different ◙ Ability to support multiple
intervention options (including stakeholder groups into
methods and processes). working through the data,
holding open discussion, and
bringing disagreements to the
◙ Revisit the contract and surface in order to achieve
revise it to meet the overall common ground.
needs of the project.
◙ Ability to support different
stakeholder groups in action
planning.
HR Approaches, Inc.
End of Material

OD Diagnosing Organizational Effectiveness Tools

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

OD Diagnosing Organizational Effectiveness Tools

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Diagnosing Organizational Effectiveness

A Roadmap Toward Corporate Sustainability

❖How can OD practitioners help formulate

❖ How much should OD be part of the competencies

Has OD become a collection of tools, methods, and

Does it talk “systems”, but ignores them in

Are consultants facilitators of change or activists of

• Have you ever led or participated in an

• What concepts do you use to guide you in

• What would you want to learn in this Diagnosing

1. What is Diagnosis; Some considerations; Organizational

3. Organization-Level Diagnosis : Strategy, Structure, Culture,

4. Group-Level Diagnosis : Group Dynamics and Group

5. Individual-Level Diagnosis : Employee Satisfaction and

NO DOES ANYONE YOU DUMB

HIDE IT YES YES

CAN YOU BLAME SOMEONE ELSE?

• Diagnosis is the systematic approach to

Organization diagnosis determines “what is” and “what it

The purpose of the diagnostic phase is to:

❖ gather information to specify the exact

❖ identify the underlying causal forces

❖ provide a basis for change strategies and

• Burke once suggested that diagnosis is like a child throwing

• Our job as OD practitioners is to watch the ripples that

• The whole diagnosis process must be designed to gain

• They will need the organization to give them relevant

• The mark of your success will be that, at end of the

• To foster and increase connectivity between different

• This can be done through a meaningful dialogue

• Through the mixing of different members, the

▪ different elements of the organization

▪ processes it employs and

▪ interplay between organization and larger

2. It must satisfy two needs:

3. In gathering data, consider methods that

5. Diagnosis is the basis for strategy formulation and

6. Because organizational state is dynamic, diagnosis

7. Diagnosis must be updated as organizational

Focal System the target organization or team

Sub-system parts of the organization or members of a team

Macro System the immediate external environment of an

Related Systems persons, groups, or organizations within the

Mega System the larger community beyond the macro system

A conceptual framework or roadmap

for the organization being assessed

1. Identify the data which are

2. Determine the type of analysis to be applied to

3. Interpret the meaning of analysis for action

All models have their strengths and

Their strength lie in their capability to

Kurt Lewin: Force Field Analysis

Inputs Design Components Outputs

General • The general environment

Strategy • A strategy represent the way an

Vision – Strategy Map :

Strategy : Strategy Delighted

• Organization culture represents

Organization Top Industry

Human • Human resources systems

Training & Performance

• What is the company’s general environment?

• What is the company’s strategy?