PA 209 ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

2ND SEMESTER 2022-2023

A Reading Analysis about

Chapter 8:
Feeding Back Diagnostic Information

Submitted by:
Julay-Ann E. Lardera, MPA-1A

Submitted to:
Sheila A. Ignacio
Professor
 Introduction
Organizational development (OD) is a strategic process aimed at improving an
organization's effectiveness, efficiency, and overall performance. Feedback is a critical
component of the OD process, as it provides valuable diagnostic information that allows
organizations to identify areas of improvement and implement necessary changes. This
reading analysis examines the importance of feeding back diagnostic information on
organizational development and its impact on organizational success.

Feedback serves as a key element in the OD process, enabling organizations to gain

insights into their current state and identify gaps between their existing and desired
performance. It provides a comprehensive understanding of strengths and weaknesses,
employee perceptions, leadership effectiveness, and alignment with strategic objectives.
With this information, organizations can develop targeted interventions to enhance
performance, foster a positive work culture, and improve overall organizational health.

Analysis
When feeding back diagnostic information, we should always take note several
characteristics of effective feedback data:
Data should be relevant, because these will be used for problem-solving. It should also
be Understandable, one that can be readily interpreted. Descriptive, in a way that you
could use graphs or charts when presenting it. Data should be valid, accurate, and
verifiable. Timely, because data should be fed back as quickly as possible. Limited so
that employees can only process one at a time. Significant, in way that it will help direct
their efforts toward realistic changes. Comparative, because data should not be
ambiguous. Unfinalized, it should be encouraging the organization to start a more in-
depth discussion of organizational issues.

In addition to providing effective feedback data, it said that it is equally important to identify
the process by which that information is fed back to people. Data are provided to
organization members in a meeting or series of meetings. We could note one
characteristic of data, that it should be Limited, so that employees will not be
overwhelmed, because employees could only process one at a time. Feedback meetings
provide a forum for discussing the data, drawing relevant conclusions, and devising
preliminary action plans because the data might include sensitive material and
evaluations, which will result in considerable anxiety and fear in receiving feedback.
There is a possible result where organization members will reject data that’s why the
motivation to change is lost and members will have difficulty engaging in a meaningful
process of change. That’s why we should always remember the 5 features of successful
feedback process. Which are:
1. Motivation to work with data for a successful feedback process is vital for
organizations aiming to improve their performance and create a positive work
environment.
2. Always have an agenda or outline ready for the Structure for the meeting.
3. People who have common problems, and the ones who benefit from working
together should be included.
4. It is always important to clarify the power possessed by the group.
5. People in feedback meetings require assistance in working together as a group.
We should always take note of the contents of feedback when conducting meetings for
feedback process to ensure successful feedback meetings, and help lead the
organization toward relevant and feasible changes.

We should also take note that Survey feedback is of paramount importance for
organizations seeking to understand their employees, customers, or stakeholders better.
It provides valuable insights into various aspects of the organization's functioning and is
a crucial tool for decision-making and performance improvement. Through the use of a
questionnaire or survey, the OD could collect information which will be analyzed, fed back
to organization members, and used by them to diagnose the organization to develop
interventions to improve it.
Although the use of survey feedback is widespread in contemporary organizations, it has
its limitations and risks such as: Ambiguity of purpose because the process may have
difficulty in reaching sufficient consensus about the purpose of the survey; it could
develop high level of distrust because employees sometimes do not believe that their
responses will remain anonymous; it could also have unacceptable topics that employees
do not want to be examined and in result, severely constrain the process; and
Organizational Disturbance because it can affect employees’ work time, furthermore,
conducting survey can call attention to issues which the management doesn’t want to talk
about, and deal with.
 Conclusion
Feeding back diagnostic information in organizational development is an indispensable
part of fostering growth, success, and sustainability. By leveraging various feedback
mechanisms, organizations can gain valuable insights into their operations, culture, and
employee satisfaction, enabling them to make informed decisions, implement targeted
interventions, and ultimately achieve their strategic objectives. Embracing feedback as
an ongoing process creates a culture of continuous improvement, propelling the
organization towards long-term success.

“Change is inevitable. Growth is optional.”

-John C. Maxwell