Consultant-Client Relationship Entering & Contracting

SHARON GLAZER, PH.D. SAN JOSE STATE UNIVERSITY

OD Process
y Client Selection y Entry y Contracting y Formation of ideal model y Diagnosis y Design alternative y Goal selection y Planning y Intervention y Monitor/Evaluate y Stabilize

Different Types of Planned Change

y Magnitude of Change
 Incremental  Quantum

y Degree of Organization
 Overorganized  Underorganized

y Domestic vs. International Settings

Critique of Planned Change

y Conceptualization of Planned Change
 Change

is not linear  Change is not rational  The relationship between change and performance is unclear
y Practice of Planned Change

consulting skills and focus  Quick fixes vs. development approaches

 Limited

Individual Focus
y Goal-Setting y T-Groups y Life Planning y Sensitivity Training y Stress Management y Job Design

Interpersonal/Group/Intergroup
y Role Analysis y Role Negotiations y Confrontation y Team Building y Conflict Resolution y Mirroring

Teamwork
y Why are teams important? y Man on the Moon activity

Second-Order (Quantum) Change

y Major Overhaul y Parallel Organizations

Types of Change Strategies

y Empirical-Rational: rational

determination that change is in ones own interest y Normative-Reeducative: educating on values in order to change attitudes and establish new norms y Power-Coercive: compliance to the desires of the powerful

Break
y 15 min.

Preparing for Week 5

y Work on Semi-Structured Interview Schedule

throughout this week. Follow-up with me for feedback by Thursday if none given by then. y Submit interview schedule to client by 2/22 after my approval y Case Ch. 5 due y Begin reviewing and modifying survey (track changes always)

The OD Practitioner
y Internal and External Consultants y Professionals from other disciplines who apply OD

practices (e.g., TQM managers, IT/IS managers, compensation and benefits managers) y Managers and Administrators who apply OD from their line or staff positions (e.g., project managers, product managers)

Competencies of an OD Practitioner
y Intrapersonal skills  Self-Awareness y Interpersonal skills  Ability to work with others and groups  Authenticity (Block ch. 3) y General consultation skills  Ability to get skills and knowledge used y Organization development theory  Knowledge of change processes

Role Demands on OD Practitioners

y Position  Internal vs. External y Marginality  Ability to straddle boundaries y Emotional demands  Emotional intelligence: How we work with clients. y Use of knowledge and experience  Attend to all phases of the business  Focus on how we are working with clients

Change Consultants Styles

y Stabilizer: forced upon practitioner y Cheerleader: employee motivation/morale;

nonconfrontational; maintaining harmony y Analyzer: efficiency; rationality; confrontational; authoritative; expert; clients properly diagnosed problem; individual satisfaction not as important y Persuader: effectiveness and morale; low risk; avoids confrontation with forces; good enough; satisfy different forces; weak change intervention y Pathfinder: effectiveness, satisfaction, participation, collaboration; confrontation/conflict = means to an end

Professional Ethics/Ethical Dilemmas

y Misrepresentation of skills  Professional/technical ineptness y Misuse of data  To punish, layoffs  Breaching confidentiality y Collusion & Coercion  Nonparticipation is acceptable y Promising Unrealistic Outcomes y Values and Goals Conflict

Model of Ethical Dilemmas

Antecedents Role of Change Agent Process Role Episode Role Ambiguity Role Conflict Consequences Ethical Dilemmas Misrepresent ation Misuse of data Coercion Value/Goal conflict Ineptness

Values Goals Needs Abilities Role of Client System

The Entering Process

y Clarifying the Organizational Issue  Presenting Problem  Symptoms  Digging Deeper (Block pp 29-35) y Determining the Relevant Client  Working power and authority  Multiple clientsmultiple contracts y Selecting a Consultant

Why clients want OD intervention?

y To help make management decisions y To increase collaborative decision-making y Legitimizing informal systems y Become responsive to valid data y Legitimize conflict; disagreeing in harmony y Examine leadership and management practices

Emotional Demands of Entry

y Client Issues  Exposed and vulnerable  Inadequate; mixed motivation  Fear of losing control  Concerns about exposure y OD Practitioner Issues  Empathy  Worthiness and competency  Dependency  Over-identification

Getting Stuck on Wants and Offers

y When people mean


y They express it by saying

   

I dont like it

I dont understand a word you are saying. Do as I say, dammit. I wouldnt let your group even get close to my organization.

I dont understand it. Lets get more data. Ill get back to you. Let me talk it over with my staff Nothing Why dont you think it over and get back to me? We want to talk to some others about alternative approaches and well let you know.

Getting Stuck and Recognizing It

y Listen to words used y Alternate explanations y Gut feeling y Nonverbals y Ask: how do you feel about what we are discussing? y Recognize the impasse and adjourn for further

thought/terminate. y Change offer/wants (within proper scope) y I think we are stuck. y How can we reach an agreement?

Elements of an Effective Written Contract

y Problem Statement y Stakeholders for intervention/Point of Contact  Inclusions/Exclusions of people; triangular/rectangular contract y Practitioner Role y Ground Rules/Confidentiality y Psychological contract/Trust/Clear Mutual Expectations  Anticipated Outcomes/Deliverables/Schedule  Publishing cases/results y Time and Resources  Compensation/fees  Access to client, managers, members, information y Contract modifications/Mutual Consent

Whos the client?

y Initial client team y Top management/CEO y VP of HR or other y Steering committee y Consultant is always creating change! y Therefore, each person or group directly or indirectly

touched by consultant is a client.

Trust
y Top Management debriefed on interview themes y Confidentiality y Concerns over use of information y Who needs to trust? y Labeling concerns y Setting expectations y Note taking y Audio- or video-recording

Consultants Role
y Expert on process and encouraging collaboration  Okay to present alternatives along with implications, costs and benefits y Not task or content, b/c  Client must develop its own resources  Client must take ownership of solutions (OD consultant should not sell and defend ideas)  Reduces trust and increases perception of adversarial relationships and collusion  Expectations will change with greater reliance on consultant as instrument of change
Look closely at FB p. 258!

Diagnosis/Discovery
y Readiness for Change  LO of OD are appropriate  Culture open to change  Key people y Layers of Analysis  Symptoms of problems y Political Climate y Resistance to Sharing Information y Interview as Joint Learning Event; change has begun  Pursue issues early on, dont shy away

Feedback
y Funneling Data into actionable items y Present personal and organizational data on which

recommendations may be implemented y Manage and control feedback meeting y Focus on present and how client is managing and dealing with feedback y Dont take reactions personally; its hard to own up to problems

Intervention
y Do not implement fads for fad sake y Interventions address diagnosis  Depth of interventions is to needed level  Careful not to appease clients; some risk-taking may be necessary y Engage in top-down vs. bottom-up interventions y More participation than presentation y Allow for difficult situations to surface y Commitment to solution through choices y Dialogue on responsibility, purpose, meaning, &

opportunities y Physical environment of intervention

Pitfalls
y Client commitment to change y Power to influence change y Appeasing clients y Becoming expert on content y Getting socialized into organizational culture and

politics y Collusion/Manipulated use of practitioner y Providing confidential reports y Removing parts of reports so as others wont know

Role Modeling
y Self-awareness y Clear messages: words, feelings, & behaviors fit y Practice what you preach y Consultant team role models for organizations

teams
   

Communication Roles Goals Action Research on OD process

y Dont model after the organization

Substance & Feelings

y Value interpersonal relationship y Label feelings about the relationships y Verbalizing data about relationships in order to

reduce defensiveness

y Blocks checklists at end of chapters

Terminating Relationship
y Deliverables include steps for ensuring client

internalizes skills y End date in contract y Sense assistance no longer needed

  

Poorly facilitate mourning old process (not ready for change) Internal power struggles not discovered early enough Crises pulled away attention of key people
Discovery: putting

out fires vs. prevention

Guiding Principles of OD Practitioners

y Honesty y Openness y Voluntarism y Integrity y Confidentiality y Development of people y Development of consultant expertise y High standards y Self-awareness