24089-brown7_07.ppt

Chapter 7Process Intervention Skills

Learning ObjectivesUnderstand key OD process skills and determine how they can be applied.Practice using OD process skills.Identify and gain insights into your own OD style.

Walking the Front at Disney(part 1 of 2)The actions of one leader, multiplied by thousands of leaders, can reshape a culture. Judson Green, head of Walt Disney Attractions.Disney has one of the worlds most deeply rooted corporate cultures.

Walking the Front at Disney(part 2 of 2)The leadership style at Disney is inclusive. Managers work frontline shifts during peak periods. Where guests satisfaction ratings are highest, cast members rate their leaders as outstanding.

New Paradigm in OrganizationsChange occurring in leadership styles because of importance of teams.Organizations relying more on team approach.Managers will need new skills.Understanding group and team behavior is needed.

Process Interventions (part 1 of 2)Process intervention is OD practitioner skill for helping work groups become more effective.Helps work group to understand way it operates.

Process Interventions (part 2 of 2)The manager helps team learn to diagnose and solve their own problems.Team becomes more independent.

Group ProcessProcess interventions concentrates on how groups and individuals within those groups behave. Process is the how of the group.Content is the what of the group.

Five Areas Crucial to Effective Organization PerformanceCommunication.Member roles & functions in groups.Group problem-solving & decision-making.Group norms & growth.Leadership & authority.

Figure 7.1Group Process Interventions

CommunicationsAnalyzing communications process within group.Observing length of time member talks, who talks to whom, and who interrupts whom.

Member Roles and FunctionsObserving roles and functions of members. Roles divided into 3 categories:Group task.Group building and maintenance.Individual.

Table 7.1Group Behavior Interventions

Problem Solving andDecision MakingHelping group understand how it makes decisions. Group consensus is one all members share in making and will support.

Group Norms and GrowthAssisting group in understanding its norms and how they affect decision making.Group will improve decision making as members grow.

Leadership and AuthorityGroup understands impact of leadership and authority.Roles of formal and informal leaders clarified.Leadership functions shared among group members.

Our Changing World: Grassroots Leadership at Shell (part 1 of 3)Managing director Steve Miller tried to transform Shell but with little progress.Went directly to employees in field (coal-face).He brought change to lower levels and let it spread to managers above.

Our Changing World (part 2 of 3)Leadership changes at Shell:Solutions to problems reside with people at coal face.Leader finds ways to empower frontline people and hold them accountable.

Our Changing World (part 3 of 3)Approach to change:Brought in 6 to 8 member teams.Teaching method used was the fishbowl.One team in middle working on problem, another team observes.Observing team learns from another teams performance.

Types of Process InterventionsProcess interventions differ but never involve the groups task. Concern is how group going about accomplishing its task.

Process Interventions Include:Clarifying.Summarizing.Synthesizing.Generalizing.Probing.Questioning.Listening.Reflecting Feelings.Providing Support.Coaching.Counseling.Modeling.Setting the Agenda.Feedback.Structural Suggestions.

Clarifying and SummarizingPurpose is to resolve misunderstandings.Provides a summary of major points.Helps the group to understand where it is.Example: Mary, I seem to be hearing you say. Is this correct?

Synthesizing and GeneralizingPuts several points together in common theme. Takes ideas of one person and attaches them to group.Example: Am I correct in assuming the rest of you share Irwins position?

Probing and QuestioningSeeks more information and asks questions.Useful at beginning of discussion if members reaching hasty conclusions.Example: Larisa, Im not sure everyone understands your point. Could you explain it in more detail?

ListeningCommunicates nonverbally that one is listening.Uses eye contact and body posture. Hears entire message including feelings.Examples: eye contact, nod of head, body posture.

Reflecting FeelingsCommunicates back to speaker feeling part of message.Listener practices empathy.Example: Shannon, am I correct in assuming you have a problem with what Murphy has just reported?

Providing Support, Coaching, and CounselingGives assistance to group or individual on behaviors to improve.Encourages members to talk and express ideas.Compliments group for productive meeting.

ModelingLearning to give process observations by observing someone else making process observations.Members encouraged to take role of providing process interventions.

Setting the AgendaSets aside time to discuss process issues apart from content issues.May include how well members communicate with each other.

Feeding Back ObservationsProvides feedback on group process.Limited to extent that group is able to accept feedback.

Structural SuggestionsProvides suggestions on group membership, communication patterns, allocation of work, and lines of authority.Manager avoids stepping in and taking over.

Results of Process InterventionsLittle empirical evidence on success of process interventions.Some findings suggest positive effects on participants.Process interventions relied upon by OD practitioners and increasingly used by line managers in daily operations.

OD in Practice:Shaking up HP (part 1 of 2)Discuss HP in light of new information.CEO Fiorina dismissed by HPs board.Official reason was strategic differences with the board. Discuss HP in light of new information. What does B.W. and W.S.J. report?

OD in Practice:Shaking up HP (part 2 of 2)Who is her replacement?Has new CEO been able to bring change to HP?What style of change does this new person brings to HP.What happened to Fiorina?

Key Words and ConceptsAgenda setting interventions - sets aside time when process issues discussed. Empathy - listener tries to see world from speakers point of view.

Group building and maintenance functions - help group grow and improve members relationships.Group consensus - decision made by group that all members can support. Group content - task or what a group does.

Group process - how group goes about accomplishing task.Group task functions - behaviors that directly help the group solve its task.Individual functions - behaviors that satisfy individual needs and inconsequential to groups task.

Member roles - functions that individual members play in a group. Norms - organized and shared ideas regarding what group members should do and feel. Process interventions - how the group is accomplishing its task.

Preparations for Next ChapterRead Chapter 8. Read instructions for OD Skill Simulation 8.1 and complete Step 1. Read and prepare analysis for Case: The Farm Bank.