Biggest Challenges

Mon, 1 Aug 2016 05:20:00 GMT

Share a "self-development challenge" for which you would like to seek other cohort member’s input or perspective.

Tue, 2 Aug 2016 16:03:01 GMT

I believe the biggest challenge is to understand your own biases while developing approaches to assist in development and change initiatives. Those approaches should "cookie cutter" design assuming that there is "one best way" to create appropriate and sustainable change and development.

Tue, 2 Aug 2016 18:29:34 GMT

Hi everyone,

I am excited about chatting with you all.

A "self-development challenge" that I experience fairly regularly has to do with organizational learning. I regularly make mental observations during meetings or throughout the launch of a project. Whether I am sitting in a community meeting with other professionals or I am participating in the implementation of a project, I recognize what learning has occurred within the individuals and within the groups as a whole. I might think to myself, "Wow, this committee is getting better or faster at XYZ" or "Hey, that individual has a new approach to facilitating this project launch." What I am in need of is how best to collect the observations and present them as evidence of new, effective processes.

When learning does occur, and it is documented, how do we bring the learning to the surface so that others can make use of it?

Thu, 4 Aug 2016 23:07:23 GMT

Quote:

Originally posted by G. Glover:
I believe the biggest challenge is to understand your own biases while developing approaches to assist in development and change initiatives. Those approaches should "cookie cutter" design assuming that there is "one best way" to create appropriate and sustainable change and development.

Agreed. And whether internal or external, practitioners are often beholden to the biases of their change sponsors / decision makers, who may require a prescribed, predictable change plan to justify the budgetary expense. This then becomes a source of bias on the parts of OD practitioners who must fit a rigid, "one best way" square peg approach into the role hole of human change, which is often unpredictable, organic, and messy at best.

Tue, 9 Aug 2016 00:55:37 GMT

I also think organizations tend toward a 'best practices' mindset and approach in development initiatives and change management, which creates the expectation of 'one best way' ...

Another perspective is that organizations don't know how to work with emergent change ... so, I'll pose the question of how to work with leaders to change their assumptions about change?

And importantly, as self-development, how do we work with the changing practice of OD?

Wed, 10 Aug 2016 19:49:41 GMT

I concur with previous statements re: self-awareness of biases (my own as well as others, and "cookie cutter" stipulations often imposed upon practitioners, be it based in mindsets, culture, habits, etc., etc., etc. The question, for me, in these cases is: "How do I balance authenticity in use of self to best serve the client?"

Re: self-development, I'd ask if we are aware of changes needed in our practice? If so, what forums are we using to share that in this community? If not, how do we help each other become aware?