What Makes a “Good” OD Practitioner?

Now that you understand the importance of working with an ethos of care, consider the more concrete knowledge and skill requirements of OD practitioners. Consider the following questions:

1. Which of these skills do you currently possess?
2. Which of these knowledge areas do you currently possess?
3. What are your greatest strengths?
4. Consider your answers for (1), (2), and (3). Is there anything missing?
5. Where would you like to develop your skills as a practitioner?
6. How can you engage in this course to develop the particular skills you would like to strengthen?

You may want to make a note of your answers and try to connect your course work to these areas. Use this relatively low-risk environment to expand your comfort zone. Experiment with new content areas in the project work and new roles in your collaborative group.

The good news about the work of organization development and change is that you typically do not do it alone. You are not like Sisyphus pushing the rock up the side of the mountain, alone, only to see it roll back down when you near the top. By definition, OD work is collaborative. If you don’t have collaborators, you need to find some. They might come from your own function or, even better in many cases, be people in other functions who believe in your work and support your efforts.

OD depends on relationships that are fostered by good, frequent, honest communication and solidified by reliable follow-through. Knowledge and skills can be acquired, and your colleagues can supplement your weaknesses, complement your strengths. So imagine you’re looking at a list of skills and knowledge and thinking, “Wow, how will I ever know all this? How will I ever have enough capability?” Well, take heart—you don’t have to do it alone.

But you do need collaborators who can supplement your skills and knowledge, and who care sufficiently about your goals to work alongside you. The most essential skills may well be those that help to build and sustain solid relationships with your stakeholders and constituents. After all, whether your practice is situated internally in an organization or you are coming in to aid from the outside, as an OD practitioner you are still a consultant, and in the world of consultants, there are always options. People don’t have to come to you with their needs. They can struggle on their own, or go elsewhere for help. So, you want everyone to know who you are, what you stand for, your way of working, and the underpinning values that inform your practice.