OD Diagnosis

J. MICHAEL SAMMANASU
JIM
OD Diagnosis
What does it mean: Dx is Tx?
What is the traditional OD approach to Dx?
What are the mechanisms involved in deriving Dx?
What is the value/utility of a Dx? (nomenclature)
What is the Reflective Learning model & how is it
used?
Consider the models: McKinsey 7S, Weisbord 6-box,
etc what do they have in common?
What is Systems Theory & how is it used?
Team Task: Analyze and draw a systems model of an
organizational problem showing mechanisms & possible
intervention points
a consultant or team of consultants are brought in by
executives to "look them over," much as a patient might
go to the doctor for an annual physical. The
consultants are supposed to find out what is wrong
with which part of the organization, and then, like a
physician, recommend a program of treatment.
doctor-patient model:
Dr/Patient Model
Expert information and/or service is being bought by
the client. For a successful outcome, this model
depends on:
1. whether the manager has correctly diagnosed his
own needs
2. whether he has correctly communicated these
needs to the consultant
3. whether he has accurately assessed the capability of
the consultant to provide the right kind of information
or service
4. whether he has thought through the consequences of
having the consultant gather information, and/or the
consequences of implementing changes which may be
recommended by the consultant."

Exchange model:
Process Consultation
Process consultation, by contrast to both of
these models, focuses on joint diagnosis,
and the passing on to the client of diagnostic
skills. The key assumption is that the client
sees the problem for himself, shares in its
diagnosis, and is actively involved in
generating a remedy.

Edgar Schein
Process consultation model
1. Think of visiting your health care, computer or auto mechanic
professional. What is a diagnosis?
2. What does s/he do to diagnose (Dx) your condition?
3. What are the uses/purposes of a Dx; What does it allow you to do?
4. What, therefore, are the criteria for a sound Dx?
5. How is a diagnosis derived?
Organization
Diagnosis
The diagnostic process
Level 1: raw data
Level 2: concepts & constructs
Level 3: conceptual description (the explanation)
Level 4: diagnostic label
e.g., conflict, leadership, norms, roles, communication
channels, decision style, etc.
e.g., Transition adjustment reaction with emphasis on role
diffusion
e.g., during organizational transition, stakeholder roles have
become diffused, resulting in role overload, role conflict, and role
boundary disputes. These in turn have led to increased anxiety
about the future and lowered productivity.
e.g., observations, statements, survey, archived data, etc.
Dx is Tx
1. Common focus
2. Identification and examination of key
factors
3. Exploration of relationships among
factors
4. Gap analysis: development of cognitive
dissonance
5. Reflective learning: awareness leads through the cycle
6. Mechanism: the process is the corrective mechanism for
current and future problems
The OD process of deriving a diagnosis entails activation of the
same organizational mechanisms required for intervention
Lewins FFA
McKinsey 7-S model
Gelinas-James Model
Weisbord 6-box model
Systems theory
etc
Paradigm Effect: The
model you use will help
you find some things but
will prevent you from
seeing others
Weisbord 6-Box Model
Force-Field Analysis
Instrumented Feedback
Diagnosis is treatment
Complete the initial OD stages of scouting, contracting, etc.
Identify the areas of primary focus: key result areas, mission
critical, etc.
Gather information (survey, hard data, perceptions,
judgments, etc.)
Organize and present information to stakeholders
Explore interpretations what do these reflect? What do you
think it means?
Action what do you want to do about it?
Reflective Learning Cycle
Fishbowl
The Fishbowl Technique
What to observe:
communication
power & influence
roles
conflict
norms
decision making
problem solving
leadership
goal clarity
task/maintenance
Debriefing
share observations
explore interpretations
consider application
Survey Feedback
Identify area of concern & associated beliefs
Involve client system in survey construction
Gather data
Analyze data to contrast with beliefs
Present to client group
Use Reflective Learning Model to
identify discrepancies
explore interpretations
consider interventions
implement
Survey feedback
Organizational LifeLine
1982 1992 2002----?
Women Officers
Uniform, promotion
Militich
Admin
Lyons
Admin
Waller
Admin
Wilson
Death
FTO Program
Equipment
Vests
Automatics
Training
Spouse support
CLEFS
Grant
Early OD
efforts
New hopes
Balance
Support
Community
Policing
Sokolov field
training
model
Mandatory
Domestic
arrest
12-hour
shifts
Value Chain Analysis
Referral
intake
Pre-
placement
Assessment
Week 1
Assessment
Week 2
Assessment
Week 3
Assessment
Week 4
Discharge
Outcome Criteria:
timeliness
accuracy
thoroughness
integrated
consistency
relevant to purpose
staff support
pride in product & process
Process
backward reconstruction: what must precede this?
what is done at each stage?
what is the value of that task (criteria)?
where are the bottlenecks?
what can be streamlined without decreasing value?
Process Map Examples
Process map examples
Processing Mapping Questions
Processing mapping questions
1. What steps were followed in chronological order to
complete the task?
2. How long did each step take?
3. When were decisions made; what criteria used?
4. What steps required outside help and resources?
5. Were any steps unnecessary or redundant?
6. Were tasks in the right order for best use of time &
resources?
7. Where were delays and bottlenecks; how could these
be reduced?
Gelinas-James
Elements of Organizations Model
What are the key
areas for examining
organizational
functioning?
The 7-S McKinsey model

Burke-Litwin Model of
Organizational Performance
and Change
What are the key
areas?
How are they
connected?
Dx-Tx considerations:
identify the key problem
identify linkages
trace multiple linkages
identify barriers to solution
explore removing barriers
The
Problem
What
influences
it?
What
influences
it?
What
influences
it?
What
influences
it?
What prevents
it from being
solved?
What
influences
it?
http://www.acm.org/sigchi/chi97/proceedings/poster/mil.htm
Problems with OD Dx there aint none!
1. There are no widely used, standard, or
conventional diagnostic systems in OD
2. There is no standard diagnostic nomenclature
3. There are no standard tools for assessment
4. There is low reliability (and few reliability studies)
regarding inter-rater diagnoses
5. Some labels are so poorly defined as to be
meaningless
6. There is no clear relationship between Dx and Tx
7. Most interventions are not standardized
8. There are very few studies on Tx outcomes
9. They usually focus on what is going wrong rather than what
is going right (e.g., solution focus, appreciative inquiry, etc.)
whats wrong?
how did it happen?
how can we fix it?
fix it!
did we fix it?
Traditional problem solving
Traditional problem solving:
The problem with a
problem-centered
approach
problems statements are not
necessarily related to the solution
focusing on the problem can
reinforce it
complex problems require a shift
in frame
trying to remove problem
elements may elicit resistance
absence of a problem does not
mean high level functioning
many solved problems simply
maintain the status quo
Problem centered
Solution focused change
emphasizes second-order change
utilizes ongoing change
makes distinctions that make a difference
provides goal well-formedness (clear favorable
outcome; S.M.A.R.T goals)
SFchange
Solution Focused Change
Exception Question Sequence:
1. When don't you have that problem?
2. What's different about those times? What occurs instead?
3. How can that be made to occur more often? Who needs to do what?
4. How will you begin to notice that the problem is being solved? What will be different?
Miracle Question Sequence:
1. If a miracle occurred tonight, and when you woke up tomorrow the problem was solved,
what would be the first just noticeable indication that things were different?
2. What will have to be different for that to begin happening?
3. When does that already happen, even if only a little? Who will have to do what to make
that happen more?
4. What will be an indication to you and others that the problem is really solved?
Coping Question Sequence:
1. Why aren't things worse than they are?
2. What are people doing to prevent things from getting worse?
3. How are those things helpful? What else would be helpful?
4. What needs to happen for those things to continue?
Pessimistic Question Sequence:
1. What do you think will happen if things don't get better?
2. What will happen after that? What next? Then what?
3. If the problem solvers start to become more optimistic (or at least dissatisfied with their
negative premonitions), shift to the constructive question sequences above.
SF_questions
Apprec. approach
1. Discovering what
works
2. Understanding
how it works
3. Amplifying and
transferring what
works
Appreciative Inquiry
The - D Model of Appreciative Inquiry
Discovery-- Appreciating what energizes; what is most valued? High
points of career? Core factors and vitality of the organization?

Dream-- Imagining what might be; interview, discuss, obtain stories to
enhance the collective sense of what might be possible

Design-- Determining what will be; create propositions related to the
purpose; establish commitments to plans

Delivery-- Creating what will be; group, team, and community
collaboration to make it happen
4-D model apprec Inquiry
Learning
History
Learning History: series of short stories recounting
particular episodes. Segments below focus on dilemmas,
questions, & anecdotes within these stories.
Right Column: The
personal stories from
different groups of
stakeholders (identified
by role)
Left Column: commentary,
insights, comments,
reflections & perspectives
brought forward to consider
the implications of the story
Full Column Prologue: derived from significant and
noticeable results of the events for the organization &
participants
LearningHist Columns
Team Diagnostic Activity
Teams identify and discuss an OD case (at
least one member must be very familiar with
the case your client)
Identify the problem context
Discuss the relationships among key variables
relevant to the problem
Draw a systems model that shows the
connections among events (include feedback
loops)
What is it about the structure/processes that
enables the problem to arise and maintains it?
Where are the intervention points implied by this
conceptualization?
What would you do if you could?