CHALLENGES TO THE OD PROFESSION

I studied the Copenhagen Consensus as background for responding to the 9/9/08 meeting request to identify challenges we face as OD professionals.

My reaction to information provided by the Copenhagen group was that they used terms whose meaning did not match their usage and that structure of their work was not logical.  So I went about revising the structure of their work, without changing their words, beginning with an operational definition of “challenge.”

   “A call to engage in a test of ones abilities or resources in a demanding, stimulating, and worthwhile undertaking.”   (A summons to action.)

Next, I developed a framework to place challenge in relationship with other elements of Copenhagen material.

Strategies that reconcile
Challenge and issues

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V

        Decision to engage the challenge    Issues that restrain progress
———————————————>  <—————————————–
In their own words the Copenhagen challenge is; “What would be the best way of advancing global welfare and particularly the welfare of developing countries, given $75B in available resources for an initial 4 year period?”

They identified and force ranked a number of issues including; disease, global warming and air pollution.

A sample strategy to resolve issue of disease included; micronutrient supplements and fortification and school nutrition programs.

Using this approach I drafted:

A CHALLENGE TO OD

“To employ our intellectual powers of logic, reason and objective observation as activating force for change.”

ISSUES WE FACE IN ACCEPTING THIS CHALLENGE

•    Imprecise use of language and automatic use of terms that are in vogue
•    Stereotypes of OD profession as “detached from real world, bound to academia, hypersensitive to feelings, HR based, passive…”
•    Low level of understanding how the mind works, generation of thought, process of thinking.”
•    Unsustainable efforts toward development in situations that lack coherent design
•    Partnering with others based on mutual comfort vs. challenging potential leaders to step up

POSSIBLE STRATEGIES

•    Increase functional skill in use of functional frameworks to improve quality of thinking
•    Focus on quality of thinking as critical success factor in any undertaking

This is intended as a draft to be further developed by the network.

Ken Wessel:  9/11/08

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GCASTD 2008 Fall Conference: A Kaleidoscope of Possibilities

Patterns, Thinking, and Approaches

We’ve packed the 2008 GCASTD Fall Conference with a dazzling array of ideas to stimulate your thinking as well as concrete tools to use on Monday morning. And kept last year’s prices!

Through the changing lens of the kaleidoscope, we’ll move among the many trends, realities, breakthroughs, and challenges employers address.

Join us October 24 to learn and grow in our chosen field, allowing us to return energized to make a difference to those we serve.

Susan Smyth, 2008 Conference Chair

Where:

Sharonville Convention Center
11355 Chester Rd
Cincinnati, OH 45246

Registration Information:

Early Bird Registration (By September 26, 2008)
GCASTD Member: $129
Non-Member: $149 (includes one year membership)

After September 26
GCASTD Member: $149
Non-Member: $199 (includes one year membership)

Group Rate:
5 or more members, $120 per member.

To review the conference schedule and to register, click here:

http://gcastd2008fallconference.eventbrite.com/

-Submitted by Tony Cipollone

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Have you identified and ranked them?

Earlier this spring, the Copenhagen Consensus, a group of over fifty economists, gathered to force rank the world’s greatest challenges in a recommended order in which to solve them, then provided realistic solutions.

Do we owe it to ourselves, our organizations, our clients, our profession, to identify, force rank, and provide recommended solutions to OD’s greatest challenges for the future?

Peter Senge’s new book, The Necessary Revolution, describes how organizational learning is being used to increase our sustainability by building shared vision, challenging mental models, forging new partnerships and thinking systemically about the future.

We cordially invite you to join us Tuesday, September 9, 2008, as we apply Senge’s principles via shared vision of mental models in a Cincinnati Consensus: Identifying, Prioritizing and Providing Solutions for the future of OD. Experts will share some insight, but mostly we want to hear what you think about critical priorities for the success of our profession in the world around us.

Date: Tuesday September 9th, 2008

Time: 5:30 - 8:30 pm

Location: DeVry University off Fields-Ertel (see directions below)

Admission: Members $15, Non-Member $20, $25 at the door includes dinner. A discounted meeting rate applies to all attendees who join ODN as a member in the same evening. Membership is $50 for professionals and $25 for students.

Please RSVP using the reservation box at the top of this page.

DIRECTIONS TO THE MEETING AT DEVRY UNIVERSITY OFF FIELDS-ERTEL ROAD:

DeVry University
8800 Governors Hill Dr
Suite 100
Cincinnati, OH 45249-1367

From the North

Interstate 71 South to Exit 19 Take a LEFT onto Mason Montgomery Rd.

Take a RIGHT onto Governor’s Hill Rd.

DeVry is on the RIGHT

From the South

Interstate 71 North to Exit 19

Take a RIGHT onto Mason Montgomery Rd.

Take a RIGHT onto Governor’s Hill Rd.

DeVry is on the RIGHT

From the East

Take Interstate 275 West to Interstate 71 North

Take a RIGHT onto Mason Montgomery Rd.

Take a RIGHT onto Governor’s Hill Rd.

DeVry is on the RIGHT

From the West

Take Interstate 275 East to Interstate 71 North

Take a RIGHT onto Mason Montgomery Rd.

Take a RIGHT onto Governor’s Hill Rd.

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Outgoing Board Members:

Joe Payne- Co-Chair
Gary Sweeten- Program Co-Chair

2009 Board

Shari Bleuer Co-Chair
Frank Fletcher Co-Chair (NEW)

Dale Browning Program Co-Chair
Amita Ghosh Program Co-Chair

Leigh Drake Communications Co-Chair
Kira Knight Communications Co-Chair (NEW)

Regina Troxell Membership Co-Chair
Shawna Webb Membership Co-Chair (NEW)

Jackie Gibson Administrator

AGENDA:

• Welcome new board members
• Farewell to Joe and Gary
• Current Membership
• Goals for Future Membership
• Finances and member dues
• Paypal vs credit card
• Website Update
• September Kick Off Program (Last Spring we talked about the program being hosted at Western Southern). Topic: Compliance Mandated Change?
• Ideas for upcoming programs
• Set meeting times/places for monthly board meetings

MEETING LOCATION: Sharon Road Skyline Chili. I-75 exit Sharon Road Exit. Skyline is on the right hand side of road- near Frisch’s. Call my cell at 513-703-8840 should you get lost. Time: 6:30-8:00PM. If you have any particular agenda items- let me know and I’ll add them. Thanks and see you next week. Shari

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As I look at the blank page of our blog writer, I’m struck again by Ken’s points:  “change involves creating into a void”  and that “effects of change require effective management; the phenomenon of change itself is however, unmanageable.”

Thank You, Ken for sharing!   The ODN team very much appreciated your leadership.

Have a good summer everyone . . . go change your world!

Ken Wessel’s Workshop documents

Leadership and Change

Perspectives on Change

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How up-to-date are our ideas about consulting about change?

Are there other perspectives that we could be considering in our practice as O.D. professionals and change agents?

At our May 13th meeting Ken Wessel will engage participants in a process of examining how we think about change.
He will lead us in interactive exercises that complement, challenge and/or shift our existing mindsets.

Drawn from premises from Ken’s experience, he will lead an interactive session that considers issues such as these:

IS CHANGE MANAGEABLE?
CAN AN ORGANIZATION SURVIVE IN THE ABSENCE OF CHANGE?
ARE LEADERSHIP AND CHANGE RELATED ?
ARE THERE STEPS THAT CAN BE TAKEN TO ENHANCE EFFECTIVE CHANGE ?

About Ken Wessel

Ken Wessel heads Wessel Associates. He began his career working 21 years with Procter & Gamble as a team member in manufacturing management and brand leadership. Next he bacame VP of Personnel and Organization Development at SaraLee. At present he is a consultant focused on Organization Design and Development to more than 50 companies across a broad range of industries and countries.

Ken’s work focuses on:

• Strategic thinking and planning
• Partnering
• Restructuring work, roles, organizations, value chains
• Systems design
• Personnel development systems
• Leadership development and change
• Meeting design and conduct
• Critical thinking skills

Date: Tuesday May 13th, 2008

Time: 5:30 - 8:30 pm

Location: Devry University off Fields-Ertel (see directions below)

Admission: Members $15, Non-Member $20, $25 at the door includes dinner.

Please RSVP using the reservation box at the top of this page.

DIRECTIONS TO THE MEETING AT DEVRY UNIVERSITY OFF FIELDS-ERTEL ROAD:

DeVry University
8800 Governors Hill Dr
Suite 100
Cincinnati, OH 45249-1367

From the North

Interstate 71 South to Exit 19Take a LEFT onto Mason Montgomery Rd.

Take a RIGHT onto Governor’s Hill Rd.

DeVry is on the RIGHT

From the South

Interstate 71 North to Exit 19

Take a RIGHT onto Mason Montgomery Rd.

Take a RIGHT onto Governor’s Hill Rd.

DeVry is on the RIGHT

From the East

Take Interstate 275 West to Interstate 71 North

Take a RIGHT onto Mason Montgomery Rd.

Take a RIGHT onto Governor’s Hill Rd.

DeVry is on the RIGHT

From the West

Take Interstate 275 East to Interstate 71 North

Take a RIGHT onto Mason Montgomery Rd.

Take a RIGHT onto Governor’s Hill Rd.

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ODN Co-Chairs

Shari Bleuer
Frank Fletcher

Program Committee Co-Chairs

Dale Browning
Amita Ghosh

Membership Committee Co-Chairs

Regina Troxell
Shawna Webb

Communication Co-Chairs

Leigh Drake
Kira Knight

Administration

Jackie Gibson

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A Marketing View of OD

Here are Elaine Schneider’s handouts from the meeting

Marketing & OD Overview  (now includes participants updates)

Marketing & OD Powerpoint Presentation

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Elaine Schneider and Mel Hensey will offer our OD Network participants their work to integrate OD and Marketing to better serve our clients. They will present their model (under development) and a process to enable the group to provide other insights, ideas, “aha’s” and critique!

They see both Marketing and OD to be closely aligned and interwoven in their value and constructs, but often seen as separate and even poorly understood in practice.

Come help them improve their work, gain insight from colleagues, and have an enjoyable evening!

Info on Mel Hensey:

Mel Hensey, PE, F.ASCE
Management Consulting Engineer
Hensey Associates
8220 Riversedge Cir., Maineville, OH 45039
www.henseyassociates.com
513-919-7672-Cell, MHensey@aol.com

Books by Mel Hensey:

- Collective Excellence: Building Effective Teams; 2nd Edition; ASCE; 2001
- Personal Success Strategies: Developing Your Potential; ASCE; 1999
- Continuous Excellence: Building Effective Organizations; ASCE; 1995

Info on Elaine Schneider:

Elaine Schneider
Author, Speaker, and Marketing Consultant
Helping Firms Grow Smart
Ann Arbor * Cincinnati
www.elaineschneider.net
513-312-0455-Cell, elaine@elaineschneider.net

Author of …
- How Smart Small Businesses Grow: The Five Keys to Marketing; AuthorHouse; 2007

Meeting Details

Date: Tuesday April 8, 2008

Time: 5:30 - 8:30 pm

DIRECTIONS TO MEETING AT DEVRY UNIVERSITY OFF FIELDS-ERTEL ROAD:

DeVry University
8800 Governors Hill Dr
Suite 100
Cincinnati, OH 45249-1367

From the North

Interstate 71 South to Exit 19

Take a LEFT onto Mason Montgomery Rd.

Take a RIGHT onto Governor’s Hill Rd.

DeVry is on the RIGHT

From the South

Interstate 71 North to Exit 19

Take a RIGHT onto Mason Montgomery Rd.

Take a RIGHT onto Governor’s Hill Rd.

DeVry is on the RIGHT

From the East

Take Interstate 275 West to Interstate 71 North

Take a RIGHT onto Mason Montgomery Rd.

Take a RIGHT onto Governor’s Hill Rd.

DeVry is on the RIGHT

From the West

Take Interstate 275 East to Interstate 71 North

Take a RIGHT onto Mason Montgomery Rd.

Take a RIGHT onto Governor’s Hill Rd.

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Distance Learning Definitions

Kirkpatrick’s 4 Levels of Evaluation

Possible Panel Responses

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