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Organization Development Primer: A Review of

Large Group Interventions

Brenda Barker Scott

Faculty

Queen’s University IRC

Published: June 2009

IRC Research Program

irc.queensu.ca

IRC A RtICle S eRIeS

ORGANIZATION DEVELOPMENT PRIMER:

A REVIEW OF LARGE GROUP INTERVENTIONS

By Brenda Barker Scott, Queen’s University IRC

Large group interventions are designed to help people collaborate effectively by thinking and acting from a whole-systems perspective. “Whole systems” refers to the way an organization operates internally through its processes and externally through its relations to customers and other stakeholders. There are a number of core values underpinning all whole-systems change methodologies.

• Rather than segmenting the organization as disconnected parts, large scale change methods view the organization as a series of inter-connected parts, with each part a manifestation of the whole. Participants seek to understand and manage the dynamic tension associated with such complexity.
• Large group techniques bring together stakeholders from all parts of an organization to dialogue and achieve a mutual understanding of their interdependence.
• Organizations do not exist but organizing processes and procedures do. By viewing organizations not as static entities but as a series of ongoing processes and activities, whole-scale methods enable the development of evolving organizing processes.
• Large-scale methodologies assume that an organization’s reality is a function of the dominant assumptions or mental models of its members. Accordingly, organizations evolve as they articulate, test, and refine the mental models of their members.
• Individuals within organizations have the capacity to self organize and redefine their reality. Appreciating that it is unsettling work for members to examine and adjust their mental models, large-scale techniques employ future visioning as a way of helping individuals explore competing mental models.

SEARCH CONFERENCES/PARTICIPATIVE DESIGN

Fred and Merrelyn Emery’s Search Conference methodology assumes that the organization must adapt to its ever evolving and increasingly unpredictable environment, and that the best way to do so is through a process of wide involvement. Accordingly, the Search Conference process brings groups together of stakeholders to define and analyze their environment, identify a common preferred future five to 10 years out, develop goals, and plan actions. Stakeholders are encouraged to follow the process in a series of participative design workshops. The workshops teach them how to design a democratically oriented organization in which people have: meaningful work and a sense of purpose; opportunity to make job related decisions and to develop and learn; a good mix of tasks requiring skill variety; and a desirable career path enabling personal growth and development.

While the Search Conference methodology is committed to involving the entire system, it involves a representative sample of stakeholders (to a maximum of 32) to permit the optimal level of dialogue. When it is determined that more than 32 people must be involved, simultaneous workshops are held and the results are integrated.

OPEN SPACE

Open Space, developed by Harrison Owen, brings together a group of people to share ideas and ideals and engage with other interested colleagues in conversation. Based on Karl Weick’s concept of retrospective sense making, the process enables people to talk on various topics in a loosely structured environment. The assumption is that change occurs as human energy is surfaced and channeled productively.

An Open Space meeting is facilitated by a process leader who creates a forum for the “energy” that is inherent in the group to emerge. Accordingly, the facilitator carefully defines the process rules, principles, and boundaries within which

conversations can take place. Given the overall topic for the Open Search session, participants are invited to share potential ideas and agenda items and to become discussion leaders for others who want to join them. Interested parties then meet in a predefined location and together have a discussion or plan actions.

While a primary value underpinning the Open Space methodology is organizational harmony, a core assumption is that organizational members act responsibly when they are given the opportunity to surface, discuss, and solve real-world challenges.

LARGE-SCALE INTERACTIVE PROCESSES

The Large-Scale Interactive Process, attributed to both Dannemiller Tyson Associates and Robert Jacobs, seeks to convene the whole system of stakeholders (and not a representative sample) in summit-style conferences for the purpose of joint diagnosis, vision development, and joint action planning. The assumption is that data filtered through others are less powerful than the unfiltered insights of all stakeholders.

Based on the work of Ronald Lippit and Richard Beckhard, the underlying theory suggests that change planning is guided by a simple yet powerful formula: D x V x F = R. To bring about change the organizational system must first have D, or dissatisfaction with the status quo. People must understand why change is necessary. Next, the system needs to develop V, or a common vision of the preferred future. Finally the system needs to develop F, or first steps to create action towards the vision. If any of the three inputs (D x V x F) are lacking, the product will be zero and resistance will not be overcome and change will not occur.

Guided by this formula, change agents design exercises and conversations that enable stakeholders to identify factors driving dissatisfaction with the status quo. Activities are then organized to either share or create a vision and plan system- wide actions.