Practicing Organization Development: A Guide for Leading Change: A Third Edition

COMPETENCIES NEEDED IN OD CONSULTING TODAY

In a world where, according to Einstein, “our technology has exceeded our humanity,” it is the job of OD consultants to help human beings in organizations “acquire a new manner of thinking.” If OD consultants heed the warnings of Einstein, there are important competencies that must be added to the traditional human relations skills of well-trained OD practitioners. These competencies include:

1. To have a deep understanding of the phenomena of wholeness—the intimate connectedness of every part of the organization. Consultants need the ability to examine and challenge their own assumptions about their work and how human systems really function. They must, themselves, shift from traditional beliefs ...