Sustaining OD Interventions

Too often we have seen OD initiatives that began with great fanfare and energy, only to lose commitment, visibility and momentum in the organization. What are some of the signs that your OD initiative has fizzled out? One telltale sign is that employees start asking questions such as, "What happened to that "Change Management" program that I heard so much about a few months ago?," or "Was anything ever done with the employee survey results?" Like any initiative, OD programs that have the potential to make a big difference in an organization often "fall of the radar screen." No wonder employees are skeptical about OD?

This year, we plan on providing programs that address the issue of sustaining OD initiatives. Some of the "best practices" for doing this include:

Linking the OD initiative to a defined business strategy.

• Fostering commitment from senior management well in advance.
• Creating measures, up front, to manage the process and identify progress.

Rather than implement OD initiatives that take on the "flavor of the month" our goal is provide OD professionals with ideas on how they can make OD a "a way of life" in the organization. This is easier said than done. Come join us and learn how you can sustain OD initiatives in your organization or in your consulting work.

We look forward to welcoming you at our next event!

Linda Shoob and Cathy Zaitzow, Co-Presidents