- Clients who don’t understand what OD is may want to know what the deliverables are up front before they sign the consulting contract.
- OD consultants box themselves into a corner if they acquiesce and define measurable outcomes up front.
- Clients who want detailed proposals are painting themselves, and the consultant into the corner of possible irrelevance.
- What should the client do if there are no results whatsoever and they feel they are treading on water?
Let’s see how to deal with these issues.
- Organizational Development does lead to concrete positive changes. Some of these changes happen unexpectedly; some can be planned. Many cannot be planned. “That’s the way it is”. The most meaningful changes happen incrementally, not in “one fell swoop”. Deliverables imply a concrete happening. Change which is set free by OD is a slow, palpable difference is the way things are done which cannot be well defined up front. It can be very partially defined with wide strokes. if needed, but not “set in stone”. Outcomes should be reviewed and revised at least once every two months.
- OD is not measurable. Many things are not measurable, not only OD. Many things that can be measured are meaningless. If you want to hire an OD consultant who is ready to have you measure outcomes? You will hire a 3rd rate consultant.
- OD is not a software platform with a clear SOW (scope of work). The more that a proposal goes into fine details, the more likely it is that the proposal will NOT serve as an enabler, but rather as a hindrance with enables the needed flexibility to achieve results.
- If this is the case, the match between the client and the consultant needs to end. Not every consultant can work with every client. As in all relationships, chemistry is critical.