Organizational Development Practitioners

Organizational Development Practitioners are people who are entrusted with the job to carry out the planned change process in the organization. These are the people with the ultimate responsibility to development and create organizational wide effectiveness through challenging and changing its current practices. OD Practitioner normally refers to people who do Organizational Development.

Organizational Development Practitioners are people who are entrusted with the job to carry out the planned change process in the organization. These are the people with the ultimate responsibility to development and create organizational wide effectiveness through challenging and changing its current practices. OD Practitioner normally refers to people who do Organizational Development. These are the people who support in favor of the change initiative and assist others to implement Organizational Development interventions. Normally the Organizational Development Practitioners are either the OD Specialist or Leaders and Managers who bring change in their work domain.

OD Specialists

These are people who a specialist in the field of Organizational Development

• Normally Referred to as OD Consultants
• Can be Both Internal and External
• OD Practitioner may be from HR department or Separate OD groups may exist in the organization

Leader or Managers

Leaders and Managers may apply OD techniques to their domain of work and work as OD Practitioners, it is important as this would help highlight the need and importance of the change initiative, and aid in lessen the resistance to Change. Organizational Development Practitioners may be Internal or External, Both have its advantages and disadvantages.

Types of Organizational Development Practitioners

1. External OD Practitioners

Advantages

• Brought in from outside so not associated with the system, which makes them less dependent on the system and makes them work independently
• They are more formal in their approach and since they are Specialist they are more Involved in the process, as this is what they to for living
• Sees from Different point of view, with Objectivity
• Greater freedom of operation
• Viewed by top managers to have more positive influence, as they cannot be influenced with ease, and are not really a part of the organizational structure
• Less Influenced by power politics of the organization
• More Independent and Risk Takers

Disadvantages

• Outsiders are unfamiliar with the organizational culture, Norms, Practices
• May have difficulty in Obtaining the information due to lack of information on data repository and informal channels of communication

2. Internal Practitioners

Advantages

• Familiar with Organizational culture and norms
• They know the Structure of the Organization
• They know the people
• Have personal interest in making organization succeed

Disadvantages

• Lack of Specialized Skills
• Lack of Objectivity as they may be influenced by the Management
• May not have necessary power and authority

Bibliography

Brown, D., and Harvey, D (2006). An Experiential Approach to Organizational Development. 7^th Edition. Pearson: New Delhi.