Page 129 - DMGT520_ORGANIZATION_CHANGE_AND_DEVELOPMENT

Organization Change and Development

Notes 8.7 Personal Interventions

In a personal intervention the facilitator identifies a significant flaw or a blockage in or opportunity
to expedite the planning process and consciously and personally sets out to change the course of
that process. Personal interventions require the facilitator to meet in person with individuals or
teams to crystallize and resolve the intervention issue. Personal intervention by the facilitator
in the strategic planning process is critical to its success and can significantly compress the
change process.

The ability to make effective personal interventions is the most sophisticated and valuable
personal skills facilitator can posses. Intervention requires extensive experience with the planning
process, sensitivity to people, good personal relationships, credibility, an extensive bag of
solutions to various process problems, and an exquisite sense of timing as to when to intervene.
Therefore, there is no simple cookbook that mechanically teaches how and when to make an
intervention. It’s a matter of experience, formal and on-the-job training in organisation
intervention techniques, and inherent skill. While more a personal skill than a technical facilitation
skill, intervention ability is included in the cue cards because it is so important and serves as a
quick reminder of the most common intervention situations as you implement a planning
process.

Self Assessment

State whether the following statements are true or false:

1. Interdependency Exercise is a useful intervention if the team members have a desire to
improve cooperation among themselves and among their.
2. Force Field Analysis technique called responsibility charting helps to clarify who is
responsible for what on various decisions and action.
3. Responsibility Charting is probably the oldest interventions in the OD practitioner’s kit
bag. It is a device for understanding a problematic situation and planning corrective
actions.
4. The focus of this teambuilding group of OD interventions is on improving intergroup
relations.
5. Conflict management can be a major component in the professional life of the OD
practitioner.

8.8 Interpersonal and Group Process Interventions

The process consultant must be keenly aware of the different roles individual members take on
in a group. Both upon entering and while remaining in a group, the individual must determine
a self-identity influence, and power that will satisfy personal needs while working to accomplish
group goals. Preoccupation with individual needs or power struggles can reduce the effectiveness
of a group severely, and unless the individual can expose and share those personal needs to
some degree, the group is unlikely to be productive.

Therefore, the process consultant must help the group confront and work through these needs.
Emotions are facts, but frequently they are regarded as side issues to be avoided. Whenever an
individual, usually the leader, says to the group, “Let’s stick with the facts,” it can be a sign that
the emotional needs of group members are not being satisfied and, indeed, are being disregarded
as irrelevant. Two other functions need to be performed if a group is to be effective: (1) task-
related activities, such as giving and seeking information and elaborating, coordinating, and

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