What are the key competencies and behaviors of an organizational development consultant?

One of the most important skills for OD consultants is to listen and ask questions. We will see a lot of different organizations in different situations. As consultants, we need to meet organizations where they are and find out where they want and need to go. There rarely is right or wrong. Only when we understand the organization and why it is in its current position, we can suggest action steps that lead the organization to a place that is better for the organization and the people within. Communicating clearly is important, but actively listening to understand is even more important.

Organizational development is about shifting mindsets and influencing the way things are done. I've always found effective communication as a key competence for anyone who needs to influence perspectives and create change. It starts by being able to 'read the room' and tailor messages and methods to the felt needs of the audience.

"Organizational Development Consultant Competencies: 1. 🗣️ Effective Communication 2. 🧠 Analytical Thinking 3. 🤝 Relationship Building 4. 🌐 Global Awareness 5. 🔄 Change Management 6. 📊 Data Interpretation 7. 🚀 Innovation Mindset 8. 🤔 Problem Solving 9. 🙌 Team Facilitation 10. 📈 Strategic Planning Behaviors: 1. 🤲 Empathy 2. 📣 Influence 3. 🔄 Adaptability 4. 🧘♂️ Resilience 5. 🎯 Goal Alignment 6. 📈 Results-Driven 7. 🌱 Continuous Learning 8. 🌐 Cultural Sensitivity 9. 🤹♀️ Flexibility 10. 🌟 Positive Influence Successful OD consultants blend these competencies and behaviors for impactful organizational growth. 🚀🏢 #ODConsultant #Skills"

OD practitioners with strong communication skills typically also have high levels of emotional intelligence. Strength in one's own ability in self awareness, self management / regulation of emotions, and social awareness / ability to read the mood and climate, really helps when trying to design and implement system level interventions. A person with low EQ is going to struggle to influence, persuade and coach others, mostly because their ability to regulate their own behavior will be an impediment to the intervention they are trying to implement with their clients.

I would say that understanding people has to be a key competence of a skillful OD practitioner. When you understand people and why they behave the way they do you can make a huge impact on individuals and organisations. I wish psychology were taught in schools. If i knew then what i know now I might have had an even bigger impact but alas what is done is doe. So, at every opportunity i get I advocate for psychology and understanding human motivation to be given greater prominence for young people.

Communicating is critical. I would say the 3 value of communication for an OD practitioner are: 1) Managing expectation of stakeholders. - When what people get differs from what they expect, the experience become negative. Minimizing this gap improves cooperation and partnership. 2) Influencing towards the desired result - All stakeholders have their own interest. The ability to influence will increase buy-in and support towards the intervention proposed. 3) Create safe conversations so people will share the truth, rather than give 'right' answers. - The ability to get useful information is critical towards designing an OD intervention. Therefore, the communication need to make the person feel safe.

I would say an OD consultant must be a change agent, without change no OD work can be done. Secondly it is also important for the OD consultant to understand the business so that it becomes easy for him/her to navigate whatever change he/she wants to do.

Desenvolver pessoas é de longe a habilidade mais essencial não apenas para um profissional DHO mas para qualquer indivíduo que pense em crescimento profissional dentro de uma organização. Porém liderança é uma arte e pode ser interpretada de diversas formas. A que eu mais indico é a liderança orientada ao unlock potential das pessoas, prezando pelo protagonismo e provocando as pessoas a experimentação e ação. Porém, lembrem-se, toda estratégia de liderança estará fadada ao fracasso se não houver uma cultura orientada a segurança psicológica.

If you went to the "proverbial" library to check out the definitive book on leadership development, you'll find there are many, many different models that each claim to be highly effective. The OD consultant's challenge is to sort through them, considering the purpose, aspiration, culture and current state of the organization, then adapting a leadership development approach that meets the organization where it is and takes it where it aspires to be.

According to recent global research by PwC, almost half of CEOs believe that their companies may not endure for the next 10 years if they continue their current way of working. The necessity of organizational transformation and development initiatives has become evident. Prioritizing leadership development will be the most valuable investment, as the ultimate effectiveness of organizational development interventions is directly proportional to the maturity of leadership. In light of all these reasons, an OD consultant should consider the topic of leadership development along with all proposed solutions.

Leadership is central to any change. During change, emotional management has to be prioritized because people are more emotional than logical. Dealing with emotion is about creating psychological safety. People need to know that the organization is committed to support those having challenges with the change, be it emotional, psychological and physical stress. Empathy is key towards this process.

Effective leadership is certainly critical to the ongoing success of any organisation and one key element of this is the requirement to have succession arrangements in place and to continue to recruit and select the best people. Good leaders will in my opinion enable people to perform in an environment that recognises and appreciates the ability to challenge and to change the status quo to bring about what I would refer to as a learning organisation that supports and encourages adult learners to participate in identification of their own training and development needs. It is important that these needs are in fact aligned to the achievement of both the individual, the unit and organisational objectives.

In the AI Age, organization development consultants must possess: 1. Emotional Intelligence: For managing emotions and fostering empathy. 2. Servant Leadership: Prioritizing others' needs, fostering collaboration. 3. Strategic Thinking: For effective planning and vision. 4. Change Leadership: Guiding transitions smoothly. 5. Positive Polarity Management: Turning conflicts into growth opportunities. 6. Optimization: Ensuring continual improvement and transformation. 7. AI Literacy: Essential for leveraging AI, driving innovation, and ensuring strategic growth in a technology-driven era.

Compassionate coaching stands as another indispensable competency that should be part of the toolkit. Unlike coercive or directive approaches, compassionate coaching focuses on empathy, understanding, and support rather than compliance. This approach encourages individuals to explore their strengths, challenges, and potential solutions in a nurturing environment. By guiding individuals through their professional development journey with empathy and support, OD consultants foster growth and empower individuals to reach their full potential in becoming resonant leaders. Resonant leadership focuses on emotional intelligence, empathy, and creating resonance within teams or organizations. It can inspire change when employed by OD consultants.

OD consultants must be big-picture thinkers. OD issues are not as simple as fixing a particular issue or role. They have ripple effects on other parts and places within the organization. OD issues are also affected by external factors and disruptors, and consultants must be sensitive and astute to those inflections and implications. Systems thinking involves understanding every element of the leadership system and how it affects problems and responds to challenges.

An OD practitioner need to be able to see the forest and the trees. The ability to see the interconnectedness of the various organization element will enable the practitioner to develop a holistic intervention instead of creating multiple interventions. The practitioner need to be able to see the link between the hard and soft element within the organization. A key to this is the ability to recognize one's own mental map of the situation as well as biases.

OD consulting requires a holistic understanding of the organization and a short and long-term perspective of where the organization needs to go. To propel an organization forward, one must consider all the levers available to facilitate that growth. Perhaps not all levers are used, but an understanding of what tools could be used, when and how to best use them, and an assessment of the intended and unintended consequences can mean the difference between success and failure.

One way that Systems Thinking can be effectively applied in organizational development is by creating a clear line of sight between the 'big picture' (vision, goals, outcomes, etc.) and the specific interventions necessary to bring about change. Good programme design enables this clarity, but in its absence - which is quite frequent - I've effectively applied Systems Thinking/diagnostic approaches that focus on Policies, Processes, Practices, and Platforms (the '4Ps' as I refer to them). Most often, efficiency and effectiveness of organizational systems is determined by the interplay between these 4Ps.

"Organism Thinking" is the new Systems Thinking" It offers a fresh perspective on organizations as living, interconnected systems. It emphasizes the balance of polarities, such as individual autonomy and collective unity. OD practitioners, with the help of AI tools, manage these polarities to foster adaptability, innovation, and resilience in organizations.

Furthermore, systems thinking is a vital competency for OD consultants. It involves the ability to see the big picture and comprehend how various parts of an organization interact and influence each other. Rather than addressing issues in isolation, systems thinking considers the interconnectedness and interdependencies within the organization. This holistic perspective allows OD consultants to identify root causes, anticipate potential impacts of change, and devise comprehensive strategies that address underlying systemic issues.

Vor allem muss man „systemisch“ denken. Organisationen sind Systeme (nach Luhmann), die das Ziel haben, sich selbst zu erhalten. Veränderung(sdruck) wird da meist als Angriff auf das System verstanden. Als Organisationsentwicker*in ist es daher hilfreich eine Allparteilichkeit zu wahren und stets das gesamte System aus all ihren Einzelteilen (Vorstand, Management-Team, BR, Mitarbeitende etc.) im Blick zu behalten.

Project Management: Many HR consulting engagements involve managing projects, such as implementing new HR systems, conducting organizational assessments, or leading change initiatives. Consultants should have project management skills to plan, execute, and monitor projects within scope, budget, and timeline.

Systems thinking is essential for an OD consultant, enabling a holistic view of the organization and understanding how different parts interact and influence each other. This competency allows consultants to identify underlying patterns and root causes of issues, rather than just addressing symptoms. It leads to designing interventions that are comprehensive and aligned with the organization's overall strategy, ensuring sustainable change. Systems thinking promotes a broader perspective, considering both immediate and long-term impacts of solutions across the organization. An OD consultant skilled in systems thinking can effectively manage complexity, making strategic decisions that enhance organizational coherence and performance.

Organizational Development is simply changing process, that's why change management is one of the key competencies organizational development consultants should have. Howeve, I'd put problem solving skill on the first place. If you think about it, changing something is almost never simple and easy. Most probably, OD consultant will face resistance from different sides. OD consultants need to must be able to maneuver quickly, adapt to the situation and avoid being perfectionist. All they have to do is putting solutions on the table.

One important misconception about change is that people are generally resisting change. This is only partially true. Change involves risk. People resist change if they cannot see that the benefits outweigh the risk. Too often, we try to convince people with facts. A factual understanding of why a change is needed is important but more is needed. We also need to create emotion and let people feel how the change will be and why it is important. When we connect emotions with the change, we can greatly reduce resistance. Therefore, it is worth painting the future after the change as realistic as possible and connecting that reality with the current reality of the people who are affected by the change.

The human factor is critical. Being clear the authentic self-interest of each of the groups or parties involved is critical. Roll outs totally fail when they are deficient in mapping out and including all of the relevant parties. The mistake is thinking it is all about money, or all about resistence for change. Making the case for why we are doing this requires getting way beyond lofty goals or intentions - but seeing how it impacts each relevant group. One cannot do that from the lofty perches of the C Level - but must include deep, authentic conversations with all of the relative parties.

As a degreed and experienced OD/OB Consultant, I am aware that many of the remarks given appear to have a different definition of OD/OB and OE consulting. I'd refer those interested to the International Society of Organization Development & Change ( ISODC, formerly The OD Institute) to the definition, values, ethics, skills, & competencies of this field. There is actually a handbook, "The International Registry of Org Development Professionals & Org Development Handbook" which outlines the above. One big competency that I see is missing in the remarks is the "use of self as an instrument of change." I also see another missing aspect: the people side to the change. The field includes both the technical AND people side of change.

I'm sorry, but OD is not "simply changing process". It's all about connecting what the organization does, and how they do it, to the strategy. Defining the people and culture needs, alongside of the other capabilities that are needed to enable and organization to be success, is essential

Let’s do reverse engineering here. Instead of change management leading to use of modalities and approaches for behavior change, OD practitioners and coaches can take a diagnostic approach that enables clarity on what needs attention. Based on these results, individual as well as group coaching can take place for individual and group behavioural change management. Interventions like appreciative enquiry, strengths based coaching, broadening perspective, emotional intelligence, thought reframing, solution focused thinking can be weaved into coaching work as a ground work to change management.

An area a practitioner would need to take note is people are more emotional than logical. Most change model give a sense of (rational) logic. Qualitative data is as important as Quantitative data. Also, engage employees to champion and execute some of the CM activities instead of just putting it in the hand of just a few.

Change is a process, not an event. It's a process that involves cognitive and emotional factors and successful change management builds in time for connecting with the minds and hearts of people involved. And...recognizing the hearts may take longer. Because the source of resistance during times of change isn't really about the change itself. It's about what the change represents. It often represents one (or more) of these perceived losses: control, certainty, relationships, time/resources, and competency/status. Proactively managing for perceived losses by offering opportunities to provide input, ask questions, get practice, observe others, and envision the better future often leads to better change outcomes - and more committed staff.

I don't really agree with @Toghrul Hajiyev regarding "all they have to do is putting solutions on the table". Solely putting out solutions, which hopefully come from staff input, is not sufficient. Staff should be guided on how to evaluate and implement prioritized solutions.

Stop telling and selling and always ask and listen. Every client needs honest and direct feedback about their personal style and desired goals

I would add the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, rich in getting timelines , managing resources and ensuring the right deliverables

As a degreed and experienced OD/OB Consultant, I am aware that many of the remarks given appear to have a different definition of OD/OB and OE consulting. I'd refer those interested to the International Society of Organization Development & Change ( ISODC, formerly The OD Institute) to the definition, values, ethics, skills, & competencies of this field. There is actually a handbook, "The International Registry of Org Development Professionals & Org Development Handbook" which outlines the above. One big competency that I see is missing in the remarks is the "use of self as an instrument of change."

Be completely client focused. If you do not gel with the client and their values, move on. Being honest and truthful with your client is critical. Giving useful feedback to your client when it may not be well received is vital. Understanding one’s own motives and those of you client is critical in shaping a change strategy. It also helps, if and when required in helping clients reframe their expectations. This can only be achieved by acquiring superior interpersonal skills and dumping the ego. The most important person is the client - without them you have no work and no business.

OD practitioners need a healthy dose of objectivity and a hefty toolbox. Especially when working closely with leaders and key decision makers, it's essential to keep strategic objectives in mind and let the data do the persuading. When it comes to tools and qualitative methods, my golden rule is, "Don't ask something you already know the answer to!" That's not a good use of anyone's time. Leverage your data efforts strategically to learn something new or expand thinking on the problem you're trying to solve.

Analytical Skills, as an OD practitioner having strong and excellent analytical skills allows me to analyze organizational issues, identify root causes, and develop practical solutions. In addition, I am able to use data and metrics to assess organizational performance and inform decision-making.

The ability to find root issues is critical for an OD consultant. Listening for the nuance beyond the words and discerning the true cause for any disconnects is THE starting point for developing real solutions. Those real solutions should be centered on achieving autonomy in new or updated behaviors, not expanding the reach of or need for the consultant.

When I was at Lloyds and Scottish the predecessor to Lloyds Bowmaker it had a motto that everyone was taught. "Trust not Tricks keeps customers coming back "

I would like to add Ethical Integrity as a key interpersonal attribute.Thie includes: Commitment to ethical principles and professional standards, respecting confidentiality, and navigating organizational politics with integrity.

In my experience, continuous learning is an absolutely critical skill for OD because our understanding of the human condition—behavior, thought processes, emotions, lived experience et al.—is changing rapidly as the research evolves and emerges. This includes letting go of older concepts, theories, and models that have not held up to scrutiny.

Spot on! we need to keep learning to the throughout our life. I can share that the failures don't exist, but only results exist.

Don't negate other skill sets that are important to being a practitioner but are not directly OD work. Can I facilitate a group of 5 or a group of 100? Can I quickly create a deliverable or even use AI to speed it up? Do my deliverables look high quality and maybe even produced during the session so participants have a takeaway? Is everything appropriately digitized in your closeout? Or do I provide something usable and unique? Am I providing appropriate follow-up contact or action steps a client can implement on their own? None of these are OD-specific skills, but rather how do I differentiate myself and show value to my clients and their teams. These are how you go above and beyond and consequentially generate repeat business.

Being always updated with OD trends and different approaches will help you all the way being a consultant . when it comes to managing projects for different industries and facing the huge diversity of organizations culture and structure , knowing how to present and apply the new trends in-spite of mastering change management competency will lead to remarkable results and outcomes

Los consultores de DO son gestores del cambio , por ello deben evaluar las habilidades y competencias del personal que inicia un proceso de cambio en las organizaciones, para evitar que sus creencias impacten en el proceso de manera negativa creando resistencia, y afectando el clima laboral. Se debe evaluar todas las variables para lograr Una transición amigable en nuevos proyectos.

Continuous learning means that even after a period or (relative) stability) individual and organization routines (be it practical/behavioural or routines of thinking) should not be refrozen so that when unexpected things happen, when new skills are needed, or new ways of thinking are necessary we don’t need laborious unfreezing processes. Regular sessions of individual and team/department critical reflection will aid to keep the organizational “habitus” open. Furthermore – depending on and roles and tasks etc. – we should institutionalize and enable people to develop their professional skills on a regular basis aside form obligatory annual trainings (which quite often are not very productive).