Change Agent Organizational Development Flashcards

Which OD intervention focuses on improving relationships and communication between two or more work groups?

Answer: Intergroup development

Intergroup development targets the dynamics, attitudes, and perceptions between different organizational groups.

In Lewin's Force Field Analysis, what does a change agent do when driving forces and restraining forces are equal?

Answer: Increase driving forces or reduce restraining forces

When forces are balanced, the change agent must tip the balance by strengthening drivers or weakening barriers to unfreeze the status quo.

What is the primary purpose of an organizational diagnosis in OD?

Answer: To collect data that informs the design of interventions

Organizational diagnosis gathers and analyzes data about current conditions to guide appropriate change interventions.

A change agent notices that a department's norms informally discourage speaking up about problems. This is best described as part of which organizational element?

Answer: Culture

Informal norms about behavior are a core component of organizational culture, distinct from formal policies or structures.

Which concept describes the degree to which employees feel psychologically safe enough to take interpersonal risks at work?

Answer: Psychological safety

Psychological safety, popularized by Amy Edmondson, is the belief that one won't be punished for speaking up, making mistakes, or asking questions.

When applying Action Research in OD, what immediately follows the data collection phase?

Answer: Feedback and joint diagnosis

In Action Research, collected data is fed back to the client system for collaborative diagnosis before any intervention is designed.

An OD practitioner is helping a company shift from a hierarchical to a flat structure. Which systems thinking principle warns that this change may create unintended consequences elsewhere?

Answer: Interdependence

Interdependence means that changing one element of a system affects other parts, so structural changes ripple across processes, roles, and culture.