Chapter Eight: Overview of Selected Individual Level OD Interventions

Contents

8.1 Individual Level OD Interventions
8.2 Assessments
8.3 Feedback 360
8.4 Coaching
8.5 Mentoring
8.6 Training
8.7 Tips for Developing OD Skills: Flexibility and dealing with ambiguity
Questions for Reflection & Summary

8.1 Individual Level OD Interventions

Individual-level interventions are often used when there are opportunities to support individual development that can benefit not only the individual but also the team and the organization of which they are part. Individual-level interventions are also implemented as supporting mechanisms for a larger change happening in the team or organization. In general, individual-level interventions support development by:

• Providing feedback on an individual’s behavior
• Increase self-awareness
• Identifying strengths and opportunities for development
• Inviting individuals to develop and change

It is critical to consider that although individual interventions can be powerful strategies for promoting individual development, they have a limited impact on changes at the team and organizational level. They might be essential supports for these changes, but as a stand-alone intervention, it is unlikely that they will promote more comprehensive transformations in the organization. Another important point to keep in mind is that individual interventions can be ineffective if the professional does not truly engage with them and put effort into their own development.

The following paragraphs briefly describe the most commonly used individual-level interventions: Assessments, Feedback 360, Coaching, Mentoring, and Training. Other interventions that help individuals learn and develop are training, job rotations, special projects, apprenticeship opportunities, and financial support for education.

8.2 Assessments

Assessments are psychometric instruments designed by researchers, based on psychology and behavioral theory, and rigorously tested for validity and reliability. Most instruments used in OD processes provide information about leadership styles, communication styles, learning styles, strengths, working preferences, vocational preferences, and others. In general, individuals going through an assessment receive a link to fill out an electronic questionnaire or a paper questionnaire. Their responses are analyzed, and a report with outcomes is produced. In most cases, the report is shared and discussed in a conversation by a professional skilled in that specific instrument. Most psychometric instruments require specific training and certification, and many individuals who work as OD practitioners have these certifications. Alternatively, individuals facilitating change in their organizations will often hire external consultants certified in the specific assessment they would like to conduct.

There are multiple free assessment tools available on the web, and, as an OD professional, it is crucial to be cautious with them. Robust psychometric instruments are science-based and have an extensive database of responses, which allows their developers to conduct statistical analysis and refine their measurements continually. Nevertheless, even the robust instruments have some limitations and points of attention that need to be considered. It is always important to analyze the outcomes of an assessment within a context and consider other factors. Making decisions based only on the outcomes of an assessment can lead to bad outcomes and also raise ethical dilemmas. Combining multiple psychometric tools – often called assessment centers – with other individual-level interventions can offer more comprehensive and beneficial outcomes.

For the individuals taking these assessments, the main benefit is to expand their knowledge of themselves. The outcomes of these assessments can support individuals in preparing a development plan, seeking ways to leverage their strengths, and working on their opportunities for improvement. For organizations, the collective results of assessments conducted with a group of employees can offer insights into training and educational programs and career and succession planning.

The table below lists some well-known assessment tools and provides links with more information about them:^[1]

8.3 Feedback 360

Receiving feedback from individuals who interact with you can be a powerful way to expand your self-awareness, understand the impact of your behavior on others, and identify strengths and opportunities for development. 360 Feedback, or multi-source feedback, is a well-known approach to gathering feedback from multiple individuals that organizations use to support OD processes and as a developmental strategy. Usually, a Feedback 360 consists of a questionnaire with questions about an individual’s skills, abilities, and contributions, which is completed, often anonymously, by other professionals who significantly interact with that individual, including leaders, coworkers, direct reports, and sometimes, clients or other stakeholders. It often also includes a self-assessment, where the individual responds to the questionnaire, reflecting on their own strengths and opportunities for improvement.

Different tools can be used for Feedback 360 (Survey Monkey, Qualtrics, Google Forms), and most organizations will adapt or create their own questionnaires, focusing on attributes that are important to their specific context. In some situations, Feedback 360 can be collected through interviews, and consolidated results are shared with the individual by the collector.

When implementing 360 Feedback, it is critical to clearly communicate the process to all participants who provide and receive feedback. If this is a new practice for the organization, offering training on how to write constructive feedback can be crucial. Other critical steps include carefully choosing the stakeholder who provides feedback so that the individual can receive a balanced perspective of their strengths and development needs.

Similar to assessments discussed previously, Feedback 360 is helpful in offering a perspective but requires that the individual engage with it, work towards honing their strengths, and work on their development. Preparing an Individual Development Plan after receiving the results of an assessment or Feedback 360 is a vital step in these individual interventions.

8.4 Coaching

Coaching is a commonly used OD intervention to support individual development. In a coaching process, a professionally certified coach works with an individual (or a team) to help them define development goals and work towards them. Coaching can help individuals increase self-awareness, reflect on their beliefs and behaviors, and experiment with alternative ways of interacting with others. It is a helpful intervention to support transitions, including transitioning to a new role or career, developing as a leader, and navigating changes happening in the workplace.

Generally, a coaching process involves a limited number of conversations where, after defining a developmental goal, the coach works with the individual, supporting their reflection and development. The role of the coach is to prompt reflection and action through questioning and encouragement. Different than a mentorship process, described next, the coach does not teach or advise an individual on what to do. Like psychometric instruments, coaching also requires a professional with the proper skills to conduct a coaching process. Some essential coaching skills are openness, curiosity, flexibility, and client-centeredness. Some institutions offer coach training, certification, and ethical guidelines for the coaching profession. The International Coaching Federation is a good resource to learn about coaching.

8.5 Mentoring

Mentoring is a process where individuals share their experiences and knowledge with one another. Traditionally, the mentoring process happens between an individual with a specific expertise or seniority, called a mentor, and an individual seeking to gain specific knowledge and skills, called a mentee. Nevertheless, other mentorship models have developed over the years, including group, reverse, and peer mentorship. These new mentorship models allow the transfer of knowledge and experience multi-directionally without a hierarchical structure.

Unlike coaching, anyone can serve as a mentor and be mentored by others. Nevertheless, some guidelines are essential to support a good mentorship program, including being willing to share knowledge and experiences, maintaining a supportive attitude, being open to others’ ideas, building trust, and having the ability to provide constructive feedback. Change facilitators can recommend mentoring as an OD intervention and help organizations implement mentorship programs to support their change processes.

8.6 Training

Training sessions are structured and formal educational efforts that aim at helping individuals acquire or improve specific knowledge or skills. Training initiatives can be deployed in several ways – in-person or online, instructor-led or self-paced – and target individuals or large groups. Most organizations offer training to their employees as part of their onboarding and ongoing professional development. However, training initiatives are also valuable to support change processes. For example, an organization might need some employees to learn a specific technical skill to operate a new technology as the organization enters a different market or launches a new product or service. Or if an organization is going through a cultural transformation that emphasizes feedback and open conversations, leaders and employees might benefit from training sessions on how to give and receive feedback or how to have difficult conversations. Additionally, training can be a powerful way to disseminate and reinforce organizational values and strengthen the organizational culture.

Table 1. Benefits and points of attention of individual-level OD interventions.

8.7 Tips for Developing OD Skills: Flexibility and dealing with ambiguity

Change facilitators conducting OD processes and implementing interventions must have strong planning and management skills, which will be discussed in the next chapter. Nevertheless, as important as being able to devise and execute a good plan and manage the change process, it is the ability to adapt and change directions when necessary. When dealing with complex systems and individuals’ behaviors and relationships, it is impossible to predict everything and follow a strict plan. Many times, change facilitators do not know what to expect from a situation or an interaction. Oftentimes, surprising findings come out of the diagnosis process or unexpected outcomes emerge from an intervention, requiring a change of plans. Therefore, it is essential to develop flexibility and learn how to sustain a certain level of comfort with ambiguity, avoiding getting paralyzed when things are uncertain or unknown.

Developing an openness to different perspectives significantly enhances flexibility. Similar tips for practicing an open mindset, such as experimenting with new things, are also effective suggestions for developing flexibility and the ability to deal with ambiguity. Some other ideas:

• Experiment going out for a day walk or for a short trip without a strict plan. Make some general plans and stay open to change and adjust.
• When facing an ambiguous situation, be curious about it. Think about what the ambiguity is, how it makes you feel, and what would help you feel more comfortable with the situation.
• When facing an ambiguous situation, reflect on what could be the worst possible and the best possible outcome of the situation. What would happen to you if the worst or the best happened?

Summary

Individual-level OD interventions aim to increase self-awareness and promote individual learning and development, often contributing to changes at the team and organizational levels as well. Some of the most common OD interventions used to support individuals are assessments, feedback 360, coaching, mentoring, and training. While assessments and feedback 360 are more focused on increasing self-awareness, coaching, mentoring, and training help individuals develop new skills and knowledge. Some of these interventions, as assessment and coaching, require specific training and certification.