For a moment, let’s move away from the red carpet. Away from our usual glitzy C-Suite encounters. The power meetings in the high chair. This time, let’s visit the edge of our organizations. Foot: Assuming that you have started re-imagining your organization as having fluidic boundaries. Are there interesting OD practice areas out there? How can we better our organization by taking this journey?
Unbeknownst to many of us, the ecosystems thinking is changing how we practice OD. For example. Our usual inward search for performance enhancing pills is evanescing. And in comes the outside looking in. Using the “tree” metaphor, start retracing the nutrients flow from the roots up. Rather than from the leaves down. And taking this journey is not for the faint hearted. But if you do, the rewards could be immense! Working in the foundation can spur impacts on innovations, relevance, competitiveness, among others.
But life can be messy out there!
Let’s look at the physics at play as you move away from the center. You loss your visibility at the top. And there goes your helicopter vision too. You lose control and influence. Your usually clear policies and rules of engagement become fuzzy. The pressure to follow the rules become less important in favor of expediency. And as you get to know the players more, you discover that some rules apply. Others are obsolete. And a few others, replaced with simpler but better ones. But they are not known to you. Nor the people-in-charge.
What players?
Hard to tell. Are they organic with us? They’re not in our charts. Nor are they in our payroll. Some are short lived. Others have been with us since our organization started. Like our staff, they cycled through: attraction, recruitment, onboarding, development, retention, and separation. But unlike our staff, they do not know each other. And their distance from one another is so vast. But there’s no denying that they can ease or restrict the nutrients flow. Make or break our organization's image, ability to create values and hit our profit KPIs.
And who are they?
The list is long. In fact, its a constellation. It can expand and contract. Our value and supply chains. Consumers and groups. Partners (stakeholders, investors, etc.). Direct and indirect competitors. Clouds of influencers. Government and regulation entities. Communities and charities we serve. And many others depending on the industry or service trades. Even if they belong to a group, each player relates with our organization in their own unique ways. Some relate more than others. Others, do what they’re told. Still a few disappoint us and miss our expectations. And so, our organization responses (or not!) likewise vary. These are opportunities. We can facilitate, but not interfere in the dynamic relations. A potential vantage point for OD practice!
Practicing at the Edge
Start building relationships between the organization and the players at the edge. OD professionals must establish connections with the most relevant players. Earn their trust and respect. By relating, we can better understand the needs and value contribution of each player. And can improve their alignment, performance and find better ways to create values. Together.
Change Management Might be Too Much!
Three non-intrusive practice areas immediately come to mind.
Create or Strengthen C&Cs
Identify the communication and collaboration (C&C) gaps. Between and among the organization counterparts and the players. Create short but regular virtual or in-person conversations that build C&C bridges. Ensure that information flows. Ideas shared. And diverse perspectives considered. Try breaking down silos and encourage collaboration between the internals and the externals. Stimulate cross-functional teamwork and promote co-innovation, resulting in improved organizational performance.
Embrace Diversity and Inclusion
Diversity and inclusion events are ingredients of relations building. We should hear diverse voices. Value differing perspectives. Celebrate different contexts. And channel the collective intelligence to the right ears in the organization. These events can improve decision-making, creativity, and organization performance.
Share L&D Culture
We can extend our organization’s culture of learning and development (L&D) with the other players. For example. They can join the regular Problem-Based Learning or Design Thinking courses. They can cross fertilize the inner and outward perspectives and experiences. They can enliven informal co-innovation initiatives while surfacing skill gaps and development needs. Whether by L&D events, coaching, or mentoring opportunities also exist in the edge.
In the edge, OD professionals can empower both their employees and the other players. They can stimulate synergy between internals and externals to reach their full potential. Thus, contributing to the growth not only of the organization but the industry as well.
The video below classifies the service providers into 3 types and describe our potential strategies for relating with them.
NOTES
More on boundary less organization design and tools here.
1. SPECIAL INVITATION TO OUR READERS IN THE PHILIPPINES. You are invited to share your opinion on the HR/OD Trends for presentation and discussion in our forthcoming ODLabs 2023 in Davao City on July 20 to 21. Share your voice here.
2. Event Announcement: ODLAB 2023: REIMAGINE OD. ODPN takes the lead in driving and inspiring a new direction for OD in the Philippines. Join us on July 20—21, 2023 in Davao. Connect to ODPN (odpnsecretariat@gmail.com) for a brochure, registration and sponsorship opportunities. Join us! the date!!!
3. Forthcoming ODPN Courses for OD Professionals
Dr. Joy Calleja OD Diagnosis, September 6 (In-Person)
Dr. Josephine Perez Process Observation and Analysis, October TBA
Dr Melissa S Reyes Designing OD Interventions November 16 (In-Person)
6. Dr. Ed Canela’s Forthcoming Course
AI for OD Practitioners, July 15 and 22, 2023, (2 Saturdays, online, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm) for Php 5,000 Southeast Asia Interdisciplinary Development Institute (SAIDI) Graduate School of Organizational Development and Planning. Email interest to Ms. Cynthia Cruz.