Running Head: OD APPLICATION 1

Organizational Design and Development

LDR 686
Carl N. Zweifel
Siena Heights University

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Organization Design and Development
Introduction
Cummings and Worley (2009) indicate there are a number of theories in regards to
planned change and they refer to three of the planned change models Lewins, Action Research,
and Positive Model. This applications paper will focus on two of the models. The positive model
and Lewins change model, I will discuss these models and describe how I utilized them in one
of my activities to obtain a Positive Safety Culture.
Positive Model
In my role as a leader of my work group I have the responsibility for maintaining a
positive safety culture. Up until two years ago this work group went five years without a
recordable injury, since that time there has been three recordable injuries.
Initiate the Inquiry
This is the first step in determining what the subject for change should be. The focus is on
making changes that are vital to the organization. As I had mentioned the injury rate had
increased substantially and two of the employees required surgery to repair the damages that
were caused by the accidents. There are a number of reasons to reduce the injury rate as they
pertain to changes vital to the organization. When the employee is off of work productivity is
affected, worker compensation cost increase, and employee moral decreases.
Inquire into Best Practices
This phase is collecting the diagnostic information. Cummings and Worley (2009) state
before collecting diagnostic information, practitioners need to establish a relationship with those
who will provide and subsequently use it (pg. 121). When the accident rate started to increase a
Safety Culture Team was formed and I am part of this team. We have been working trying to
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build relationships with the employees in a number of ways. Employees were asked and
encouraged to participate on the team, organized events to inform the employees of progress
being made, and rewarded employees for reaching safety milestones. They also discuss the
nature of the relationship affects the quality and usefulness of the data collected (pg. 121).
As a team it was determined a survey, along with follow up group interviews, and
observations would be the best way to gather the data. I have been involved with Positive Safety
Culture Change for many years and attended workshops provided by Culture Change
Consultants. One of the workshops was Safety Leadership presented by Carrillo and Simon
(2005) they provided a survey that had been designed to interrupt the existing safety culture. We
choose to use this survey; I put a presentation together that informed the employees of the reason
for taking the survey and what the information would be used for.
Discover Themes
With the three data collection methods we were able to analyze the qualitative data from
the interviews and observations along with the quantitative data from the surveys. The use of the
surveys indicated a lack of trust, feeling of not being appreciated, and the value that safety first
was not one of the guiding principles. The observations indicated the employees know the safety
rules, the observation team used a check list of items to look for and determine if the employee
was using the proper work method, procedure, and or personal protective equipment.
The data collected from the interviews help determine a gap. I had mentioned two years
ago the injury rate was starting to increase, as the interview process continued through the groups
a theme became apparent. The employees had two changes take place and they have not
recovered emotionally from these. The first was the headquarters to the west had been closed and
the work force from there had been split between two other headquarters. With half of the
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employees coming to my work location, I share job duties with a fellow supervisor. The second
was shortly after that, a reorganization was announced but the details were not supplied for more
than six months. The employees were concerned about how the changes would affect their jobs
and could not get any information to envision the future, this broke their trust.
Envision a Preferred Future
Kouzes and Posner (1995) discuss the Five Fundamental Practices of Exemplary
Leadership and one of the fundamentals is Inspire a shared vision. Visions are the possibilities,
about desired futures. Theyre ideals, standards of excellence. As such, theyre expressions of
optimism and hope (pg. 97). As a team we took the information we had gathered and started to
brain storm what is the vision of the Safety Culture in the future.
Rath and Conchie (2008) state your optimism helps others look to the future with
anticipation. Talk about the future. Talk about what is possible (pg. 208). Our vision is an injury
free work place were everyone is a Safety Leader.
Design and Deliver Ways to Create the Future
Liedtka and Ogilvie (2011) discuss journey mapping these maps can depict the
customers actual or ideal journey. Either way, plotting its stages force you to focus on your
customer, rather than on the organization (pg. 61). When the employees are thought of as
customers of the Safety Culture Team it changed the dynamics of everyone thoughts. It became
clear a communication plan was needed to get information to the employees that the team had to
share.
This was the first step in the journey mapping. A three part plan was put together using
Email, newsletters, and text messaging. A large percentage of the employees have company
Email accounts so sending them the information via the Email and newsletter is an easy matter.
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The others that do not have email and do not report to the building on a daily basis are a
challenge to get them information. This is where text messaging is used they are sent a text
message anytime information is sent out, this message lets them know they have mail in their
mailbox.
The second step and the harder one to address was and is building trust. This is an
ongoing process Scott (2011) states only when we genuinely see the people who are important
to us can we hope to succeed as agents for positive change (pg.92). To impact employee
perceptions of trust it will take time and leadership skills. Davis, Skube, Hellervik, Gebelein, and
Sheard (1992) state the more you commit to developing and maintaining respectful, productive
relationships with others, the larger payoff in terms of motivation, commitment, and focus (pg.
200). They also go on with valuable tips to help build relationships, such as treating people with
respect, treating people fairly, and taking personal interest in your people.
Lewins Planned Change Model
As I move from the Positive Model, and the back ground of why the change was needed,
how we determined what change was needed, and who needs the change. I will discuss how the
change is being implemented. For this section of the change process, I like using Lewins
planned change model, it uses three steps.
Unfreeze
Cummings and Worley (2009) indicate change begins with introducing information that
shows discrepancies between behaviors desired by organization members and those behaviors
currently exhibited (pg. 24). It was apparent that we needed to build trust with the employees
Cloud (2006) discussed trust entering into another persons reality, validating it, and treating it
with respect builds connections (pg. 63). Meetings were set up with all the area employees to
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discuss the vision of the safety culture team. We let them know about our ideas of a positive
safety culture and listened to their thoughts of their personal safety. We wanted to take the first
step of building trust, open conversation.
Movement
Aamodt (2013) discusses Lewins three stage theory and dates. The organization takes
steps (e.g. training, new work processes) to move the organization to the desired state (pg. 507).
To move the employees to the desired state of being Safety Leaders the safety culture team
started by modeling the way. The team took an oath to be the Safety Leaders first and follow
what we are expecting the rest of the employees to develop into.
I stopped by a crew and they had started their work without providing a safe work site
with the use of traffic warning signs. I called the crew members together and discussed the
importance of setting up a safe work zone. After I discussed all the reasons needed to make a
safe work zone, I volunteered to carry one of the signs down the road and set it up while one of
the other crew members set up the other.
Refreezing
Robbins and Judge (2008) discuss the second and third steps and state the mere
introduction of change does not ensure that it will take hold. The new situation, therefore, needs
to be refrozen so it can be sustained over time (pg. 267). We are not to the point of refreezing,
but from what I have read if the third step is not instilled, the change will most likely not be
sustainable.
Conclusion
Robbins and Judge (2008) indicate one of the most well-documented findings from
studies of individual and organizational behavior is that organizations and their members resist
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change: (pg. 268). Knowing this information lets me know I will have a challenge making a
positive change.
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References
Aamodt, M. G. (2013). Industrial/Organizational Psychology. An applied approach, CA:
Cengage Learning
Carrllo, R. A. and Simon, S. I. (2005). Grassroots Safety Leadership. NY: Culture Change
Consultants, Inc.
Cummings, T. G. and Worley, C. G. (2009). Organization Development and Change. OH: South-
Western Cengage Learning
Davis, B. L., Skube, C. J., Hellervik, L. W., Gebelein, S. H., and Sheard, J. L. (1996). Successful
Managers Handbook. Development suggestions for todays managers, US: Personal
Decisions International
Dr. Cloud, H. (2006). Integrity. The courage to meet the demands of reality. NY: Harper
Kouzes, J. M. and Posner, B. Z. (1995). The Leadership Challenge. How to keep getting
extraordinary things done in organizations. CA: Jossey-Bass
Liedtka, J. and Ogilvie, T. (2011) Designing for Growth. A design thinking tool kit for managers.
NY: Columbia Business School Publishing
Rath, T. and Conchie, B. (2008). Strengths Based Leadership. Greet leaders, Teams, and Why
People Follo. NY: Gallup Press
Robbins, S. P. and Judge, T. A. (2008). Essentials of Organizational Behavior. NJ: Pearson
Prentice Hall
Scott, S. (2011). Fierce Conversations. Achieving Success at Work and in Life One Conversation
at a Time. NY: Berkley Publishing Company