Organizational development is a process that helps organizations to reach their full potential. According to Schein's book, “Organizational Culture and Leadership”, there are four stages of an organization's development: creating, building, maturing, and changing. Each stage requires different leadership strengths and approaches. The forming stage is when the team is first created and the members are introduced to each other.
During this stage, it is important to establish rules, ethics, task delegation, hierarchy, responsibilities, objectives and deadlines, evaluation criteria, and reward systems. This is also a time when conflicts may arise over leadership, structure, power, and authority. The training stage is a brainstorming session to decide on the rules and regulations of the organization. It is important to ensure that all team members are aware of their respective roles and responsibilities. This stage can be one of the most common triggers for work stress. The acting stage is when the team spirit, unity, and high efficiency are achieved.
All team members are well aware of their respective roles and contribute to the common cause. The work moves forward smoothly thanks to the team's skills and determination to solve problems. The changing stage is when restructuring your management team can lead to a better organizational development process and better organizational performance over time. The main activities that occur at this stage include hiring workers, developing products and services, and accumulating capital. Organizational development consultants facilitate this type of organizational change. The organizational development process is carried out through several programs that are designed to help people develop skills that lead to greater productivity or to improved relationships with others.
One of the most important aspects when implementing an organizational development plan is action planning. The organizational development process is based on the principle that organizations are complex systems that are constantly changing. Therefore, it is essential for management to know the phase the organization is in, to consider the priorities of that stage, and to make the right decisions that will produce the desired result. A well-designed organizational development process must be aligned with the company's strategy, goals, and objectives. The main stakeholders are both internal and external. Understanding the life cycle of the organization is fundamental to its management because if necessary measures are not taken to maintain its operations, it can collapse even before achieving its purpose or objectives. There are many different ways to approach organizational development but the most important thing is to be aware of the need for change in order to avoid stagnation or decline.
The goal of organizational development in general is to promote the well-being of its employees, increase overall productivity, and provide an environment that encourages employees at all levels to reach their full potential in order to meet the organization's objectives. Organizational development involves four distinct stages: forming, training, acting, and changing. Each stage requires different leadership strengths and approaches in order for organizations to reach their full potential. It is essential for management to understand each phase of an organization's life cycle in order to make informed decisions that will produce desired results. Action planning is a key component of any successful organizational development plan as it helps ensure that all stakeholders are on board with any changes being made. Organizational development consultants can help organizations navigate these four stages by providing guidance on how best to implement changes in order to achieve desired outcomes.
By understanding each stage of an organization's life cycle and taking action accordingly, organizations can ensure they reach their full potential while promoting employee well-being and increasing overall productivity.