Core Values and Ethics of Organization Development Chapter 3

Defining Values

• Values are enduring beliefs that guide our thinking and behavior, and are relatively stable and enduring from situation to situation.
• Values express what a person believes should happen or ought to happen, and are organized into a person's value system, which is a learned organization of rules for making choices and for resolving conflicts.

Importance of Values to the OD Practitioner

• Values are significant for organization development because they are the underlying beliefs that are enduring and broader than any single consulting engagement or intervention.
• Values have been a part of the field since its founding, and have held such an important place in the practice of OD that the field has been somewhat derisively referred to as a "religious movement".
• Values guide choices about how to proceed and provide a larger vision that extends beyond any individual intervention.

Core Values of Organization Development

• Humanistic assumptions underlie the core values of the field, including respect, trust, and a belief in personal growth and satisfaction.
• Humanistic values also include a belief in the equity and equality of people, democratic principles, and a belief in human dignity and worth.
• The core values of OD include:
  • Providing opportunities for people to function as human beings rather than as resources in the productive process.
  • Providing opportunities for each organization member to develop to their full potential.
  • Seeking to increase the effectiveness of the organization in terms of all of its goals.
  • Attempting to create an environment in which it is possible to find exciting and challenging work.
  • Providing opportunities for people in organizations to influence the way in which they relate to work, the organization, and the environment.
  • Treating each human being as a person with a complex set of needs, all of which are important in their work and in their life.

Group and Team Values

• Groups are the fundamental components of an organization, and are often the primary focus of interventions.
• Members of organizations often belong to interdependent teams, organized by function or level.
• Group effectiveness depends on the group taking on major tasks and maintenance responsibilities of the leader.
• Successful team functioning is crucial for system-wide success.

Growth, Development, and Learning

• OD emphasizes growth, development, and learning, which differentiates it from most other management and consulting work.
• OD values include a focus on personal effectiveness, challenge, learning, fulfillment, and satisfaction.

Authenticity, Openness, and Trust

• Authenticity means being straightforward, genuine, honest, and truthful about one's plans, opinions, and motivations.
• Authentic leadership demands consistency in words and actions as followers look to leaders' behavior to assess whether their talk is forthright and can be trusted.
• Leaders demonstrate trust by giving employees information.

Changes to Values Over Time and the Value Debate

• The humanistic roots of organization development began with its foundation as a field interested in individual growth and self-awareness.
• Recently, there has been a shift towards organization effectiveness, with a greater emphasis on business results and bottom-line outcomes.
• However, values related to the external environment, such as caring for the natural environment and enhancing corporate citizenship, have ranked lower in importance.

Statement of Organization Development Ethics

• Ethics guide practitioners in implementing and enacting values, based on underlying values.
• A statement of ethical guidelines for OD professionals was published in 1990, which includes client-centered values.
• However, ethical conflicts do occur for OD professionals, which will be explored in later chapters.

Summary

• OD values are crucial for practitioners, distinguishing it from other consulting methods.
• OD values include participation, empowerment, growth, learning, and trust.
• OD values emphasize dialogue, collaboration, authenticity, openness, and trust in organizational members.
• Business effectiveness has been added to humanistic concerns, including quality, productivity, and efficiency.
• However, this may conflict with OD's traditional values, as practitioners must navigate economic and cultural forces that may lead to neglecting the values underpinning these techniques.