Masters Certificate in Organization Development and Change

The Masters Certificate in Organization Development and Change has been designed to help you be confident in your ability to assess a consulting situation in collaboration with the client, and provide the most appropriate intervention from an array of many in your repertoire.

It will encourage you to be acutely aware of your own consulting style, preferences and skills, and know when to offer them and when to refer to others. You will become a more reflective practitioner who is constantly learning about yourself, your clients and the field – able to build on your own strengths and be honest about your areas for development. You will be genuine and transparent with others – seeing who you are personally as the key instrument for change.

You will work from a theory/practice integration as an increasingly skillful professional who is able to explain your practice choices from a strong theory base. Finally, you will leave with a cohort of colleagues from whom you can continue to draw support, as you take your skills and knowledge into the world, with the intention of making it a more humane, equitable, peaceful and growth-enhancing place. I expect that this learning experience will be one of your most valued – both during the program and as it contributes to your on-going work as a professional.

What you will learn

• An understanding of the work of OD, including strategy development, restructuring and culture change
• Applied knowledge of both group and system dynamics
• Practical skills to support change at every level of the organization
• Clear awareness of the impact of your own leadership style, approach and values – as an “instrument of change”
• An understanding of the role of the OD professional in aligning leadership, learning, people systems, organizational structures and processes
• An ability to manage strategic priorities and goals to help develop organizational agility
• Insight into advanced OD theories and disciplines that have shaped it
• Skills in strategic business analysis and business acumen from the viewpoint of the OD professional
• Learn to build a compelling business case to help executives and other stakeholders use OD to meet business goals
• An opportunity to apply all of the above within a client/consultant relationship in an actual workplace setting

Course content details

Module 1 2 days

OD and Change Essentials*

A required component in preparation for the 5-day OD and Change Intensive, this course is an opportunity to see if the OD and change field is for you

You will receive help in applying your learning to your own work situation and career goals. The program addresses three fundamental questions:

What is OD?

• Roots of OD and how they have influenced the field today
• Definitions, values, beliefs and common approaches

Who am I as an Instrument of Change?

• Roles of a change agent and which most suit you
• OD competencies: personal assessment and goal-setting

What is OD and Change in Action?

• Research in practice
• Step-by-step experiential case study

*Applicants who have previously completed this component through CODI are not required to take this session.

Module 2 5 days

OD and Change Intensive

This program component is designed to prepare you for the complex work of designing and facilitating organization development and change to solve complex business and organizational issues. It is taught in two class sessions, supported by an on-line learning community.

3-day Session

An Overview of Organization Development (OD)

• OD frameworks, theories and methodologies and how they have shaped our workplace
• The role of the OD practitioner in aligning leadership, learning, people systems, organizational structure and processes, and relationships, with its strategic priorities and goals
• The dynamics of learning and change in individuals and organizations
• Understanding of “self as an instrument of change”, including awareness of your values and styles

Understanding the Consulting Role and the Dynamics of Consulting Relationships

• The consulting role in detail, including the similarities and differences between the role of the internal and external consultant
• The consulting process, including entry and contracting, gathering and analyzing data, presenting data to the client group and developing shared diagnoses and interventions
• Building trust and managing expectations with the client
• Understanding various styles of consulting and learning more about your own consulting style
• The dynamics of consulting relationships, including working with power, influence and politics
• Learning how to use models as tools for assessment and intervention

2-day session

Understanding Systems Change and OD Interventions

• Systems theory and approaches to change
• Working with people to envision the “what” and “how” of change
• Designing interventions for team, intra-department and organizational settings
• Using tools and developing customized approaches
• Using criteria for assessing OD interventions

Module 3 4 days

Business Acumen for OD Professionals

This 4-day module is designed to develop the strategic business analysis and business acumen of OD professionals. You will develop an advanced understanding of how business works, how to think as the CEO does, and how to manage and influence the bottom line.

Part 1 – Strategic Business Management

Learn how OD can help an organization achieve strategic and operational agility by deepening your knowledge of:

• Organizational structures, systems, functions and processes
• The link between business strategy and competitive advantage
• Key elements of an organization’s value proposition
• The role of OD within the operating model of an organization
• How OD adds value to organizational strategies
• Critical thinking about corporate change scenarios
• Communicating effectively with executives and line managers

Part 2 – Building a Successful Business Case

• Learn the essential building blocks of “making a business case” and how to present a compelling case to stakeholders. Learn how to:
• Craft and deliver a story about how to meet a business need
• Understand the organization’s evaluation criteria
• Identify what your stakeholders care about and clarify the need
• Align your business case with strategic goals
• Analyze cost, benefits, risks and opportunities
• Calculate the return on investment
• Tactics for influencing senior executives and line managers

Module 4 6 days

Practicum in OD and Change OD Practicum

In the OD Practicum, you will apply your OD knowledge and skills in a real client/consultant relationship. Closely mentored by an on-site OD professional, you will provide consulting services to a group or organization, and demonstrate your ability to:

• Understand a situation with which you are unfamiliar or largely unfamiliar
• Create energy for organizational/individual change and improvement
• Collaborate with a client group, and with a learning partner (another Practicum participant)
• Demonstrate ethical awareness related to OD
• Receive, and if possible, apply feedback and guidance from a local Field Guide/Mentor

As theory and practice are integrally related in the field of OD, your Practicum will be a time of both action and reflection. You will select ideas and theories taught earlier in the program streams, try them out and explore how the ideas and practices can inform each other. The OD Practicum will require a minimum of six days of your time, over approximately seven months.

The Practicum site is of your own choosing, and may be your own place of work, but not within your actual paid role. Since your Practicum is intended to be an opportunity for you to offer a valuable contribution to an organization AND to grow and develop as a reflective OD practitioner, your interests, and the needs of your chosen group or organization will determine the nature of the practical OD work you undertake. You may or may not be able to carry out a full OD intervention within the time available.

The Practicum consists of the following five phases:

• An evening orientation with the Practicum leaders and your peer support group
• Client Selection
• Implementation
• On-going note-taking and written reflection
• Separation/closure