February 2009

Host: Duke Corporate Education

Theme: What is OD’s role in a recession? Why should Board still invest in OD? What do people really need as they go through change?

At this meeting, we had some thought provoking discussions about current times about OD in a recession, touching on:

• the importance of the long term employee value proposition as companies ask people to take pay cuts
• the increase in virtual learning methods and impacts of travel bans
• as global organisations noticing the different buoyancy outside Europe e.g. in India and Latin America
• OD’s role as due diligence to ask the awkward questions – avoiding emperor’s clothes
• the value of outcome measures for effectiveness in matrix organisations and knowing where the power lies (plus use of outcome measure in a different sector:- http://www.homelessoutcomes.org.uk/ mentioned by Ian Gee)
• identified some organisational dilemmas of current times – e.g. short term v long term, top down quick decisions v consultative approaches around cost savings to ensure buy-in, need for innovation v more risk averse times  

June 2009

Host: Diageo

Theme: Engagement through Social Networking

September 2009

Host: University of Westminster 

Theme: The resurgence of LEAN: is LEAN an OD approach? How do OD and HR work successfully with LEAN?

Network members from Diageo and DWP shared examples of good practice in using LEAN and working with OD.  Other topics raised and discussed about LEAN as an OD approach included:

• Often driven / introduced by Information Systems function so a strong need for OD / HR to partner with them effectively, and work with intent behind initiative.
• The label of LEAN can creates negative expectations of cuts and so it can be more effective to brand differently – e.g. perfect plant initiative in one of the organisations present.
• Importance of focusing on customer and aligning process with customer needs, which can raise cultural issues about what customer service is e.g. shift to self service from focus on meeting customer needs in airline industry.
• Focusing on LEAN has brought silos together – e.g. production and sales, understanding different demands such as supply chain vs demands of supermarkets as customer for delivering to order.
• Cross functionally working through LEAN needs OD support.
• Can be that Finance and HR don’t get involved early enough in process.
• Whose evidence counts in LEAN process?
• OD role is about conversations you have, dialogue about common intent and purpose – to be challenger, and to be a translator of ideas into organisation in a way that fits culture.

November 2009

“Performance Metrics - How can HR / OD get smarter about working with data purposefully?”

Geraldine Fraser at Diageo presented a detailed and fascinating look at their performance metrics and how they have used a very practical approach , at board level to show measures for HR and Organisation Effectiveness, and influence change.

Measures for OE included :

1. Organisation competiveness
2. Effective working, simplicity, pace and agility
3. Change management goals
4. High performance culture
5. Employer reputation

She also shared the HR global scorecard used internally. Lessons included- keeping it simple for the board - 1 page , the value of HR professionals being able to talk with senior mangers using metrics and the consequent buy in from the executive.