January Meeting: OCA 2010 Planning with Open Space

January 7th, 2010

Date:  Saturday, January 23, 2010

Time:  9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Eastern

Location:  Atlanta Community Food Bank

Details:

When the OCA steering committee asked the members what OCA does well, they said, “Facilitating networking and learning from each other.”

When the steering committee asked the members what OCA could do better, they said, “Facilitate networking and learning from each other.”

Join us on January 23rd to discuss the results of the OCA 2009 planning survey and topics about which you are passionate.

We will review what you said about how OCA is and is not meeting your needs. Then we will ask for your ideas and help in moving OCA forward. Lastly, we will have a modified Open Space meeting. We will take your questions, problems, and discussion topics and work on those in groups of your choosing.

If you are currently looking for a position in the field of organization development, I would encourage you to attend. One of our work groups will focus on that specific topic.

The meeting will be facilitated by Ken Koves, senior program manager in Organization Effectiveness at the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations and the 2010 OCA chair.

So bring your ideas and be ready to both share and listen on January 23 at the Atlanta Community Food Bank.

Register >

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Join us for OCA’s 2010 New Year Party on Jan 24!

January 5th, 2010

We are pleased to announce OCA’s 2010 New Year Party on Jan 24, 2010.

The Organization Change Alliance (OCA) is hosting a party for all professionals working in OD, HR, human capital, training and
development, coaching, and related fields, and their guests. Please join us for a relaxed evening of socializing and professional networking. This event is a great opportunity to connect with colleagues and make new business connections in a no pressure environment.

The party will be held on Sunday, January 24, 2010 from 6 to 9 pm in the beautiful Garden room at Mudcatz in The Shops of Dunwoody at 5510 Chamblee Dunwoody Road in Dunwoody, GA  30338. Flavorful Cajun Cuisine in the New Orleans style will be provided.

The cost is $20 per person in advance (credit card or check) and $25 (cash or check) at the door.

For planning purposes, we recommend advanced registration. Click on the link below to register online and reserve your seat.

Register

The event details are as follows:

Organization:  Organization Change Alliance

Event Name:  OCA 2010 New Year Party

Date(s):  January 24, 2010, 06:00 PM to 09:00 PM

Location:  Mudcatz

Click Here For Detail:  Event Information

We look forward to seeing you there!

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December Meeting: Building a Cooperative Work Environment

December 15th, 2009

Date:  Friday, December 18, 2009

Time:  9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Eastern

Location:  Atlanta Community Food Bank

Atlanta-based consultant Robert Crow contends that tools like performance appraisals, ranking employees, contests, performance management, commission pay, MBO, and quotas, can have the opposite effect than that desired by management.Rather than stimulate growth, they add drag to the organization such as internal competition and an adversarial working environment.

Thus, the manager using these tools, even with good intention, may instead cause their organization to “crash with the nose up.”

Please join us for a dynamic and thought-provoking experience.

Register >

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November Meeting: Successfully Changing Business Model for Competitive Advantage

November 14th, 2009

Atlanta-based consultant David Broussard specializes in helping organizations understand and transform their business models.

For example, in his work with medical practices, David’s work has created sustainable businesses, equity for partners, and better working conditions for employees. And if you think it’s easy to convince physicians to change – your’re wrong!

In this session, David will show how you can assess the underlying business model for the organization you are helping, as well as the different business models, and how they might apply.

He will share some examples of successful transformations that can help you with your clients.

Please join us for a dynamic and worthwhile experience.

Click here to register.

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Press Release: September 10, 2009

September 10th, 2009

LONG-TERM PARTNERSHIP WITH ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE EXPERTS LEADS ATLANTA COMMUNITY FOOD BANK TO MANAGEMENT EXCELLENCE

Atlanta, GA – Organization Change Alliance (OCA) meets on Friday, September 18 to present Learning & Service:  Atlanta Community Food Bank and OCA, a case study of the collaboration of the two not-for-profit groups since 1993.

“OCA and its members have helped us explore and implement best practices in most key areas of our organizational processes, all of which have significantly contributed to our achieving acknowledged excellence in management and service to our community,” says Rob Johnson, Chief Operating Officer at the Atlanta Community Food Bank (ACFB).  Since working with OCA, ACFB has been awarded the Community Foundation of Metropolitan Atlanta’s top award for management excellence, the Southeast Association of Facilitators (SEAF) Facilitation Impact Award, and was nominated for the Georgia Coach Association’s PRISM award.

OCA Chair Liisa Hardaloupas, M.O.D. will welcome both ACFB staff and OCA members to share their experiences over the last 16 years to build ACFB into a well-managed organization.

OCA’s monthly meeting will be held Friday, September 18th from 9 am to 12 noon at the Atlanta Community Food Bank. Registration is $20 for non-members.

OCA is the learning community of choice for Organization Development practitioners in metro Atlanta.  Formed in 1992, we come together to explore new topics, learn from one another and enhance our knowledge of Organization Development.

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Meeting Notes on The Future of OD

August 15th, 2009

DSCN0772We were pleased to welcome the Executive Director of OD Network, Dr. Peter Norlin, to our August OCA meeting on Saturday.  He joined us live via Skype and conference phone from Michigan (that’s him on the big screen TV).

Using the Whole-Scale(tm) Change model developed by Dannemiller Tyson and Associates, the meeting was designed to begin a dialogue about the future of the OD field and what that means for us as practitioners.  The results will lead into OCA’s strategic planning process.

Dr. Norlin shared with us his view on the future of the field.  Some predictions he made were:

  • There will be culture implications as organizations face having as many as 4 generations simultaneously at work.
  • Work will consist of employees that do not fit into organizational boundaries, due to outsourcing arrangements.
  • There will be a diffusion of OD expertise into different internal jobs in organizations.
  • As practitioners, we will need to help employees deal with escalating anxiety and fear, as change occurs more rapidly.

The second half of the meeting focused internally to answer the questions, “What does this mean to me?” and “What do I need from OCA?”  The answers to those questions, plus the results of a questionnaire to be sent to the rest of the OCA community, will be used to help OCA plot its path forward.

Thank you to those who participated!

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Press Release: August 14, 2009

August 14th, 2009

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
August 14, 2009

ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE EXPERTS HELP BOTH FOR-PROFIT AND NOT-FOR-PROFIT SECTORS SURVIVE THE ECONOMIC CRISIS AND CHANGING GLOBAL BUSINESS NEEDS

Atlanta, GA – Organization Change Alliance (OCA) meets this weekend to discuss the Future of Organization Development and how Organization Development practitioners are helping their clients meet new business challenges.

“The adjustments businesses are being forced to make due to the economy, and the changing nature of work, are driving the need for new and innovative strategies in managing organizations,” explains OCA Chair Liisa Hardaloupas, M.O.D., who will welcome speaker Peter Norlin, PhD., Executive Director of the OD Network to share his expert perspectives.

The field of Organization Development is attracting attention from companies who understand that internal dynamics are critical factors towards meeting strategic goals and improving overall effectiveness. “How we deal with (economic) turbulence effectively and how we help clients build resilience to handle change are just some of the forward-thinking topics we will address,” says Hardaloupas.

OCA’s monthly meeting will be held this Saturday, August 15th from 9 am to 12 noon at the Atlanta Community Food Bank. Registration is $20 for non-members.

OCA is the learning community of choice for Organization Development practitioners in metro Atlanta.  Formed in 1992, we come together to explore new topics, learn from one another and enhance our knowledge of Organization Development.

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Official Press Release

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August Meeting: The Future of OD: Moving into the Next Decade

August 9th, 2009

Date:  Saturday, August 15, 2009

Time:  9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Eastern

Location:  Atlanta Community Food Bank

Featuring:  Peter Norlin, PhD., Executive Director of the OD Network

Details:

Given everything going on in the economy, the way businesses are being forced to adjust, the changing nature of work, and the need for new and innovative strategies, we are asking ourselves:- How is the field of Organization Development changing in the next decade to respond to and support upcoming needs in organizations?- What organizational issues will OD professionals be required to address?

  • How will we help organizations find their way and navigate the changing landscape?
  • What will we need to do differently to assist organizations in not only surviving, but succeeding and thriving in this new uncertain environment?
  • Therefore, what do you need and want from OCA (your professional association and learning community)?

Join us for a lively discussion with our featured speaker and other OD experts, as we share perspectives about the future.

We encourage you to ponder these questions and post your thoughts in the comments below for the rest of our community to see and comment.

To stimulate your thinking, here are three articles you can read for some additional perspective. Dr. Marshak presented to OCA in July 2007.

Evolution of OD by Robert J. Marshak, Ph.D.

Challenges to OD by Robert J. Marshak, Ph.D.

Revisioning OD by Gervase R. Bushe, Ph.D. and Robert J. Marshak, Ph.D.

And – be sure to register for the meeting to ensure you can be part of the in-person conversation with our featured speaker and other experts in the room.

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Notes on Helping Organizations “Tune-Up” For the New Economy

July 25th, 2009

At our July 18th OCA monthly meeting, Jane Goldner, PhD, presented “Helping Organizations ‘Tune-Up’ For the New Economy.” With her 10 Point Checklist and attractive sports car metaphor, Jane encourages us to “get under the hood” of the organizations in which we work, and use the checklist to gear-up for high performance in the New Economy.

Through this easy to understand yet power-packed approach, and metaphorical use of the flashy sports car, Jane engaged us in conversation and case studies for helping organizations tune-up.

Many of us walked away with Jane’s new book on the subject for further reading.

There are 10 Checkpoints plus additional safety tips. We’ll name a few here. All of Jane’s slides are now available on our OCA website.  Members may access them here.

Checkpoint 1: Periodic Maintenance

Checkpoint 2: The Core, Chassis

Checkpoint 3: Leadership, Steering Wheel

Checkpoint 4: Customers, Engine

Checkpoint 5: Strategic Thinking, GPS System

Plus five additional Checkpoints…

For more information, visit www.thegoldnergroup.com.

Have your own notes or comments to add? Please share them using the comments section below.

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A Note from the Chair: The Future of OD

July 17th, 2009

Hello from the Chair,

As we reach the mid-year and celebrate current success in our own organization, we begin to look to the future both at a local level and at a national and international level.

Given everything going on in the economy, the way businesses are being forced to adjust, the changing nature of work, the need for new and innovative strategies, we are asking ourselves,

“How is the field of Organization Development changing in the next decade to respond to and support upcoming needs in organizations?”

What organizational issues will OD professionals be required to address?

How will we help organizations find their way and navigate the changing landscape?

What will we need to do differently to assist organizations in not only surviving, but succeeding and thriving in this new uncertain environment?

Jim Collins, author of Good to Great, interviewed in Inc. Magazine was asked what trends he sees in the next 30 years. He replied, “uncertainty, chaos, turbulence, and risk.”

If there will be even more chaos and confusion than there is now, what do we in the field of OD need to do now to prepare for the challenges of the next decade?

In August, our OCA monthly meeting is focused on “The Future of OD: Moving into the Next Decade.”
We will be exploring:

1. what experts are saying is coming in the next decade and beyond,
2. what we as OD practitioners need to be doing to prepare, and we also want to hear
3. what we, as OCA, need to offer in terms of support to our members during this changing environment

To start the dialogue, we are excited to utilize our new blog.  I, as your Chair, have experimented with blogging and can say, it’s easy after getting over the initial hurdle of trying it.

I invite each of you to engage in this blog dialogue about “The Future of OD: Moving into the Next Decade.”

Where are we headed?
What do you see as the biggest challenges OD professionals will need to address in the next 10 years?
What changes in the landscape will impact how we work?
What impact will technology have on how we connect with our client organizations and how we provide our services?
What QUESTIONS should we be asking ourselves as we begin to look at the future?

Please post your questions, thoughts and ponderings. Also post any resources you know of that could give all of us more insight into how to prepare and pave the way for organizations to be successful in the coming years.

Looking forward to reading your posts!  And continuing the dialogue in our August monthly meeting!

Best regards,

Liisa Hardaloupas, M.O.D., Chair
Organization Change Alliance

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