This paper was the winning entry in the 2017 research competition. Written by Gervase Bushe, Professor of Leadership and Organization Development at the Beedie School of Business, Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, the paper explores the proposition that OD only thrives under specific change conditions and is particularly well suited to certain kinds of issues. It…
People skilled in specialist technical or professional areas are often wary of taking on leadership roles. Those technical experts that do take the plunge often find a lack of development opportunities limits their success. Looking beyond the stereotypes, this practical research report builds a fuller, evidence based understanding of an expert as leader. Whether you…
This paper was a finalist in the 2016 Research Competition and explores the topic of collaboration and what it actually means in practice and what it takes to be successful. The paper sets out to address this, uncover ways in which organisations might improve their collaboration, and shed light on behaviours that can get in…
Most of the studies on trust in organisations have taken a cross-sectional approach (snapshot view) and looked at it at a single point in time. However, trust is a dynamic phenomenon and cross-sectional studies of trust are inadequate to meaningfully capture changes in trust and understand how it fluctuates over time in response to events…
If you search the phrase ‘compassion at work’ on the internet you will find numerous articles calling for more compassionate workplaces. It seems that although we know the value of compassion in our lives, we somehow manage to ignore it and find it difficult to be compassionate when we are at work. Some people may…
Coaching has become increasingly used within organisations to provide a learning experience for leaders and managers where complexity and change is ever increasing. Having to hold situations where no clear solution is immediately evident is often stressful for managers who historically deal with the certainty of process and outcome. Coaching can offer a broadening of…
Storytelling is receiving increasing attention in the management literature as a powerful tool for addressing many of today’s key leadership challenges, including articulating a clear vision and strategy, engaging employees, generating commitment to change and establishing trust in leaders. In this report we draw on existing literature and semi-structured interviews with senior leaders to examine…
How do employees view the trustworthiness of their organisation during change? What informs their judgments of organisational trustworthiness? What can leaders do to sustain trust during turbulent times of organisational change? What can HR/OD practitioners do? This research explores the employee view of organisational change, and in particular its impact on perceptions of trust. Three…
This report presents the main lessons from a review of 15 change programmes that took place over recent years across NHS South of England (previously NHS South West, NHS South Central and NHS South East Coast).It sets out to help build understanding of what needs to happen for successful change in the NHS and how…
In 2003 Roffey Park’s Management Agenda reported that 32% of respondent organisations have internal consultancy teams, and that the majority of those who do not, believe their organisation would benefit from creating one. Whilst most work on consultancy draws upon the external consultant as an example, writers accept that there are particular issues faced by consultants operating…
A research report focusing on the different approaches for developing and retaining organisational knowledge, including the different roles and responsibilities for effective knowledge management. It features six organisational case studies – including BBC, KPMG and PPP Healthcare – which highlight practical approaches to building sharing and retaining knowledge. The report also gives some insight into…
Using a range of methods including in-depth interviews, web and postal surveys to access the experiences of real virtual managers and their teams, this report examines what makes an excellent virtual manager. The report also gives some insight into what is different about managing a virtual workforce, why virtual arrangements are increasing and the type…
