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Chapter 4
Role and Style of
the OD Practitioner
TEST QUESTIONS
True/False Questions
1. The OD practitioner must deal reactively with changing competitive forces.
2. External practitioners have greater freedom of operation than internal practitioners.
3. An internal practitioner has more leverage than an external practitioner.
4. The external-internal practitioner team is one of the least effective approaches to
facilitate a change program.
5. The analyzer style of practitioner includes low emphasis on effectiveness and high
emphasis on morale.
6. One of the functions of an OD practitioner is to assist in an analysis of problem areas
and in planning change strategies.
7. A practitioner utilizing the pathfinder style uses several processes, which include
group problem solving and decision making and communications.
8. OD practitioners operate from one basic style and approach, that of the pathfinder
style, regardless of the client system.
9. It is a mistake for an OD practitioner to assume that all organizations must and
should have an OD program simply because most organizations can benefit greatly
from one.
10. The client target system is the element of organizational unit(s) to be changed.
11. The OD process practitioner operates on the belief that the individual who is a part of
the sociotechnical system is the basic building block of an organization.
12. A basic assumption underlying the OD practitioner’s role holds that it is the
responsibility of the practitioner to identify problems, perform diagnosis, and solve
problems of the client system.
13. Within the first stage of building a practitioner-client relationship includes forming
initial perceptions and assessments.
14. Once an impression is made, that impression is difficult to change.
15. Closure refers to the tendency of an individual to be closed-minded to new
information.
16. The practitioner’s style is influenced by the target organization’s readiness for
change, level of resistance, and culture.
17. When an OD practitioner acts authentically, he/she is practicing “do as I say, not as I
do.”
18. When the basic value system of the OD practitioner is not compatible with the
organization’s culture, it is incumbent upon the practitioner not to enter into a
relationship with the client.
19. In the gamesmanship mode, members measure high on shared ideas and low on
responsibility.
20. The formalization of a contract and the operating ground rules includes the fees,
point of contact, the schedule, and confidentiality of data or information.
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21. An OD practitioner would consider a client’s attempt at manipulation as a critical
warning signal.
Multiple-Choice Questions
22. The phrase “firefighting” is used to describe which type of organizational change?
a. random or haphazard
b. internal environment
c. improvement promotion
d. organization development
e. none of the above
23. Which of the following does NOT represent an OD approach to change?
a. identifying a gap between the current situation and the desired situation
b. random or haphazard change
c. determining where the organization currently is
d. taking into consideration long-range implications
e. none of the above
24. Which of the following is more likely to be true about the external practitioner than
about the internal practitioner?
a. has increased leverage
b. knows who to see in the organization to get information
c. is highly knowledgeable of the organization’s technology
d. is more aware of external market and competitive conditions
e. answers a and d
25. Which of the following is NOT true regarding OD practitioners?
a. Internal practitioners may be biased and less objective than external
practitioners.
b. External practitioners usually have less influence than internal
practitioners.
c. External practitioners are frequently an unknown quantity in terms of
actual abilities and effectiveness.
d. Internal practitioners can have the disadvantage of being seen as part of
the problem.
e. External practitioners can bring objectivity to the organization.
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26. Advantages of external practitioners over internal practitioners include the following:
a. greater objectivity
b. positive role
c. more technical knowledge and skill
d. more experience in dealing with diverse problems
e. all of the above
27. An advantage of an external practitioner over an internal practitioner is _____.
a. more experience with the power structure
b. a willingness to compromise
c. an independence from structural authority levels
d. all of the above
e. answers b and c
28. Which of the following is more likely to be true of an internal practitioner as opposed
to an external practitioner?
a. familiar with the client system
b. not affected by the existing power network
c. independent of the organization for promotions
d. brings in a new perspective
e. knowledgeable of other industries
29. The internal practitioner has certain advantages over the external practitioner. Which
one of the following is an advantage of the internal practitioner?
a. not affected by the organization’s power structure
b. specialized practitioner skills
c. objective at looking at situations
d. not familiar with the organization’s norms
e. knowledgeable of the organization’s structure and workings
30. The use of an external-internal practitioner team _____.
a. is a duplication of resources
b. is required in order to provide the necessary influence to initiate change
c. will provide close adherence to top management’s requirements
d. is probably the most-effective approach
e. all of the above
31. Prior knowledge of informal organizational values, norms, and processes is an
advantage in using a(n) _____.
a. stabilizer style practitioner
b. external practitioner
c. analyzer style practitioner
d. internal practitioner
e. all of the above
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32. Often the most effective change program utilizes the _____.
a. external practitioner
b. external-internal practitioner team
c. persuader style of practitioner
d. stabilizer style of practitioner
e. internal practitioner
33. The practitioner style that gives primary emphasis to employee relationships and
morale is the _____ style.
a. stabilizer
b. analyzer
c. persuader
d. cheerleader
e. pathfinder
34. The practitioner who works in the stabilizer style tries to _____.
a. keep from rocking the boat
b. maintain a low profile
c. emphasize efficiency
d. answers a and b
e. answers b and c
35. An analyzer practitioner usually _____.
a. emphasizes effectiveness
b. uses a rational approach to problem solving
c. relies heavily on quantitative measures
d. all of the above
e. answers b and c
36. A practitioner style that seeks both a high degree of effectiveness and high member
satisfaction, believing that effectiveness is possible when all members are involved
and when problem solving is accomplished through teamwork, is the _____ style.
a. analyzer
b. cheerleader
c. persuader
d. stabilizer
e. pathfinder
37. High effectiveness and high member satisfaction characterize the _____ practitioner
style. a. pathfinder
b. cheerleader
c. stabilizer
d. persuader
e. analyzer
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38. In the pathfinder style, confrontation and conflict _____.
a. are unnecessary practices
b. are negative reinforcement
c. are a means to problem solving if used properly
d. are the best means of gaining organizational consensus
e. are effectively used by a practitioner using the persuader style
39. The role of the practitioner will most often depend on _____.
a. the nature of the change
b. the structure of the organization
c. the involvement of management
d. the goals of the employees
e. the degree of team work of the organization members
40. The best practitioner style is the _____ style.
a. pathfinder
b. analyzer
c. persuader
d. cheerleader
e. none of the above
41. In the intervention process, there will ideally be established a _____ relationship
between the practitioner and the client.
a. collaborative
b. psychological
c. friendly
d. social
e. competitive
42. The relationship between the practitioner and the client should be _____.
a. competitive
b. challenging
c. cordial
d. collaborative
e. undefined so as to remain open to change
43. The practitioner-client relationship _____.
a. sets the tone of the program
b. includes the organizational unit to be studied
c. should be planned and developed
d. all of the above
e. answers a and c
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44. The function of the OD practitioner in the intervention process includes _____.
a. operating in an expert manner so that the client will accept the
knowledge and professionalism of the practitioner
b. defining clearly the problem and solution for the client
c. quickly defining the problem for the client in order to gain the client’s
confidence
d. all of the above
e. none of the above
45. Before starting an OD project, the practitioner should obtain answers to which of the
following?
a. Are the key people involved?
b. Are the learning goals of OD appropriate?
c. Is the cultural state of the client system ready for OD?
d. all of the above
e. none of the above
46. Essential to the practitioner relationship and problem identification is _____.
a. determining who the “real” client is
b. support by all lower-echelon employees
c. friendly interaction
d. being perceived as an expert
e. all of the above
47. Helping the client organization to improve its own skills and problem-solving
abilities _____.
a. is unnecessary if you are using an internal practitioner
b. is an objective of practitioners in most cases
c. is applied only in extreme instances
d. is a worthy objective but seldom sought by the practitioner
e. none of the above
48. Dependency of the client upon the practitioner _____.
a. is typically a factor at the beginning of the client-practitioner relationship
b. often lessens between the client and practitioner as the relationship
continues
c. denotes a problem in any client-practitioner relationship
d. all of the above
e. answers a and b
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49. Criteria used in choosing whether or not to form a client/practitioner relationship are
_____. a. congruence of values between the client and the practitioner
b. client system attitudes toward OD
c. appropriateness of OD to solve the system’s problems.
d. all of the above
e. answers a and c
50. The process of selecting an appropriate practitioner is usually one of _____.
a. compromise
b. collective bargaining
c. mutual assessment
d. reading of the practitioner’s resume and recommendations
e. none of the above
51. The screening of information to form perceptions is known as _____.
a. biased viewpoints
b. restrained opinions
c. selective perception
d. interpretation
e. closure
52. The process when an individual perceives more than is actually apparent is _____.
a. interpretation
b. closure
c. disruptive conditioning
d. selective perception
e. answers a and d
53. Closure can best be described as _____.
a. a process involved with perception to block out any unfavorable facts
b. a process involved with perception where missing information is filled in
c. to analyze carefully the perception
d. all of the above
e. none of the above
54. Factors that contribute to an individual’s perceptions are _____.
a. stress and pressure one is working under
b. past experiences
c. types of incentives or rewards involved
d. all of the above
e. none of the above
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55. Communication responses useful to the practitioner in developing a trust relationship
include _____.
a. giving advice
b. self-disclosure and reflection on what the client has stated
c. advising the client on what the problem is so the client will gain
confidence of the practitioner’s abilities
d. a combination of these factors
e. none of the above
56. Most OD practitioners agree that an open and _____ relationship between the
practitioner and the client is desirable.
a. long-lasting
b. agreeable
c. spontaneous
d. trusting
e. all of the above
57. Where members keep their true feelings about self-fulfillment and organizational
effectiveness to themselves is a practitioner-client relationship mode based upon
_____. a. gamesmanship
b. charisma
c. consensus
d. fear
58. When a skeptical, passive view by client members of an OD program is present, it is
identified as the _____ mode of client-practitioner relationship.
a. apathetic
b. power
c. integrative
d. charismatic
e. integrative
59. In the practitioner-client relationship modes, which of the following is the most
preferred and includes high responsibility with a complete openness of sharing ideas
and feelings?
a. integrative
b. gamesmanship
c. consensus
d. charismatic
e. empathetic
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60. Four possible modes in the practitioner-client relationship are _____.
a. the compatible mode, the friendly mode, the consensus mode, and the
agreeable mode
b. the apathetic mode, the gamesmanship mode, the involved mode, and the
power mode
c. the apathetic mode, the power mode, the conflict mode, and the
charismatic mode
d. the apathetic mode, the gamesmanship mode, the charismatic mode, and
the motivated mode
e. none of the above
61. Eric Neilsen has identified four possible modes in the practitioner-client relationship.
Which of the following is NOT one of them?
a. the apathetic mode
b. the gamesmanship mode
c. the consensus mode
d. the charismatic mode
e. the empathetic mode
62. There is an open sharing of ideas and feelings between members in the _____
practitioner-client mode.
a. agreeable
b. power
c. consensus
d. charismatic
e. empathetic
63. The most constructive mode between a practitioner and a client to further
organizational change is _____.
a. apathetic
b. gamesmanship
c. consensus
d. charismatic
e. integrative
64. What is normally part of the client-practitioner contract?
a. the point of contract
b. the role of the change agent
c. the fees
d. all of the above
e. none of the above
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65. The external practitioner should enter into a formal contract with the client to _____.
a. determine the fees and the number of hours to work
b. state anticipated results
c. detail operating ground rules
d. all of the above
e. answers b and c
66. Warning signals for the practitioner to look out for are_____.
a. superficial commitment to change
b. level of power to influence change
c. being used as a weapon for one member of the client organization against
another
d. all of the above
e. none of the above
Essay Questions
67. What are the elements in a system’s view of the change relationship? Explain.
See Figure 4.4. The external and internal practitioners are elements. The client
contact or sponsor within the organization is another element. Other elements
include the OD program goals and the client target(s). Encompassing all of these
elements is the culture and climate of the organization which is the objective of the
change program.
68. How can the relationship of mutual trust between the client and the practitioner be
facilitated? Why is it necessary?
Openness and trust are essential for cooperation and communications. The OD
practitioner uses many processes to facilitate developing a trust relationship
including: (a) questions, (b) applied expertise, (c) reflection, (d) interpretation, (e)
self-disclosure, and (f) silence. The effective and balanced use of these responses in
important in developing the practitioner-client relationship.
69. Of the four practitioner-client relationship modes (apathetic, gamesmanship,
charismatic, and consensus), which do you think is preferred for an effective OD
program? Support your position.
See Figure 4.8. Consensus is the preferred mode. It registers high on both
responsibility and shared ideas and feelings. This mode will foster an open and
honest exchange between the client and the practitioner.
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70. Describe an ideal OD practitioner-client relationship. Contrast this with the worst
possible-case scenario.
See Figure 4.8. Consensus would be preferred. Apathetic would be the worst-case
scenario. This mode is low on both responsibility and low on shared ideas and
feelings.
71. Why is it necessary to establish a contractual agreement between the external
practitioner and the client organization?
It defines roles and procedures including the point of contract, the role of the
practitioner, fees, schedule, anticipated results, operating ground rules,
confidentiality of information, and other items.