Organizational Design,
Diagnosis, and Development
Session 16
Human Process Interventions, I
Objectives
• To understand the rationale for human
process interventions
• To review individual level human
process interventions
• To examine the effectiveness for human
process interventions in producing
change
T-Group Objectives
• Increased understanding of your own
behavior and how it effects others.
• Increased understanding and sensitivity to
other’s behavior
• Increased understanding of group processes
• Increased diagnostic skills
• Increased ability to transfer learning into
action
T-Groups
• Small groups of trainees
• Off-site training for 3-4 days
• Activities promote greater
understanding of self and others
• Initially no goals or agenda
• Intention is to call attention to group
process and interpersonal behaviors
Utility of T-Groups
• When conducted with a highly trained
professional members show increased
openness and flexibility
• When conducted with an unskilled
trainer, harm can follow
• Structured T-groups have more impact
on organizational effectiveness than
non-structured ones.
Conflict & Third Party
Intervention
• Conflict is a process that occurs when a person
or group believes that others have or will take
action that is at odds with their own goals and
interests.
• Costs of conflict: Disruption of productivity,
Negative emotions and stress, Stereotyping,
Faulty decision making
• Benefits of conflict: Discussion of problems,
Basis for change, Increase in motivation and
loyalty
Organizational Sources of
Conflict
Differences in
Power, Status,
Culture
Group
Identification
Conflict
Competition over
Scarce Resources
Ambiguity over
Jurisdiction
Interpersonal Causes of
Conflict
Faulty
Attribution
Faulty
Communication
Conflict
Competitive
Reward
Systems
Personal
Characteristics
Facilitating Resolution for
Organizational Conflict
• Bargaining & Negotiation -- the process in
which the parties in dispute make offers
and counter offers
• Mediation and Arbitration -- third party
intervention
• Superordinate Goals -- commonality is
seen in goals and the solution is greater
than either parties’ initial goal
Facilitating Resolution for
Interpersonal Conflict
• Changing behavior
– Enforcing rules,
– Separation
– Coping strategies
• Changing attitudes
– Changing attributions
– Improving communication
Backwards & Forwards
• Summing up: Today we examine two
approaches to human process intervention: Tgroups and third party intervention. In the
process of examining third party intervention,
we looked at organizational and interpersonal
conflict.
• Looking ahead: Next time we will continue to
examine human process interventions by
studying group and organizational level
approaches.