Deck 9: An Introduction to Interventions

Question 1

Which stage is arguably the most formal and structured opportunity for organizational change?

A) Data gathering
B) Diagnosis
C) Intervention
D) Contracting

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Which of the following considerations in selecting the right intervention strategy relates to the "principle of congruence"?

A) Matching the intervention to the data and diagnosis
B) Considering client readiness for change
C) Deciding where to intervene first
D) Considering depth of intervention

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Perhaps the individuals who had the most knowledge or responsibility for making the change occur were not included; this is in relation to which of the reasons why interventions fail?

A) implementing an event rather than a program
B) unclear or overambitious goals
C) poorly designed intervention
D) ownership not transferred to client

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Which of the following considerations in selecting the right intervention strategy begins with asking systematic questions to come up with improved judgements and choices?

A) Considering client readiness for change
B) Deciding where to intervene first
C) Considering depth of intervention
D) Considering sequence of activities

Question 5

For example, cutting customer complaints in half is a description of which reason why interventions fail?

A) wrong intervention
B) poorly designed intervention
C) wrong intervention
D) unclear or overambitious goals

Question 6

Which role of the change agent is defined as pointing out what has been said, heard, or learned to enhance group or individual awareness?

A) Gatekeeping
B) Diagnostic
C) Architectural
D) Mobilizing

Question 7

When a change agent leaves and the organizational members return to their previous ways, this is a reason why interventions fail to occur:

A) wrong intervention
B) ownership not transferred to client
C) not enough time devoted
D) poorly designed intervention

Question 8

Offering a single workshop on a specific topic is unlikely to provide a long-term change; this is an example of which reason why interventions fail?

A) not enough time devoted
B) wrong problem
C) poorly designed intervention
D) implementing an event rather than a program

Question 9

Which of the following considerations in selecting the right intervention strategy considers the surface-level versus deep-level issues within groups?

A) Considering client readiness for change
B) Deciding where to intervene first
C) Considering depth of intervention
D) Considering sequence of activities

Question 10

Which reason why interventions fail is often as a result of a poor (or nonexistent) data gathering and diagnostic process?

A) wrong problem
B) wrong intervention
C) unclear or overambitious goals
D) implementing an event rather than a program

Question 11

Giving up too quickly or expecting too much too soon are both examples of which reason why interventions fail?

A) not enough time devoted
B) wrong problem
C) unskilled change agent
D) lack of readiness for change

Question 12

Which of the following considerations in selecting the right intervention strategy allows a consultant to utilize influence strategies, such as persuasive communication?

A) Matching the intervention to the data and diagnosis
B) Considering client readiness for change
C) Deciding where to intervene first
D) Considering depth of intervention

Question 13

The primary activity which was selected did not have the most relevance for the circumstances is a description of which reason why interventions fail?

A) wrong problem
B) wrong intervention
C) unclear or overambitious goals
D) unskilled change agent

Question 14

Based on the definition of an intervention, which of the following is NOT a key component?

A) the system is ongoing
B) standard approaches
C) a deliberate interruption
D) to help or to improve the effectiveness

Question 15

Which role of the change agent is defined as a boundary-spanner between groups or between a supervisor and team, negotiating between them and giving feedback?

A) Facilitative
B) Gatekeeping
C) Diagnostic
D) Mobilizing

Question 16

If organizational members cannot focus or are unable to engage in the emotional aspects of change, this reason for why interventions fail is likely the cause:

A) Not enough time devoted
B) Poorly designed intervention
C) Resistance to change
D) Lack of readiness for change

Question 17

If an intervention consists of a number of activities, which consideration in selecting the right intervention strategy would be critical?

A) Considering client readiness for change
B) Deciding where to intervene first
C) Considering depth of intervention
D) Considering sequence of activities

Question 18

Which role of the change agent is defined as helping a client attain its desired outcomes by clarifying alternatives, processes, and decisions?

A) Facilitative
B) Gatekeeping
C) Diagnostic
D) Architectural

Question 19

If participants are cynical to start, this reason for why interventions fail is likely to occur:

A) Not enough time devoted
B) Lack of readiness for change
C) Resistance to change
D) Unskilled change agent

Question 20

If a practitioner has never led a certain intervention before, this is a possibility of this reason for why interventions fail to occur:

A) unclear or overambitious goals
B) resistance to change
C) unskilled change agent
D) lack of readiness for change

Question 21

Which of the following is NOT an organizationwide intervention?

A) TQM
B) 360-degree feedback
C) Six Sigma
D) Open Space Technology

Question 22

In the ______ approach, change is accomplished by persuading people that a change is necessary, providing data to support the argument, and justifying the need for change.

A) normative-reeducative
B) power-coercive
C) empirical-rational
D) environmental-adaptive

Question 23

Which role of the change agent is defined as designing situations, events, and conversations so that awareness, learning, and change can occur?

A) Facilitative
B) Diagnostic
C) Mobilizing
D) Architectural

Question 24

If participants are not well informed of an intervention's purpose or if they are not given genuine choice to participate, this could be an example of which ethical issue?

A) misrepresentation of the intervention
B) misrepresentation of the consultant's skill level
C) collusion with the client
D) coercion and manipulation of the client or organizational members

Question 25

Which of the following is NOT a team intervention?

A) mentoring
B) confrontation meetings
C) work redesign
D) appreciative inquiry

Question 26

Which of the following is typically considered a team intervention?

A) appreciative inquiry
B) career development
C) TQM
D) reengineering

Question 27

Which stages within the OD process represent arguably the highest susceptibility for ethical conflict?

A) entry and contracting
B) action planning and intervention
C) data gathering and analysis
D) evaluation and feedback

Question 28

Which of the following is typically considered an individual intervention?

A) confrontation meeting
B) Six Sigma
C) appreciative inquiry
D) coaching

Question 29

If a change agent agrees to implement an intervention even in the absence of data to support it, this is an example of which ethical issue?

A) misrepresentation of the intervention
B) misrepresentation of the consultant's skill level
C) collusion with the client
D) coercion and manipulation of the client or organizational members

Question 30

Which of the following OD prinicples stresses that interventions not only solve the immediate problem but also provides organizational members the opportunity to examine how the problem-solving process occurs to carry it out in the future?

A) Creating opportunities for learning
B) Giving free choice
C) Providing clear and explicit outcomes
D) Focus on total culture and cultural processes

Question 31

If an intervention is structured to exclude certain organizational members, this is an example of which ethical issue?

A) misrepresentation of the intervention
B) misrepresentation of the consultant's skill level
C) collusion with the client
D) coercion and manipulation of the client or organizational members

Question 32

Which of the following is typically considered an organizationwide intervention?

A) transition meeting
B) career planning and development
C) merger/acquisition interventions
D) role negotiation and analysis

Question 33

The ______ approach is based on policy, law, economic incentives or punishment, guilt, and embarrassment.

A) normative-reeducative
B) power-coercive
C) empirical-rational
D) environmental-adaptive

Question 34

Overpromising that a certain intervention will provide specific outcomes is an example of which of the following ethical issues?

A) misrepresentation of the intervention
B) misrepresentation of the consultant's skill level
C) collusion with the client
D) coercion and manipulation of the client or organizational members

Question 35

Which of the following is NOT an individual intervention?

A) coaching
B) 360-degree feedback
C) culture assessment and change
D) career planning

Question 36

Which role of the change agent is defined as advocating for a particular approach or perspective?

A) Facilitative
B) Diagnostic
C) Architectural
D) Mobilizing

Question 37

Which of the following OD principles outlines that change agents be forthright what the intervention activities are designed to accomplish?

A) Creating opportunties for learning
B) Giving free choice
C) Providing clear and explicit outcomes
D) Focus on total culture and cultural processes

Question 38

The ______ approach is based on the notion that change will occur when people change their attitudes, values, skills, and relationships.

A) normative-reeducative
B) power-coercive
C) empirical-rational
D) environmental-adaptive

Question 39

A change agent being challenged to limit the cost of an intervention to what a client can afford is an example of which ethical issue?

A) misrepresentation of the intervention
B) misrepresentation of the consultant's skill level
C) collusion with the client
D) coercion and manipulation of the client or organizational members

Question 40

A change agent proposing to carry out an intervention that is familiar rather than one that is appropriately matched to the data is an example of which ethical issue?

A) misrepresentation of the intervention
B) misrepresentation of the consultant's skill level
C) collusion with the client
D) coercion and manipulation of the client or organizational members

Question 41

While there are guidelines in selecting the right intervention, the best practice is to work closely with the client to determine what engagement is most appropriate for the problem and the client organization.

Question 42

OD interventions are primarily power-coercive approaches to change.

Question 43

The change agent is likely to be inactive during the intervention stage, which is appropriate since transfer to the client is necessary.

Question 44

The deeper the intervention, the more personal risk and uncertainty is involved.

Question 45

Discuss at least five reasons why interventions fail.

Question 46

Action planning is devising an appropriate intervention strategy to address the organization's problems.

Question 47

Building new skills or clarifying roles are examples of deep-level interventions.

Question 48

Discuss the three important principles on which OD interventions are structured.

Question 49

Everything about an intervention should be consistently directed toward its outcomes.

Question 50

There are standard approaches and ways of conducting interventions which allow them to be exactly alike from application to application.

Question 51

Short-term change is most likely when the intervention is well structured for success.

Question 52

What are some effects of failed interventions on change agents?

Question 53

What are some ethical issues with interventions? Provide examples of each.

Question 54

When considering the sequence of activities, what considerations should be addressed?

Question 55

Most OD practitioners rightly consider the intervention to be the heart of the consulting engagement and the point at which change usually becomes the overt objective.