What’s it like, being an internal OD practitioner?
By Lizzie Reather
We’re thinking of starting a group for internal OD practitioners, which led me to wonder what internal practitioners want from ODNE, which led me to wonder… What’s it like, being an internal OD practitioner?
Here’s my experience, and if you’d like to be part of the ‘internals’ group we’d be delighted to hear from you!
1. It’s varied
OD people do lots of different roles in organisations, and it can change A LOT over time. Often internal consultant who are doing OD work don’t have ‘OD’ in their job title at all. Sometimes we’re doing learning and development, sometimes managing change, sometimes organisational projects, or just chipping in as a useful pair of hands. I guess externals have the non-OD-feeling tasks that it takes to run a business – marketing, communications, book-keeping etc. We have non-OD-feeling tasks that keep us in a job.
2. We know our organisations… and our organisations know us
One of the things I love about being an internal consultant is being able to work with lots of different people throughout an organisation. This can mean being trusted with sensitive and confidential information, perhaps hearing people’s deepest fears and highest hopes, and being a lightning rod for emotions and frustrations. If it feels comfortable to be an internal consultant, we’re probably doing it wrong – or at least not paying enough attention to balancing our entanglement with the system with our commitment to ethical practice.
When it works well, we have a chance to hang around longer than the average external, and we get to see the organisation develop around us in real time. And the organisation gets to see us grow and develop as well – we can’t turn our back on mistakes, but like a longstanding friendship we need to find ways to repair and move forward together.
3. We have (employment) history
Some of us have been here a while. And as much as statements like “we tried that 5 years ago and it didn’t work” annoy me, there’s a reason people say them! Knowing what’s been tried before, and what happened … as well as who used to be where, doing what, and why … on a good day we can use those experiences and stories to help shape today’s interventions.
We’re also on the same employment hamster wheel as everyone else in the place, which gives us a sort of closeness to the experience of others which can build trust and help us gather rich data. And it can also restrict what we say and do. Knowing when to be courageous and spotting when we’re colluding – particularly with people we know well – can be some of the most difficult work.
4. A cancelled project doesn’t keep us up at night… at least not about money
My internal OD path is strewn with discarded projects: some half-completed, some not even out of the imagining phase before the fiery eye has moved elsewhere. We might find it more satisfying to take a piece of work through to completion – and maybe even find out whether anything has happened as a result! – at least a switch of priorities doesn’t mean we’re in our overdraft and living on baked beans until the next client comes along.
5. We cost, but it doesn’t count.
And while we’re on the subject of money, internal ‘resources’ will always appear cheaper than external consultants… because we’re already here. There’s often no need for a procurement process or a business case, so happy days, just get the OD team to do that thing! That can mean our work – and our expertise – is somehow not quite as ‘proper’ as someone you’re paying by the hour. We’re often told that internal consultants must prove their worth, and then we’ll gain respect and get to do the proper work. If your organisation is only using a fraction of the OD team’s capabilities and potential, I think you have a responsibility to try to change that. But if you’ve tried everything and they still ain’t buying what you’re selling, maybe you’re doing no favours to yourself or your employer.
6. Friends
Some of us internals work in a team. Some of us have networks within, or beyond, our sector. And sometimes there’s a non-competitiveness between internals that enables frankly shocking levels of sharing and collaboration. A colleague in the my sector recently commented “I’m sharing stuff that I not only wouldn’t have shared with competitors in my old private sector job, I wouldn’t have been allowed to share because of competition law!” And actually that can be wonderful. But there’s something incubating in my thoughts about cosiness and keeping our tools sharp… and I’m at risk of straying into suit vs cardigan territory so I will stop there!