Leaders of organizations in the 21st century need a developmental perspective that includes an understanding of growth and transition. First, organizational development is similar to human development—periods of growth alternate with periods of transition. Second, and easily observed in practice, developmental transitions in organizations create special difficulties and challenges:

55Systems are typically over-taxed and near, or at breakdown, current responsibilities are difficult to meet and time is limited

55Management activities no longer seem to make sense or solve current problems

Each stage of development represents a different organizing principle, strategy for growth and leadership style. Moving from one stage to the next requires rethinking the basis of how the organization is functioning.

Equilibria supports a client’s development process in following ways:

55Identifying the forces supporting and preventing development in the organization

55Evolving a new organizational strategy to meet the challenges of the next stage of development

55Designing a new organizational structure that can carry the work of the organization through transition and into the next stage

55Strengthening an organization’s transition capacities and supporting individuals and teams during the transition process

A developmental perspective can be a valuable aid to an organization’s strategic decision-making process. Among the wide variety of possible next steps for an organization to take, the choices that support growth at a particular stage of development will always create the most added value for the least expenditure of effort.

Understanding and managing development, transition and the effects of the transition process has major, positive consequences.

55Growth at any given stage of development becomes easier to manage:

Every organization must solve particular, stage-specific problems and address certain critical issues in order to move ahead. Employing a developmental perspective can provide the strategy team with the insights they need to determine next steps.

Once it is clear what works and what doesn’t at a particular stage of development, it is easy to eliminate the inessential and select only those alternatives that will lead to successful growth.

55Organizational transitions can be dealt with in a coherent, strategic manner:

Periods of transition represent a major upheaval in business-as-usual. The whole orientation of the organization shifts, and it begins to take up new challenges, issues and tasks. This shift in orientation usually requires the addition of new stage-dependent organizational capacities, which can be foreseen and planned.

Only changes in the basic organizing principles will be effective in solving problems of transition. Equilibria’s understanding of change and development provides its clients with the ability to successfully initiate new projects, adapt organizational structures and processes as well as supporting individuals and groups through transition to a new operational framework.

If you sense that your organizatoin is currently in a developmental transition, let us help you address your current challenges and move forward into a new stage of growth and success.

For further explanation regarding stages of organizational development, please see the section on Development Stages. For a more strategic approach to transitions, please see the section on Transition.