OUR FIELD ∙ OUR WORLD ∙ OUR IMPACT

Enhancing OD Capability Across Canada – the Canadian OD Institute Experience

Michelle ChambersBoard President

CODICanada

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Agenda• The Current State of OD in Canada 

• Evolution of CODI

• CODI’s Current Mission

• Overview of the CSODP and the CODP

• Small Group Discussion

• NEXUS

• Our Journey – Key highlights

• Tensions that Emerged

• Small Group Discussion

• Key Challenges and Learnings

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The Current State of OD in Canada

• OD not easily recognized as a profession

• Limited access to OD educational opportunities in Canada

• Only 2 OD associations left in Canada

• Complementary professional associations often promote OD events and communities

• Need to create a standard for assessing educational programs and experience in OD

• Limited research on OD in Canada

• Fragmented connection between scholars and practitioners

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33.1 Million Canadians Highly Distributed

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Challenges and Opportunities for a Multicultural Country

• Canada is a diverse melting pot (vertical mosaic) of ethnic cultures

• 2 official languages (English and French)• Do you know what the 3rd most spoken language is?• Highly distributed population outside of Toronto, Ottawa,

Vancouver, Montreal• With higher number of immigrants coming, how do we

assess their educational and experience requirements?• How do we support OD professionals to work with

multicultural and global opportunities?

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Evolution of CODI• Started as a business offering Masters Certificate in

Organization Development & specialized OD workshops

• Partnered with Canadian University/SEEC to increase market penetration

• Started to develop and offer professional designation within OD Community 5 years ago

• CODI now a non-profit with focus on professional designations, research and partnering model to leverage OD networks across Canada

• SEEC now offers MCOD program

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CODI’s Current Mission

We provide pathways to professional credibility for Canadian OD professionals, connections to other like minded professionals and access to fresh thinking about the field of OD and Change.

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CODI’s Mission

National Presence &

Coherence in the Field

Practitioner Certification

Research on OD Theory &

Practice

Furthering Rigorous Thinking Amongst

PractitionersFostering

Connections to Existing OD

Networks

Linking Organizations

& Practitioners

Creating Spaces for Innovation

in the Field

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What are the CODI Professional Designations?

Certified Organization Development Professional• Knowledge and skill path• The right to use “CODP ” after your name

Certified Senior Organization Development Professional• Portfolio path for senior OD professionals• The right to use the initials “CSODP” after your name

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What do the CODI Designations Demonstrate?

• Met educational and training requirements• Has relevant field experience• Passed a knowledge and skill examination (CODP)• Demonstrated competence through a portfolio of

documented and validated experience (CSODP)• Obtained 3 professional references• Agreed to uphold the CODI Ethical Guidelines• Committed to continuing professional learning and

development

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Benefits of DesignationTo the Individual• Credibility, Career, Client Confidence, Trust

To the Client/Employer• Confidence, Standards, Professional Development, code of Ethics

To the Profession• Aligned expectations and awareness of the profession

• Recognized standards, code of Ethics, professional development, networking & dialogue

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4 Key Components for Designation

1. Education component including degree

2. Experience component

3. Knowledge and skill component

4. Ethics component

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Requirements

Portfolio Path (CSODP) Knowledge Path (CODP)

Experience 10 years + full time 4 years full timeEducation

Knowledge

Degree in related field plus

Portfolio documentation to provide validation of work experience, competence and achievements in the field

plus

Degree in related field plus

CODP Knowledge Exam

• based on knowledge and practice dimensions

• 3 hour exam • 150 multiple-choice questions • 70% to pass plus

References Provide 3 references with validation letter from each

Provide 3

Knowledge Path and Portfolio Path Summary

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Knowledge & Practice Dimension Categories (CSODP)

1. Foundations of OD & Systems Change

2.  Initial Stages of OD & Systems Change

3. Organization and Systems Change Interventions

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Knowledge & Practice Dimension Categories (CSODP)

4. Emerging & Specialized Applications of OD

5. Use of Self

6. Evaluating and Marketing OD and Systems Change

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Small Group Discussion 1 (Choose 1)• How do we as a profession identify the challenges

leaders face and how we as OD professionals can support them ?

• How can we support OD professionals to develop their Business Acumen and get a seat at the strategy table?

• How can we enable more critical research to be done in the field of OD to support the profession?

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CSODP Portfolio Assessment

CRITERIA POINTSAVAILABLE

POINTS

CLAIMED

EVIDENCE 

Knowledge Category (20 points)      

 Degree in Organization Development (Masters, Doctorate) Degree in a related field e.g.: Social Sciences Adult Education Human Resource Management Organizational Psychology Community Development Social Work Business or Management Points will be awarded once for the highest point earning degree completed.

 

 Org Dev.Doctorate 15Masters 10 Related FieldDoctorate 10Masters 5BA/BEd 3    MAX 15

   Please list all pertinent earned degrees and attach copies. If you feel that your degree deserves recognition as an OD degree, please provide supporting evidence.

20 points (Knowledge Category)50 points (Experience/Competence Category) 5 points (Thought Leadership Category) 75 points

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CSODP Experience MatrixCSODP Senior Practitioner – Sample Experience Matrix (06/13)

Candidate Name: ______________________________ Email: ________________________ Primary Phone ______________

1 2 3 4 5

Calendar year (beginning with current)

Position/role title (as on resume) Please attach a detailed, chronological resume.

Please list the knowledge and practice dimensions that your experience supports. (Refer to Knowledge and Practice Dimension document – core areas)

% of time devoted to OD work in position/role as referenced in column 3

Full-time equivalency (in years)

SAMPLE 2012 OD Consultant (semi-retired) Organization/system assessment and

feedback; team effectiveness interventions

25% .25

2011 OD Consultant (semi-retired) Organization/system assessment and feedback; team effectiveness

interventions

50% .50

2010 OD Consultant, Private Practice Organization/system assessment and feedback; team effectiveness

interventions

100% 1.0

2007 - 2009 Vice President, Leadership, Learning and Organizational Effectiveness

Business of OD & Systems Change; Evaluating and Marketing OD &

Systems Change; Change & Leadership

100% 3.0

2003-2006 Director, Leadership Development Business of OD & Systems Change; Evaluating and Marketing OD &

Systems Change; Change & Leadership; Organization/System Assessment and

feedback

100% 3.0

2002 Full-Time Student (MSOD) 0 0 1997-2001 Manager, Training & Development Team Effectiveness Interventions,

Interpersonal and Group Dynamics 50% 2.5

1996 Course Trainer N/A 0 0

TOTAL OD FULL-TIME EQUIVALENCY (YEARS) 10 Years

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CODP - Exam Preparation Kit• Brief overview of each knowledge domain

• The specific dimensions candidates need to review in order to prepare for the exam

• Focus questions for each dimension designed to help the candidate reflect on their knowledge and practice

• Recommended readings

• Sample exam questions to test their knowledge

• Personal reflection questions

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Ethics Component

The CODI Ethical Guidelines focus on practicing and promoting ethical standards in 4 key areas:

1. Responsibility to the client and client system2. Responsibility for professional development and

competence3. Responsibility to the profession4. Social responsibility

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NEXUS

• Gathering of OD educational professionals across Canada to share ideas on how to develop OD in Canada and share professional designation process.

• Initial conversation held in late 2013

• Outcomes have helped to shape CODI’s current mission

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Our Journey – Key Highlights• Research on other professional designation processes

• Focus on Senior Practitioners first (CSODP)

• Development & validation of knowledge and practice dimensions (competencies)

• Code of ethics developed

• Evidence based framework assessment developed for CSODP

• Steering committee with diverse experience identified & operationalized

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Our Journey – Key Highlights cont….• Initial pilot to test CSODP process

• NEXUS – identification of outcomes and incorporation into CODI’s mission

• Development of partnerships with OD associations to sponsor and promote OD designation

• 2 subsequent application periods for CSODP

• Presentations at ODN/IODA and ISODC conferences

• Development of knowledge sharing repository

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Our Journey – Key Highlights cont…

• Sharing of learnings with ODN (US) regarding the development of their professional designation process

• CODP – development of exam questions, study materials, supporting processes – ready to launch late 2015

• Registration of CODI as not for profit

• Transition to not for profit model – board governance; strategic planning process; board recruitment; administration support

• Launch of new website for CODI

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Tensions That Emerged…..• Different approaches and philosophies about Organization Development

• Selection of the OD competencies/knowledge areas to use

• Degree requirement vs non-degree requirement

• Language and approaches used in different countries reflected in potential learning materials

• Identification of appropriate study materials for different approaches and philosophies

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Tensions That Emerged…..

• How to provide learning, development opportunities, exams across the country? In French?

• How do we maintain organizational and financial sustainability while respecting OD networks and their purpose?

• How gain alignment with education institutions and other service providers on competencies?

• How do we gain support from the field?

• Educational organizations want to partner with us and be sole provider or promote completion of their program leads to CODP

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Small Group Discussion 2 (Choose 1)• What are the top 2 or 3 tensions that did/could emerge in

leadership, culture and change while developing and implementing a OD Designation in Canada? What do you recommend we do to work with these tensions in the context of a designation?

• What are the perspectives from around the world in the context of Canada’s regional differences and cultural diversity that we should consider?

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Other Key Challenges• Volunteer burnout• Funding strategies – cost recovery model• Capturing knowledge on process development as we go

along• Technology – virtual meetings• CODI not-for-profit board recruitment• Engaging OD professionals that represent the diversity

of Canada• Integrating with the global OD community

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What Have We Learned?• People are passionate about supporting OD and increasing the

awareness of OD and the benefits that OD professionals can provide

• Need for a lot of volunteers with various degrees of expertise, both OD and non OD

• Need for partnerships and alliances through education and OD associations across Canada and globally

• The value of capturing learnings and developing a knowledge repository

• The importance of working across boundaries of time, distance, language, culture and building a “virtual support community”

• It is and will be an evolving process – good enough is great!

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• How will this session make a difference for me, my practice and our world?

• Bring your ideas to the final plenary session!

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