Main content area Don't try to change anyone and eight other ways to lead global organizational development Tobin, Bob We humans are a strange bunch when it comes to global organizational development (OD). We expect others in an organization to change, but we are often very reluctant to change ourselves. We advocate organizational learning and development, but are sometimes slow to learn and develop ourselves. Some of the smartest people are the most reluctant to learn ([1] Argyris, 1991). Top athletes like Tiger Woods, Maria Sharapova and Andy Murray continuously learn new techniques and employ coaches to improve their skill. Yet, some executives run the other way when the idea of employing a coach is suggested for them. Are they really at the top of their game? We know intellectually that global OD is tough and takes time, but that doesn't stop us from rushing to implement new programs. Too often, we rush through the phase of assessing readiness which is so important to any OD effort. Last week, before I went in to speak with executives at a regional bank, a marketing vice-president complained to me, "They just do not understand that they have to change to keep up with changes in the marketplace". I asked how he'd feel if he were in the same position. He said, "No problem. I'm different, I love change." Really? I wonder. How many people really love to change? No doubt, some do but why do most of us encounter so many problems when we lead change and development efforts? There are many articles written about resistance to change, so what can we do as leaders to make success more likely? In particular, how can we better prepare people to make it easier to lead global OD in our organizations? These are questions I think about a lot. I struggle with these issues too, personally and professionally. In 25 years of consulting, coaching and speaking to global organizations, I've seen OD programs that really stuck and made a difference in organizations and people's lives. I've also seen so many expensive initiatives that did little more than waste money and drive people nuts. I've come up with nine rules for leading global OD which I hope will help you and your organizational leaders be more successful in what you are doing. Be authentic not corporate. I put this one first because it's at the heart of leading OD. No one wants to follow a phony. Be real, be honest. If there are likely to be layoffs, let people know. If there is going to be expansion of the research centres in Amsterdam, let people know. The most effective leaders I've worked with remind me of Nelson Mandela. "Call me Nelson", he tells people. And he's not afraid to dance on the stage either. Show your humanity - do not hide behind rules or flaunt your position. Connect people. Bring people of all countries together, either in person or on-line. Get people working together on global teams; help them get to know each other and you. Learn words and expressions in many languages and lear ...

1. Main content area
Don't try to change anyone and eight other ways to lead global
organizational development
Tobin, Bob
We humans are a strange bunch when it comes to global
organizational development (OD). We expect others in an
organization to change, but we are often very reluctant to
change ourselves. We advocate organizational learning and
development, but are sometimes slow to learn and develop
ourselves. Some of the smartest people are the most reluctant to
learn ([1] Argyris, 1991).
Top athletes like Tiger Woods, Maria Sharapova and Andy
Murray continuously learn new techniques and employ coaches
to improve their skill. Yet, some executives run the other way
when the idea of employing a coach is suggested for them. Are
they really at the top of their game?
We know intellectually that global OD is tough and takes time,
but that doesn't stop us from rushing to implement new
programs. Too often, we rush through the phase of assessing
readiness which is so important to any OD effort.
Last week, before I went in to speak with executives at a
regional bank, a marketing vice-president complained to me,
"They just do not understand that they have to change to keep
up with changes in the marketplace". I asked how he'd feel if he
were in the same position. He said, "No problem. I'm different,
I love change."
Really? I wonder. How many people really love to change? No
doubt, some do but why do most of us encounter so many
problems when we lead change and development efforts? There
are many articles written about resistance to change, so what
can we do as leaders to make success more likely? In particular,
how can we better prepare people to make it easier to lead

2. global OD in our organizations?
These are questions I think about a lot. I struggle with these
issues too, personally and professionally. In 25 years of
consulting, coaching and speaking to global organizations, I've
seen OD programs that really stuck and made a difference in
organizations and people's lives. I've also seen so many
expensive initiatives that did little more than waste money and
drive people nuts. I've come up with nine rules for leading
global OD which I hope will help you and your organizational
leaders be more successful in what you are doing.
Be authentic not corporate. I put this one first because it's at the
heart of leading OD. No one wants to follow a phony. Be real,
be honest. If there are likely to be layoffs, let people know. If
there is going to be expansion of the research centres in
Amsterdam, let people know. The most effective leaders I've
worked with remind me of Nelson Mandela. "Call me Nelson",
he tells people. And he's not afraid to dance on the stage either.
Show your humanity - do not hide behind rules or flaunt your
position.
Connect people. Bring people of all countries together, either in
person or on-line. Get people working together on global teams;
help them get to know each other and you. Learn words and
expressions in many languages and learn about different
cultures. Have global meetings all over the world, not just at
headquarters. Most people want a human connection in the work
they do.
Slow beats fast. There may be an urgent need to change and
develop, but that does not mean you have to rush to start. Go
too fast, and you'll spend time clarifying what you meant and
re-directing others. People will waste time zig-zagging through
their days, not sure where they are heading. I know it's counter-
intuitive, but going slow actually is the way to go fast. Involve
everyone in figuring out how to get there. Spend time assessing
readiness and helping people get ready for change. Recognize
that the idea of organizational development may start and
"stick" at different rates in different countries. Country A's

3. team may be a start-up and ready for something new today,
Country B may be at a more mature stage of organizational
growth and it may be tougher for the people to move forward.
And even if you have an official organizational language, such
as English, recognize that the pace will be slower in countries
where that language is not people's native tongue.
Watch what you say. There is no benefit in referring to anyone
in a group or another country as them or they. I see it as a
flashing yellow signal when I hear this pronoun used. It's got to
be we, or the OD effort is not going to work. Leaders sometimes
unwittingly create subgroups when they refer to others as
they . And while we're talking about vocabulary, stop using
words like skill inventory and competencies that can
dehumanize us. No one wants to be seen as a list of
competencies. Instead, use words like excitement, success,
collaboration, enjoyment and learning. And while you're at it,
do not scare people with measurement of the OD effort. I know
there's a big push for measurement and evaluation. But take a
look at companies like Zappos ([2] Hsieh, 2012) which trust and
value employees without continuous monitoring and
measurement.
Make sure the right people are getting coached. I've seen global
CEOS hire coaches to help country presidents implement global
OD programs. Matter of fact, I've been one of those coaches
working with country CEOs. However, no sooner do I start my
assignment that I recognize that the global CEO who hired me
needs some coaching too. I need to work with both of them.
They both need some assistance in communicating more clearly
with each other. Too often, when I suggest this to the Global
CEO or the Global Head of OD, the answer is usually, "Forget
about it. It's not going to happen". Everyone needs some
assistance in organizational and individual development. That
goes for global OD leaders too. My most successful coaching
assignments have involved coaching two people, separately and
together.
Remember that dreams trump objectives. When you are leading

4. global OD, talk about dreams, yours and others. Know your own
dream and know what others want for their lives at work and the
organization. Dreams are bigger than objectives. Dreams keep
us going when we encounter obstacles. Reaching the objective
of selling 5,000 gallons of paint thinner might get someone a
raise and a good performance review, but is it anyone's dream?
Help people achieve their dreams at work.
Don't fall in love with a model. There's no such thing as the
perfect OD model that will work in every country or every
division. That doesn't stop some people from trying to come up
with "the model" that they want (others) to implement
worldwide. Recognize that even though a model worked in
Bakersfield, it may not work in Bangkok or Berlin. In some
locations, the model will have to be totally scrapped. I've seen
organizations come close to killing a successful business in
order to drive change with a model that just didn't fit.
Don't expect fish to fly. Culture has a big impact on OD. For
instance, in some cultures where conflict is always avoided, it
won't be easy for people to give feedback about development
needs. At a recent luncheon, one manager in Japan told me she
fired her second in command because "she would not fire
someone". I was surprised that she didn't recognize the irony of
firing someone for not firing someone. In Japan where lifetime
employment has been the usual employment pattern for many
years, firing someone is a very high hurdle for local managers.
It may have been smarter to do the layoffs herself or jointly
with the local manager. You can find people in every country
who will violate cultural norms, but they may be the outliers
that others will not follow.
Don't try to change anyone. I've worked with leaders who tell
me of people on their teams who are too old to change or cannot
learn because of cultural differences. The leader resorts to
trying to change the person with an authoritarian approach: "you
have to change". If you focus on changing individuals, you're
bound to fail. The truth is you cannot change anyone. What you
can do is change what they do. You can provide opportunities

5. for them to develop. You can change yourself and they will
change their behaviour towards you. You can increase
awareness of the need to develop. You can show the benefits of
development. And you can change the work conditions and the
corporate culture to make development more likely. People do
not change and develop just because you want them to.
Main content area
Don't try to change anyone and eight other ways to lead
global organizational development
Tobin, Bob
We humans are a strange bunch when it comes to global
organizational development (OD). We expect
others in an organization to change, but we are often very
reluctant to change ourselves. We advocate
organizational learning
and development, but are sometimes slow to learn and develop
ourselves. Some
of the smartest people are the most reluctant to learn ([1]
Argyris, 1991).
Top athletes like Tiger Woods, Maria Sharapova and Andy
Murray continuously learn new techniques
and e
mploy coaches to improve their skill. Yet, some executives run
the other way when the idea of
employing a coach is suggested for them. Are they really at the
top of their game?

6. We know intellectually that global OD is tough and takes time,
but that doesn't
stop us from rushing to
implement new programs. Too often, we rush through the phase
of assessing readiness which is so
important to any OD effort.
Last week, before I went in to speak with executives at a
regional bank, a marketing vice
-
president
complai
ned to me, "They just do not understand that they have to
change to keep up with changes in
the marketplace". I asked how he'd feel if he were in the same
position. He said, "No problem. I'm
different, I love change."
Really? I wonder. How many people real
ly love to change? No doubt, some do but why do most of us
encounter so many problems when we lead change and
development efforts? There are many articles
written about resistance to change, so what can we do as leaders
to make success more likely? In
part
icular, how can we better prepare people to make it easier to
lead global OD in our organizations?
These are questions I think about a lot. I struggle with these
issues too, personally and professionally. In
25 years of consulting, coaching and speaking to
global organizations, I've seen OD programs that really
stuck and made a difference in organizations and people's lives.
I've also seen so many expensive

7. initiatives that did little more than waste money and drive
people nuts. I've come up with nine rules
for
leading global OD which I hope will help you and your
organizational leaders be more successful in what
you are doing.
Be authentic not corporate.
I put this one first because it's at the heart of leading OD. No
one wants to
follow a phony. Be real, b
e honest. If there are likely to be layoffs, let people know. If
there is going to
be expansion of the research centres in Amsterdam, let people
know. The most effective leaders I've
worked with remind me of Nelson Mandela. "Call me Nelson",
he tells peopl
e. And he's not afraid to
dance on the stage either. Show your humanity
-
do not hide behind rules or flaunt your position.
Connect people.
Bring people of all countries together, either in person or on
-
line. Get people working
together on global teams; he
lp them get to know each other and you. Learn words and
expressions in
Main content area
Don't try to change anyone and eight other ways to lead

8. global organizational development
Tobin, Bob
We humans are a strange bunch when it comes to global
organizational development (OD). We expect
others in an organization to change, but we are often very
reluctant to change ourselves. We advocate
organizational learning and development, but are sometimes
slow to learn and develop ourselves. Some
of the smartest people are the most reluctant to learn ([1]
Argyris, 1991).
Top athletes like Tiger Woods, Maria Sharapova and Andy
Murray continuously learn new techniques
and employ coaches to improve their skill. Yet, some executives
run the other way when the idea of
employing a coach is suggested for them. Are they really at the
top of their game?
We know intellectually that global OD is tough and takes time,
but that doesn't stop us from rushing to
implement new programs. Too often, we rush through the phase
of assessing readiness which is so
important to any OD effort.
Last week, before I went in to speak with executives at a
regional bank, a marketing vice-president
complained to me, "They just do not understand that they have
to change to keep up with changes in
the marketplace". I asked how he'd feel if he were in the same
position. He said, "No problem. I'm
different, I love change."
Really? I wonder. How many people really love to change? No
doubt, some do but why do most of us
encounter so many problems when we lead change and
development efforts? There are many articles
written about resistance to change, so what can we do as leaders
to make success more likely? In
particular, how can we better prepare people to make it easier to

9. lead global OD in our organizations?
These are questions I think about a lot. I struggle with these
issues too, personally and professionally. In
25 years of consulting, coaching and speaking to global
organizations, I've seen OD programs that really
stuck and made a difference in organizations and people's lives.
I've also seen so many expensive
initiatives that did little more than waste money and drive
people nuts. I've come up with nine rules for
leading global OD which I hope will help you and your
organizational leaders be more successful in what
you are doing.
Be authentic not corporate. I put this one first because it's at the
heart of leading OD. No one wants to
follow a phony. Be real, be honest. If there are likely to be
layoffs, let people know. If there is going to
be expansion of the research centres in Amsterdam, let people
know. The most effective leaders I've
worked with remind me of Nelson Mandela. "Call me Nelson",
he tells people. And he's not afraid to
dance on the stage either. Show your humanity - do not hide
behind rules or flaunt your position.
Connect people. Bring people of all countries together, either in
person or on-line. Get people working
together on global teams; help them get to know each other and
you. Learn words and expressions in