It is my strong belief that how an organization addresses its own needs is a key determinant of the value of the outcome of the effort. My approach is guided by the following principles of organizational development:

• Organizations progress through definable stages of growth and maturity.  While the pace of maturity differs among organizations, the recognition of one’s current standing provides the context for effective organizational planning.
   
• By its very nature, organizational development is incremental rather than transformative. Most organizations muddle through, guided by a process of trial and error. Except for the rare instance in which an organization completely refocuses, reorients, or restructures itself, effective planning occurs in the context of daily organizational life.
   
• You cannot isolate individual aspects of an organization.  While one aspect of the organization may be the stated priority, that issue needs to be understood within the context of those other aspects of the organization that either impinge upon or are impacted by it.
  

Effective consultation in this environment requires a proper balance of challenge and support. The role of the external consultant is three-fold: 1) help the organization understand its current standing; 2) help the organization envision where it needs to go next; and 3) provide a framework for planning to realize its organizational vision.