two to three page paper on individual or group interventions
Individual or Group Interventions
Submit a two- to three-page paper (excluding the title and reference pages), describing two types of interventions used by corporations and the issues they address. Compare and contrast the interventions utilized by the corporations in your articles.
You must use at least two scholarly sources (which may be your scholarly/academic journal articles regarding interventions), in addition to the textbook, and be formatted according to APA style guidelines as outlined in the Writing Center.
Week Four Lecture
Individual, Group, and Organizational Interventions take place at varying levels, for different issues, and at seemingly random times. Reddy (1994) outlines five specific types of interventions:
- Cognitive
- Skill/Activities
- Behavior
- Emotional/Reflective
- Interpretative
Cummings & Worley (2009) describe organizational issues that may be addressed through interventions, be it individual, group, or at the organizational level. These issues are strategic, technological/structural, human resource, or human process. Let us look at the human resource issue that an organization may need to address according to Cummings & Worley (2009). They may be addressed at the individual, group, or organizational level as seen below:
Individual | Group | Organizational | |
Goal setting | x | x | |
Performance appraisal | x | x | |
Coaching/Mentoring | x | x | x |
Career Planning/Development | x | ||
Management Development | x | ||
Diversity | x | x | x |
Health/Wellness | x |
Keeping individual interventions in mind, one instrument often utilized by organizations and consultants alike is the DISC assessment. What is the DISC assessment? It is a universal language of behaviors and emotions. It is observable, neutral, and silent. It does not measure intelligence, indicate one’s values, or measure education, skills, or experience.
DISC is the language of our BEHAVIORS
D= Dominance
How you respond to problems and challenges
I = Influence
How you influence others to your point of view
S = Steadiness (Consistency)
How you respond to the pace of the environment
C = Compliance
How you respond to rules and procedures set by others
Target Training International (TTI, 2001) outlines the history of DISC as far back as the research of Carl Jung, William Moulton Marston, and Walter Clark. When organizations look to assessments, some of the questions asked are: “Why this one?†“What is in it for the organization as a whole as well as individuals?†“What is the benefit?†Many individuals and organizations using DISC realize personal and professional growth, leadership development, and increased communication skills to build teams, resolve and prevent conflict, and increase commitment and cooperation.
D | Common Behaviors | Value to a Team |
Dominant & Bold | Organizer | |
Direct | Challenge oriented | |
Competitive | Competitive | |
Decisive/ Closer | Innovative | |
Results oriented | Challenges the status quo | |
Impatient | High value on time | |
Risk taker | Forward thinking | |
I | Common Behaviors | Value to a Team |
Influential | Creative problem solving | |
Confident | Enthusiastic/Motivates others | |
Open minded | Negotiates conflict | |
Sociable/Charming | Team player | |
Impulsive | Verbalizes and articulates | |
Enthusiastic | Humor | |
S | Common Behaviors | Value to a Team |
Steady/Calm | Dependable team player | |
Understanding | Great listener | |
Predictable | Loyal to leader and cause | |
Sincere | Calming & Stabilizing | |
Good listener | Logical | |
Patient | Completes tasks | |
C | Common Behaviors | Value to a Team |
Compliant | Objective thinker | |
Analytical | Task oriented | |
Methodical | Attention to detail | |
Conventional | Conscientious | |
Perfectionist | Defines & Clarifies | |
Diplomatic | Collects data |
Other instruments often utilized as a part of interventions can also be the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), 360-degree feedback, management or leadership profiles, emotional intelligence profiles, as well as trust and communication instruments.
References
Bonnstetter, B. J., Suiter, J. I., & Widrick, R. J., (2001). The universal language: DISC. Phoenix, AZ: Target Training International.
Cummings, T. G., & Worley, C. G. (2009). Organization development & change. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning.
Reddy, W. B., (1994). Intervention skills: Process consultation for small groups and teams. San Diego, CA: Pfeiffer & CO.