Read Extra 12: Rules of thumb for the change agent's analysis and recommendations

• DO IT TOGETHER. While selecting the relevant data, suited for analysis and recommendations, some discussion with colleague OD-consultants can help to determine the main issues in the analysis and what will be the important parts of the recommendations.
  
  
• THINK DYNAMICALLY. Use the dynamic approach to really understand why an organisation has this particular problem. Be attentive to one's own adrenaline! In the consultant's treatment of an organisation that organisation is never guilty, and should therefore never be blamed for its behaviour. Dynamic thinking can help to understand the situation and to think of helpful interventions.
  
  
• INCLUDE OTHER POSSIBILITIES. Although this approach guarantees the analysis to show a high degree of probability, the real life situation of the organisation can be even more complicated or different. So try to talk in probabilities and possibilities rather than in evidences and truth. Always leave open the possibility that the organisation, listening to your analysis, will gain other insights that will maybe better and more appropriate.
  
  
• PROVOKE ENERGY, NO DEFENCE. Try to create an atmosphere in which NGO's will reflect on their organisational life, in order to gain insight and to improve its effectiveness.

  Change needs energy. Energy can be tapped by motivating people, by seducing them to think, to participate and to create. People should be addressed in a way that creates such positive energy.

  Try to be a very effective consultant. People should be eager to work with you because they feel understood, they feel you belief in your strength, and they feel encouraged to (re)discover their own power, creativity and problem solving capacity.

  While writing the text of analysis and recommendation, one should check from time to time if the way the user is addressed can provoke energy or will provoke a defensive attitude.
  

• BE A PARTNER, NO OPPONENT. Take your time to write and rethink. Stop and take a break at the moment you get tired, otherwise you take the risk that sarcastic or ironic passages pop up in your descriptions. Be alert to be an ally and to talk from an ally point of view, rather then being a superior or opponent.