2. Introduction
• The confrontation meeting is developed by
Richard Beckhard
• It is a one day meeting of the
entire management of an
organization, in which they
take a reading of their own
organizational health.
3. In a series of activities, the
management group
generates information
about its major problems,
analyzes the underlying
causes, develops action
plans to correct the
problems, and sets a
schedule for completed
remedial work.
4. This intervention is an
important one in OD.
It is quick, simple, and
reliable way to
generate data about
an organization and to
set the action plans.
5. Benefits of Confrontation Meeting
• Direct communication is improved
• Morale of employees increased.
• Better work culture.
• Improve inter department human relationship
• Get solutions on day-to-day problems.
6. Steps involved in Organizational
Confrontation Meeting
1 • CLIMATE SETTING
2 • INFORMATION COLLECTING
3 • INFORMATION SHARING
4 • PRIORITY SETTING AND GROUP ACTION PLANNING
5 • ORGANIZATIONAL ACTION PLAN
6 • IMMEDIATE FOLLOW-UP
7 • PROGRESS REVIEW
7. Climate setting (45-60 min)
The top manager introduces
the session by stating his or
her goals for the meeting,
citing the necessity for free
and open discussion of issues
and problems, and making it
clear that individuals will not
be punished for what they
say.
8. Information collecting (1 hour)
Small groups of 7-8 members
are formed on the basis of
heterogeneity of composition
that is maximum mixture of
people from different
functional areas and working
situations compose each
team. The only rule is that
bosses and subordinates
cannot be put together on the
same tea.
9. Information sharing (1 hour)
Reporters from each small group
reports the group’s complete
findings to the total group, which
are placed on newsprint on the
walls. The total list of items is
characterized usually by the
meeting leader, into few major
categories that may be based on
type of problems (e.g.
Communication problems), type
of relationships (e.g. Troubles with
top management), or type of area
(e.g. problems with the
accounting dept.)
10. Priority setting and group action
planning (1 hour and 15 min.)
This step typically follows a break during
which time the items from the lists are
duplicated for distribution to everyone.
In a 15 min general session, the
meeting leader goes to the list of items.
The groups are asked to do three tasks:
• First they are to identify the problems
they think should be the priority issues
for top mgt.
• Second to find the solutions to the
problems.
• Third, they are to determine how they
will communicate the results of the
confrontation meeting to their
subordinates
11. Organizational action plan (2 hour)
Total group is assembled in a
general session. Each functional
unit reports its commitments and
plans to the total group. Reports
and enlists the items which its
members believe the
management team should deal
with first. Top management is
required to react to this list and
make commitments for action
where needed. Each unit is
required to share briefly its plan
for communicating the results of
confrontation meeting to all
subordinates.
12. Immediate follow-up
(1 to 3 hours)
Top management team is
required to meet
immediately after the
completion of the
confrontation meeting to
plan first a set of follow
up action which is to be
reported ultimately back
to the total management
group within a few days.
13. Progress Review (2 hours)
A follow up meeting with
the total mgt group is held
4-6 weeks later to the
report progress and to
review the actions
resulting from the
confrontation meeting.
