ABSTRACT
This chapter proposes organization development (OD) consultation practice which emphasizes sensitivity to differences in some generic features that are applicable to all organizations. It also proposes that selected features lead to especially "tough" consulting assignments and —although examples may be found in all organizations —the incidence of these selected features seems greater in some public-sector organizations. There are a large number of generic features to which the observant OD consultant can refer in asymptotically describing a specific host for consultation. The chapter focuses on some features, that are: presenting symptoms-specific, value-specific, hierarchy- and function-specific, stage- or phase-specific, demography-specific, context/immediate environment-specific, and cultures-specific. Public-sector consultation is more likely than business to contain cases with dominant and difficult features. The chapter refers to these features as the "slough of despond and the pall of fear." Power/status dynamics involving the consultant's role seem more common and virulent in the public sector. Public-sector consultation has a "silent servant" quality than do business arenas.
