OD practitioners include a much larger group than those who hold the title of consultant. They include executives, managers, project managers, and others who devise and implement organizational change, no matter the role. OD work is highly consistent with a manager’s work, from a manager’s role as an administrator and supervisor, to a manager’s work in promoting learning, development, problem solving, teamwork, and more.

Fundamental to their work are their skills and competencies as social change agents. OD can provide concepts, tools, theories, and techniques that help managers, executives, and other organizational members in implementing change. In addition to these groups, many organizations employ OD consultants to assist with change. Consultants work closely with managers and executives as change agent partners to help the organization accomplish its objectives.

The consultant’s role generally exists as an outsider to the client’s system. Less formally, in popular terminology a consultant is someone who gives advice, opinions, counsel, or mentoring, typically in an area of specialized expertise. An OD consultant has a particular kind of role and responsibility in a consulting for engagement. Each of these models of consulting differs in important ways from the role of the OD consultant. As a result, it is important for OD practitioners to understand what expectations and assumptions the client may be bringing to the consulting relationship.