It is useful at this point to reflect on Beckhard's assumptions about the functioning of organisations including $($Beckhard in Organisational Development Practitioners, $2012)$:

$1.$ The fundamental building blocks of an organisation are groups $($teams$),$ and therefore the basic units of change are groups and not individuals.

$2.$ One of the most relevant change goals is the reduction of inappropriate competition between parts of the organisational and the development of more collaborative conditions.

$3.$ Decision$-$making in a healthy organisation is located where the information sources are $$rather than in a particular role or level of hierarchy.

$4.$ Organisations, subunits of the organisation, and individuals continuously manage their work against goals. $$Controls$$ are the interim measures, not the basis of managerial strategies.

$5.$ One goal of a healthy organisation is to develop open communication, mutual trust, and confidence between and across levels.

$6.$ People support what they help create. People affected by a change must be allowed active participation and a sense of ownership in the planning and conduct of the change.

Beckhard's assumptions $($ibid$,2012)$ give us an indication of some of the principles conducive to organisational change readiness. Questions $-$ Review the Beckhard's assumptions and then complete the following:

$1.$ Discuss why Beckhard draws attention to these assumptions in the context of organisational development and change.

$2.$ Reflect on organisational behaviour in your organisation against these assumptions.

$3.$ What have you learned from Beckhard's assumptions? How does it make you think differently about organisational behaviour conducive to organisational development, ie sustained performance?