Have you ever considered the possibility that the language we use in organizations can have a direct impact on the experience of an individual worker or larger group? How many times have you seen individuals or work groups that seem to exude a culture that undermines either their own stated goals or those of the organization as a whole? In what ways do they speak of themselves, their co-workers, and the work itself, and how has this correlated with their success?
Alternatively, have you seen individuals or groups within organizations that seem to “get it?” How do they speak about themselves and others, and what culture tends to form around them and spread to other parts of a larger organization?
Tribal Leadership, written by Dave Logan, John King, and Halee Fischer-Wright, provides a framework from which to understand the various “tribes” in an organization and the cultural stages in which they reside. One of their goals is to educate leaders on how to take a tribe (or set of tribes, if in a larger organization) from one cultural stage to the next, until they align around core values and a noble cause. This is achieved both through providing specific coaching tips and through addressing how a leader and an employee can speak about themselves and others. Read the rest of this entry »
Six Ways to a Passionate Soul: An Interview with Steve Cady
November 30th, 2009 by Jeremy Lurey
Dr. Steven H. Cady is a Graduate Faculty member in the Organization Development Program at Bowling Green State University. He also researches, writes about, and consults to individuals and organizations about passion. Beyond that, Steve is an inspiration to me because he lives a life of passion and in doing so brings out the best in me whenever we are together – and more often than not, when we are thousands of miles apart! Read the rest of this entry »
11 Steps to Selecting an Executive or Life Coach
November 16th, 2009 by Samantha Lurey
Credit: malouette via Flickr
As we mentioned in a previous blog post, there are several signs that the recession is starting to lift . Although this is fantastic news, it may leave you wondering your role in this new economy. Are you going to stay at your current job? Do you have the skills that employers will find valuable? Do you want to use the better economy to start something new? Or if you are in an executive position – do you have the skills to lead your organization in the new marketplace? Maybe now is the time to think about hiring an executive or life coach. This individual can help give your skills a tune-up and ensure you are ready for what’s next. So how do you go about selecting such a person? How do you know they will be a good fit? Here are some steps to get you started! Read the rest of this entry »
Future: Unconference! Interview with Juliette Powell from OD Network Conference ’09 – Part II
November 3rd, 2009 by Michael Liskin
As promised in part I of my Interview with Juliette Powell, in the video below Juliette discusses the future of conferences. If there was any misconception about the nature of the “unconference” versus the “conference” arising from her keynote address, or about the future of how people will interact in such settings, this video will bring clarity to that and might inspire you to go to an unconference in your city this year. I also asked Juliette to discuss more about the Leadership Engine and how that was created. We are looking forward to our next collaboration with Juliette!
What Makes Ordinary Groups Extraordinary? An Interview with Geoffrey Bellman and Kathleen Ryan, authors of Extraordinary Groups
October 30th, 2009 by Jeremy Lurey
I recently had the honor and privilege of sitting down with Geoff Bellman and Kathleen Ryan, co-authors of the new book Extraordinary Groups: How Ordinary Teams Achieve Amazing Results. What a treat! Geoff has been a personal idol of mine ever since I started my doctoral program more than 15 years ago, and Kathleen may now be my newest favorite OD consultant. Whether I’ve known them long or short, both are tremendously caring and generous souls who are ever-so-graciously giving back to the field of OD these days just as they have given to their local Seattle community for many, many years.
So why do you, our blog readers, care about Geoff and Kathleen? Because they are two leading team performance experts who just published an eye-opening book… Read the rest of this entry »
Tweeting the Organization Development Network Conference: Collaboration, Transparency, & Engagement
October 29th, 2009 by Michael Liskin
In a time of decreasing attention spans partially due to the flood of information many of us experience, it has become an important skill to encapsulate the main point of a complex idea in as few words as possible — especially if one is “tweeting” on Twitter.com, limited to 140 characters or less per tweet. Laura Horwitz not only excels in this regard, but has written an insightful guest post drawing connections between new technology and its implications for conference interaction and the foundations of OD. After reading her post, please share your reactions (in our comments section).
Edie Seashore (left) and Laura Horwitz (right)
As organizational psychologists, we look at human interactions as comprised of content and process. The OD Network conference was certainly chock full of great content, sessions that re-explored foundational theories, highlighted innovations, and introduced new applications at the boundaries of the field. And, with 800 participants, including many of organizational development’s leading theorists and practitioners, the conference offered a rare chance to connect with others who share my interests and values. Yet, as I reflect on my time in Seattle, what stands out about my first OD Network conference is not so much what I learned or who I met, but how I engaged with the content and process… through Twitter.
Juliette Powell Interview on Social Media in Organization Development: Part 1
October 27th, 2009 by Michael Liskin
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I recently conducted a two-part interview with Juliette Powell (author of 33 Million People in the Room) at the OD Network Conference in Seattle, just after she delivered the final keynote speech, titled “The Technology of Relationships: Social Networking and the Future of Human Communities.” This first interview gives you a behind-the-scenes look into Juliette’s take on the field of OD after delivering the keynote and meeting with OD practitioners for several days. You’ll especially want to watch if you were at the keynote or you plan to watch it on YouTube when it gets posted by the OD Network. I highly recommend you watch that keynote address when posted; her points are crucial for OD practitioners to remain relevant in the shifting organizational and media landscape.
You won’t want to miss our upcoming blog post featuring the second interview. There she clears up the misconception from the keynote address around her provocative comment regarding the demise of traditional conferences. She also further elaborates on her upcoming Leadership Engine project – an exciting new development for OD.
Here is a quick glimpse of that comment regarding the future of conferences during the keynote address
Community – Online and Offline: A guest post from OD Network Conference 2009
October 21st, 2009 by Michael Liskin
We have a strong commitment to provide the Organization Development community with a series of conversations highlighting the use of social and collaborative media within organizations. We believe that these technologies can be an empowering and enabling force for human potential. We have asked Jackie Alcalde Marr to write a guest post from the OD Network Conference 2009. Her new book, along with authors Arthur Jue and Mary Ellen Kassotakis highlight the use of new communication technologies in the workplace. After reading her post, please share (in our comments section) your experiences with these technologies in the workplace, or what you wish you could do for organizations with them.
This week at the OD Network Conference, organization development consultants – -seasoned and newly inspired – gathered to hear one of our favorite thought leaders, Peter Block. Block spoke of the “collective possibility” to “create a future distinct from the past.” This conference, like so many others, lives off of this premise – that people come together to share experience, debate new ideas, learn from each other in order to move their cause, profession or passions forward.
Plus Delta Hosts a ‘Fireside Chat’ with Charlie & Edie Seashore Discussing the Future of OD (Organization Development)
October 20th, 2009 by Samantha Lurey
Our adventures at the Organization Development Network conference continued last night with our firm hosting an exclusive fireside chat with Charlie and Edie Seashore. This amazing couple has been in the field of OD for almost 40 years and their experience and accomplishments are legendary. But what impressed me the most about these two last night was their humility and willingness to give back. They have generously donated their time to countless events like ours and continue to give back to the field that has given them so much.
The topic of the conversation last night was the “Future of OD”. Here is what these two had to say about their professional (and personal) past, and where they see the field going in the future:
This quiet venue was the perfect ending to an action-packed day, and we deeply thank the Seashores for their time!
Where do you think the field of OD is going? Is the future bright or dark? Join the discussion on our Future of OD group on LinkedIn and provide your initial comments below!
