I’ve Never Thought of Myself as a Big-Box Store

I recently read an article written by Dr. Christopher G. Worley, Dr. Kent Rhodes, Jill Shaver, and Dr. Ann Feyerherm of the Masters of Science in Organization Development (MSOD) faculty at Pepperdine University called “A Cold, Hard Look in the Mirror.”

It presents a call to re-connect with the view of OD as “a system-wide application and transfer of behavioral science knowledge to the planned development, improvement, and reinforcement of the strategies, structures, and processes that lead to organization effectiveness.” The authors make the distinction between a system-wide, integrated experience of OD and specialization in areas such as change management, coaching, diversity/equity/inclusion and the like.

They liken these specialties to “category killers” in retail like Staples, Home Depot, BevMo and similar vendors versus the multi-category ilk like Costco, et al. Their premise is that this specialization may have unintended consequences with power, inequality and fragmentation of impact compared to a more integrated approach.

I noticed a budding irritation and some creeping defensiveness when I read the article. After all, my practice is composed of leader development, executive coaching and team effectiveness work. Then I recalled hearing OD luminary Tony Petrella opine, “Those bits and pieces are fine, but they’re not OD.”

As I reflected, I realized what was bothering me.  I was feeling that somehow, I was being accused of not being “real” OD practitioner if I didn’t do systemic change work and use an “end-to-end” method to achieve impact across the organization (and the world?). 

I was drawn to the field of OD for two reasons. The first is that I resonated with the values of OD about the unique value of people, equitable empowerment and reward and achieving potential. The second was that I really liked to create experiences that help people learn, grow, feel good about themselves as they are and to do their best. OD checked both boxes.

I don’t have a lick of interest in the drive for whole system impact. It doesn’t really “float my boat.” This is where my optimism intersects with pragmatic skepticism. Are comprehensive change efforts really more valid? Or, even achievable?

My professional and personal satisfaction comes when I witness a person or small group get clear on who they are truly and learn to lead or act from that place. It always seems like good comes out of this. I’m not sure that impactful change actually happens on a large scale (“100 Monkeys Theory” aside). I think of it more as hand-to-hand (I almost said “combat” - maybe “collaboration”). I go more for the “Butterfly Effect.”

I reckon there’s an implied inherent bias toward how you scale results from your efforts; a kind of “more is more.” In a world of complexity, can you really anticipate the results of an interaction or intervention? Are we really being open to where the river wants to go or are we trying to manipulate the flow with our method?

This may be “OD heresy” but I think that too heavy a reliance on data and metrics is overrated. In fact, I posit that the excessive data-tracked world in which we live (thanks Google, Facebook, Fitbit and Apple Watch!) is actually distorting our reality. We begin to believe that what they say about us is who we have to be.

Finally, it dawned on me that in my “Velveteen Rabbit quandry,” I didn’t need to let anyone else define what kind of practitioner I am. Members of the academy can have their perspectives. The premise that it’s a zero-sum game between the systemic and “the pieces” in my opinion is actually fallacious. And assessment of the value or impact of the “pieces” in organizations and society is just “small-p” political.

Implied causality is actually speculation. With apologies to Mark Twain, it’s “lies, damned lies and statistics.”

Besides, I think the quest for “ROI for OD” is kind of a trap and a fool’s errand, but that’s another blog post. 

Maybe it's the spiritual side of me, but I’m clear on the impact and transformation I see in the “bits and pieces” I do with my clients. That energy is undeniable. 

So, for my systemic, integrated OD colleagues, I say “Good on you!” We want the same thing. I’ll just take the butterflies.