Leading and succeeding with change work is difficult. What makes it more difficult is not knowing how to create the conditions for change to occur at team, organizational, and network levels. This is how most change agents operate – it reflects a tremendous ‘blind spot’ greatly diminishing one’s ability to successfully deliver fast, largely resistance free, and sustainable change. Hence, in this post, we discuss how to create the conditions for change to occur at team level, as this is where most of us spend most of our time. Learning how to intentionally orchestrate the ‘right’ conditions for transformative change to occur is vital to succeed today in solving ANY complex adaptive challenge. Let’s discuss.

In this episode, you’ll learn:  What it means to create the conditions for change  Why creating the conditions for change to occur matters  How to create the conditions for change to occur at TEAM level  The key outputs that emerge when creating the ‘right’ conditions

CHAPTERS 0:00 – Introduction 2:10 – What does it mean to create the conditions for change to occur 3:30 – Why does creating the conditions for change matter 6:57 – Setting the ‘context’ for change to occur (enabling constraints) 12:50 – Constraints architecture summary 17:28 – Generating an atmosphere within the container 19:12 – Container building summary 19:37 – Adaptive leadership behaviors 21:30 – Bringing it all together summary 22:02 – Final thoughts

Hope you enjoy!

-Randall Scott

#DialogicOD #HenosisPartners #OrganizationDevelopment #ComplexityLeadershipModel #ChangeManagement #OrganizationalChange #ComplexityLeadershipTheory #LeadingThroughComplexity

The leading organizational change methods in use today like ADKAR, Kotter 8-Steps, and the Lewin Change Model were developed 20, 25, and 70 years ago respectively. While such methods might have worked well in a world of stability, pliant competition, and moderate growth, today such methods represent a liability. Such methods were not developed to handle the volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous conditions that we operate in today. Hence, to be successful in solving your organization’s most intractable challenges a new change method is needed; a method that is attuned to the times in which we live; a method that leverages complexity and embraces ambiguity; a method that was designed to solve the complex adaptive challenges of today. Let’s discuss.

In this episode, you’ll learn:  What is the Complexity Leadership (Theory of Change) Model  Why a new change model is needed address VUCA-like conditions  How we define complex adaptive challenges and why they matter  The (3) key frameworks that define the Complexity Leadership Model  How to shift from an OD/Change Leader to a Complexity Leader

CHAPTERS 0:00 – Introduction 2:11 – What is the Complexity Leadership ToC Model 4:25 – Why a new complexity-informed change method is needed 8:30 – OD/Change methodological shifts are occurring 9:13 – The focus of the Complexity Leadership Model 11:00 – Examples of complex adaptive challenges in organizations 12:25 – The key frameworks that define the Complexity Leadership Model 17:28 – Introducing the Complexity Leader role (3 key capabilities) 18:54 – Final thoughts on the next decade of disruption (2024-2034)

Hope you enjoy!

-Randall Scott

#DialogicOD #HenosisPartners #OrganizationDevelopment #ComplexityLeadershipModel #ChangeManagement #OrganizationalChange #ComplexityLeadershipTheory #LeadingThroughComplexity

As a discipline, organizational development has been around for over 70 years and in that time, it has helped countless organizations become not only more humane places to work but also has helped organizations better align themselves and increase their effectiveness and efficiency to achieve hoped-for goals. As important as it is that OD helps organizations improve in these noble ways, an even nobler potential exists for OD to extend its domain and elevate its stature to help facilitate solving humanity’s wicked problems.

The fact is, a tremendous opportunity exists for each of us as OD/Change leaders to extend the promise and potential of organization development practices, tools, and techniques to not only solve organizational problems, but also help solve humanity’s most intractable challenges. Hence, in this post we discuss the notion of ‘Boundaryless OD’ which describes extending and elevating the practice of OD to address larger, social issues at the scale of community, ecosystem, nation, and planet.

In this episode, you’ll learn:  What is Boundaryless OD and how it differs from Traditional OD  The tremendous opportunity that exists for each of us as OD/change leaders  Reasons why & how to get started with practicing Boundaryless OD beginning today

CHAPTERS 0:00 – Introduction 2:00 – Traditional OD vs. Boundaryless OD 3:46 – A Tremendous opportunity exists for each of us 5:45 – Opportunities where we can apply our OD expertise to societal issues 7:42 – Why you should consider broadening your OD horizons 9:20 – How does one begin to practice Boundaryless OD

Hope you enjoy!

-Randall Scott

When it comes to leading social change, there are only four (4) shifts that you need to remember to lead successful, that is, sustainable transformation change efforts. We refer to such shifts as the Universal Change Framework. Let’s discuss.

Social change comes in many different sizes, situations, and contexts. Despite such variability, to effectively facilitate solving ANY complex adaptive challenge in any social system, it only requires you, as change leader, to remember four (4) key ‘phase transformation’ shifts: 1) create a shared understanding amongst diverse stakeholders of what are the underlying issues of the challenge are 2) create a shared intention of where to go; that is, how to solve the challenge 3) create aligned actions, rowing in the same direction both individually and collectively, and 4) transform relations all along the way.

If ALL you did was focus your change efforts on initiating these (4) shifts, in sequence, you will have created the conditions to succeed with bringing about your desired social change.

In this episode, you’ll learn:  What is the Universal Change Framework and how it can help you lead social change  The four (4) ‘phase shifts’ to effectively facilitate solving ANY complex adaptive challenge  Why the Universal Change Framework “works” to bring about transformative change

CHAPTERS 0:00 – Introduction 1:30 – Universal Change Framework (UCF) overview 3:47 – Shift #1 - How to create a shared understanding 6:10 – Shift #2 - How to create a share intention 8:05 – Shift #3 - How to create aligned actions 10:19 – Shift #4 - How to transform relationships 12:35 – Not all ‘shifts’ are created equal (UCF summary) 15:10 – Why the Universal Change Framework “works”

Hope you enjoy!

-Randall Scott

Are you tired of leading transformation change efforts only to see the results fade away within a matter of weeks or months? Do you feel stuck as a change agent in how to break the cycle of delivering mediocre change efforts? If so, you're not alone. Many change leaders struggle with this issue, but the truth is, there's a formula for (change) transformation that can help you crack the code.

In this post, we'll explore the secrets of harnessing the transformation formula for lasting change. Whether you're looking to help your organization solve an intractable issue, vision the future, transform its culture, or exploit an emerging opportunity understanding this formula can make all the difference between success and failure. We'll dive deep into the key elements that drive successful (read: sustainable) organizational transformations, including the quality of conversation, the quality of listening, and the quality of one’s self-awareness.

We'll also provide practical strategies to help you apply this formula to your own working context. By the end of this post, you'll have the knowledge and strategies to deliver transformative change on a repeatable, consistent basis.

Don't let another change effort pass by without learning how to change the way change is done. It's time to unlock the power of transformation and be the best change agent you can be. Let's get started.

In this episode, you’ll learn:  What is the Transformation Change Formula for delivering lasting change  How to improve the quality of conversing for self and others  How to improve the quality of listening for self and others  How to improve the quality of self-awareness for self and others

CHAPTERS 0:00 – Introduction 1:40 – Transformative Change Formula overview 3:02 – Transforming the quality of group conversation 8:54 – Transforming the quality of group listening 12:56 – Transforming the quality of individual self-awareness

Hope you enjoy!

-Randall Scott

In this episode, we discuss AGILE OD and how the integration of the Agile/Iterative method with organization development methods, tools, and techniques is revolutionizing the practice of OD

We are living in a time of great disruption and change where the world is pulsing faster than ever before. As such, to respond to such disruption, to keep up with such change organizations need a change management approach that is “suited for the times” – use of the Agile/Iterative Method is such method. Agile OD reflects an integration of the Agile/ Iterative Method and Organization Development. Together, Agile and OD result in significant benefits for an organization from accelerating organizational learning to igniting a (dormant) innovation engine internally, to creating an army of highly skilled problem solvers able to solve complex adaptive challenges. Bottom line: for an organization to be slow-changing, slow-adopting in a context of rapid, disruptive change represents a one-way ticket to oblivion. Integrating Agile with Organization Development addresses this challenge ‘head-on’ by positioning a company to not only SUR-VIVE in our VUCA-like world, but more positions an organization to THRIVE.

In this episode, you’ll learn:  What is the Agile/Iterative Method and why the integration of Agile with OD matters today  How you can integrate the Agile/Iterative Method into your existing workflow  What are the benefits of integrating the Agile/Iterative Method with OD  How to properly govern Agile OD (‘experimental’) work

CHAPTERS 0:00 – Introduction to Agile OD 1:38 – What is Agile OD and Why Does it Matter? 3:04 – What is the Agile/Iterative Method? 7:38 – Why Agile? Why Now? 14:45 – How to Integrate Agile into Your Workflow 17:35 – What Are the Benefits of Integrating Agile with OD? 19:54 – What Does Agile OD Governance Look Like? 28:56 – The Role of an OD Change Leader with Agile OD 30:53 – Final Thoughts

Hope you enjoy!

-Randall Scott

#DialogicOD #HenosisPartners #OrganizationDevelopment #HybridOD #ChangeManagement

In this episode, we discuss what it means to ‘engage the edges” and why engaging the edges is a powerful, and often overlooked strategy for realizing transformative change

Are you tired of traditional approaches to change? Engage the edges! This innovative strategy can help you bring about transformation in unexpected ways.

Engaging the edges is all about embracing diversity and encouraging a wide range of perspectives and ideas. By seeking out and valuing the input of those who are often marginalized or overlooked, you can tap into a wealth of creativity and innovation that might otherwise go untapped. This can lead to new solutions and approaches that are more effective, sustainable, and equitable than traditional approaches. So don't be afraid to step outside your comfort zone and engage with those who have different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. You might be surprised by what you learn and achieve together.

In this episode, you’ll learn:  What it means to “engage the edges” and WHY it matters  What are the benefits of “engaging the edges” to help drive change  Strategies and practices you can use to help you “see around corners” and integrate “edge work” into your daily OD/Change rountines

CHAPTERS 0:00 – Introduction to Engaging the Edges 1:35 – What Does It Mean to Engage the Edges? 13:32 – What Are the Benefits of Engaging the Edges? 15:58 - Developing the Ability to See Around Corners 25:05 – Final Words

Hope you enjoy!

-Randall Scott

In this episode, we discuss the Dialogic OD toolkit and how leveraging dialogic-based tools can both generate and accelerate breakthrough results when solving for a complex adaptive challenge.

The types of organizational challenges that we as OD/Change leaders are increasingly being asked to help facilitate and solve are social in nature; that is, they are of a more complex variety where leveraging tools of old (i.e., diagnostic OD-based tools) is insufficient. To be successful with problem-solving today, it requires use of a set of tools that are attuned to solve complex, multi-stakeholder social issues. We refer to such tools as dialogic tools (aka ‘Dialogic OD Toolkit’) which are tools that leverage and are rooted in use of dialogue (as a conversational form) to facilitate problem solving. Knowing and being skilled in the use of such tools is vital to be an effective Organization Development/Change practitioner today.

In this episode, you’ll learn:  (7) Key tools that comprise the Dialogic OD toolkit  Why dialogic tools are so effective at solving complex challenges  How remarkably different Dialogic OD tools are from traditional Diagnostic OD toolkit

CHAPTERS 0:00 – Welcome to All Things OD Podcast 1:38 – Introducing the Dialogic OD Toolkit 2:55 – Tool #1: Innovation Sequences 8:06 – Tool #2: Container Building (Creating the Conditions for Change) 14:28 – Tool #3: Narrative/Story Harvesting 16:53 – Tool #4: Large-Group Process Methods 18:37 – Tool #5: Generative Dialogue 21:18 – Tool #6: Coaching (@Organization, Team, & Individual Levels) 23:55 – Tool #7: Inner Work (Transforming Limiting Beliefs & Patterns)

Hope you enjoy!

-Randall Scott

#DialogicOD #HenosisPartners #OrganizationDevelopment #HybridOD #ChangeManagement

In this episode, we discuss how to measure success when leveraging dialogic-based methods, tools, and techniques to realize transformative change

Traditional change-based performance measures are inadequate when trying to solve a complex adaptive challenge where leveraging dialogic-based methods, tools, and techniques are the ONLY way to succeed when leading such efforts. Unfortunately, many OD practitioners and change agents still measure using traditional methods which set up ALL dialogic-based work for failure. We know this to be true, as leadership often makes the wrong decisions (based on irrelevant indicators) that result in projects prematurely getting shut down, having their funding cut, and staff being reallocated to other change efforts. It does not have to be this way. There are “non-traditional” performance indicators that we can use to demonstrate real change is occurring when leveraging a dialogic-based approach/method to realizing transformative change.

In this episode, you’ll learn:  Why we must measure differently when leveraging the dialogic method  How to measure in a dialogic-based way utilizing the ‘TILES Framework’  What it means to measure change ‘indirectly’ by defining and monitoring our “intended direction of travel”

CHAPTERS 0:00 – Introduction to Measuring Dialogic Change 1:30 – Measuring Dialogic Change/TILES Framework Overview 4:00 – Dialogic-Based Measures of Trust 7:15 – Dialogic-Based Measures of Impact 8:46 – Dialogic-Based Measures of Learning 11:45 – Dialogic-Based Measures of Engagement 13:45 – Dialogic-Based Measures of Spread 15:26 – Final Words

Hope you enjoy!

-Randall Scott

In this episode, we discuss the future of Organization Development – including what you can do as an OD/change leader to best prepare, ‘ready’ yourself for the next decade of disruption.

Increasingly, we are besieged with news stories of and advancements in technology (e.g., ChatGPT, Artificial Intelligence, Google BARD, and The Metaverse) that will fundamentally reshape the WHAT and HOW of Organization Development and change work. The question is…do you have the skills to compete effectively in this emerging future? Are you prepared for how technology with transform OD and Change work? For each of us, as OD/Change leaders, our effectiveness as change agents is fully predicated on whether our knowledge, skills, and capabilities are relevant for, aligned with the context in which we are working. Consider that, as the world changes, as our work context changes, we MUST adapt to changing conditions OR suffer the devastating consequences of being left behind. Perhaps you have experienced this type of disruption before – I know I have, and it is not pleasant. However, being left behind is not OUR fate. Hence, the time in NOW to learn of the emerging future (of OD) to transform YOUR present. Know this: nothing short of your professional (and personal) life is at stake.

In this episode, you will learn:  Key emerging trends and driving forces shaping OD/Change work  Emerging technologies shaping and influencing HOW we do OD/Change work  How artificial intelligence (AI) will disrupt OD/Change work in the next decade  What you can do as an OD/Change leader to ‘ready’ yourself to capitalize on such change

Hope you enjoy!

-Randall Scott