In this episode, we discuss what is dialogic leadership and why leading in a dialogic way matters in today’s workplace.

Dialogic leadership is emerging as the most important form of leadership in the 21st century. The reason this is true is because today we are increasingly needing to solve complex adaptive challenges that cannot be solved through traditional forms of control-based leadership. Today, for any organization to compete effectively in the marketplace it requires both attention to and a capability of overcoming both technical and adaptive challenges. Trouble is, at no point in our schooling did we learn HOW to solve both sets of challenges.

Hence, in this episode we learn the best approach to solving for both technical AND complex challenges – we refer to such approach as dialogic leadership. In this episode, you’ll learn:  What it means to lead in a ‘dialogic-based’ way  Why it matters that we learn how to lead in a dialogic way  5 compelling reasons to start practicing dialogic leadership beginning today

CHAPTERS

0:00 Introduction to Dialogic Leadership

1:25 What is Dialogic Leadership?

3:46 Leveraging Dialogic Leadership to Solve for Complex Adaptive Challenges

5:30 Leveraging Dialogic Leadership to Transform Limiting Beliefs & Patterns

6:47 Leveraging Dialogic Leadership to Unlock Hidden Potential in Organizations

8:16 Leveraging Dialogic Leadership to Overcome Cognitive ‘Blind Spots’

10:16 Leveraging Dialogic Leadership to Engage the Future to Transform the Present

Hope you enjoy!

-Randall Scott

In this episode, we discuss how to manage dialogic-based projects. Specifically, you will learn of 5 key strategies that you can use to more successfully manage ANY dialogic-driven change effort. Effectively managing “dialogic-based” projects requires both a different mindset and set of capabilities than managing “traditional” change projects. As OD/Change leaders, to succeed with solving for complex adaptive challenges, it is imperative one apply a mindset and set of techniques that are suited to the challenge.

Hence, in this episode you will learn of 5 key strategies that you can use to become a more effective change agent when leading dialogic-based change. In this episode, you’ll learn:  What dialogic-based projects are; how we define them  The key differences between dialogic-based change projects and traditional projects  5 key strategies that you can use beginning today to increase your success rate when leading change

CHAPTERS 0:00 Introduction to Managing Dialogic Work 1:35 What are Dialogic-Based Change Projects? 4:50 Strategy #1 – Contract Differently 6:39 Strategy #2 – Measure Differently 10:00 Strategy #3 – Lead Differently 13:45 Strategy #4 – Execute Differently 15:41 Strategy #5 – Coach Differently

Hope you enjoy!

-Randall Scott

In this episode, we discuss what is dialogic-driven change including how leveraging the power of dialogue can and does facilitate transformative social and organizational change.

Engaging in dialogue is part of the human condition; it is part of our collective lived history. For 1000s of years, humans have leveraged the power of dialogue to form community, educate and inform, provide a means for governing, and even as a source of entertainment. Sadly, in the western-world, such ancient practice has been supplanted with a cold and clinical emphasis on machine-age logic, rational thought, and overly formal ways of working and being. The good news is humanity is ‘thawing out’; it has tired of these artificial ways of relating and being with one another. Increasingly, we see a movement back to our innate, ancient practices of yesteryear; a time when practicing dialogue was cherished, valued, and relied upon to maintain the stability and promote the growth of a group. The world is once again revealing its true colors; showing its innate desire and interest in leveraging the power of dialogue to facilitate transformative social (and organizational) change.

In this episode, you will learn:  What dialogic-driven change means/how it is defined  Key tools to catalyze dialogic-driven change  Process to initiate dialogic-driven change  The #1 benefit of leveraging the dialogic-based approach  Pro’s and con’s when utilizing the dialogic-based method

Hope you enjoy!

-Randall Scott

In this video we discuss integrating dialogic OD (methods, tools, and techniques) with traditional diagnostic OD (method, tools, and techniques) to produce a more powerful, accretive, and innovative social and organizational change methodology.

Increasingly we find that leveraging Diagnostic OD method, tools, and techniques alone is inadequate to effectively (read: sustainably) address the complex adaptive challenges of today. To solve complex adaptive challenges effectively, it requires an approach that is “suited for the times”; that is, an approach that both leverages complexity while embracing uncertainty. Moreover, we need an approach that is focused not only on addressing change at a behavioral level, but also, and far more importantly, at a cognitive level. That is, we need a method that addresses both inner AND outer. Integrating both OD methods, diagnostic (outer; behavioral) and dialogic (inner; cognitive), helps us achieve this goal.

In this episode, you will learn:  The case for integrating Dialogic OD with Diagnostic OD  How Dialogic OD amplifies the value of Diagnostic OD  The aspects of Dialogic OD to integrate with Diagnostic OD  Practice fields of opportunity to begin role-modeling the new  Key considerations when integrating both methods

Hope you enjoy!

-Randall Scott

When introducing any significant change in organizations today, the OD/Change practitioner is often met with any number of challenges – the most significant of which is working through conflict, resistance, and anxiety of both leadership and staff alike. Continually, we hear stories of 80% of transformation efforts underperforming if not outright failing. We can and must do better. The good news is, there is a way to increase your odds significantly in delivering a successful transformative change effort with reduced effort, stress, anxiety, and/or conflict. The key to doing this is in understanding our inner system or to be more precise understanding our limiting beliefs and patterns and working intentionally to transform such beliefs in both our-selves (as change agents) and those with whom we are working with to bring about change.

Hence, in today’s episode we discuss the what, why, and how of transforming limiting beliefs and patterns. You will learn what limiting beliefs are (including how they manifest – their origins), what the benefits are in working with limiting beliefs and patterns, and most importantly you will learn 12 proven strategies to consciously interrupt and shift limiting beliefs to realize transformative change.

In this episode you will learn:  What are limiting beliefs and patterns  The origin of limiting beliefs  How limiting beliefs and patterns manifest  Benefits from working with limiting beliefs  (6) Strategies to interrupt and shift limiting beliefs of SELF  (6) Strategies to interrupt and shift limiting beliefs of OTHERS  Critical success factors to transform limiting beliefs and patterns

Hope you enjoy!

-Randall Scott

Building generative containers to catalyze social and organizational change is not a well-developed skill in most OD/Change practitioners. But container building is a necessary, nay vital skill to solve the complex adaptive challenges of today. To solve today’s most intractable challenges, it requires bringing together highly diverse people from across a system to share, to listen, to empathize, and to learn from one another to create a shared understanding of both the issues at hand and how best to resolve them; an understanding that later leads to shared intention and aligned actions. Generative containers are the mechanism by which we help diverse others solve their most intractable problems together.

Hence, in today’s episode, we discuss how to build generative containers as a means to solve our most intractable issues, challenges, or problems. In this episode, you will learn:  What are generative containers for change  The key components necessary to create a container  What it means to create the conditions for change to occur  Key mechanisms that catalyze transformative change  Role and responsibilities of an OD/Change Leader to bring about transformative change  How to measure the success of a generative container.

Hope you enjoy!

-Randall Scott

Solving for complex adaptive challenges (CAC) is difficult work – so many considerations and things to think about to achieve hoped-for goals. For most OD practitioners, solving for CAC is not a well-developed skill. Most practitioners approach the task with an incomplete understanding of all the considerations (i.e., ‘parts’) to be effective in solving the challenge, issue, or opportunity. Hence, what emerges from the effort is a solution that is often sub-optimal, overly ambiguous, and lacking ‘real’ commitment from all key stakeholders to be successful; that is, sustainable. The good news is, solving for a CAC does not need to be all mystery; it does not need to be left for chance.

One can intentionally orchestrate or ‘architect’ a design that leads to widespread stakeholder commitment, breakthrough innovations, and ongoing sustained success. How is this possible? Well, the secret is in designing effective innovation sequences.

Hence, in today’s episode, we discuss both what is & how to design innovation sequences to solve ANY complex adaptive challenge.

In this episode, you will learn:  What are innovation sequences  Macro outcomes from executing an innovation sequence  The ‘hidden’ and ‘visible’ aspects of an innovation sequence  (6) Components that make for a ‘well-formed’ innovation sequence  (3) Case studies of real-life innovation sequences (in-person & virtual)  Critical success factors when designing/leading an innovation sequence

Hope you enjoy!

-Randall Scott

Organizations today are struggling to respond and adapt effectively due to the VUCA-like conditions of volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity. Part of the reason organizations are struggling is that they are using a change methodology that is outdated, ineffective for the times in which we live. To compete effectively today, to adequately and rapidly respond to ever-changing conditions, it requires a change approach that leverages complexity, while embracing uncertainty. It requires an approach that can temper the effects of volatility while acknowledging the perpetual ambiguity that afflicts us all. Hence, in today’s episode we discuss a new approach to bringing about organizational change. This new approach we call Hybrid OD – which reflects a blending of diagnostic, dialogic, and experiential methods, tools, and techniques. Hybrid OD is a modern, rapid, inquiry-based, foresight-driven, strategic learning model that is suited for the times; that is, it is a method that can effectively work with and leverage VUCA-like conditions. In this episode you will learn:  What is Hybrid OD (how we define Hybrid OD)  The case for why Hybrid OD is needed today  How Hybrid OD manifests (the forms it takes)  Types of challenges Hybrid OD addresses  The #1 secret why Hybrid OD is effective Hope you enjoy! -Randall Scott

Despite 70+ years of history, Organization Development (OD) remains somewhat elusive, nebulous to those outside the discipline. Part of the reason for this is due to the highly diverse interdisciplinary underpinnings that shaped and informed its development. With framing disciplines as varied from anthropology to social psychology to innovation to learning and development, simply understanding the scope and purpose of OD can be a challenge. Hence, in today’s episode we look to demystify organization development by addressing the question ‘What is organization development’ head-on. In this episode you will learn:  Historical/contemporary definitions of OD  Purpose, objectives, and scope of OD work  Brief history of OD from 1940s – present  Share several real-life examples of OD work  Highlight (3) forms of OD: Diagnostic OD, Dialogic OD, and Hybrid OD  Persona of an OD practitioner (demeanor, role & responsibilities, and knowledge, skills, and capabilities) Hope you enjoy! -Randall Scott

As OD practitioners, we are increasingly having to facilitate and solve complex adaptive challenges that require much greater skill and capability of the practitioner than solving technical challenges alone. The trouble is few practitioners have been adequately trained on how to do this well. Consequently, what happens in many cases is that the wrong people are often engaged in solving the problem, the wrong tools are employed to spur dialogue, and the wrong conversations are initiated resulting in identifying ineffective interventions that either only partially solve the problem or make matters worse. As a profession, as OD practitioners we can and must do better. To be effective in solving complex adaptive challenges, it requires a different set of knowledge, skills, and capabilities. Hence, in today’s episode, I want to break down three (3) MUST-HAVE skills that OD practitioners need to possess to effectively solve their clients’ or employer’s most intractable challenges. My hope is that in learning such skills, you will not only be better equipped to solve complex adaptive challenges, but also possess the requisite confidence to do it well. In this episode you will learn,  Three MUST-HAVE OD practitioner skills to increase your effectiveness in adequately and sustainably solving ANY complex adaptive challenge  Why such skills are needed and necessary to be effective in solving complex challenges  How possessing such skills can help you in elevating, revitalizing, and transforming what you do and how you do it to be a more effective OD leader