Why do so many transformation and change programmes fail to deliver in practice – even when the strategy looks solid?

In this episode of the OrgDev Podcast, we explore why organisational change breaks down during execution, and what leaders, HR and organisation development practitioners can do to make change actually stick. We look at the gap between strategy and reality – from leadership alignment and decision-making to the lived experience of change across teams.

If you’re leading transformation, working in HR or OD, or responsible for delivering change, this episode offers practical insight into how to execute change more effectively and sustainably.

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

In this episode of the OrgDev Podcast, we’re joined by Rick Buccheri, an organisational development practitioner based in New York, to explore conflict, collaboration and the real work of change. Drawing on his experience in organisational consulting and conflict resolution, Rick shares how tension shows up beneath the surface of teams - and what it takes to engage with it productively.

We discuss why conflict is often avoided or mishandled, how power and responsibility shape workplace dynamics, and what leaders can do to create the conditions for more honest, effective conversations. Rather than seeing conflict as something to eliminate, Rick reframes it as a capability - one that organisations need to develop if they want to work through complexity and deliver meaningful change.

If you work in leadership, HR or organisation development, this episode offers a practical perspective on how to navigate conflict, strengthen collaboration and support teams to take responsibility rather than defaulting to blame.

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

How do leaders handle endings well - and why do so many organisations rush past them?

In this episode of the OrgDev Podcast, we speak with Lizzie Bentley Bowers and Alison Lucas about one of the most overlooked aspects of leadership and organisational change: endings.

Many organisations focus on launches, growth, restructures, mergers and new strategies. Far less attention is given to what is being left behind - projects ending, team changes, role loss, leadership exits, funding cuts and organisational transitions.

We explore why poorly handled endings can create uncertainty, grief, resistance, disengagement and hidden disruption. Lizzie and Alison share practical insight on how leaders can guide people through endings with clarity, care and honesty - helping organisations move forward without damaging trust, morale or performance.

If you work in leadership, HR, organisation development, change management or culture transformation, this episode offers practical ideas for handling transition and creating stronger beginnings.

Topics covered
Leadership during change
Organisational endings
Restructures and transitions
Employee trust and morale
Communication in uncertainty
Culture through change
Why endings shape beginnings

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

What does it take to support people and organisations working under pressure, complexity, and trauma?

In this episode of the OrgDev Podcast, we welcome Gareth Evans, Lead for Specialist Organisational Development at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. A facilitator, coach, and thought leader in relational and trauma-informed OD, Gareth is the developer of the Conversational Spaces Framework and co-developer of the OD Practice Framework for working with organisational trauma.

Together, we explore how organisation development can create the conditions for connection, collaboration, and meaningful work in complex and emotionally demanding environments.

Topics include: trauma-informed OD, organisational trauma, conversational spaces, systems thinking, complexity, and relational practice.

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

Most organisations are still managed as if they can be controlled, predicted and engineered into success. But what if that assumption is the problem?

In this episode of the OrgDev Podcast, we explore a different way of seeing organisations - not as machines to optimise, but as complex human systems that are constantly shifting, adapting, and responding to their environment. If you’re dealing with messy change, unclear direction, or patterns that don’t seem to shift despite your best efforts, this conversation will challenge how you think about leadership and organisation development.

This is a special episode - our 100th - and a fitting moment to step back and ask a more fundamental question: what does it really mean to lead in complexity?

We’re joined by one of the most influential voices in this space, to unpack practical ways of working with uncertainty rather than trying to eliminate it. We get into Human Systems Dynamics (HSD), the CDE Model (Containers, Differences, Exchanges), and Adaptive Action - not as theory, but as tools leaders can actually use to understand patterns, make better decisions, and take action in real time

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

Why do so many organisations struggle to improve productivity - even when they invest heavily in strategy, transformation and new ways of working?

Nelson Repenning, co-author of There’s Got to Be a Better Way, describes the hidden systems that shape how work actually gets done. Drawing on decades of research at MIT and real-world organisational transformation, Nelson unpacks why well-intentioned improvements often fail - and what leaders can do differently.

We explore the core ideas behind work design, the structural causes of inefficiency, and why fixing productivity isn’t about working harder, but redesigning how work flows across teams and systems. This conversation gets underneath the surface of strategy execution, operational performance, and organisational effectiveness - offering practical insight for leaders, HR, and OD practitioners trying to make change stick.

If you’re dealing with slow execution, overloaded teams, or initiatives that never quite land, this episode will help you see the system differently - and act on it

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

Why do leadership teams say the future matters - and then fail to make time for it?

This episode examines a common pattern inside organisations: strong strategies, but limited execution. We explore how top teams prioritise, make decisions, and enable strategic change, and why leadership effectiveness is often constrained not by capability, but by how time, attention, and work are structured.

Here are the links to Stefan’s latest editorials:

Why strategy fails – the five tensions future-ready executive teams learn to steward: 

https://www.hultashridge.com/en/insights/article/strategy-and-transformation/

Your executive team doesn’t have a strategy problem – they have a time problem: 

https://www.hultashridge.com/en/insights/article/faculty-column-transformation/

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

In this episode, Dr Jean Boulton joins us to explore how ideas from complexity science can help leaders understand strategy, power and change in uncertain environments. 

What really drives change in organisations - and what quietly kills it? Why do some initiatives gain traction while others fade away, even when the intent is strong?
Originally trained as a physicist and now a strategy practitioner, Jean brings a distinctive perspective on why organisations rarely behave in the neat, predictable ways our plans assume.

We discuss why traditional approaches to strategy often struggle in complex systems, how power and relationships shape outcomes inside organisations, and what leaders can do when cause and effect are not clear.

If you're interested in complexity thinking, strategy under uncertainty and leading organisational change, this conversation offers a practical way to think about the messy reality of organisational life.

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

Why has HR’s operating model barely changed in 25 years – while everything around it has?

In this episode of the OrgDev Podcast, we speak with Perry Timms about the uncomfortable truth at the heart of modern HR: we’ve spent decades optimising processes instead of redesigning how HR actually works.

As organisations evolve at pace – driven by digital transformation, new workforce expectations, agility, and shifting power dynamics – many HR functions are still operating with models built for a different era. Perry argues that incremental improvement is no longer enough. What’s required is a fundamental rethink of HR’s operating model, its role in organisation design, and its contribution to business value and societal impact.

We explore:
Why traditional HR structures struggle to support adaptive organisations
The limits of efficiency thinking in transformation work
Self-managed and freedom-centred work systems
The future of HR operating models
What “Better Business for a Better World” really means in practice

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

What if organisations can’t be engineered into better performance — only invited into change?

We’re joined by Gervase Bushe, one of the most influential contemporary thinkers in Organisation Development and a leading voice in dialogic OD.

For decades, many change efforts have assumed that if we design the right structure, define the right process and implement the right plan, performance will follow. Bushe’s work challenges that assumption. Drawing on his research into dialogic Organisation Development, Clear Leadership and complexity-informed change, he argues that transformation emerges through conversations, shared meaning and shifts in collective attention.

We explore what this means for organisational culture, leadership in complex environments, and the future of OD practice. For HR leaders, OD practitioners and senior executives navigating uncertainty, this conversation offers a grounded and practical lens on how meaningful change actually happens.

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

What does organisation development look like when AI, complexity and constant transformation become the norm rather than the exception?

In this episode of the OrgDev Podcast, we’re joined by Omar Morales, Head of Organisation Development at Microsoft, to explore how organisations design for adaptability, leadership resilience, and sustained performance in fast-moving environments. Drawing on nearly two decades of global experience across organisation development, HR strategy and transformation, Omar shares practical insight on operating model design, leadership team effectiveness, systems thinking, and building OD capability at scale.

If you’re working in organisation development, HR, leadership, or organisational transformation - particularly in the context of AI and evolving business models - this conversation offers grounded perspectives on how to translate strategy into action while keeping people, performance and organisational effectiveness connected.

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

How to apply complexity thinking in your organisation
If we can’t reliably predict what will happen in our organisations, can’t control outcomes in any simple way, and can’t even agree on what’s true – how do we lead?

That’s the territory explored in this conversation with Dave Snowden. We move beyond tidy change models and into the realities of uncertainty, distributed knowledge and contested meaning. This episode challenges the instinct to simplify too quickly, offering a more grounded way to think about judgement, intervention and action in complex systems.

From Cynefin to estuarine mapping, the discussion examines what it really means to make sense of the present before attempting to shape the future — and why leadership in complexity is less about control and more about creating the conditions for coherence to emerge.

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

Strategy is one of the most overused words in organisational life – and one of the least well understood. In this conversation with Rupert Morrison, we explore what strategy actually means, who really owns it, and why so many organisations struggle not with ambition, but with focus. We talk about why strategies so often turn into shopping lists, why prioritisation is harder than it looks, and how pace, culture, and execution collide once a strategy meets the real world. It’s a practical, grounded discussion about making strategy simpler, sharper, and genuinely useful – without pretending the work itself is simple.

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

This week on the OrgDev Podcast we’re joined by the brilliantly provocative Nick Shackleton-Jones, a guest who never fails to challenge how organisations think about learning. Nick brings energy, clarity and a healthy dose of disruption as he unpicks why so much workplace learning fails to change behaviour and what actually works instead.  He shares a rallying cry of resources not courses along with stories about simulations and onboarding that genuinely sets people up to succeed.

This is a lively, thought-provoking conversation packed with practical insights. If you’ve ever felt frustrated by tick-box training, overloaded programmes or learning that looks good on paper but goes nowhere in practice, this episode will give you plenty to reflect on and experiment with.

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

Top tips from leading Organisation Development and Design Experts

This is part 2 of a special highlights episode. This year has been a big one for us.
We recorded 44 episodes, and the podcast reached listeners in 109 countries.

Our guests joined us from as far afield as California, Spain and Australia – as well as Austria, the Netherlands and Sweden, and together we covered a broad spectrum of practice – from neuroscience and psychological safety, to systems thinking, agility, self-organising teams, imposter syndrome, and organisation design.

What we’ve pulled together here is a curated set of highlights from those conversations.

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

op tips from leading Organisation Development and Design Experts
This is a special highlights episode.This year has been a big one for us.
We recorded 44 episodes, and the podcast reached listeners in 109 countries.

Our guests joined us from as far afield as California, Spain and Australia – as well as Austria, the Netherlands and Sweden, and together we covered a broad spectrum of practice – from neuroscience and psychological safety, to systems thinking, agility, self-organising teams, imposter syndrome, and organisation design.

What we’ve pulled together here is a curated set of highlights from those conversations. The video is divided into four chapters, so feel free to dip in where your interest takes you, or watch it end to end.

Looking ahead, next year is shaping up to be just as strong. We’ve got conversations lined up with leading practitioners including Dave Snowden, Gervase Bushe, and Rupert Morrison, and we’re really looking forward to sharing their insights with you.

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

What does leadership look like when it’s driven by purpose rather than control?

In this episode of the OrgDev Podcast, we’re joined by Dr Louise Van Rhyn, social entrepreneur, leadership and organisation development practitioner, and founder of Symphonia. Louise shares powerful insights from more than four decades of practice working with leaders, organisations and large-scale social change initiatives across South Africa and beyond.

We explore why certainty shuts down contribution, how unsolicited advice is often experienced as judgement, and what it really means to lead as a citizen rather than a parent or expert. Louise reflects on her work with Partners for Possibility, the role of listening in leadership, and why leadership development only works when it is connected to the wider organisational system.

This conversation is a deep invitation to rethink leadership as creating the conditions for others to think, contribute and thrive rather than having the answers or exerting control.

You’ll hear about
 – Leading with purpose, not authority
 – Why relationships shape thinking, action and results
 – Citizen leadership and shared responsibility
 – The hidden cost of certainty in leadership
 – Listening as a core leadership practice
 – Why leadership development is organisational development

A thoughtful and challenging episode for leaders, OD practitioners, HR professionals and anyone interested in more human, effective ways of working together

Dr. Louise van Rhyn is a distinguished social entrepreneur and leadership development practitioner. She is the founder and CEO of Symphonia Leadership Development, a social enterprise dedicated to developing leadership capacity at scale. Dr. van Rhyn's work focuses on mobilizing active citizenship and addressing significant social issues through cross-sector collaboration and citizen leadership. Her innovative leadership development process, Partners for Possibility, has positively impacted over one million people and has been recognized with numerous awards for its innovation and impact. Dr. van Rhyn's commitment to creating flourishing and inclusive organizational communities is evident in her work with leaders across various sectors.

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

Why Do Transformations and Change Fail - And What Can Leaders Do About It? 
Where do leaders go when the map runs out – when the terrain ahead is shifting faster than they can chart it? Today on the OrgDev Podcast, we’re stepping into the space where the known meets the unknown, and where transformation takes root. In this episode. we’ll hear how Gwen blends rigour and relationality, why she believes leadership must be both human-centred and AI-enabled, and what seeds she’s planting for the future of Organisation Development.

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

How Can Design Thinking Solve Your Organisation's Most Intractable Problems?
Design thinking has transformed how we approach products and services - but what does it really look like when we apply it to people, culture, and organisations?  How do we move from post-it notes and empathy maps to real organisational change?  To explore the intersection between design thinking and organisation development, we’re joined by Giles Wright – an experienced practitioner who’s helped leaders and organisations use design principles to rethink systems, services and culture  

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

Is it time to rethink leadership and management?

Many leaders work under the illusion that they can control what goes on but in reality organisations are messy, and unpredictable. So what does this Complexity  really means for how organisations function, how leaders make decisions, and how people navigate uncertainty. One person who has challenged the neat models and tidy solutions we often reach for – instead opens up more real, human, and sometimes uncomfortable conversations about leadership, change, and organisational life is Professor Chris Mowles

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

What does it take to deliver on an ambitious strategy – especially in a mission-driven organisation where the stakes are high and capacity is limited? How do you align people, processes, and systems to deliver on the organisation's ambitions? Our guest this week is the Maria Farres, Director of Organisational Development & Employee Experience at Cancer Research UK, where she leads work on org. development, leadership & talent, EDI, employee experience, and building change capability across the charity.

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

What really derails a change project – the plan, or the relationships behind it?
Our guest today, Sophy Pern, has spent her career helping leaders and teams untangle the relational dynamics that quietly shape whether strategy and change succeed or stall. An international consultant, facilitator and executive coach, she works with executive leaders on strategy engagement, organisation design, operating models, culture change and team development. Sophy is known for bringing depth, clarity and humanity to complex organisational challenges, and for building OD and Design capability in organisations and professional communities across Europe.

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

How do you make sure your organisation’s design is truly fit for purpose – not just neat on paper, but aligned to the strategy your future depends on?

And how do you work with senior leaders in a way that builds real trust – so you can understand how value is created in their world, and the tough trade-offs that come with redesigning it?

Today we’re joined by Jaimini Lakhani – founder of Lumiere Consulting and a leading expert in organisation design and strategy. Jaimini has helped some of the world’s most recognisable organisations navigate complex moments of change, connecting strategy, structure and people in ways that deliver real impact.

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

What separates good OD practice from great OD practice – skill, strategy, or self-awareness?

You can have the tools. The models. The frameworks. But what really shapes your impact as an OD practitioner?

According to Dr Frances Baldwin, it’s not what you do – it’s who you are.
Frances has been shaping the field of Organisation Development for more than five decades. Yet when you ask her what truly makes a difference in this work, she doesn’t start with methods or models.

She talks about presence. About congruence. About the quality of the inner condition we bring to our practice.

After fifty years of working across industries and continents, Frances is clear: it’s your presence, purpose and self-awareness that enable trust, unlock change and create real impact.

In this episode, she brings depth, wisdom and a lifetime of embodied OD practice to the conversation – reminding us that development always begins with who we are.

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

How to Solve Complex Business Problems? Organisations are not machines – and they certainly don’t run on machine logic. Solving the toughest business problems isn’t about pulling levers or rewriting process charts. It’s about people: how they work together, how they make sense of their world, and how they feel.

But people don’t operate in neat, predictable ways. We delete, distort, and generalise the reality around us – which makes organisational life messy, complex, and often resistant to simple solutions.

In this episode of the OrgDev Podcast, we’re joined by Phil Lewis, a consultant, strategist and thinker based in Scotland, who specialises in helping organisations tackle their most stubborn challenges.

💼Phil Lewis
Phil's website to access his services and writing:
philhq.com

Join Phil's insightful Workforces newsletter:
https://philhq.us17.list-manage.com/s...

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

Have you ever worried you’ll be “found out” or dismissed your own successes as luck? You’re not alone. In this episode, we’re joined by Dr Kate Atkin, author of The Imposter Phenomenon: Why You Feel Like a Fraud and What to Do About It. 

Kate brings both personal experience and rigorous research to the conversation, busting myths (it’s phenomenon, not syndrome) and sharing practical strategies for navigating self-doubt. We explore how imposter feelings show up in organisations, why the right kind of feedback matters, and how psychological courage helps us update the story we tell ourselves.

It’s an honest and hopeful conversation that we're pretty sure will resonate with many leaders and practitioners

Join Kate's Book Launch for free: There are three options, London on 3rd September, Cambridge on 28th October and online on 6th November. The details and booking are available through Eventbrite using this link: https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/the-imp...  Please also feel free to share this with others if you wish.

Buy Kate's book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Imposter-Phe...

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

In this episode of the OrgDev Podcast, we’re joined by Mel Francis, Director of Neurodiversity at Work at Do-IT Solutions, to explore how organisations can move beyond simply accommodating difference to designing workplaces where all kinds of brains can thrive. Mel shares practical strategies for embedding neuroinclusive thinking across the employee lifecycle – from recruitment and onboarding to performance, progression, and everyday management. Drawing on her HR expertise and lived experience as a parent of a neurodivergent son, she challenges outdated stereotypes, highlights the risks of unintentionally excluding talent, and offers simple, low-cost changes that benefit everyone. This is an essential listen for anyone looking to create a truly inclusive culture that values neurodiversity as a strength. 

Follow Melanie's work at www.doitprofiler.com and get in contact via info@doitprofiler.com

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

Change and Transformation. What if the way most organisations approach transformation is fundamentally flawed?

In this episode, Dr. Andrew Day turns the usual change management playbook on its head. Drawing on decades of work with leaders across sectors and continents, he explores why transformation isn’t something you can manage from the top – and why the real work is social, emotional, and far messier than any plan on paper.

We dig into what really happens to people during change, why standard tools often miss the point, and how leaders can work with – rather than against – the human side of transformation.

Buy Andrew's brilliant book here:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Disruption-C...

Dr. Andrew Day has over 30 years’ experience working with leaders across the globe to develop and improve how organisations function. He believes that lasting, meaningful change happens only when those affected are actively involved in co-creating new working practices and structures.

His work has taken him around the world with clients in the private, public and third sectors, including Ford Motor Company, GSK, BP, Jazz Pharmaceuticals, the UK Civil Service, Cancer Research UK, the NHS and many more.

A former internal consultant at Ford Motor Company and senior member of faculty at Ashridge Business School, Andrew combines first-hand insight into the realities of organisational life with a deep grounding in the research and theory of organisational development and transformation.

He specialises in team facilitation, executive coaching, systemic consulting and participative organisation design, and is the author of Disruption, Change & Transformation in Organisations, which explores the impact and consequences of disruptive change – and how people can navigate it effectively.

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

What if the future of HR isn’t about getting a seat at the table - but redesigning the table altogether?

In a world shaped by paradox, uncertainty and stakeholder pressure, the next generation of HR leaders must be architects of value—not just participants in strategy.

It’s about creating human capability that drives stakeholder value—for employees, customers, communities, investors and boards. 

For this episode, we're joined from the US  by the Father of modern HR, Dave Ulrich and the Father of HRD in India, TV Rao. They’re both architects of the Global HR Leadership Experience (GHRLE), a new 100 day development program aimed at preparing the next generation of HR leaders who can deliver value for multiple stakeholders across global contexts.

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

OD in Complexity, Change and Transformation

What gets in the way when strategy and change aren’t truly connected – when the people leading strategy and the people leading change don’t even see their work as part of the same conversation?

We’re delighted to be joined by Toby Lindsay, Senior Consultant in Leadership and Organisational Development at The King’s Fund and Lead Consultant at Lindsay Associates

Toby has dedicated his career to exploring and supporting how organisations navigate complexity – and what it really takes to really align people, strategy and change

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

What does it really take to build a responsive, high-performing organisation – one that learns, adapts, and endures? Today, we’re joined all the way from California by one of the world’s leading thinkers on organisation agility, Dr Chris Worley – co-author of The Agility Factor and a pioneer in the fields of organisation development, strategic change, and design. In this episode, we explore what agility really means (beyond the buzzword), how AI is reshaping organisational life, and what it takes to lead through complexity.

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

Business Ethics - Corporate Scandals and Failure - CEO Failings
Why do good people do bad things? What drives epic ethical failure in organizations? Have you ever read about a corporate scandal in the news and thought that next time, it could be you and your organization? Probably not. We all tend to believe that bad things are done by bad people. And since we consider ourselves to be decent human beings, we don’t believe we would ever engage in similar behavior. And yet, most of the time, it is normal people like you and me who push organizations over the ethical edge.
In this episode, we’re joined by Professor Guido Palazzo. Professor Guido is a globally recognised expert on why unethical behaviour occurs in organisations. He is author of the brilliant book Dark Patterns (also available on Audiobook!)

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

What does it mean to take a systemic approach to leadership and change? It means focusing not just on individuals, but on the patterns, relationships,  between people, teams and different parts of the organisation. It also explores how leaders and team members make sense of what’s happening around them. 

Who better to help us explore this powerful approach to understanding the social worlds of organisations than Dr Martin Miksits. Dr. Martin is a leading consultant and academic in this exciting and fascinating field!

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

What happens when the Organisation Development team doesn’t sit in HR – but reports directly to senior leadership instead? What difference does it make reporting into the C-suite? How does it shape the culture, how decisions are made and ways of working? 

Thomas Lindqvist is Senior Director of Organisational Development at King – and he shares his perspective on how OD can play it's full role in the C-suite

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

Learning and Development that moves the needle. How do you design learning for high performance. What kind of friction is slowing your organisation down—and is it the kind that challenges, or the kind that quietly corrodes performance? In Organisation Development, we often look to build capability, improve systems, and align people to strategy. But sometimes the biggest gains come not from adding new layers, but from removing the friction that’s already there.. Our guest expert  Michelle Parry-Slater is on a mission to explore this area and offers a practical take on how to spot and reduce these points of drag

Michelle Parry-Slater
Follow Michelle on LinkedIn
  / michelleparryslater 

Go to the Kairos website:
https://www.kairosmodernlearning.com/

Buy the Learning and Development Handbook here: (use the code at the checkout)
https://www.koganpage.com/hr-learning...

Get your 20% discount code here: LDH2

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

Why does progress feel harder than it should, even when everyone’s working flat out? Why do good teams struggle to have the right conversations, make clear decisions, or follow through effectively?

In this episode of the OrgDev Podcast, we explore the invisible drag on performance: team misalignment. When people act on different assumptions, even the most committed teams end up stuck in confusion, slow decisions and fractured collaboration.

It’s not about effort – it’s about shared understanding. And alignment is what cuts through the fog. But alignment doesn’t just happen.

That’s why we’re joined by Lindsay Uittenbogaard, Founder of Mirror Mirror and a leading expert on team alignment, to discuss:

What alignment really means (beyond just agreement)
Why misalignment is often overlooked
How to make alignment a standard part of how teams work

If you’re leading change, running teams or supporting strategy delivery – this episode is for you

Go to the Mirror Mirror website:
https://mirrormirroralignment.com/

Follow Lindsay and Mirror Mirror on Substack:
https://mirrormirroralignment.substac...

Become a Mirror Mirror Practitioner:
https://mirrormirroralignment.com/get...

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

Agile Leadership.  How do you build an organisation that can adapt – not just survive, but thrive?How do you define organisational agility, and why is it crucial for businesses in today's rapidly changing environment? 

Across organisations, Expectations keep rising, while resources don’t and change just keeps on coming. This week, we’re joined by Dr Linda Holbeach – researcher, author and leading voice in organisation development. Her book The Agile Organisation explores how businesses can become more responsive, innovative and sustainable – not through surface-level changes, but by rethinking leadership, culture, strategy and people practices. 

In this conversation, we talk about:

• What agility really means in today’s world – beyond the buzzwords
• Why resilience, adaptability and innovation are now critical capabilities
• The deep tensions leaders face between control and empowerment
• And what HR and OD teams can do to enable lasting, meaningful change

Buy Linda's books  here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/author/B001IZPJ16/allbooks?ingress=0&visitId=3ff53028-63d1-4d26-bc22-4aa4426f753f

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

Things change when our thinking changes.

So why do so many organisations still rely on outdated mental models to tackle today’s complex challenges?

In this episode, From developing foundational theories like DSRP and VMCL, to shaping national education programmes and training leaders across sectors, we’re joined by two of the most influential figures in the systems thinking world

This conversation explores what it really means to think systemically—and why it matters now more than ever.

Visit the Cabrera Lab website here:
https://www.cabreraresearch.org/

Buy Derek and Laura's books here:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Derek...

Subscribe to the Cabrera Lab Podcast here:
   / @cabreralabpodcast  

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

How can we leverage what neuroscience experts know about the brain to design learning that actually sticks? If we know so much about how the brain works – why is so much learning still designed in ways that ignore it? 

In this episode, we’re looking into what neuroscience can teach us about how people and organisations really learn – not just in theory, but in practice. We explore how memory works, how we build skills and retain knowledge, and even the role of exercise in boosting cognitive performance.

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

What does it take to scale a company without losing its soul? How can you grow an organization without losing the original ingredients that made it so successful in the first place? Our guest today is Tanya Lopez, VP of Strategic Organizational Development at reMarkable. Tanya and her team have played a pivotal role in supporting reMarkable's growth from 120 to 500 employees, shaping, its culture, and ways of working. They leading on strategic initiatives in organization design, leadership development and capability building.

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

In this jam-packed episode of the OrgDev Podcast, we welcome the brilliant and boundlessly productive Dr. William (Bill) Brendel - award-winning OD educator, researcher, consultant, and founder of OpensourceOD.com. If you’ve ever wondered "What kind of OD practitioner am I?" or "How do I actually get into this field?" then this episode is for you.

Bill shares insights from over 25 years of global OD consulting and cutting-edge research, including his work developing the MOST (Mastering Organizational and Societal Transformation) assessment - the first psychometrically validated OD competency model. Based on thousands of job descriptions, this tool helps emerging and seasoned practitioners align their strengths and interests with real-world career paths, providing clarity in a field often marked by ambiguity.

We unpack the challenges of entering and navigating OD careers, from the blurry boundaries of OD roles to the messy reality of job descriptions that rarely reflect the true nature of the work. Bill discusses how Opensource OD is helping bridge the gap between academia and practice, offering a "dojo" for practitioners to build technical skills and reflective wisdom through immersive, real-world case studies contributed by legends like Ed Schein and Peter Block.

Other highlights include:

• Why OD is best understood as evolving practice rooted in a three-part test: social + technical + influence
• How social presencing theater and design thinking are being used in traditional settings
• The ethical dilemmas OD professionals face, and how reflective practice and “use of self” help navigate them
• How to thrive in a world of “permanent whitewater” with mindfulness and intentional learning

This episode is a goldmine for anyone shaping or shifting their OD path. Dive in and discover your next step.

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

What if your organisation didn’t need a traditional hierarchy to thrive?
Are endless meetings, layers of approval, and rigid structures holding your team back? Could self-management be the key to unlocking greater agility, innovation, and trust?

These are questions we've been wanting to explore for a long time on the OrgDev Podcast.

In this episode, we’re joined by self-management expert Paul Jansen, who shares what it really takes to make self-management work – not just as a concept, but as a practical, sustainable way of operating. From decision-making without hierarchy to building accountability in a distributed system, Paul brings both clarity and experience to one of the most misunderstood ideas in organisation design.

Whether you're curious, cautious, or already experimenting with self-management, this one’s full of insight.

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

What does good OD practice actually look like in action? How do you build your confidence in this field? What does it take to lead change effectively? If you’ve ever asked yourself these questions, this episode with Regan Miller for you. Starting a career in OD isn’t like stepping into a traditional profession. There’s no set path, no clear-cut job description that tells you what to do.

Regan Miller is a seasoned organisation design and development consultant working with public sector organisations around the world. Her career spans both public and private sectors, with early experience in training and development roles before moving into HR leadership and consulting positions within the U.S. federal government.  She is also co-author of 2 excellent books - The Accidental OD Practitioner and The Intentional OD Practitioner.

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

Bias isn’t just an ethical issue – it’s a business issue. In this episode, we explore how recognising and addressing bias can transform both your organisation’s bottom line and the daily experiences of your people.

Our guest, Chris Garrison, brings deep expertise in workplace culture, behavioural science, and inclusion. She shares practical insights on how organisations can move beyond good intentions to create fairer, more inclusive workplaces where everyone thrives.

Bias costs businesses billions in lost productivity and turnover each year – but its impact runs deeper. From hiring and promotions to everyday team interactions, unchecked bias lowers morale, reduces engagement, and stifles innovation. So, how can organisations tackle it effectively?

Join us for a thought-provoking conversation that goes beyond the basics of unconscious bias training to explore real strategies that drive meaningful change.

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

Why do organisations keep struggling with structure and workflow—despite endless change efforts? We redesign teams, introduce new processes, and roll out new tech, yet work still feels slow, frustrating, and full of roadblocks. Silos, unclear roles, and misaligned systems drain energy and waste time.

In this episode, we’re joined by Xin Yao, a Domain-Driven Design (DDD) practitioner, sociotechnical architect, and former enterprise architect. She helps organisations bridge the gap between people, teams, and technology—designing systems that actually work. If you’ve ever wondered why change efforts fall flat and what to do instead, this conversation is for you.

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

Hybrid work was supposed to be the future - but is it really here to stay? While many people thrive in flexible work arrangements, major companies like Amazon, Boots, and JP Morgan are reversing course and ordering their teams back to the office full-time. So, what’s next for hybrid working? 

In this episode of the OrgDev Podcast, we explore the biggest challenges organisations face in making hybrid work truly effective. How can we design workplaces, teams, and strategies that embrace flexibility? And what role do HR, OD professionals, and managers play in ensuring hybrid work actually works? Joining us is Gary Cookson, a leading expert in workplace performance, HR, and organisational development. With years of experience in helping businesses navigate the future of work, Gary shares insights on what it takes to make hybrid work sustainable, productive, and people-centered

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

Leadership is a constant learning journey, and one of the most powerful ways to grow is by being part of a network that both supports and challenges you.

This week on the OrgDev Podcast, we speak with Mark Emdin, board member of ODN Europe and Experienced Organisation Change & Development consultant, about the role professional networks play in shaping how we lead, think, and navigate change.

If you’ve ever found yourself solving tough challenges in isolation then this is definitely worth a watch. 

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

How much of what happens in teams is shaped by forces we can’t see?
In this bonus episode, we sit down with Dr. Eliat Aram, CEO of the Tavistock Institute of Human Relations, to explore the hidden dynamics that influence leadership, teamwork, and organisational performance. Dr. Aram unpacks the role of the unconscious in shaping team interactions, introduce the BART model (Boundary, Authority, Role, Task) as a framework for understanding team dynamics, and shed light on what might be happening beneath the surface in group settings.

For over 75 years, the Tavistock Institute has been at the forefront of research and practice in systems thinking, group dynamics, and organisational development. In this conversation, Dr. Aram helps leaders and teams build self-awareness, decode organisational challenges, and apply practical strategies to navigate complexity more effectively.

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

In this week’s OrgDev podcast, we explore what Organisation Development can learn from Learning & Development with David Hayden. 

From Formula 1 pit stops to the importance of storytelling, David shares how L&D insights can drive organisational success. We discuss the role of mental models, the power of learning cultures, and how OD practitioners can apply evidence-based approaches to learning and change. If you're looking for fresh ways to connect L&D and OD for greater impact, this is a great episode to watch.

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

What is job architecture? How can it support transformation? How do you help a company grow fast without losing what makes it special? What’s the secret to navigating big changes like merging teams or restructuring? 

💼 Jules Siegel- Hawley, Founder & Principal Consultant
Andes

Andes website:
https://www.andesadvisory.co/

Follow Jules on LinkedIn:
  / jules-siegel-hawley-msw-shrm-scp-52210274 

Follow Andes on LinkedIn:
  / andes-advisory-co 

Jules Siegel-Hawley is the Founder of Andes, a consultancy specialising in scalable, agile people infrastructure for high-growth startups and enterprises undergoing transformation. With deep expertise in organisation design, people strategy, and change leadership, she helps companies navigate complex transitions and rapid scaling while maintaining operational efficiency and a strong company culture.

At Andes, Jules partners with companies at critical inflection points—whether they are scaling rapidly, integrating post-acquisition, or restructuring teams. Taking an embedded approach, she and her team go beyond advising, offering fractional leadership and hands-on support to ensure people operations align with business strategy.

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

What is psychological safety? It’s a term we hear often in organizations, but what does it really take to create it? Beyond the buzzwords and platitudes, psychological safety demands a deep, intentional commitment from leaders, HR, and OD practitioners alike. It’s not a tick-box exercise—it’s about designing environments where every individual feels safe and confident to bring their Authentic Self to work, every day.

We're joined by the brilliant Gina Battye.  Gina is the Founder and CEO of the Psychological Safety Institute and a global leader in workplace psychological safety. Known for her pioneering work in inclusion, belonging, and culture, Gina has revolutionised how organisations cultivate psychologically safe environments with her innovative methodologies, including the 5 Pillars of Psychological Safety and the Hierarchy of Psychological Safety.

💼 Gina Battye - Founder and CEO, Psychological Safety Institute
  / ginabattye 
Visit Psychological Safety Institute here:
https://www.thepsi.global/
Buy Gina's book "The Authentic Organization: How to Create a Psychologically Safe Workplace"
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Authentic-Or...

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

How do we make our organisations sustainable? What is the role of HR, OD or Learning and Development in achieving this.  Our esteemed guest Dr Tara believes the  'people' people  of the business - HR, OD, Talent, L&D - have a critical role to play in saving the planet.

Subscribe to the Change By Degrees Sustainable HR course here:
https://changebydegrees.thinkific.com...

💼 Dr. Tara Shine, Change by Degrees
  / dr-tara-shine-15810413 

Visit Change by Degrees here:
  / changebydegrees 

Dr Tara Shine is a globally recognised sustainability expert, public speaker, and author, with a career spanning over two decades in climate change negotiation and environmental policy. She is the CEO and co-founder of Change by Degrees, a sustainability skills platform designed to empower individuals and organisations to make sustainability their superpower

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

What makes a workplace truly fair?
How does our own sense of fairness shape our reactions to decisions, interactions, and how we treat others at work?
Fairness isn’t just a feel-good concept—it’s a critical factor in building trust, maintaining engagement, and driving performance. But getting fairness wrong can be costly. When employees perceive unfairness—whether in how decisions are made, how people are treated, or how rewards are distributed—it erodes trust, undermines morale, and fuels disengagement.
So, how can managers, HR and organizations apply fairness in their work to create a culture where everyone thrives?

💼 About our Guest:
Dr. Wilson Wong
Strategist, Futurist, Data Scientist, Wong On Work

  / wilson-wong-07b71a1 

Dr. Wilson Wong is a data scientist, futurist, and strategist with over 30 years of experience in applied research, focusing on leadership, culture, futures strategy, and human capital management within organisations. His work spans policy, investment, and academia, supported by expertise in data analytics and insights. He has worked with diverse clients, including the Metropolitan Police, Standard Chartered Bank, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), and international bodies such as the UNDP and UNEP, applying futures methodologies to enhance organisational resilience.

A Visiting Professor at Nottingham Business School and Adjunct Professor at Hong Kong Baptist University, Dr. Wong also chairs the International Journal of HRD Practice, Policy & Research. Formerly Head of Insight & Futures at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), he has influenced thought leadership at the European Association of People Management (EAPM) and the World Federation of People Management Associations (WFPMA). A UK human capital metrics expert to ISO and member of the UN Millennium Project global futures experts network, he co-edited Human Capital Management Standards: A Complete Guide and remains passionate about driving strategic, evidence-based change in organisations.

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

In this OrgDev episode, we explore the transformative power of polarity intelligence with Michelle Troseth and Dr. Tracy Christopherson, co-founders of MissingLogic, LLC, and pioneers in applying polarity thinking to healthcare and beyond.

How can we balance the needs of employees with the demands of the organisation? How do we navigate the tension between short-term wins and long-term sustainability? And how do we embrace innovative approaches for the future while respecting traditional, tried-and-tested methods?

In a world that often defaults to either/or thinking, we risk missing the opportunities hidden within the interplay of opposites. What if, instead of viewing these opposing forces as conflicts to resolve, we saw them as dynamic tensions to leverage? Polarity thinking offers a fresh perspective—one that helps us move beyond quick fixes and binary solutions to unlock untapped potential and achieve sustainable, productive outcomes.

💼 About our Guests
Michelle Troseth & Dr. Tracy Christopherson

Missing Logic
https://www.missinglogic.com/

Get Your Copy of their Book here:
https://www.polarityintelligence.com/

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

How can organisation design support an organisation with a big growth agenda? How can you leverage technology speed up design and make your organisation  more efficient? How can you use AI to create greater job automation and what are the pitfalls to watch out for? These are just some of the questions we ask Adonis Kazouris, Group Senior Organisational Design Manager, at SSP Group PLC in our latest podcast.

💼 About our Guest
Antonis Kazouris
Group Senior Organisational Design Manager, SSP Group PLC

Connect with Antonis here:
  / kazouris91 

Antonis Kazouris is a seasoned professional with extensive expertise in Organisational Design and Workforce Analytics. As Group Senior Organisational Design Manager at SSP, he has led global, large-scale transformation initiatives, including the development of global frameworks, the optimization of operating models, and the design of career progression strategies.

Prior to his role at SSP, Antonis gained significant experience in the consulting industry with Deloitte and WTW, specializing in Organisational Design, Employee Experience, and DEI strategy. He has delivered impactful insights and strategies to C-suite stakeholders across diverse industries, blending advanced analytics and technology with a deep understanding of organisational needs to enhance agility, efficiency, and employee engagement.

In addition to his professional work, Antonis is pursuing a Professional Doctorate in Evidence-Based Human Resource Management at Birkbeck University. His research focuses on the role of evidence-based decision-making in organisational design and its impact on effectiveness and employee performance. As an external researcher collaborating with King’s College London, he has contributed to advancing their DEI strategy and policies over the past three years.

Antonis holds a Master’s in Human Resources from the London School of Economics (LSE), underscoring his commitment to integrating academic research and practical application to drive meaningful change in organisations.

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

What does it take to build Organisation Development (OD) capability at the heart of Central Government? In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Susanne Søndergaard Gidda, the Civil Service Operating Lead in the Cabinet Office, to explore this fascinating question.

With a wealth of experience spanning multiple UK government departments, Susanne brings a unique perspective to the complexities of OD in high-stakes environments.

We delve into what it means to embed OD practices within large, complex organisations, how to nurture OD capability, and the lessons Susanne has learned from her time leading OD initiatives in Central Government. Whether you’re an experienced OD practitioner or just starting your journey, this episode is packed with practical insights and inspiration to elevate OD capability in your own organisation.

💼 About our Guest
Dr. Susanne Søndergaard-Gidda

Connect with Susanne here:
  / susanne-gidda-1939b7 

Dr. Susanne Søndergaard Gidda is a leader in Civil Service Organisation Development and Design capability in her role at the Cabinet Office. With a master’s degree in occupational psychology, a PhD in organisational psychology, and recognition as a Chartered Fellow of CIPD, Susanne brings a wealth of expertise to her work.

Her career spans several UK government departments, where she has honed her skills in organisational development. Susanne has also worked as a knowledge management specialist at Rolls-Royce, leading on communities of practice, and as a senior policy analyst with RAND Europe, further enriching her experience in fostering effective organisational strategies and practices.

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

Where is the real value created in your organisation? Is it a specific team, a critical process, or perhaps a unique capability that sets you apart? And just as importantly, how does the organisation make money, generate surplus, or deliver value to its clients—whoever they may be? Understanding these drivers is the key to focusing your efforts where they’ll have the greatest impact.  This is the holy grail for HR and OD. To help us unpack this and explore how to identify and leverage these value points, we’re joined by Mark Doughty.

💼 About our Guest
Mark Doughty

Connect with Mark here:
  / marktdoughty 

Mark Doughty is a seasoned Director of Learning & Organisation Development, celebrated for blending seminal research with critical business insights to drive impactful organisational transformation. With a career spanning diverse industries and top-tier, multicultural global companies, Mark is commercially sharp, operationally astute, and adept at curating "best in class" innovative, award-winning solutions.

Renowned for spearheading programs in High-Performing Teams, Strategic Account Management, and Executive Development, Mark has consistently delivered initiatives that future-proof key strategic capabilities while achieving significant business improvements, including multimillion-pound outcomes.

Academically distinguished with an M.Ed. and M.A., and a proud member of the Worshipful Company of Management Consultants, Mark brings a deep understanding of leadership, strategy, and organisational culture to the table.

Mark is on a mission to redefine leadership excellence in a rapidly evolving world. Despite leadership development being a $30 billion industry—predicted to more than double by 2032—the lack of tangible leadership impact is stark. Outdated models and misaligned approaches have left many businesses struggling to connect with their people, resulting in widespread disengagement, stress, and lost value.

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

What’s the secret ingredient that strengthens trust, fosters psychological safety, and drives better decision-making in organizations? How can it boost staff loyalty, adaptability, engagement, and ultimately lead to greater productivity and profitability? According to leading author Graham Allcott, the answer lies in a simple yet powerful quality: kindness.

In this episode of the OrgDev Podcast, we dive into the insights from Graham’s latest book, KIND: The Quiet Power of Kindness at Work. Together, we unpack how kindness—when approached thoughtfully and strategically—can break myths, reshape workplace culture, and transform teams, leaders, and organizations. Discover the 8 key principles that make kindness a game-changing force for better business outcomes. Don’t miss this inspiring conversation!

Graham’s LinkedIn:
  / grahamallcott 

Graham Allcott is a bestselling author, best known for How to Be a Productivity Ninja, a global success. His latest book, KIND: The Quiet Power of Kindness at Work, explores how kinder, more human-focused workplace cultures lead to greater organisational success.

As the founder of Think Productive, a leading training and consultancy firm with offices in the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, and the Netherlands, Graham has helped individuals and organisations transform the way they work.

Renowned for his engaging and motivational talks, Graham blends practical insights with humor, offering actionable strategies that inspire audiences worldwide.

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

Why don't leaders seem to be making progress on the things that truly matter? Why does it feel like everyone needs to be involved in everything? As organizations designed for predictability clash with an increasingly unpredictable world, the cracks are starting to show.

In this episode, we dive into why the "sense and respond" approach is overtaking the traditional "plan and predict" model as the blueprint for thriving in the future. Joining us is Jurriaan Kamer, a renowned speaker, author, organizational designer, and change agent, who brings cutting-edge insights into how leaders can unblock their organizations and create environments primed for agility, autonomy, and remarkable results.

💼 About our Guest

Find his book on Amazon
https://locally.link/pAYt

Unblock book website:
https://www.unblock.works/book

Jurriaan’s newsletter:
https://newsletter.jurriaankamer.com/

Jurriaan’s LinkedIn:
  / jurriaankamer  

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

The latest OrgDev podcast with the excellent Mark Stringer was a joy to record. Mark is a dedicated academic with a passion for exploring the evolving nature of work. He leads the People, Work, and Organisational Psychology (PWOP) subject group at Birkbeck Business School. 

In this episode we cover: 

• The key mindsets for leading organisational change 
• Why self-awareness is crucial in complex systems 
• Practical tools and frameworks for facilitating transformation 
• How resilience plays a pivotal role in managing change 
• Real-world insights from Mark's career and research

💼 About our Guest
Mark Stringer MSc FRSA AFHEA CBP Chartered MCIPD
Subject Group Lead - People, Work and Organizational Psychology (PWOP), Senior Lecturer

Connect with Mark here:
  / mark-stringer-msc-frsa-afhea-cbp-chartered... 

Birkbeck Business School, University of London
https://www.bbk.ac.uk/school/business...

Mark Stringer is a dedicated academic with a passion for exploring the evolving nature of work and its significance in society. 

With a career spanning public and private sectors, Mark has held operational and HRM/HRD roles in industries including banking, retail, and the arts, before transitioning into academia. His research focuses on psychoanalytic practice and theory, as well as the role of language and semiotics in understanding work and organizations. He is deeply committed to inter-disciplinary, emancipatory, and pluralistic research, using psychoanalytic, structural, and poststructuralist discursive approaches to challenge conventional perspectives on work and organizational life.

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

Who are the real drivers of value in your organisation? Often, it’s just a few key teams—software engineers, R&D scientists, portfolio managers—who shoulder the lion’s share of impact and growth. These elite teams are the cornerstone of organizational success, but how can leaders ensure they’re fully supported and operating at their highest potential?

In this episode, we dive into what it takes to optimize these high-stakes teams, exploring how to provide the right environment, resources, and leadership to help them thrive under immense pressure.

Joining us is Meir Adler, Managing Partner at Adler Advisory and a seasoned expert in HR, Organizational Development, and Transformation. Meir shares invaluable insights from his extensive experience driving high-impact outcomes across industries, helping leaders unlock the full potential of their most critical teams.

💼 About our Guest
Meir Adler
Managing Partner, Adler Advisory

Connect with Meir here:
  / meiradler 

With over 15 years of experience leading multi-disciplinary teams in HR, Organizational Development, and Transformation, Meir Adler brings deep expertise across operating model and organization design, agile practices, talent management, change leadership, team effectiveness, and leadership development.

As the former Head of Organizational Development for International at Novartis, Meir led a team in a 27,000-strong organization spanning ~100 geographies, contributing to 55% of Novartis’s revenue. Prior to this, he worked across diverse industries, including retail, technology, banking, gaming, and pharmaceuticals, driving high-impact organizational transformations.

Now Managing Partner at Adler Advisory, Meir has delivered over 40 large-scale projects, from acute interventions to enterprise-wide transformations, utilizing innovative methods like zero-based design and agile models. He is passionate about creating value through talent and organizational development and thrives in navigating complex, high-stakes transformations that redefine ways of working, technology, and organizational structures.

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

 In this episode, we dive into the hidden dynamics of power, voice, and silence that shape everything from who gets recognition to who remains in the shadows.

Join us as we speak with the insightful Dr. Mark Cole—author, practitioner, and researcher—who challenges us to rethink these critical dynamics and offers fresh perspectives on creating more equitable and effective workplaces. Don't miss this eye-opening conversation!

Connect with Mark here: www.markcole.org
Connect with Mark on LinkedIn   / mark-cole-18a2633 

The Great Unheard at Work: Understanding Voice and Silence in Organisations
https://www.routledge.com/The-Great-U...
Leadership Unravelled https://www.routledge.com/Leadership-...
Radical Organisation Development https://www.routledge.com/Radical-Org...

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

What does it take to elevate leadership to truly impact not just a leader’s own performance but also that of their team, stakeholders, and entire organization? In this episode, we talk with Dr. Arlene Egan, CEO of Roffey Park, a global center of excellence in leadership and organization development.

For over 75 years, Roffey Park has been at the forefront of equipping leaders with the skills to navigate complex organizational challenges. Dr. Egan shares powerful insights into transforming leadership behaviours and mindsets, including how to foster critical thinking, build resilience, and drive meaningful change that resonates across an organization.

👉How to challenge and expand the way leaders think, behave, and act
👉Practical strategies for aligning leader performance with organizational impact
👉Key techniques for enhancing team dynamics and stakeholder relationships
👉Roffey Park’s latest approaches to developing resilient, high-impact leaders

💼 About our Guest
Dr. Arlene Egan, CEO, Roffey Park Institute
Connect with Arlene here:
  / drarleneegan 

Visit the Roffey Park website
https://www.roffeypark.com/

Dr. Arlene Egan, Chief Executive of Roffey Park, brings over 25 years of expertise in leadership and management development across sectors like executive education, higher education, sports, and local government. With a PhD in Psychology from University College Dublin, Arlene’s research on enhancing critical thinking gives her a unique perspective on the link between focused thinking and high performance.

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

What small, precise changes can organisations make to the way they're designed and the ways in which they working to achieve unparalleled results? However it can feel overwhelming knowing where to start and the different options available to them? Today we're off to New York to meet Dr. Erika Jacobi. Dr. Erika is a scholar and practitioner who has dedicated her career to adaptive organisation design guiding organisations through this maze and helping them achieve their goals

💼 About our Guest
Dr. Erika Jacobi
Executive Director, LC GLOBAL®
Website:
https://www.lc-global.com/

Connect with Erika here:
  / erika-jacobi-ph-d-b5261611 

Follow LC GLOBAL® on LinkedIn here:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/lc-g...

Dr. Erika Jacobi is the Executive Director of LC GLOBAL® and a leading specialist in adaptive organization design, with over 15 years of experience across the U.S., Europe, and the Middle East. She develops scalable systems and dynamic solutions for Fortune 500 companies and growth-driven SMEs, applying principles from behavioral science and change psychology to foster agility, collaboration, and strategic growth.

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

In this episode, we explore African OD, how to create change and how to develop the next generation of leaders with Dr. Justine Chinoperekweyi. Justine is a pioneering scholar-practitioner, author, and leadership and governance trainer, joining us from Harare, Zimbabwe. Dr. Justine has led groundbreaking work in defining African OD, a critical contribution to a field that has historically been rooted in Western thinking.

Dr. Justine explores what happens when Kurt Lewin's theories on change meet the African philosophy of Ubuntu. He explains how amplifying African indigenous knowledge and wisdom enhances Organisation Development practices globally, offering a more holistic, whole-system approach to change and transformation.

We also discuss the fundamental values of OD and how they should guide the way we work, as well as Dr. Justine’s experience in supporting leaders, work groups, and organizations to embrace system-wide change across Asia, the Middle East and Africa. His pioneering work challenges traditional Western-centric perspectives and introduces a fresh lens on the future of OD.

💼 About our Guest
Dr. Justine Chinoperekweyi, Ph.D., RODC, COLDC
CEO & President
Centre for Organization Leadership & Development (COLD)

Connect with Justine here:
  / justine-chinoperekweyi-ph-d-rodc-coldc-10b... 

Follow Centre for Organization Leadership & Development here:
  / centre-for-organization-leadership-develop...  

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

In this episode of the Org Dev Podcast, we're joined by Gbonju Akintola,  Senior Organization Development Business Partner at the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), an organisation best known for its two zoos  - London Zoo and Whipsnade Zoo -   but also a science-driven conservation charity, creating a future where wildlife can thrive . 

Gbonju shares her journey, from transitioning into OD from L&D roles and shares what it is like to work in truly global organisation - from Thames Estuary to West Africa. Nepal, Indian ocean  and Mauritius where she supports diverse teams, from zookeepers to international policy teams.

Listeners will gain insights into how Gbonju applies OD principles, such as systems thinking and cultural change, in an organisation that combines the complexities of scientific research, policy, and conservation. She discusses the challenges and successes of embedding leadership development and fostering a "one ZSL" culture across global teams. The episode dives into the importance of humanizing organisations, balancing tradition with innovation, and finding creative solutions in resource-limited environments.

Tune in to learn how Gbonju's experiences highlight the power of building relationships, understanding organizational culture, and driving meaningful change through OD.

💡 Stay Connected:
Looking for a consistent source of leadership & OD tips? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter by clicking the link below and receive valuable leadership tips directly in your inbox:
https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch

💼 About our Guest

Gbonju Akintola
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gbonjuakintola/

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

How does leadership, followership, authority, structures emerge in groups? Where do leaders, change agents, group and system practitioners, go to get the very best development on how to deepen their capacity to survive - and thrive in difficult systems. Where do they go to hone the craft of acting in the face of uncertainty, directly from their own experience. They go to the Tavistock Institute of Human Relations! Since 1947, the Tavi has been one of the worlds pioneering organisations exploring how group dynamics and relations form.  We've invited Rachel Kelly, principal  from the Tavistock Institute of Human Relations to share her insights and experiences

💼 About our Guest
Rachel Kelly
Principal, Organisation Development & Change & Group Relations Consultant, Alexander Technique practitioner

Connect with Rachel here:

  / rachel-kelly-71b7278 

Rachel Kelly is a Principal at the Tavistock Institute of Human Relations, where she specializes in Organisation Development, Change, and Group Relations Consultancy. With a deep commitment to fostering dialogue around innovative theories and methodologies, Rachel's work focuses on enhancing organisational and cultural life. She promotes life-long learning, professional development, and embodies these principles through her consultancy and practice.

In addition to her role at the Tavistock Institute, Rachel is an experienced Alexander Technique practitioner, helping individuals rediscover their psycho-physical balance through conscious awareness. She has led the Leicester conference's Yoga Event and continues to teach yoga at the Institute, integrating ancient wisdom into her practice.

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

How do you help an organisation reimagine new ways of working in order to achieve aggressive strategic goals? How do you create greater  accountability in organisations? That is a difficult task in itself but even more challenging in an with over 350,000 employees. We're joined from Seattle by Roger Kastner, Organisation Design Strategy Lead at Starbucks and also Host of the "What Do you know to be true" podcast. It's a fascinating conversation as Roger shares his experiences, insights and stories from 25 years as a leading edge Organisation Development consultant

💼 About our Guest
Roger Kastner

Connect with Roger here:   / roger-kastner 
Follow the "What Do You Know To Be True" podcast here:
https://whatdoyouknowtobetrue.com/
Subscribe to the podcast here:   / @wdyktbt   

Roger Kastner is the Organization Development / Organization Design Strategy Lead at Starbucks, where he collaborates with leaders and teams to create innovative, high-performing work environments that support business success and employee well-being. With over 25 years of experience, Roger is known for his research-based approach that blends systems thinking, human-centered design, and co-creation to deliver impactful solutions in areas like strategy activation, leadership development, team effectiveness, and culture transformation.

In addition to his role at Starbucks, Roger is a skilled leadership coach, working with clients to help them overcome obstacles and reach their full potential. He is also the host of the What Do You Know to Be True? podcast, where he engages with everyday people who possess extraordinary talent and make meaningful contributions to the world.

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

How do you build an exceptional leadership team? How do you create enough psychological safety for teams to perform at their best? We tackled this and many other important questions in our fascinating conversation with practitioner Martijn Sjoorda, from System2

💼 About our Guest
Martijn Sjoorda, Founder, System2
https://system2group.com/

Connect with Martijn here:
  / martijnsjoorda 

Email Martijn here: 
martijn@system2.nl

Martijn Sjoorda is the founder and driving force behind System2, a pioneering consultancy that partners with progressive organizations to develop their leadership teams and deliver real transformation. With over two decades of experience, Martijn has built a reputation for helping executive committees and leadership groups tackle complex challenges through a unique approach that combines strategy and psychology.

Martijn's expertise is rooted in creating environments where psychological safety, productive failure, and productive conflict drive high performance. His philosophy rejects one-size-fits-all solutions, opting instead for highly tailored interventions that respect the specific context of each organization. He is known for facilitating difficult conversations, recognizing that addressing issues head-on is the only way to overcome the common frustrations of leadership teams: insufficient speed, lack of value delivery, and resistance to true transformation.

Martijn extensive experience and training allows to deeply understand the interplay of system, team, and personal dynamics, he identifies the smallest, most effective changes that yield the largest results.

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

10 Pro Tips to Getting Started in Organization Development and Design
Welcome to our latest video where we dive into the essential tips for anyone starting their journey in Organization Development and Design! 🌟

After conducting 33 in-depth interviews with leading practitioners, authors, and academics, Dani and Garin have distilled the top 10 tips that will set you up for success. Whether you're a beginner or looking to refine your skills, these expert insights are invaluable. We've spoken to OD experts from House of Commons, Amazon, Netflix, Intel, Google, Accenture, KPMG and many more. 

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

Why is effective organization design essential for your business's success? In our latest podcast, we explore how aligning the key elements of your organization can create a seamless, efficient operation that drives your strategic goals. We sit down with Jonathan Edwards, co-founder of Kanso Design, to discuss how thoughtful organization design can simplify work, unleash your team's potential, and deliver tangible business outcomes.

💼 About our Guest
Jonathan Edwards, Co-Founder & Partner
Kanso Design https://www.kansodesign.org/
Connect with Jonathan here:   / jonathankanso 
You can follow Kanso Design here:   / kanso-design-ltd 

Jonathan is a seasoned organization design leader with over 20 years of experience in driving business change, delivering complex programs, and enhancing organizational effectiveness. His expertise spans multiple sectors, where he has supported global businesses and teams through organization redesign, operating model development, performance improvement, cost reduction, and large-scale change initiatives.

Jonathan has contributed his skills to renowned companies such as Burberry, John Lewis, Expedia, London Heathrow, and the British Council.  He excels in combining strategic vision with detailed analysis, adeptly handling complex and sensitive issues while fostering consensus around solutions.

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

How do you lead a revolution in management thinking? How do you develop better solutions to solve the most complex customer and organisational problems?

We are thrilled to have Dr. Ronald Skea from Aviva, who is at the forefront of transforming management practices join.

Inspired by the concept that organizations should be managed as systems and the belief that changing thought patterns is crucial, Dr. Skea explores innovative approaches to solve both customer and organizational problems. Recognising that every service operates in a unique context, he identifies specific opportunities and challenges within each environment.

With extensive experience across various private sector industries and people-centered services, Dr. Skea provides a fresh perspective on management. He offers practical and straightforward solutions that lead to remarkable results.

💼 About our Guest
Dr. Ronald Skea FCIPD
Author and Systems Thinking Lead Consultant @Allianz

Connect with Dr. Ronald here:
  / ronskea 

You can buy his book here:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Leadership-O...

Dr. Ronald Skea is a distinguished Leadership Coach, Organisation Culture Change specialist, and HR professional with extensive experience in utilizing systems thinking and Agile methodologies to inspire leaders to rethink their approaches to leadership and organizational structure. Currently, he serves as the Systems Thinking Lead Consultant at Allianz Insurance, where he continues to make significant contributions to the field.

Dr. Skea's expertise encompasses Systems Thinking Leadership, Critical Chain, Kanban, Scrum, and Scaled Agile, demonstrating his proficiency in contemporary frameworks and methodologies. He is also well-versed

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

What is great leadership built on? Our guest Dr Graham Curtis believes that great leadership is founded on developing our flexibility in response to the situations we find ourselves in and  growing our curiosity, and our capability to reflect. Graham’s focus is on supporting people and organisations to be the best they can possibly be through maximising their potential.
 
He has designed and led the delivery of global leadership and management development programmes in the UK, Nigeria, Kenya and Columbia aimed at supporting and challenging participants to reflect on their practice and their relationships with their teams.

💼 About our Guest
Dr. Graham Curtis Chartered FCIPD MSc.
  / dr-graham-curtis-6b931911 

Connect with Dr. graham here: 
graham-curtis@virginmedia.com

Dr Graham Curtis is an accomplished complexity and relational consultant. A leader in his field. Born and raised in Sunderland, he initially entered the workforce after leaving school. He later decided to further his education and completed his A levels.

Graham began his professional career as an Immigration Officer at Heathrow Airport, eventually becoming a Senior Manager in the Immigration Department of the Home Office. He pursued an MSc in People and Organisational Development at Roffey Park, which led to his role as Head of Organisational Development at the UK Border Agency.

He earned a Doctorate of Management from the University of Hertfordshire in 2018. In 2020, Graham joined Roffey Park Institute as an associate, contributing to the MSc programme, and later became the MSc Programme Director and Director of Roffey Park Academy.

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

How do you unlock the full potential of your workforce through effective culture change? We dive deep into the world of culture change and its vital role in organizational success. Discover how to systematically identify and refine your company's culture to boost productivity and profitability. We explore the importance of understanding your existing culture, patterns of behaviour, how it impacts organizational effectiveness, and practical strategies for aligning culture with business goals. Learn from real-world examples and gain valuable insights into the transformative power of culture change in building thriving, future-ready organizations. 

💼 About our Guest
Dr. Martin Egan
Co-founder, NDC
https://www.ndculture.com/

Follow NDC here:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/new-...

Connect with Dr. Martin or follow his work here:
  / martinegan 

Dr. Martin Egan, co-founder of NDC, is a distinguished business psychologist and development consultant with a profound expertise in transforming organizational cultures to enhance business performance. His career is dedicated to systematically identifying and refining company cultures to support and drive organizational effectiveness, productivity, and profitability. Dr. Egan's approach centers on the belief that employees often adopt existing company cultures without questioning their impact on organizational success, almost as if these cultu

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

In this week's interview, we're looking at Organisation Design. How do you do it in way that helps build healthier organisations and ultimately a society that works for all?

We're joined by the excellent Julian Chender, Principal for Operating Model and Organisation Design for the global consulting firm Accenture. Julian was a pleasure to interview and is passionate about creating ways in which people can learn about and advance in the field of OD.

Editors Footnote:
In the podcast we discussed the Zeigarnik effect theory, named after Bluma Zeigarnik. Rather than Olga has mentioned in the video.

💼 About our Guest
Julian Chender MSOD, ACC
Principal, Operating Model & Organization Design
Accenture | Kates Kessler

Connect with Julian or follow his work here:
  / julianchender 

Julian Chender is a dedicated consultant  at Accenture, driven by a lifelong commitment to fostering a healthier society that benefits everyone. This mission has been a guiding force for Julian since childhood, influenced by a unique upbringing that embraced two rich traditions: the Jewish principle of "tikkun olam," meaning to repair the world, and the Buddhist aspiration of creating "a good human society."

Julian's professional journey led him to specialize in organization design, development, and coaching, where he collaborates with human systems—encompassing individuals, teams, organizations, and communities—to cultivate optimal conditions for success. His extensive consulting career spans a diverse range of environments, from Fortune 10 companies to the smallest nonprofits, and from intergovernmental European organizations to political offices in New York City.

Central to Julian's work is the belief in the profound impact of human connection and the power of shaping behavior for the better. His approach is grounded in creating meaningful change and fostering environments where individuals and organizations can thrive. 

Previously Julian held Consultancy and OD roles at Veldhoen and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NAIDS)

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

In our latest OrgDev podcast episode, we explore the profound systemic approach to wellbeing advocated by Michael Matania, CEO of Mycelium. Unlike conventional initiatives that often pay lip service to wellbeing, Mycelium focuses on fostering sustainable performance through comprehensive, culturally embedded strategies. 

Michael’s journey is particularly compelling—having overcome PTSD, addiction, and psychosis, he brings a deeply personal and transformative perspective to his work. Michael’s experiences and insights challenge traditional resilience and leadership paradigms, advocating for a holistic view that integrates individual strengths with supportive systemic frameworks

Michael Matania, CEO, Mycelium
  / michael-matania-65559061 

You can follow Michael's work, contact him, book a course or sign him as a keynote speaker here:: https://myceliumgroup.co/

Michael Matania is the visionary founder and CEO of Mycelium, a pioneering organization at the forefront of transforming wellbeing in the workplace. Mycelium is renowned for its innovative approaches to tackling burnout, building resilience, and reshaping workplace culture, working with esteemed clients such as Google, Sky, and the BBC.

With a passion for mental wellbeing and a commitment to innovation, Michael continues to lead Mycelium in setting new standards for organisational health and employee wellbeing.

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

This week's OrgDev Podcast features Dr. Eerika Hedman-Phillips, an accomplished Organisational Development and leadership development professional with over 15 years of experience in leadership development, coaching, change management, and research. 

As the talent management lead for an international sports media company, Eerika brings a wealth of knowledge in fostering inclusive leadership and collaborative practices. Her expertise in human relationships and interaction, coupled with her dedication to creating fulfilling employee experiences, makes her insights invaluable for leaders and HR professionals. Join us as we explore her innovative approaches to organisational dynamics and the Coordinated Management of Meaning (CMM) theory, which helps navigate and enhance complex workplace interactions.

Dr. Eerika Hedman-Phillips
  / eerikahedman 

Dr. Eerika Hedman-Phillips is an accomplished Organizational Development (OD) and leadership development professional with over 15 years of experience in leadership development, coaching, change management, and research. Dr. Hedman-Phillips's core expertise lies in human relationships and interaction, fostering inclusive leadership and collaborative practices. She is dedicated to creating a fulfilling employee experience and helping individuals thrive within their organizations.

Thriving in environments where human-centric approaches are prioritized, Dr. Hedman-Phillips excels in settings where employees have the autonomy to perform at their best, embrace their unique selves, and continuously innovate, challenge norms, and be creative. With a pragmatic approach grounded in an academic background, she applies systemic thinking to her work.

Dr. Eerika holds a PhD in leadership and organization development and is a published author. Her research focused on executive-level leadership development, enhancing working relationships, and improving teamwork within senior leadership teams through team interventions and individual coaching. She recently contributed a chapter titled “Co-creating Cosmopolitan Organizations” to the book "A Cosmopolitan Sensibility: Compelling Stories from a Communication Perspective."

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

In this week's episode of the Org Dev podcast,  our guest is Adam Kahane, a Director at Reos Partners and author of 5 books including Collaborating with the Enemy and Facilitating Breakthrough.  Adam shared insights from his extensive experience in fostering collaboration across diverse groups, the essence of transformative facilitation and the importance of the role of facilitators in removing obstacles to enable effective communication and collaboration, rather than directing or manipulating outcomes. 

Drawing from his work in over fifty countries and involvement in significant peacebuilding efforts this was another great conversation to be a part of and we hope you enjoy listening to this week's episode.

Adam Kahane
  / adam-kahane 
Twitter:   / adamkahane 

You can follow Adam here and subscribe to his newsletter:
www.adamkahane.com

Adam Kahane is a Director at Reos Partners, a global social enterprise dedicated to fostering collaboration among businesses, governments, and civil society organizations to tackle complex challenges. As a prominent architect, organizer, and facilitator of collaborative processes, Adam has extensive experience working with a diverse range of stakeholders—including executives, politicians, military leaders, civil servants, trade unionists, cabinet ministers, community activists, clergy, and artists—in over fifty countries worldwide. His work spans critical areas such as education, health, energy, food, environment, security, development, governance, and peace.

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

In this week's episode of the OrgDev podcast we explore the fascinating world of organisational dynamics with Jeff Boudro, the Executive Director of Power & Systems, Inc.  In this interview, Jeff reveals the secrets to transforming companies by effectively working with tops, middles, and bottoms. Learn how to enhance leadership, build resilient cultures, and unlock your team's full potential with insights from the company founded by the legendary Barry Oshry

Jeff Boudro
  / jeff-boudro-4440a66 
Power + Systems Website:
https://www.powerandsystems.com/
Book an event with Power + Systems here:
https://www.powerandsystems.com/works...
Barry Oshry's Books:
https://store.powerandsystems.com/
Jeff Boudro is the Executive Director of Power & Systems, Inc. A graduate of the renowned Power Lab and Master Certified in all Power & Systems workshops, Jeff has a proven track record of partnering with a diverse range of organizations to leverage Power & Systems workshops, fostering leadership at all levels, building strong organizational cultures, and accelerating key i

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

Why is it so common to see relationships in organisations where there is a parent/child dynamic? Why does this occur, and what can we do about it? To answer these questions we invited James Longwell from Google onto our podcast.  James shared some fabulous insights about Transactional Analysis, his work with Google and his career with other big brand names.   Another fabulous OrgDev conversation which we are sure you will enjoy.

💼 About our Guest
James Longwell
  / james-longwell-0108207 

James Longwell is an accomplished Organization Development leader and coach, bringing extensive experience across a wide range of sectors, including automotive, logistics, consumer packaged goods, media, and digital/internet. Throughout his career, he has worked in various regions, including the UK/Europe, Asia, and Australasia, which has provided him with a rich and diverse professional background.

You can contact James about his Transactional Analysis courses or supervision here:
jamesalongwell@gmail.com

You can listen to the Transactional Analysis Podcast to understand more about TA here:
https://tapodcast.com/

During the conversation James references Functional Fluency. Here is the link to explore this further:
https://functionalfluency.com/about/f...

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

In the latest episode of the OrgDev Podcast, we were joined by the excellent Mike Jones, founder and director of LBI Consulting. In this brilliant conversation, Mike brings a unique combination of experiences from military leadership and elite sports teams to organisational psychology and systems thinking. Mike unpacks what we so often get wrong about military-style command and control and the critical role of system design in organisational operations.    

Mike's journey is remarkable: he enlisted in the army at 16 without any qualifications, taught himself psychology and organizational studies, and became an instructor at Sandhurst. Determined to further his education, he wrote to every University in the UK to find one willing to allow him to formalise his learning.

💼 About our Guest

Mike Jones
  / mike-h-jones 

LBI Consulting:
https://lbiconsulting.com/

Mike Jones is the founder and director of LBI Consulting, a firm that integrates organisational psychology, systems thinking, and extensive leadership experience to help organisations navigate complexity. LBI Consulting focuses on developing and aligning strategy, organisational design, and culture based on research and practical solutions.

As a leader, organisational psychologist, and systems thinker, Mike navigates the complexities of contemporary organisations by developing foresight, strategy, and alignment.

Mike's leadership journey includes extensive service in the British Army, where he led troops in challenging environments. His leadership skills earned him a position as an instructor at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, a globally renowned institution for leadership training, where he helped shape future military leaders.

Combining his military experience with his research as an organisational psycholo

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

In the latest episode of the OrgDev Podcast, we were joined by Dr. Jonathan Westover all the way from Utah, USA who shared invaluable insights on how to cultivate a healthy and dynamic workplace. As a seasoned expert with a background that bridges academia and real-world practice, Jonathan brings a practical approach to making workplaces better and our conversation focuses on practical strategies leaders and HR professionals can use to improve company culture and employee engagement.

Dr. Westover emphasises the importance of ethical leadership and provides accessible advice on how to make complex academic research useful for everyday business challenges. Whether you're leading a small team or managing a large organisation, this episode offers essential tips and inspiring stories to help you create a more effective and fulfilling work environment

 Jonathan's Podcast:
   / @innovativehumancapital   

Dr. Jonathan Westover is a 4X #1 best-selling author, award-winning podcaster, and the top-ranked global thought leader in HR, Innovation, Leadership, Culture, and Future of Work (Thinkers360). Ranked #21 in Organizational Culture and #19 in Management globally by Global Gurus, he is also featured on LeadersHum's Power List of the Top 200 Voices in Leadership.

Founder and CEO of Human Capital Innovations, Dr. Westover hosts and produces shows on the HCI Podcast Network and serves as Chief Academic and Learning Officer of the HCI Academy. He is Chair and Professor of Organizational Leadership and Change at UVU's Woodbury School of Business and holds multiple leadership roles, including Academic Director of the Center for Social Impact.

An experienced OD/HR/Leadership consultant, Dr. Westover has transformed organizations worldwide. He is a CIPD Academic Fellow, HEA Senior Fellow, and Visiting Academic at Oxford's Harris Manchester College. His accolades include being a Fulbright Scholar, POSCO Fellow, and a Visiting Scholar at the Wilson Center. His work is widely published and cited in top media outlets like Forbes, The Economist, and The Wall Street Journal. 

Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we.

That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work.

You’ll get:
 ■ Key insights from the episode
 ■ A reflection prompt
 ■ A suggested action

Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/

About Us

We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change.

Find out more at www.distinction.live 

We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:
linkedin.com/in/danibacon478
https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch