UNBOXING OD: Exploring the Work Behind the Work

Episode 37: Is Organizational Development Too Polite to Create Real Change?

Organizational Development was built to challenge systems, surface truth, and help organizations evolve. So why does so much OD work feel safe? In this episode of Unboxing OD, Kenneth Pearson explores a question that many practitioners have quietly considered but rarely discuss openly: Has Organizational Development become too polite to create real change? From softened language and endless consensus-building to the pressure of maintaining executive relationships, this conversation examines how the field can drift from confronting difficult realities toward managing organizational comfort. Kenneth explores the tension between clarity and politeness, the hidden cost of protecting systems from discomfort, and why transformation requires more than engagement surveys, workshops, and carefully crafted communication plans. This episode challenges listeners to consider whether Organizational Development is helping organizations transform or helping them become more comfortable with the status quo. If you work in Organizational Development, Human Resources, Leadership Development, Change Management, or organizational leadership, this conversation may change the way you think about influence, accountability, and the role of OD in modern organizations. In this episode: *  Why politeness can limit organizational transformation  *  The difference between movement and meaningful change  *  How OD can become the shock absorber for leadership decisions  *  The hidden impact of softened organizational language  *  Why clarity may be the most disruptive tool OD possesses  Subscribe to Unboxing OD wherever you stream podcasts and join the conversation about what Organizational Development can become when it embraces honesty, courage, and clarity.  Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2430745/support] CONNECT WITH KENNETH: * LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenneth-pearson]: www.linkedin.com/in/kenneth-pearson * Pearson & Pearson LLC [https://www.pearsonpearson.llc]: www.pearsonpearson.llc * E-Mail [https://www.pearsonpearson.llc/contact]: info@pearsonpearson.llc TO ORDER "THE FLOW OF FIVE TIERS": Buy The Flow of Five Tiers: A Framework for Structuring High-Functioning Organizations [https://shop.ingramspark.com/b/084?params=3T8ouxH4xiX6fMWqBjWJ14WpdRGHzEoN0Mfg0fXaLS2] (20% Off) THE 1:1 PATHFINDING SESSION https://calendly.com/kenneth-pearson/pathfinding-session [https://calendly.com/kenneth-pearson/pathfinding-session] SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS & AFFILIATES * Heather & Edward Allen Roth 4th Foundation for Arts in Medicine (HEAR 4 FAM) Fund [https://host.nxt.blackbaud.com/donor-form/?svcid=renxt&formId=e69c4a57-1741-4a85-af65-4f311fc8316d&envid=p-czOPHwKLCEuotz3LtR-uTg&zone=usa&fbclid=IwY2xjawOt2L9leHRuA2FlbQIxMABzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeL7Aulm0_QP0q0nT3ySNWGinooaOTJQ8O-mtAbBFnE9GBMX32Do1fB-8lQzk_aem_vUylFgbAzpXoit0H4H_etA]

Episode 36: Creating Joyful Workplaces - Curiosity, Learning, and Growth with Yolanda Fraction

Sometimes, the path into Organizational Development begins with a single moment. A moment where someone recognizes potential and opens the door to something more. In this episode of Unboxing OD, Kenneth Pearson sits down with Yolanda Fraction, author of Joyful Workplaces, to explore how that moment shaped her journey and how it continues to influence the way she approaches leadership, learning, and development. What begins as a personal story expands into a deeper conversation about how growth actually happens in organizations. Together, they explore how adults learn, how environment shapes experience, and how curiosity becomes a powerful driver in creating meaningful and lasting development. At the heart of this conversation is a simple and powerful idea: Joyful workplaces are created through intentional design, thoughtful leadership, and a deep understanding of the people at the center of the work. This episode offers a grounded perspective on what it means to support growth in real time while building environments where individuals can think, reflect, and contribute in meaningful ways. To learn more about Yolanda’s work and her book Joyful Workplaces, connect with her here: * ORDER JOYFUL WORKPLACES: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GRG5FJ84 [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GRG5FJ84] * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yolanda-fraction/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/yolanda-fraction/] * Website: https://www.yolandafraction.com [https://www.yolandafraction.com] Yolanda Fraction's Bio: Yolanda Fraction is a Senior Organization Development Consultant at Johns Hopkins University and a doctoral student in Industrial-Organizational Psychology. With over 20 years of experience spanning higher education, government, nonprofits, and corporate environments, she helps leaders and teams navigate change, foster human-centered workplaces, and build cultures where people and performance thrive. She is the host of the Teamwork Sandbox podcast and an emerging author on joyful workplaces. Yolanda is passionate about translating evidence-based insights into practical strategies that inspire transformation. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2430745/support] CONNECT WITH KENNETH: * LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenneth-pearson]: www.linkedin.com/in/kenneth-pearson * Pearson & Pearson LLC [https://www.pearsonpearson.llc]: www.pearsonpearson.llc * E-Mail [https://www.pearsonpearson.llc/contact]: info@pearsonpearson.llc TO ORDER "THE FLOW OF FIVE TIERS": Buy The Flow of Five Tiers: A Framework for Structuring High-Functioning Organizations [https://shop.ingramspark.com/b/084?params=3T8ouxH4xiX6fMWqBjWJ14WpdRGHzEoN0Mfg0fXaLS2] (20% Off) THE 1:1 PATHFINDING SESSION https://calendly.com/kenneth-pearson/pathfinding-session [https://calendly.com/kenneth-pearson/pathfinding-session] SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS & AFFILIATES * Heather & Edward Allen Roth 4th Foundation for Arts in Medicine (HEAR 4 FAM) Fund [https://host.nxt.blackbaud.com/donor-form/?svcid=renxt&formId=e69c4a57-1741-4a85-af65-4f311fc8316d&envid=p-czOPHwKLCEuotz3LtR-uTg&zone=usa&fbclid=IwY2xjawOt2L9leHRuA2FlbQIxMABzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeL7Aulm0_QP0q0nT3ySNWGinooaOTJQ8O-mtAbBFnE9GBMX32Do1fB-8lQzk_aem_vUylFgbAzpXoit0H4H_etA]

Episode 35: Strategy, Systems, and Succession - Inside STL-ODN's Growth Story

What happens when Organizational Development Professionals apply their own principles to their own organization?  In this episode of Unboxing OD, Kenneth Pearson sits down with members of the executive team from the St. Louis Organizational Development Network — Ryan McCrea, Aaron Adams, and Joani Alsop — to explore how STL-ODN moved from survival mode to sustained momentum.  This conversation goes beyond networking and professional development. It unpacks what intentional strategy, structured operating rhythms, succession planning, mentoring systems, sponsorship development, and regional focus actually look like in practice.  The STL-ODN team shares:  * How they clarified strategy and separated tactical work from strategic work * Why co-creating their mission and vision with members mattered * How mentoring became both a development tool and a pipeline for leadership continuity * The importance of financial sustainability in nonprofit professional communities * How they built succession visibility with a president-elect model * What it takes to protect momentum without overextending the organization This episode is a real-world case study in systems thinking, resilience, and human-centered leadership within a volunteer-run organization.   If you’re part of a professional association, an internal OD team, or a leadership group trying to move from “just keeping it afloat” to thriving with intention, this conversation offers practical insight and encouragement.   Connect with the Executive Team Ryan McCrea LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rmccrea [https://www.linkedin.com/in/rmccrea] Aaron Adams LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronadams82 [https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronadams82] Joani Alsop LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joanialsop [https://www.linkedin.com/in/joanialsop] Visit the St. Louis Organizational Development Network Websites and Consider Supporting the Organization! * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/st-louis-organizational-development-network-stl-odn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/st-louis-organizational-development-network-stl-odn] * Website: https://www.stlodn.org [https://www.stlodn.org] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2430745/support] CONNECT WITH KENNETH: * LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenneth-pearson]: www.linkedin.com/in/kenneth-pearson * Pearson & Pearson LLC [https://www.pearsonpearson.llc]: www.pearsonpearson.llc * E-Mail [https://www.pearsonpearson.llc/contact]: info@pearsonpearson.llc TO ORDER "THE FLOW OF FIVE TIERS": Buy The Flow of Five Tiers: A Framework for Structuring High-Functioning Organizations [https://shop.ingramspark.com/b/084?params=3T8ouxH4xiX6fMWqBjWJ14WpdRGHzEoN0Mfg0fXaLS2] (20% Off) THE 1:1 PATHFINDING SESSION https://calendly.com/kenneth-pearson/pathfinding-session [https://calendly.com/kenneth-pearson/pathfinding-session] SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS & AFFILIATES * Heather & Edward Allen Roth 4th Foundation for Arts in Medicine (HEAR 4 FAM) Fund [https://host.nxt.blackbaud.com/donor-form/?svcid=renxt&formId=e69c4a57-1741-4a85-af65-4f311fc8316d&envid=p-czOPHwKLCEuotz3LtR-uTg&zone=usa&fbclid=IwY2xjawOt2L9leHRuA2FlbQIxMABzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeL7Aulm0_QP0q0nT3ySNWGinooaOTJQ8O-mtAbBFnE9GBMX32Do1fB-8lQzk_aem_vUylFgbAzpXoit0H4H_etA]

Episode 34: Making Change Human Again - A Conversation with Dr. Jason Guttadauria

What actually happens after the survey closes, the insights are delivered, and the change initiative officially “launches”? In this episode of Unboxing OD, Kenneth Pearson sits down with Dr. Jason Guttadauria, founder of JSG Advisory and widely known as “Dr. Irrelevant,” to unpack why so many well-intentioned change efforts stall and what it really takes to move from insight to sustained impact. Jason shares the story behind his “Dr. Irrelevant” moniker and how it reflects a deeper truth in organizational work: credentials and models matter far less than what actually improves the employee experience. Together, they explore the gap between listening and action, the limits of top-down change, and why organizations struggle when insights are treated as endpoints instead of starting points. The conversation dives into real-world examples of hybrid top-down and bottom-up change, the role of behavior in sustaining transformation, and why the popular “seventy percent of change fails” narrative may be doing more harm than good. Jason also introduces the idea of “light-touch coordination” and explains how change becomes more durable when employees help shape it rather than receive it. This episode is for Organizational Development practitioners, I-O psychologists, HR leaders, and anyone responsible for turning feedback into action. If you’ve ever wondered why change feels exhausting, episodic, or disconnected from the people doing the work, this conversation offers a grounded, human-centered perspective on what comes next. CONNECT WITH JASON ON LINKEDIN: www.linkedin.com/in/jasonguttadauria [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonguttadauria] VISIT THE JSG ADVISORY LLC WEBSITE: https://www.jsgadvisoryllc.com [https://www.jsgadvisoryllc.com] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2430745/support] CONNECT WITH KENNETH: * LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenneth-pearson]: www.linkedin.com/in/kenneth-pearson * Pearson & Pearson LLC [https://www.pearsonpearson.llc]: www.pearsonpearson.llc * E-Mail [https://www.pearsonpearson.llc/contact]: info@pearsonpearson.llc TO ORDER "THE FLOW OF FIVE TIERS": Buy The Flow of Five Tiers: A Framework for Structuring High-Functioning Organizations [https://shop.ingramspark.com/b/084?params=3T8ouxH4xiX6fMWqBjWJ14WpdRGHzEoN0Mfg0fXaLS2] (20% Off) THE 1:1 PATHFINDING SESSION https://calendly.com/kenneth-pearson/pathfinding-session [https://calendly.com/kenneth-pearson/pathfinding-session] SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS & AFFILIATES * Heather & Edward Allen Roth 4th Foundation for Arts in Medicine (HEAR 4 FAM) Fund [https://host.nxt.blackbaud.com/donor-form/?svcid=renxt&formId=e69c4a57-1741-4a85-af65-4f311fc8316d&envid=p-czOPHwKLCEuotz3LtR-uTg&zone=usa&fbclid=IwY2xjawOt2L9leHRuA2FlbQIxMABzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeL7Aulm0_QP0q0nT3ySNWGinooaOTJQ8O-mtAbBFnE9GBMX32Do1fB-8lQzk_aem_vUylFgbAzpXoit0H4H_etA]

Episode 33: The Recruitment System is Broken - Now What?

Applying for a job shouldn’t feel like shouting into a void. Yet for many candidates today, the recruitment process is defined by silence, redundancy, rigid requirements, and being ghosted after investing real time and effort. Organizations claim they can’t find talent, while candidates quietly opt out of systems that feel dismissive and disconnected from human reality. In this solo episode of Unboxing OD, Kenneth Pearson takes a hard look at what’s broken in modern recruitment -- and why this is not a candidate problem, but a systems problem. From bloated job descriptions and preferred qualifications treated as requirements to algorithmic screening and months-long interview cycles with no closure, the hiring process has drifted away from the people it’s meant to serve. This episode challenges Organizational Development Professionals and I/O Psychologists to step into their responsibility as systems thinkers and designers.  It's important to note that not all recruitment processes are broken -- some organizations still balance efficiency with human interaction -- but those examples are becoming the exception rather than the rule. The question is simple and uncomfortable: if your organization says it can’t find talent, but your recruitment system is quietly repelling it, what exactly needs to change? This is not an episode about blame. It’s an invitation to rethink what we’ve normalized -- and to decide what kind of systems we’re willing to keep defending. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2430745/support] CONNECT WITH KENNETH: * LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenneth-pearson]: www.linkedin.com/in/kenneth-pearson * Pearson & Pearson LLC [https://www.pearsonpearson.llc]: www.pearsonpearson.llc * E-Mail [https://www.pearsonpearson.llc/contact]: info@pearsonpearson.llc TO ORDER "THE FLOW OF FIVE TIERS": Buy The Flow of Five Tiers: A Framework for Structuring High-Functioning Organizations [https://shop.ingramspark.com/b/084?params=3T8ouxH4xiX6fMWqBjWJ14WpdRGHzEoN0Mfg0fXaLS2] (20% Off) THE 1:1 PATHFINDING SESSION https://calendly.com/kenneth-pearson/pathfinding-session [https://calendly.com/kenneth-pearson/pathfinding-session] SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS & AFFILIATES * Heather & Edward Allen Roth 4th Foundation for Arts in Medicine (HEAR 4 FAM) Fund [https://host.nxt.blackbaud.com/donor-form/?svcid=renxt&formId=e69c4a57-1741-4a85-af65-4f311fc8316d&envid=p-czOPHwKLCEuotz3LtR-uTg&zone=usa&fbclid=IwY2xjawOt2L9leHRuA2FlbQIxMABzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeL7Aulm0_QP0q0nT3ySNWGinooaOTJQ8O-mtAbBFnE9GBMX32Do1fB-8lQzk_aem_vUylFgbAzpXoit0H4H_etA]