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

CONNECT WITH KENNETH:

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/kenneth-pearson
• Pearson & Pearson LLC: www.pearsonpearson.llc
• E-Mail: info@pearsonpearson.llc

TO ORDER "THE FLOW OF FIVE TIERS":
Buy The Flow of Five Tiers: A Framework for Structuring High-Functioning Organizations (20% Off)

THE 1:1 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

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
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yolanda-fraction/
• Website: 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

CONNECT WITH KENNETH:

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/kenneth-pearson
• Pearson & Pearson LLC: www.pearsonpearson.llc
• E-Mail: info@pearsonpearson.llc

TO ORDER "THE FLOW OF FIVE TIERS":
Buy The Flow of Five Tiers: A Framework for Structuring High-Functioning Organizations (20% Off)

THE 1:1 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

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

Aaron Adams
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronadams82

Joani Alsop
LinkedIn: 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
• Website: https://www.stlodn.org

Support the show

CONNECT WITH KENNETH:

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/kenneth-pearson
• Pearson & Pearson LLC: www.pearsonpearson.llc
• E-Mail: info@pearsonpearson.llc

TO ORDER "THE FLOW OF FIVE TIERS":
Buy The Flow of Five Tiers: A Framework for Structuring High-Functioning Organizations (20% Off)

THE 1:1 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