it depends on your definition of OD...

and I'm just starting to suss out the possibilities there. But in an interesting conversation I had this morning, I understood more clearly the parallels between personal change and growth and organizational change and growth - and it's hard for me to think of times when I changed and grew without being in conversation with those around me.

As the priveleged prize winner of the March meeting I'm charged with reporting back on the April 24 seminar on "the four D's of a dialogue culture". If there's anything that anyone wants me to especially pay attention to, let me know - I'd be glad to have assignments from the body that allowed me to participate!

Susan Loucks

What is the relation between conversations and OD?

Our March 2008 program was on “”Four Types of Conversation”.

Leslie Becknell Marx of Conversation that Matters showed us “The Conversation Meter”.

Allyn Bradford of the University of Massachusetts at Boston facilitated a session on Dialogue.

Bill Joiner of ChangeWise presented on “Power Styles in Pivotal Conversations”.

Tom Matera of HiComm Consulting discussed “Conversation by Design”.

In the follow up whole group session, we brainstormed on lessons learned, how we would like to follow up on that learning, and what the Learning Group could do to promote such follow-up. It was also noted that the various ideas of the presenters were interesting from a comparative point of view and that conversation might not (on the face of it) be thought of as on OD topic.

For our Question of the Month, we have selected one of these ideas: “What is the relation between conversations and OD?” Of course we also welcome members comments on any related topic and especially invite those who attended to share their learnings and help provide a synthesis between the different sessions.

Jim Murphy