http://www.sonoma.edu/programs/od/blog/ Dialogues with Saul Eisen about OD Theory and Practice en-us 2006-04-03T00:17:26-08:00 http://www.sonoma.edu/programs/od/blog/archives/000730.html OD consultants are often in the role of facilitators as we work with client groups. What does a facilitator do? The word comes from the Latin word for "easy" implying that we make the work of our clients easier. Carl... What is OD eisen 2006-04-03T00:17:26-08:00 http://www.sonoma.edu/programs/od/blog/archives/000642.html "I'm amazed at how often I'm able to use the techniques and skills I learned in the Sonoma State OD program in my job in national account sales. I sincerely believe that any interaction that requires working with, influencing or leading people can be vastly improved by using OD methods. The OD program not only gave me a different set of skills, it provided me with a new way of thinking about and seeing things. It has enriched both my personal and work life." Mindi Lewis, MA (Class of 2004) Director, National Account Sales Carl Zeiss Vision What is OD eisen 2005-11-29T19:48:56-08:00 http://www.sonoma.edu/programs/od/blog/archives/000629.html Being an OD Practitioner in the 21st century is becoming more challenging, and perhaps more important. Our global and local environments are less stable and predictable: For example, there are reports that carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere continue to... What is OD eisen 2005-11-05T23:58:52-08:00 http://www.sonoma.edu/programs/od/blog/archives/000533.html How we behave moment by moment is determined in large part by the context in which we perceive events around us. In a comedy club I expect to be entertained and am prepared to laugh. At a drugstore counter as... What is OD eisen 2005-07-31T22:38:16-08:00 http://www.sonoma.edu/programs/od/blog/archives/000520.html Getting top management support for OD efforts in an organization is absolutely crucial. Because OD works on whole organizations, significant change needs to be understood and fully supported by senior management. Sometimes we learn this the hard way: I know... What is OD eisen 2005-06-27T23:00:22-08:00 http://www.sonoma.edu/programs/od/blog/archives/000497.html Here's my elevator speech about what Organization Development is (OK, it's a long elevator ride, but a good one): Just like individuals need to make a living by doing something useful, every organization does something useful to make its living.... What is OD eisen 2005-06-05T23:41:19-08:00 http://www.sonoma.edu/programs/od/blog/archives/000496.html The field of socio-technic systems work design emerged in England at the Tavistock Institute in the 1960s. Eric Trist and Fred Emery discovered that coal miners had developed an unusual work arrangement: they preferred to mine coal as a self-managed... What is OD eisen 2005-05-30T14:56:30-08:00 http://www.sonoma.edu/programs/od/blog/archives/000488.html Organization Development has been understood--and misunderstood--in a variety of ways by different people at different times. It can be helpful to know how the field got started. When I was a grad student at UCLA, I learned from mentors like... What is OD eisen 2005-05-21T22:21:00-08:00