In This Story
Faculty of Organization Development and Knowledge Management Program
When we think about the capabilities organization development (OD) and change leaders need, research skills aren’t always at the top of the list. We often focus first on facilitation, systems thinking, or coaching—and understandably so. However, in my experience, the ability to design and conduct thoughtful inquiry is just as essential. It’s how we build trust, navigate complexity, and ensure our work leads to meaningful outcomes.
At its core, organization development is about improving human systems. These systems are layered, dynamic, and often complex. Change doesn’t happen in a straight line, and people don’t respond predictably to new initiatives. Without the ability to ask good questions and make sense of what we learn, we’re just speculating.
That’s where research comes in—not the kind tucked away in academic journals, but real-world, applied inquiry. It’s the kind of research that starts with a business challenge, curiosity, and a (research) question that ends in authentic comprehension. It’s conducting interviews to understand what’s really happening inside a team, not just what’s showing up on a survey. It’s analyzing exit data or engagement scores in context—looking for patterns, anomalies, and stories that numbers alone can’t tell. Furthermore, it’s testing assumptions, checking for blind spots, and asking, “What else might be true?”
One of the biggest values research brings to OD work is legitimacy. When we anchor our recommendations in evidence, we give stakeholders a reason to believe—not just in us, but in the process. It signals that we’ve taken the time to listen, to understand, and to reflect. In high-stakes or high-resistance environments, credibility matters. Therefore, how we approach the challenge and the rigor we bring to understanding it before we move toward recommendation is essential.
It also helps us stay adaptive. We often design a change initiative with one set of assumptions, only to find partway through that the story has shifted. Research gives us the ability to check in, recalibrate, and move forward with intention rather than momentum alone. It turns learning into an active part of the change process. It also affords us an opportunity to leave an historical artifact for future partners that may ask questions about what and why changes were implemented.
If you're working in OD or HR or are leading change, building your research toolkit doesn’t mean becoming a statistician. However, it does mean developing fluency in both qualitative and quantitative methods. Can you design a solid focus group protocol? Are you able to make sense of survey results without overclaiming? Do you distill findings into clear, actionable insights that leaders can understand and apply? Those are the kinds of capabilities that elevate our work and deepen our impact.
Ultimately, research isn’t a separate phase of the work—it’s woven throughout. From discovery to diagnosis, from design to evaluation, it’s how we stay grounded in the lived experience of the people we’re here to serve, collaborate, and innovate with. In a field that relies so heavily on trust, context, and nuance, that kind of insight isn’t just helpful—it’s paramount to organizational success.
That’s why teaching research skills to students in the Organization Development and Knowledge Management (ODKM) program over the past several years has been such a meaningful and enriching experience. These students—many of whom are already practicing OD professionals—come to appreciate that inquiry is not just an academic exercise but a vital competency for responsible and effective change work. In our program, we challenge them to pursue a level of rigor that goes beyond what many practitioners are accustomed to, encouraging a depth of analysis and critical reflection that elevates their practice. Through experiential learning—interviewing real stakeholders, analyzing live organizational data, and engaging in iterative cycles of discovery—they build not just knowledge, but confidence and discernment. What has been most rewarding, however, is seeing how that learning continues beyond the classroom. I’ve been deeply honored to work alongside many of these students after they graduate—as they present at conferences, serve clients with integrity, pursue advanced degrees, and continue to ask bold, thoughtful questions in service of healthier organizations. Their commitment to inquiry and impact is what makes this work not only important, but profoundly inspiring.
About the Author
Ann Romosz is a member of the Organization Development and Knowledge Management (ODKM) faculty at George Mason University, where she teaches courses on research methods, organizational inquiry, and evidence-based change. With a background that bridges academia and consulting, Romosz brings nearly two decades of experience helping mission-driven organizations navigate complex transformation through thoughtful design, strategic learning, and data-informed decision-making. She continues to conduct applied research in the areas of talent development, performance management, and organizational effectiveness, and she serves as a senior consultant with Brighter Strategies, where she partners with clients to design and implement inclusive, data-driven change initiatives. Passionate about cultivating reflective practitioners, Romosz is especially committed to equipping emerging OD leaders with the research skills and critical thinking necessary to lead change with insight, compassion, and rigor.