Organization Development and Knowledge Management

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.

Unsuccessful strategic planning meetings often fall apart because the group gets ahead of itself. This kind of misstep is common in organizational change efforts, where organization development practitioners are trained to help groups surface unspoken dynamics, acknowledge history, and create the conditions for authentic dialogue.

The shift from traditional, individual-centered leadership models to collective, sensebreaking approaches, emphasizes the role of shared leadership practices, collaborative action, and interpersonal skills as essential for navigating complex organizational challenges.

As the Schar School’s ODKM heads toward its third decade, here’s a rundown on how it got there and what’s the future holds for this distinctive master’s program.

Police put their lives on the line every day, but few think about the cumulative trauma. Meet the ODKM master’s student who is starting a service treating their issues. And she’s a cop.

Her pioneering work examining the professional experiences of Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (AANHPI) women in the U.S. lands an Organization Development and Knowledge Management master’s student an award from the university’s president’s office.