Performance and Positivity – Hope in our lives, our work and our organisations – an OD perspective
In my writing last month, I raised a question about the gaps and edges which OD practitioners might need to consider if we are to fully contribute in the 21st century. As we enter February and in the northern hemisphere we head towards longer days, lighter and we leave the dark behind, I return to […]
Is OD Boxing Itself In?

‘Systems are not the new playgrounds for OD it is PLACE that we must focus on.’ As applied behavioural scientists and practitioners we are the people who learned our craft inside organisations. We have studied and learned how people and organisations tick, what people do to organisations and what organisations do to people. We understand […]
OD is not only about organisations …It is about WHERE PEOPLE GATHER FOR PURPOSE
For many years I (and many of my colleagues) have helped people understand that Organisation development (OD) is not Organisational development. OrganisatioNAL development is a broad term and can encompass everything an organisation does to develop i.e. estates management programme, mandatory training, capital development programme, continuous improvement programme, talent management programme etc). Organisation Development with […]
More learning about Hope, Inner Journeys and Positive Safe Team Spaces – Best Culture Best Care
Ongoing reflections into the York Street Model Recently John Walsh (@johjnwalsh88) and I got to present our work on the York Street Model of ‘ Best Culture Best Care’ at a safety conference in Maidstone in Kent. We were fortunate to work with some excellent frontline staff throughout the day. ( If you are not familiar […]
You cannot plan transformation like a project (Bushe 2013) ….some thinking on grounded change
Over the past year I have been working on how the field of OD can help us with the challenges we face in health and care. This blog was actually written as a paper (so it is rather longer than normal), however a number of people have asked me to share it via my blog […]
Change, Choice and Windows 8.1
I have been reflecting a lot recently about personal change. Now change is my job, it is what I support people to do, but this change was all about my own choices. I got a bright new shiny lap top , it is lovely, it is a dark aubergine colour , really pretty. And it […]
Eldership and when the wind changes….
It has only been in the last few years that I have begun to consider myself an elder in my field. I realised, about three years ago, that I had served the public for 30 years, full-time, without a break. I acknowledged that I have been blessed with 30 great years and I began reflecting […]