OrgDev with Distinction

We'd love to hear from you so send us a message!Strategy is one of the most overused words in organisational life – and one of the least well understood. In this conversation with Rupert Morrison, we explore what strategy actually means, who really owns it, and why so many organisations struggle not with ambition, but with focus. We talk about why strategies so often turn into shopping lists, why prioritisation is harder than it looks, and how pace, culture, and execution collide once a strategy meets the real world. It’s a practical, grounded discussion about making strategy simpler, sharper, and genuinely useful – without pretending the work itself is simple.Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we. That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work. You’ll get: ■ Key insights from the episode ■ A reflection prompt ■ A suggested action Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/ About Us We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change. Find out more at www.distinction.live We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:linkedin.com/in/danibacon478https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

We'd love to hear from you so send us a message!This week on the OrgDev Podcast we’re joined by the brilliantly provocative Nick Shackleton-Jones, a guest who never fails to challenge how organisations think about learning. Nick brings energy, clarity and a healthy dose of disruption as he unpicks why so much workplace learning fails to change behaviour and what actually works instead.  He shares a rallying cry of resources not courses along with stories about simulations and onboarding that genuinely sets people up to succeed.This is a lively, thought-provoking conversation packed with practical insights. If you’ve ever felt frustrated by tick-box training, overloaded programmes or learning that looks good on paper but goes nowhere in practice, this episode will give you plenty to reflect on and experiment with.Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we. That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work. You’ll get: ■ Key insights from the episode ■ A reflection prompt ■ A suggested action Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/ About Us We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change. Find out more at www.distinction.live We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:linkedin.com/in/danibacon478https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

We'd love to hear from you so send us a message!Top tips from leading Organisation Development and Design ExpertsThis is part 2 of a special highlights episode. This year has been a big one for us.We recorded 44 episodes, and the podcast reached listeners in 109 countries.Our guests joined us from as far afield as California, Spain and Australia – as well as Austria, the Netherlands and Sweden, and together we covered a broad spectrum of practice – from neuroscience and psychological safety, to systems thinking, agility, self-organising teams, imposter syndrome, and organisation design.What we’ve pulled together here is a curated set of highlights from those conversations.Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we. That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work. You’ll get: ■ Key insights from the episode ■ A reflection prompt ■ A suggested action Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/ About Us We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change. Find out more at www.distinction.live We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:linkedin.com/in/danibacon478https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

This highlights episode dives into the evolving role of HR, emphasizing market success over traditional tasks. A guest stresses the importance of CEO involvement in shaping company culture. The 'great rejection' phenomenon links mismatched recruitment promises with high turnover rates. Proactive coaching for leaders encourages open discussions, while building psychological safety starts with self-awareness. The shift towards meaningful work is highlighted, along with the risks of AI bias in decision-making. Insightful tips on emotional awareness in teams round out this engaging discussion.

We'd love to hear from you so send us a message!What does leadership look like when it’s driven by purpose rather than control?In this episode of the OrgDev Podcast, we’re joined by Dr Louise Van Rhyn, social entrepreneur, leadership and organisation development practitioner, and founder of Symphonia. Louise shares powerful insights from more than four decades of practice working with leaders, organisations and large-scale social change initiatives across South Africa and beyond.We explore why certainty shuts down contribution, how unsolicited advice is often experienced as judgement, and what it really means to lead as a citizen rather than a parent or expert. Louise reflects on her work with Partners for Possibility, the role of listening in leadership, and why leadership development only works when it is connected to the wider organisational system.This conversation is a deep invitation to rethink leadership as creating the conditions for others to think, contribute and thrive rather than having the answers or exerting control.You’ll hear about – Leading with purpose, not authority – Why relationships shape thinking, action and results – Citizen leadership and shared responsibility – The hidden cost of certainty in leadership – Listening as a core leadership practice – Why leadership development is organisational developmentA thoughtful and challenging episode for leaders, OD practitioners, HR professionals and anyone interested in more human, effective ways of working togetherDr. Louise van Rhyn is a distinguished social entrepreneur and leadership development practitioner. She is the founder and CEO of Symphonia Leadership Development, a social enterprise dedicated to developing leadership capacity at scale. Dr. van Rhyn's work focuses on mobilizing active citizenship and addressing significant social issues through cross-sector collaboration and citizen leadership. Her innovative leadership development process, Partners for Possibility, has positively impacted over one million people and has been recognized with numerous awards for its innovation and impact. Dr. van Rhyn's commitment to creating flourishing and inclusive organizational communities is evident in her work with leaders across various sectors.Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we. That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work. You’ll get: ■ Key insights from the episode ■ A reflection prompt ■ A suggested action Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/ About Us We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change. Find out more at www.distinction.live We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:linkedin.com/in/danibacon478https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

We'd love to hear from you so send us a message!Why Do Transformations and Change Fail - And What Can Leaders Do About It? Where do leaders go when the map runs out – when the terrain ahead is shifting faster than they can chart it? Today on the OrgDev Podcast, we’re stepping into the space where the known meets the unknown, and where transformation takes root. In this episode. we’ll hear how Gwen blends rigour and relationality, why she believes leadership must be both human-centred and AI-enabled, and what seeds she’s planting for the future of Organisation Development.Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we. That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work. You’ll get: ■ Key insights from the episode ■ A reflection prompt ■ A suggested action Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/ About Us We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change. Find out more at www.distinction.live We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:linkedin.com/in/danibacon478https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

Giles Wright, a seasoned design leader with over 20 years of experience, shares his insights on applying design thinking to tackle complex workplace challenges. He emphasizes the importance of human-centered design, iterative processes, and engaging diverse stakeholders. Wright discusses practical tools like the Double Diamond method and the Five Whys, highlighting how low-cost prototypes can minimize risks for organizations. He also addresses the crucial role of ethnographic observation and the need for curiosity and collaboration in effective problem-solving.

In this discussion, Professor Chris Mowles, Director of the Doctor of Management program at the University of Hertfordshire, dives into the messy realities of leadership. He critiques the illusion of control that many leaders embrace and emphasizes the importance of embracing uncertainty. Mowles stresses that leadership should be viewed as a group improvisation, shaped by everyday interactions. He also discusses the impact of AI on workplace dynamics, advocating for its use as a tool, not a shortcut to learning. Key advice includes nurturing solidarity among practitioners.

We'd love to hear from you so send us a message!What does it take to deliver on an ambitious strategy – especially in a mission-driven organisation where the stakes are high and capacity is limited? How do you align people, processes, and systems to deliver on the organisation's ambitions? Our guest this week is the Maria Farres, Director of Organisational Development & Employee Experience at Cancer Research UK, where she leads work on org. development, leadership & talent, EDI, employee experience, and building change capability across the charity.Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we. That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work. You’ll get: ■ Key insights from the episode ■ A reflection prompt ■ A suggested action Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/ About Us We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change. Find out more at www.distinction.live We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:linkedin.com/in/danibacon478https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch

We'd love to hear from you so send us a message!What really derails a change project – the plan, or the relationships behind it?Our guest today, Sophy Pern, has spent her career helping leaders and teams untangle the relational dynamics that quietly shape whether strategy and change succeed or stall. An international consultant, facilitator and executive coach, she works with executive leaders on strategy engagement, organisation design, operating models, culture change and team development. Sophy is known for bringing depth, clarity and humanity to complex organisational challenges, and for building OD and Design capability in organisations and professional communities across Europe.Wish you had a handy recap of the episode? So did we. That’s why each week in our Next Step to Better newsletter, we’re sharing From Pod to Practice – a 2-page visual summary of each episode designed to help you take the learning from the podcast and into your work. You’ll get: ■ Key insights from the episode ■ A reflection prompt ■ A suggested action Sign up now to get From Pod to Practice delivered to your inbox each week: https://distinction.live/keep-in-touch/ About Us We’re Dani and Garin – Organisation Development (OD) practitioners who help leaders and people professionals tackle the messiness of organisational life. We focus on building leadership capability, strengthening team effectiveness, and designing practical, systemic development programmes that help you deliver on your team and organisational goals. We also offer coaching to support individual growth and change. Find out more at www.distinction.live We'd love to connect with you on Linked In:linkedin.com/in/danibacon478https://www.linkedin.com/in/garinrouch