Member Spotlight.

Q: What is your current position? 

Organizational Development & Leadership Specialist, Author Recognition Rebooted

Culture Builder, Retention Strategist, Capability Developer

Q: What is your educational background?

BS, Tech Communication, MS Organizational Leadership & Training Development

Q: How long have you been in the OD field?

20+ years

Q: How long have you been member of MNDOND?

7 years

Q: Why did you join?

· To stay updated with OD practices.

· To connect with other OD professionals.

· To diversify my network

Q: What benefits do you gain from membership?

I always learn new things. MNODN meetings lead to conversations that lead to my learning more about change management, for example.

Q: What special skills do you possess that make you an effective OD professional?

· I love to systemically coach emergent leaders; and uncover how I can support other solutions in the rest of the organization based on coaching.

· a passion area for me is helping organizations be effective with employee recognition

· I love helping design and deliver trainings that build in the whole system

Q: Have you been a board member/volunteer with MNODN before? If so, please share your experience/benefits.

I’ve participated in the fabulous mentoring program. The approach is wonderful where both mentor and mentee learn from each other. I am also part of MN ODN Core Team for the Community Consulting Program (CCP). I’m very proud of the work being done there in helping nonprofit organizations who could not otherwise afford OD support. I have also participated in one of the CCP projects as a consultant.

Q: What advice do you have for people entering the field?

Learn your field of course, and also stay on top of adjacent roles in the fields such as Change Leadership, HR, Talent Development, etc. I follow someone on social media, for example, who is premier expert in writing effective and systemic job posts. It’s amazing how these things can inform our work. Help organizations see that it may be best for your OD role to be a part of PMO, or another area of business. Just because you are helping organizations improve through people, doesn’t mean it’s an HR function. Though HR is often a vital partner! EVERYONE is in the business of people. Finally, get good at understanding how business runs, and the more you understand the business where you work, the more valuable you will be.