Episode 229: When OD Gets in the Way (And What to Do About It)

In this episode, we take on a hard truth: sometimes the very people trained to help organizations—OD practitioners—end up getting in the way.

Great facilitation isn’t about executing a perfect plan. It’s about reading the room, adjusting in real time, and having the courage to do what the moment actually requires. And if we’re honest, that’s where things can go sideways.

We unpack a few common “OD traps” that can quietly derail impact:
• Confusion about our role in the moment—are we facilitating, advising, or leading?
• Sticking to the plan when the room is telling us to pivot
• Creating dependency instead of building capability
• Letting our expertise turn into needing to be the smartest person in the room

This isn’t about beating ourselves up—it’s about getting better.
Because doing good OD work takes more than tools and frameworks. It takes awareness, humility, and the willingness to let go of getting it “right” in favor of doing what’s actually needed.

If you’ve ever walked out of a session thinking, “That didn’t land the way I hoped,” this conversation is for you.