Member Spotlight.

Q: What is your educational background? 

I have an M.A. in Human Resources Development from the UMN-Twin Cities. I’m also a certified leadership coach with the ICF (International Coaching Federation).

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

Long enough to say I can look back and feel blessed having a well-lived career working with a variety of interesting people on compelling projects in the ever-evolving field of organization and talent development.

Q: Why did you join?

I’m motivated and inspired through learning and networking. Belonging to MNODN has satisfied both those needs by bringing together a wise and wonderful group of professionals to share and enrich each other and our work.

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

I was blessed with a boss and mentor early in my career that gave me the opportunity to experience this work as if I was a seasoned professional. There is nothing like being handed a large project your first month in the role and told, “Go!” It taught me to listen and learn from my clients. The approach that everything I do with, and for, my clients is part of a larger system has shaped my worldview of organizations and the individuals that are the heart and soul. I learned consulting skills that moved me from order-taker to trusted partner. I’m always looking for root causes, going below the surface of the symptoms my clients bring me. I learned to teach, so leaders and teams can make better decisions for themselves when I’m no longer walking beside them. And finally, I learned to keep things practical for my client. I rely on research and best practice as the foundation, but together we design what leaders and teams see is needed to support their best work.

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

“Trust the process” and “Keep it simple.” Human beings and human systems can be messy and chaotic. It’s why our work can make a difference. We are not in our organizations to make life more difficult or complex. Introducing basic concepts and tools can move the needle more than imagined. Learn to flex with the ebb and flow of people figuring it out. Change is messy, too!