David Whyte Introduced Me to Organization Development
Posted on Fri, Feb 25, 2011
It was David Whyte's book, The Heart Aroused: Poetry and Preservation of the Soul in Corporate America that first exposed me to the power of OD theory to make sense of the disillusionment I felt in the work place. The dynamics Whyte described not only resonated with my own experience, but opened up a new possibility-- that I could make my work more life-giving, instead of life-depleating.
Later, in Grad School, I read Crossing the Unknown Sea: Work as a Pilgrimage of Identity and found that his metaphor of listening to our inner "captain" and not letting the other captains around us fail incredibly useful in my new role as a young manager.
Three years ago I became a member of the MassBay OD Learning Group eager to learn more about OD and how to put theory into practice. During this time, I never heard David Whyte's name, so I was delighted when I learned that the February 2011 MassBayODLG program, facilitated by Dr. Carol Sharicz and Stephen Cummings, featured the work of David Whyte and Otto Scharmer.
The program provided me with an opportunity for deep reflection using concepts from David Whyte's newest book Three Marriages and Otto Scharmer's Theory U . Carol and Steve invited us to consider where we placed ourselves "in the "U" (moving through Observe, Reflect, Act: "Letting Go" moving to "Letting Come") in each of our three "marriages" (Relationships, Work, Self).
During the small group discussion that night, I realized that significant transformations have been taking place in all three of my "marriages." In my work "marriage" I have taken ownership of what I want in my work life (coming into the ACT or "Letting Come" part of the "U") and this shift has been the impetus for me to engage in intentional Observation, Reflection, and Action in my second "marriage" to my spouse, and my third "marriage" to my Self.
As my mentor says, I have reached a point of no return - I cannot go back to being unaware or disillusioned, as I was when he first suggested I read David Whyte. I have chosen, as Gould puts it in his book Transformations, de-illusionment...intentionally letting go of my illusions and powerlessness.
I plan to use apply these new insights in my consulting practice, teaching, and my emerging leadership role in the Genysys Group to help others make sense of, and transform, their own disillusionment and pain in the workplace. What was this event like for you? Have you applied any of the ideas from David Whyte and Otto Scharmer?
Written by Priscilla Goodman
http://www.linkedin.com/in/priscillagoodman