29–Derek Mulhern: The Human Side of Organizational Strategy

In this episode of The Unfolding Thought Podcast, Eric Pratum talks with Derek Mulhern—a consultant often working with nonprofits and associations to align their strategic vision with practical human-centered solutions. With over 15 years of experience in organizational strategy, team alignment, and board governance, Derek shares powerful insights into why many organizations struggle with effective change implementation and how true transformation hinges upon understanding and addressing interpersonal dynamics.

Derek discusses why simply applying "best practices" often misses the mark, leading to burnout, frustration, and organizational friction. Through stories and real-world examples, Derek illustrates how to better approach organizational change by grounding it in clear, shared experiences rather than abstract metrics alone. He emphasizes that transformation becomes truly sustainable when changes become ingrained in the culture, mindset, and everyday experiences of an organization’s people.

Topics Explored:

1. Beyond Best Practices – Why standard solutions often fail to produce meaningful change.
2. Human-Centered Strategy – The importance of aligning strategic goals with the lived experiences of people in your organization.
3. The Experience of Transformation – Why true change is more like an ongoing journey than a clearly defined destination.
4. The Pitfalls of Misalignment – How hidden assumptions and unspoken expectations derail organizational effectiveness.
5. Visioning for Reality – Effective strategies to define and articulate clear, achievable, and shared organizational visions.
6. Managing Overwhelm and Conflict – Practical tools and exercises Derek employs to manage team dynamics and interpersonal conflicts.

Links:

• Connect with Derek Mulhern on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-mulhern-bb674214/
• Derek Mulhern Consulting: https://www.derekmulhern.com
• Discussion with Jeremy Nulik: https://unfoldingthought.com/jeremy-nulik-how-vision-shapes-strategy/

For more episodes, visit: https://unfoldingthought.com
Join the conversation by emailing Eric at: [e-mail]