UNBOXING OD: Exploring the Work Behind the Work

Sometimes, the path into Organizational Development begins with a single moment. A moment where someone recognizes potential and opens the door to something more.

In this episode of Unboxing OD, Kenneth Pearson sits down with Yolanda Fraction, author of Joyful Workplaces, to explore how that moment shaped her journey and how it continues to influence the way she approaches leadership, learning, and development.

What begins as a perso...

What happens when Organizational Development Professionals apply their own principles to their own organization? 

In this episode of Unboxing OD, Kenneth Pearson sits down with members of the executive team from the St. Louis Organizational Development Network — Ryan McCrea, Aaron Adams, and Joani Alsop — to explore how STL-ODN moved from survival mode to sustained momentum. 

This conversation goes beyond networking and professional ...

What actually happens after the survey closes, the insights are delivered, and the change initiative officially “launches”?

In this episode of Unboxing OD, Kenneth Pearson sits down with Dr. Jason Guttadauria, founder of JSG Advisory and widely known as “Dr. Irrelevant,” to unpack why so many well-intentioned change efforts stall and what it really takes to move from insight to sustained impact.

Jason shares the story behind his “Dr....

Applying for a job shouldn’t feel like shouting into a void. Yet for many candidates today, the recruitment process is defined by silence, redundancy, rigid requirements, and being ghosted after investing real time and effort. Organizations claim they can’t find talent, while candidates quietly opt out of systems that feel dismissive and disconnected from human reality.

In this solo episode of Unboxing OD, Kenneth Pearson takes a ha...

In this episode of Unboxing OD, Kenneth Pearson is joined by Dr. Katina Sawyer, co-founder of Workr Beeing, Associate Professor of Management and Organizations at the Eller College of Management, and co-author of Leading for Wellness: How to Create a Team Culture Where Everyone Thrives.

Together, they explore the deeper meaning of workplace wellness - beyond programs, perks, and initiatives - and uncover how true well-being is built...

In this episode of Unboxing OD, host Kenneth Pearson sits down with Dr. Sy Islam - Co-Founder and Vice President of Consulting at Talent Metrics, and Associate Professor of Psychology at Farmingdale State College - to explore the art and science of leadership development.

Dr. Islam shares his insights on how organizations can better support middle managers, why data-driven decisions need a human lens, and how integrity in action sep...

In this episode of Unboxing OD, I sit down with Jenn Stevens, an Organizational Development leader whose path into this work is anything but conventional. From firefighter to yoga studio owner to executive coach and L&D leader in tech, Jenn’s story reflects a career stitched together by one consistent thread: a deep commitment to people. 

We talk about what it really means to “hustle with heart” - bringing both drive and presenc...

In this episode of Unboxing OD, Kenneth Pearson is joined by Marcus Dudley, leadership and organizational consultant, executive coach, professor, and CEO of Mammoth Leadership and Organizational Development. With over three decades of experience spanning the military, sports, nonprofits, and business, Marcus brings a direct, no-fluff perspective on what modern leaders need most. 

The conversation explores why so many leadership deve...

In this episode of Unboxing OD, Kenneth Pearson sits down with Colonel Chris Ritchie, retired United States Marine Corps officer and Director of Human Resource Development at Auburn University. Across his career, Chris has led organizations from small teams to global commands and now designs leadership and performance development programs that reach thousands of employees. 

Their conversation explores the shift from success to signi...

This episode of Unboxing OD is something different. Instead of frameworks or methodologies, Kenneth offers a deeply personal reflection told in five movements -- exploring the hidden labor of showing up at work while holding parts of ourselves back, the unspoken space between people, and the truths we carry but often leave unsaid. 

Across these movements, Kenneth reflects on what it means to return to ourselves and to each other, an...

In this episode of Unboxing OD, Kenneth Pearson sits down with Poor Bear Chalepah, consultant, visionary leader, and soon-to-be PhD in Industrial-Organizational Psychology. As a proud member of the Apache Tribe of Oklahoma, Poor Bear shares his journey across industries -- from railroads and welding to organizational psychology, and the lessons that shaped his approach to leadership, belonging, and growth. 

Together, Kenneth and Poo...

In this solo episode of Unboxing OD, Kenneth Pearson steps into a conversation that many OD practitioners feel but rarely name -- burnout. Not the surface-level fatigue that comes after a long week, but the deep, layered exhaustion that comes from holding space for others, navigating resistant systems, and balancing the emotional labor that sits beneath our day-to-day work. 

Kenneth unpacks how OD burnout shows up, why it builds ove...

In this episode of Unboxing OD, host Kenneth Pearson sits down with Melissa Donegan - an experienced leader across federal agencies, healthcare, education, and tech - to talk about what it really means to design for change instead of reacting to it. 

Together, they explore how intentional listening and career mindfulness can transform not only the outcomes of an initiative but also the people at the heart of it. Melissa shares how h...

In this special in-person episode of Unboxing OD, Alex Ochoa shares what it means to show up - fully, boldly, and unapologetically - in a profession where you don’t always see yourself reflected. A first-generation Latina college graduate, Learning & Development Specialist, and co-founder of Latinos in I/O Psychology (LIOP), Alex opens up about navigating identity, imposter syndrome, and the quiet power of building space when n...

In this episode of Unboxing OD, host Kenneth Pearson takes us into one of the most delicate and defining aspects of organizational development - what happens when your findings reveal something uncomfortable, something that leadership might not be ready to hear. 

OD practitioners are often asked to assess culture, diagnose issues, and present a path forward. But what happens when the data tells a harder story? One of broken trust, m...

In this guest episode of Unboxing OD, host Kenneth Pearson sits down with Bethany Rios, Organizational Development Manager and L&D professional, for a candid conversation about stepping into the world of OD from a background in training and development. 

Together, they explore what it means to shift from a skills-based approach to a systems-level mindset, how OD differs from L&D in practice, and why relationship-building and...

In this episode of Unboxing OD, Kenneth explores the powerful presence of organizational power dynamics and the influence they carry in shaping culture, conversations, and decisions. These dynamics often live beneath the surface, guiding what is shared, what remains unspoken, and how change takes shape across teams and leadership. 

Kenneth invites listeners to reflect on what it means to be brought in as a trusted voice, while also ...

In this powerful and personal conversation, Dr. Victoria Mattingly (Dr. V) - organizational psychologist, keynote speaker, and CEO of Mattingly Solutions - joins Kenneth to explore what it really means to act like an ally in the workplace.

From her unexpected entry into IO psychology to the human-centered heart of her work, Dr. V shares the stories and insights that have shaped her journey. Together, they dive into how allyship can ...

We all love a quick fix - something that solves the problem, calms the chaos, and gets us back on track. But in the world of Organizational Development, quick fixes often don’t fix anything at all. In this episode of Unboxing OD, Kenneth explores the myth of fast solutions and why real, sustainable change takes time, reflection, and iteration.

He unpacks why surface-level interventions often miss the mark, how root cause analysis re...