What are Organization Development (OD) values anyway?  Is there a common core set of values to which all OD practitioners or students adhere?  If so, do we practice what we say we believe?  And how would we know?

These are all questions important to the field of OD.   Some have said that OD is out of date, or no longer relevant; others, that OD is dying. Still others say it has lost its way.  Despite this skepticism, OD continues to grow.  Many are called to OD with a passion; even many of OD's strongest critics remain in the field. We can anticipate that many forces will affect ODs future.

The Board of Trustees of the OD Network (national) is inviting you to participate in a dialogue about the values that drive organization development; understanding what they are now and what we would like them to be.  Two outcomes are expected from this dialogue:

1. 1) a basis for future public positions the OD Network may take; and
2. 2) guidance to the board and staff in leading our national organization.

How will this work?  Well, come to the ODN/C program on Thursday, September 20th to find out!  (NOTE the special night - the third Thursday of the month instead of the fourth so that our friends observing Yom Kippur can attend.)  This is a totally participatory event: -- we’ll examine and select some scenarios of OD practice, then answer questions regarding what values would drive our reactions and behaviors.  All the data gathered during our time together will be submitted to the national office so that the national staff can roll-out the data and information received as a part of the 2001 OD Network Annual Conference, November 9 through 14, in Vancouver, British Columbia!

Maggie Shreve, ODN/C Co-Chair and organizer of several regional workshops at our national conferences, will facilitate this event.  We hope to see you  for what promises to be an intense, yet satisfying, dialogue.  Join us on September 20th where we’ll Advocate OD Values!