Episode 235: When Change Management Isn’t OD

Bob 'n Joyce Talk HR 'n OD · May 15, 2026 · 26m

In this episode, we dive into the provocative assertion by W. Warner Burke that much of today’s change management work is not truly Organizational Development.

That may sound surprising. After all, many OD practitioners spend much of their time helping organizations navigate change. So how could change management not be OD?

As we explore Burke’s perspective, we find ourselves agreeing that his argument has more merit than many might initially think.

At the center of the debate is the idea that much of modern change management — particularly as practiced by large consulting firms such as…