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Berthoud Consulting LLC, an organization development (OD) company, is a passionate partner for the success of individuals, organizations, and communities committed to social responsibility and justice.
With departments, organizations, or coalitions address strategies, structures, processes, people, and cultures that improve effectiveness.
Build the capacity of people who lead throughout organizations and communities.
Design and conduct group gatherings for maximum effectiveness.
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Client Spotlight
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The Sierra Club, a national environmental organization, has 65 chapters covering all 50 states and Puerto Rico and more than 100 years of history. With a shift in policy focus from the a predominant federal agenda to one that focuses at the federal and state levels simultaneously, the national organization and chapters set out to redefine the appropriate division of labor, coordination of "turf", and agenda setting.
The Club leadership knew it needed a chapter/national relationship that was both mutually respectful and mutually beneficial-- that also supported governance, management, fundraising, and ability to deliver program, maintain quality, engage volunteers/donors, and create a culture of continuous learning and improvement. And the answers had to be developed through a transparent process that built trust and united focus. At the same time, any revised relationship would need to account for the differences in capacity among chapters, create opportunity and incentive to build at the national and local levels.
Noteworthy
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Heather's latest article OD is Diversity: Differences are at the Heart of the Field published in Fall 2015 OD Practitioner
Resource Center
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OD is Diversity: Differences are at the Heart of the Field
Most of us work in organizations with great or desired diversity-whether race, gender identity, class, sexual orientation, age, religion, ethnicity, or other differences that matter to who we are and how we are treated. The article explores how consultants-and leaders, organizers, group members-can and must pay attention to the diversity dynamics in order to be fully effective.
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The Paradox of Diversity in Social Change Organizations
Many social change organizations demonstrate their commitment to diversity and inclusion by serving a range of constituencies; having diverse members, staff, and/or boards; and working in broad coalitions.
The importance of diversity may also be expressed in an organization's mission, policy, and strategic and program plans. Social change advocates often speak eloquently and forcefully about historical trends and the legal enshrinement of bigotry, how those acts affect us today, and the cultural assumptions that drive social trends. Yet even with clearly positive intentions, patterns of bias and oppression may exist within social change organizations. In this essay, we offer our observations based on work with numerous organizations as both activists and consultants.
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04.05.17
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In a group addressing structural racism in organizational operations and programmatic work, we are reviewing proposals for action. A person of color notes some language used in otherwise sound ideas could unintentionally reinforce the separation the proposal seeks to address. The next speaker, a white person, explains what they intended the term to mean, why it was inadequate and why they settled on it for now.
What was the purpose of the explanation? If, as asserted, it was to agree with the original point, why not just agree? The outcry that greeted that comment suggests more was at stake.
The impact of the explanation was to (attempt to) erase the original objection—and the objector by extension. Where agreement validates, recognizes, and joins, explanation infantilizes…