Embracing both diagnostic and dialogic forms of organization development in order to exploit and explore

Abstract

As an academic-practitioner, I reflect on my 18 years’ experience as a CEO building a successful, ambidextrous company. The path to success was not linear, and I came to see diagnostic and dialogic forms of OD as complementary leadership-mindsets. Although Diagnostic OD encompasses a rational, planned approach to leadership and Dialogic OD is rooted in the belief that how stakeholders talk is an instrument of change and that change emerges without the need for a set plan, I learnt that both were necessary for achieving organizational ambidexterity. My Diagnostic OD approach to improving exploitation was successful but it failed as an approach to revitalize exploration. Subsequent success was enabled by my also embracing Dialogic OD. While a Diagnostic OD mindset can aid exploitation and a predictive approach toward exploration, a Dialogic OD mindset can better facilitate nonpredictive forms of exploration and, by increasing employee participation, can overcome commonly acknowledged barriers to change.