When I got into consulting, I was really drawn to organization development.

I was a young international HR manager at the nonprofit where I worked. As I walked around the organization, I would always get confused by what was said on the break room walls and what was actually lived out.

And I always wanted to bring those two things together.

I think that's a lot of what drove me.

And I think many of us want to bridge the gap between what organizations could be and what they are.

That's part of what got me to form The Common Good Consulting & Coaching Consortium, you’ve heard me talk about… and today I’m bringing people from that group together to discuss whether or not we're all on the same page around what the heck a people-centered organization is, or what people-centered leaders are.

I brought on three of the participants from this Common Good Consortium from different perspectives - from Lean, from OD, and L &D, and we're gonna have a conversation around what it looks like, around what we have in common, around our definitions, and where we have different perspectives and where we can piggyback on one another's expertise.

Tune in to hear from Matt White around Lean and Continuous Improvement, Kristen Chase from OD, and Deborah Masak from L&D.

Let’s dive in!

Where to Dive In:

00:00 — Are We Aligned on People-Centered Leadership and Organizations?

06:16 — Why Betsy Started the Common Good Consortium Conversation

07:38 — The Lean and Continuous Improvement View of People-Centered Leadership

12:46 — The Organizational Development Perspective on Culture and Leadership

18:30 — The Learning & Development Perspective on People and Business Results

20:49 — Why OD, L&D, and Continuous Improvement Often Work in Silos

36:26 — The Need for Better Cross-Functional Collaboration

45:20 — The Biggest Challenges Facing People-Centered Organizations Today

54:43 — Moving Leaders from Reactive to Responsive

58:25 — Final Thoughts on Collaboration, Culture, and Long-Term Impact

Next Steps:

Participate in a cross-functional group to share best practices across disciplines and a "Common Good Toolkit" of resources and approaches for creating balanced, people-centered decision-making in organizations. This group will be led by Kristin Chase, a seasoned OD consultant who founded the Greater Orlando Organization Development Network (GOOD). She has direct experience bringing a successful professional networking organization to life and will be getting the word out to more of our peers who share our vision and goals. You can let me know if you're interested in this group, or reach out directly to Kristin at kristin@chasetd.com

Thank you again for all that you do to make a difference each day and for helping me further the conversation around what it looks like for us to more effectively partner with one another to influence organizations to truly serve the common good.

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About my guests:

Matthew White: Matthew White is a continuous improvement leader and Lean practitioner who is passionate about servant leadership, leadership development, and helping organizations create more effective and people-centered workplaces. With more than 20 years of experience in healthcare and manufacturing, he leads continuous improvement initiatives while coaching and mentoring leaders and teams in Lean thinking, problem solving, and operational excellence. Matthew’s leadership philosophy is rooted in humility, continuous learning, and adding value to others both professionally and personally as a husband, father of three, and youth baseball coach.

Kristen Chase: Kristen Chase is an organizational development consultant, culture strategist, and executive coach with more than 24 years of experience helping organizations align culture, leadership, and talent for long-term success. Before launching Chase Talent Development, she built the Organizational Development function at Universal Destinations & Experiences, part of NBCUniversal and Comcast, where she advanced to Senior Director of Organizational Development. Kristen specializes in people-centered culture strategy, leadership effectiveness, and executive coaching, blending strategic insight with practical, human-centered solutions.

Deborah Masak: Deborah Masak is a transformational talent, culture, and learning executive with deep expertise in leadership development, workforce enablement, and organizational growth. She has led enterprise-wide learning and talent strategies for global organizations, helping align culture, leadership, and business priorities during periods of rapid change and expansion. Deborah is known for building scalable learning ecosystems, driving engagement initiatives, and partnering with executives to create inclusive, high-performance cultures that fuel long-term impact.

About the host: Betsy Jordyn is a business mentor, brand messaging strategist, and former Disney consultant who helps purpose-driven consultants and coaches build profitable businesses rooted in their unique strengths. With over 20 years in the industry and a knack for turning big ideas into clear positioning, she's your go-to for strategy that aligns with your calling. Work with me: https://www.betsyjordyn.com/services