David Baum to host 2009 OSR annual conference

Organizational psychologist. Fast change facilitator. Conflict mediator. Fire-eater.

David Baum brings to this year's OSR annual conference a breadth of experience guiding complex transformational change. Baum joins the conference design team as a key collaborator and host for the Saturday, June 20 event at Seattle University.

Reflecting on the conference theme, Designing life and work in an upended world, Baum observes, “Right now my clients are highly stressed. It’s very hard out there; I’ve never seen it so difficult. People’s fear about the future is restrictive and addictive.”

“Key questions are ‘How can people maintain their humanity and hope over fear during these times?’ 'How can we design proactive postures that move people away from being victims and into being active in creating their experience?'"

"It’s a big time; none of us can play small at this point.”

25 years guiding complex change

Baum is no stranger to facing fear having worked in two countries with horrendous genocide — Rawanda and Bosnia-Herzegovina. “I’ve seen the worst of what humanity can be."

Working with Women for Women International, David advised in entrepreneurship and leadership development in post-conflict Sarajevo. With church committees in Belfast, Northern Ireland, he led a conflict mediation effort and created strategies for minimizing inter-faith violence in neighborhoods.

Coordinating large system change with diverse teams, David helped Shell Oil implement a $260 million SAP conversion that far exceeded expectations.

At the Summit for America's Future during the Clinton administration, David worked with Colin Powell to unite governors, senators, and major city mayors in focusing on understanding and implementing best practices for youth.

Baum holds a doctorate in organizational psychology from Temple University and a second doctorate in divinity from Naropa University. He is one of the few people to teach at three of the top ten business schools (Wharton, Cambridge and the Richard Ivey School). And he worked his way through graduate school as a clown with Ringling Brothers and Barnum Bailey circus. David Baum biography

David has an intuitive understanding of human nature, which inspires great confidence and trust. He is thoughtful and sensitive, clear thinking, and his direct and honest advice helps me to make strategic plans for the way ahead. David has become both confidant and friend. I love his appreciation of nature and our shared sense of hope that we can make this a better world for all.” — Jane Goodall, environmental activist

Reserve your place beginning Monday, April 27

2009 OSR annual conference
Designing life and work in an upended world
Saturday, June 20 at Seattle University

Reservations for the 2009 conference begin Monday, April 27 at osr-nw.org/conference. Conference details, including morning and afternoon workshops, will be announced at that time. Sign up for free conference email updates.

Design a workshop for the 2009 annual conference

Stimulate the conversation about designing life and work in today's changing world. Design a 90-minute workshop session for the annual conference on Saturday, June 20. The design team for the conference is soliciting proposals due Friday, April 3.

Presenters are invited to develop interactive and experiential workshops that explore the nuances of effective and sustainable change in the complex human systems that comprise our work and our world. Two related conference paths are planned — one on emerging theories related to change and a second on practical applications for consultants and their clients.

Workshop proposals requested for 2009 annual conference

The design team for the 2009 OSR Annual Conference is soliciting proposals for 90-minute workshop sessions for the Saturday, June 20 event. The theme of the 2009 conference is Designing life and work in a changing world.

Presenters are invited to develop interactive and experiential workshops that explore the nuances of effective and sustainable change in the complex human systems that comprise our work and our world. Two related conference paths are planned — one on emerging theories related to change and a second on practical applications for consultants and their clients.

2009 OSR conference design team calls for volunteers

What’s the theme of the next OSR conference? Well, that could be up to you!

The team that will design the fourth annual conference is now forming. Team members will meet monthly through the winter and spring to bring OSR's popular event to life on Saturday, June 20, 2009.  As a member of the design team, you’ll work with stimulating and creative colleagues to design and host this gathering of change leaders.  

We invite you to step into the possibility of next year’s conference, to offer your experience, skills, wisdom, and humor in service to our community. Steve Byers and Carolyn Davidson of the OSR Alumni Association Board will sponsor this team of 4-6 people drawn from the OSR Community (if you’re reading the Grapevine, you’re part of the community). If you’d like to find out more about this commitment, please contact Steve or Carolyn by Friday, November 21.  We’re eager to begin building the relationships that will sustain us through the project.

Because of today

Because of today... HiSL (hear, see and love each other) and the signs of NOT being heard or seen, I'll be able to ask better questions… to listen, see and love rather than judge.

Because of today… leading is my duty — and I must do with courage, humility and passion!

Because of today… my heart is encouraged to listen more deeply to the disturbances that persist and hold them in compassion.

Because of today… be more mindful — what's the deepest longing in our hearts?

Because of today… I have new actions and connections that will help me toward enacting my personal vision and quest.

Because of today… my heart and soul are warmed and encouraged, left hopeful to hold to do the work of healing the planet.

Because of today… I am going to engage with more heart, passion and purpose!

— from the closing session of the third annual conference, Saturday, June 28, 2008

Annual conference documents for downloading and related links

Achieving higher performance through communities of practice and social networks with Clayton Gridley, David Kleweno and Iris Lemmer, communities-of-practice.pdf, 1.1mb

Crucial conversations with a cross-cultural twist with Richard Wilkinson, crucial-conversations.pdf, 264kb

The end of leadership and consultancy as we know it with Joelle Lyons Everett and Keith McCandless, end-of-leadership.pdf, 1.5mb

Leading change with head and heart with Lismary deLemos and Brit Poulson, leading-head-heart.pdf, 520kb

Radical change at the “speed of trust” with Mary Allison, Dan Oestreich, Sandra Sault Poulson, change-at-speed-of-trust.pdf, 1.1mb

Steven Wright's graphic facilitation of the day. All six murals, osrconf08-graphicfacil.pdf, 5.6MB
Plenary session: Change in 4 movements, osrconf08-01-Change-in-4.pdf, 984KB
Plenary session: Q&A, Ethics, osrconf08-02-QandA-Ethics.pdf, 1.1MB
Plenary session: Reflections on seating arrangements, osrconf08-03-Reflections-on-seating.pdf, 648KB
After lunch: Proximity games, osrconf08-04-proximity-games.pdf, 712KB
Afternoon harvest, osrconf08-05-afternoon-harvest.pdf, 836KB
Closing mural, osrconf08-06-closing-mural.pdf, 1.5MB

Related links

Attendees

Event description, schedule, workshop descriptions