Is OD the touchy feely “Love All” stuff?
OD is founded on serious research based knowledge and forms one of the leading edge developments in the field of Management. It is eclectic and combines all streams of the social sciences. OD recognizes emotions as an integral part of the canvas of human existence. The orthodox approaches of management practices were developed from principles of engineering and thus are neither equipped nor adequately sensitive to emotions in organizations. However dimensions such as commitment, creativity, resilience, and stress are all in the nature of emotions. Management practices legislate emotion out of the formal arena and leave it to charismatic leaders or to the HR function. OD helps balance the world of tasks, deliveries, and efficiencies with the world of emotion. Since this is the only management practice that recognizes values and works with emotions, people with skeptical stances have fostered the “touchy feely” image. In our view this label is an indignity and belongs to the kind of soci
