How to Start the Inclusion Conversation: A Conversation with Ola Lagunju

This is the 43rd video produced in the ‘Just in Case…’ mini-series sponsored by Quality and Equality. In this video we are once again joined by Ola Lagunju, a talented and incredibly insightful facilitator, consultant, speaker and social scientist, and specialist in human culture change, inclusion and inquiry. Ola discovered the power of systemic thinking and conversation during her 20 years in the corporate world where she held various senior roles including Head of Learning and Organisational Development for a large global retail organisation. Since founding New Chapter Consulting in 2013, Ola has worked with organisations and individuals across a broad range of sectors. Recent clients include: UBS, Starbucks, BP, NHS, The Civil Service, European Commission, The Guardian, HSBC, Joules, Long Tall Sally, LVMH, Network Rail, News UK, British Research Council, Oxfam, Pentland Group, TI Media, and Aurora Fashions. She also works with a number of small charities.

Today, Ola delivers an incredibly practical and insightful presentation on simple ways we can start the inclusion conversations in our teams, organisations, or clients we serve. She provides examples of interventions that she’s used and walks us through how we can best find our unique approach. Ola’s energy and insight serve as an important reminder to all of us OD Practitioners that we must constantly be doing our own work, while serving the client with values and integrity in line with the field.  

Ola’s presentation is timely and relevant for the space that we find ourselves in, and her practical steps may inspire a long overdue change of inclusion of more within our organisations and communities. Change happens one conversation at a time, and please use these tools to support the change work you do. We are grateful for her insightful and practical gifts in this video.  

Articles, Books, and Resources

  • Inclusion and Diversity in Work Groups: A Review and Model for Future Research

  • Human Systems Dynamics by Glenda Eoyang, Human System Dynamics Institute (www.hsdinstitute.org)

  • Positive Deviance: The power of Positive Deviance – how unlikely innovators solve the world’s toughest problems. By Richard Pascale, Jerry Sternin and Monique Sternin

Biography

Ola Lagunju is a talented and incredibly insightful facilitator, consultant, speaker and social scientist, and specialist in human culture change, inclusion and inquiry. Ola discovered the power of systemic thinking and conversation during her 20 years in the corporate world where she held various senior roles including Head of Learning and Organisational Development for a large global retail organisation. Since founding New Chapter Consulting in 2013, Ola has worked with organisations and individuals across a broad range of sectors. Recent clients include: UBS, Starbucks, BP, NHS, The Civil Service, European Commission, The Guardian, HSBC, Joules, Long Tall Sally, LVMH, Network Rail, News UK, British Research Council, Oxfam, Pentland Group, TI Media, and Aurora Fashions. She also works with a number of small charities.

Ola believes strongly in a partnership and an inquiry-based approach with her clients. The challenges they face are typically around the creation or realignment of culture and behaviour. Clients appreciate her ability to listen, the fact that she gives them insights into the wider picture/system, helps them spot unhelpful/helpful patterns, always lets them decide where to start the work; she holds back on answers, rather she asks disruptive and perspective-building questions. Clients also value her presence and her creative light-touch style, which makes people feel safe and willing to go deeper into critical and difficult topics.  Having trained as a scientist, she has a highly inquisitive and analytical mind while being very OD-focused and people-centric in her approach.  Feedback she has received includes: “You approach serious topics with a lightness of touch, which means you always bring groups with you”; You’re energetic and a quick thinker; you light up the room”; You don’t miss much: you listen at all levels and nudge us to do the same ”

Contact

Email: Ola@newchapterconsultancy.com

Twitter: @Olalagunju and @Newchapter3000

My Personalised URL for LinkedIn profile - Linkedin.com/in/organisationaldevelopment