Connecting the Dots: What 25 Sessions in AOM 2026 in Philadelphia Taught Me About the Future of OD

The Academy of Management Annual Meeting (AOM 2026) brought together some of the brightest minds in organizational science. Listening deeply to conversations around AI, leadership, and hybrid work revealed a single common thread running through them all - even when described in entirely different terms.

I went to Philadelphia with an open question that has driven my work for years: Is my research on Perceived Organizational Publicness a practical framework that truly serves leaders on the ground, or is it primarily an academic construct that interests us as researchers?

I returned with an answer that offered both perspective and renewed inspiration.

Over five intensive days, I participated in 25 sessions and panels. I listened, asked questions, exchanged ideas, and shared coffee with leading scholars and executive consultants.

As the days unfolded, a compelling insight took shape: session after session, experts from vastly different fields were trying to answer the exact same fundamental question: "What is this organization actually for, and whom does it serve?"

When you look closely, we are all striving to solve the same underlying challenge—simply through our own disciplinary lenses.

Different Languages, Same Purpose: The Common Thread in Management Theory

When Prof. R. Edward Freeman (UVA Darden), the father of Stakeholder Theory, addresses the audience and asks, "Can we create a narrative where organizations aren't just about money?" (Freeman, 1984; Freeman et al., 2019) - he is searching for an organization's public and societal purpose.

When Prof. Amy Edmondson (Harvard Business School) encapsulates the hybrid work debate with the phrase "Make it a magnet, not a mandate" (Edmondson, 1999; 2018) - she is describing an organization that creates meaningful value and naturally draws people in.

When Prof. Marc Bonnet and Henri Savall (ISEOR Institute) analyze the "TFW virus," highlighting the danger of organizations turning inward and neglecting the environment they serve (Savall & Cristallini, 2014) - they are pinpointing a breakdown in public value.

And when Larry Ebert (USF) and Claudy Jules define Change Fluent Organizations - those that evolve at a natural, human cadence - they are advocating for a more empathetic approach to leading change.

How Does Perceived Organizational Publicness Fit In?

Our research on Perceived Organizational Publicness (measured via the Publicness Perceptions Scale - PPS) seeks to provide precise language and actionable metrics for this exact phenomenon: the degree to which stakeholders perceive an organization as operating for the broader good rather than solely for itself (Dryzin-Amit, Vashdi & Vigoda-Gadot, 2024).

The evidence shows that publicness is not reserved for government agencies. Every company, enterprise, or institution is evaluated by its stakeholders along these lines. An organization perceived as responsive, transparent, and accountable builds lasting trust. An organization that stops looking outward gradually loses its relevance and legitimacy.

Refocusing on Tangible Outcomes

During the conference, I stepped up to ask a simple question in two separate sessions: "To what end? What is the actual outcome that needs to show up on the scoreboard at the end of this process?"

The thoughtful silence that followed reminded me how easy it is for all of us - researchers and consultants alike - to fall in love with our frameworks and processes, sometimes forgetting to evaluate what actually changed on the ground.

• In the "OD as a Living Field" session (led by Carol Gorelick and Art Kleiner), it was clear that while our field boasts a rich history and deep methodology, it craves a stronger commitment to measuring real-world impact.

• In the "Consulting as a Crossroads" session (led by David Szabla), I shared my sense that organizational development practitioners often operate without a shared diagnostic vocabulary. In medicine, there are clear protocols for when to refer a patient to a specialist. In OD, we are still building those shared norms together.

💡 Takeaway for Leaders: Before launching any organizational initiative, define meaningful outcome metrics up front. Not "How many workshops will we facilitate?" but rather "What will operate differently in this organization the day after?"

Technological Disruption and Human Capacity

The panels on Artificial Intelligence and hybrid work repeatedly underscored a paradox we all recognize: technology is advancing far faster than human and organizational capacity to absorb it.

Prof. Lilian Schofield and Xue Zhou (Queen Mary University) demonstrated that most organizations utilize AI at a basic operational level, struggling to reach applications that yield deep, strategic value. Concurrently, Amy Edmondson introduced the concept of a Minimum Viable Social Structure - the baseline framework needed to maintain psychological safety and human connection across distributed teams.

One striking study presented at the conference revealed that executive resistance to remote work often stems not from productivity concerns, but from a desire to maintain personal control. This is a classic example of individual leadership preferences taking precedence over organizational and employee needs.

💡 Takeaway for Leaders: Before implementing a new technology or structure, pause and ask your teams: "What pace and conditions do you need to adopt this change safely and effectively?"

Moving from Criticism to Construction

Prof. Freeman framed this brilliantly during one of his remarks: "The most effective way to transform a field isn't just to critique what's broken, but to offer a viable alternative people can actually live and work by."

This principle reflects the core objective of the consulting model I propose in my research (Dryzin-Amit, 2025, JABS) - creating Adaptive Spaces and human capabilities that allow organizations to evolve through dialogue, systemic integration, and active listening.

Three Questions to Drive Strategy Forward

I returned from Philadelphia with actionable clarity that I bring into every executive and consulting engagement:

1. The Publicness Perspective: "When stakeholders outside your organization think of you, do they feel you are working for them - or primarily for yourselves?"

2. The Outcome Perspective: "What meaningful, value-driven result must change in your organization's operations as a result of this work?"

3. The Capacity Perspective: "What is the realistic pace at which your teams can adapt and grow sustainably without breaking?"

   
   

AOM 2026 reinforced for me that Perceived Organizational Publicness is a shared aspiration we are all striving toward.

The question that remains open - and one I will continue to explore in research and practice - is: How do we build simple, accessible tools that any organization can use to measure and strengthen its publicness every day?

I would love to hear your thoughts, experiences, and perspectives in the comments below.

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Selected References

• Dryzin-Amit, Y. (2025). OD consulting as a catalyst for change: Adaptive spaces, emergent capabilities, and systemic integration in practice. Journal of Applied Behavioral Science.

• Dryzin-Amit, Y., Vashdi, D., & Vigoda-Gadot, E. (2024). Publicness Perceptions Scale (PPS). Journal of General Management.

• Edmondson, A. (1999). Psychological safety and learning behavior in work teams. Administrative Science Quarterly, 44(2), 350-383.

• Freeman, R.E. (1984). Strategic Management: A Stakeholder Approach. Pitman.

• Freeman, R.E., Harrison, J.S., Barney, J., & Phillips, R. (2019). The Cambridge Handbook of Stakeholder Theory. Cambridge University Press.

• Savall, H., & Cristallini, V. (2014). The Taylorism-Fayolism-Weberism virus. In Facilitating the Socio-Economic Approach to Management. IAP.

  
  

(With deepest gratitude to all the scholars, colleagues, and thought partners who contributed to these conversations: R. Edward Freeman | Amy Edmondson | Adam Grant | David Bright | Carol Gorelick | Larry Ebert | Claudy Jules | Abdy Taminsyah | Lilian Schofield & Xue Zhou | David Szabla | Sherri Williams | Marc Bonnet & Henri Savall | Eric Sanders)