OpenSourceOD
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Overview
Video Run Time: 12:49
Facilitation Time: 1hr 17m
This OD Immersive is inspired by a true story featured in Chapter 7 of Peter Block's Flawless Consulting (Fourth Edition). Participants assume the role of a physician working to build a cohesive community among healthcare professionals, patients, and family members within a hospital setting. The experience delves into the fundamental differences between management and leadership, demonstrating how small, intentional actions can profoundly impact the culture of an organization.​​
The simulation emphasizes the need for creating communal structures that foster a sense of belonging, where diverse voices come together to co-create solutions and address shared challenges. Participants will learn that real change is not achieved through top-down directives or rigid goals but through the ability to cultivate strong, interconnected communities that support collective action and growth.
Participants will navigate scenarios reflecting typical organizational challenges such as miscommunication, role ambiguity, and conflict, learning to shift from a mindset of control to one of empathy and shared responsibility. The simulation illustrates that activating the Common Good requires more than individual awareness; it necessitates a fundamental shift in how groups gather and the social contracts that guide their interactions. By applying these principles in a dynamic and supportive environment, participants will gain the skills and insights needed to lead with purpose, fostering conditions where the community’s well-being becomes the cornerstone of meaningful and lasting transformation.
Activating the Common Good is a practice of fostering communal transformation by creating environments where individuals feel a strong sense of belonging and shared responsibility. It involves shifting the focus from individual achievements to collective well-being and building trust through open dialogue and collaboration. This approach emphasizes the power of small groups and leadership that nurtures community and co-creation, rather than management and control.
Facilitation
Part 1 2:20
Paul (played by participants) meets with Mrs. Harris, an elderly patient with dementia, and her daughter Julie, who is frustrated with the lack of clarity around her mother’s treatment. Jessica, a nurse, tries to resolve the confusion but struggles to manage the tension in the room. This scene sets the stage for exploring the impact of miscommunication and the importance of empathy in healthcare interactions.
Starter Question: “When you encounter pain and frustration in others, what instinctive responses arise in you, and how do these responses reflect your deeper beliefs about your role in the community?”
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Follow-up Questions:
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“Consider a time when you witnessed someone in a position of authority respond with empathy or indifference. How did their response shape the situation and your perception of their role?”
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“What does it mean to truly ‘see’ another person’s struggle? How does acknowledging the humanity in others change the way we act and connect?”
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“Imagine the kind of community where everyone’s pain is a shared responsibility. What would need to change in how we interact, communicate, and support one another to create such a place?”
Part 2 0:48
Paul overhears a tense conversation between Jenny and Mark, two healthcare staff members navigating new roles and responsibilities. Their frustration with unclear leadership highlights the challenges of change management and the need for effective communication. Paul steps in, attempting to mediate and understand their concerns.
Starter Question: “What unspoken agreements and expectations shape the way you engage with your peers, and how do these influence your sense of belonging and contribution?”
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Follow-up Questions:
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“Reflect on a situation where you felt caught between your own expectations and those of your organization or community. What did this tension reveal about the implicit social contracts at play?”
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“In what ways do we unconsciously seek to maintain our sense of control or security, and how might this prevent us from fully committing to collective change?”
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“If you had the freedom to rewrite the ‘rules’ of engagement in your community, what values and commitments would you prioritize, and why?”
Part 3 2:06
Paul engages in a challenging discussion with Dr. Singh about the effectiveness of recent changes in the hospital. While Dr. Singh expresses skepticism, Paul advocates for more collaboration and communication. This scene explores resistance to change and the complexities of aligning different perspectives within a team.
Starter Question: “What fears or uncertainties hold you back from embracing the unknown, and how do they influence your ability to trust and co-create with others?”
Follow-up Questions:
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“Think of a time when you resisted a change that felt uncomfortable or uncertain. What did that resistance protect, and what did it cost you and those around you?”
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“What does it mean to truly trust the process of change, even when the outcome is unclear? How does this trust transform the way you show up in moments of conflict or doubt?”
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“How can you create space for authentic dialogue that invites not only agreement but also disagreement and exploration? What would need to shift in your approach to make this possible?”
Part 4 1:13
Paul gathers with patients, family members, and healthcare staff to brainstorm ways to improve the hospital’s communication and care processes. Participants witness how involving diverse voices can lead to innovative solutions that benefit everyone. This part focuses on the power of co-creation and collective problem-solving.
Starter Question: “When you hear diverse voices coming together, what do you notice about the space that is created, and what might be possible in such a space that cannot be achieved alone?”
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Follow-up Questions:
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“Reflect on a time when you experienced a truly inclusive conversation. What was it about that experience that made you feel seen, heard, and valued?”
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“How do we navigate the tension between honoring individual contributions and aligning towards a shared purpose? What does it mean to belong to something greater than oneself?”
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“What kind of courage is required to let go of personal agendas and embrace the uncertainty of co-creation? How does this courage manifest in your own leadership and community-building efforts?”
Part 5 2:02
Paul facilitates a forum where healthcare staff, patients, and family members share their experiences and concerns. Emotions run high as participants express frustrations and hopes for the future. This scene focuses on the power of open dialogue and the challenges of creating a safe space for honest conversation.
Starter Question: “What does it mean to truly listen without judgment, and how can this practice transform the relationships within a community?”
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Follow-up Questions:
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“Reflect on a time when you felt genuinely heard and understood. How did that experience affect your sense of belonging and your willingness to contribute?”
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“How do you respond to discomfort or conflict in conversations, and what might this reveal about your relationship with vulnerability and control?”
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“Imagine a community where every voice matters equally. What practices would you put in place to support this, and what challenges might you face in sustaining it?”
Part 6 4:20
Paul gathers with patients, family members, and healthcare staff to brainstorm ways to improve the hospital’s communication and care processes. Participants witness how involving diverse voices can lead to innovative solutions that benefit everyone. This part focuses on the power of co-creation and collective problem-solving.
Starter Question: “When you hear diverse voices coming together, what do you notice about the space that is created, and what might be possible in such a space that cannot be achieved alone?”
​
Follow-up Questions:
-
“Reflect on a time when you experienced a truly inclusive conversation. What was it about that experience that made you feel seen, heard, and valued?”
-
“How do we navigate the tension between honoring individual contributions and aligning towards a shared purpose? What does it mean to belong to something greater than oneself?”
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“What kind of courage is required to let go of personal agendas and embrace the uncertainty of co-creation? How does this courage manifest in your own leadership and community-building efforts?”
Purpose
Participants are invited to step into the complex dynamics of a hospital environment, where they must navigate real-world challenges such as miscommunication, role conflicts, and the need for collaborative leadership. Participants will explore how true transformation begins with creating a communal structure for belonging, where leadership moves beyond traditional management to foster deep connections and shared responsibility.
This immersive brings to life the notion that lasting change is cultivated not through top-down directives, but through the power of small groups, convened to generate new conversations and collective solutions. By experiencing this process, participants will understand how activating the Common Good can transform not just healthcare, but any community or organization striving to balance individual contributions with the greater good.
This simulation explores the following core concepts:
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Shifts in Community and Consciousness: Real change occurs not just through shifts in individual behavior but through changes in how groups come together. Participants will experience how to build a communal structure that fosters belonging, a necessary foundation for transforming the entire system.
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Leadership Beyond Management: The simulation contrasts traditional management, which focuses on control and order, with leadership that initiates a future distinct from the past. It emphasizes that genuine leadership is about creating communities that thrive on connection, dialogue, and shared purpose, rather than merely implementing better controls and goals.​
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The Power of Small Groups: Participants will explore how small groups, when convened thoughtfully, can be powerful catalysts for change. The small group serves as a microcosm for the larger community, where new conversations, relatedness, and shared understandings can emerge, driving deeper, more sustainable transformation.
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Transformation through Belonging: Participants will learn how to create environments where individuals feel a strong sense of belonging, leading to greater engagement, resilience, and innovation within teams and communities.
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Leader as Convener: Gain insights into the role of leaders as conveners and facilitators of community, who help others discover their own power to solve problems and co-create the future.
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Communal Accountability: Understand how to shift from a culture of blame and control to one of accountability and commitment, where the focus is on collective well-being and shared responsibility.
Debrief
After navigating the multi-faceted challenges presented in Common Good Leadership, it’s essential to help participants connect their experiences to the deeper principles of communal transformation, leadership beyond management, and the power of small groups. This reflective debrief encourages participants to integrate their insights with key concepts from Peter Block’s theory, applying them to real-world leadership and organizational development contexts.
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Leadership & Communal Structures
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Moving Beyond Management to Leadership:
Throughout the simulation, participants played the role of Paul, a physician tasked with bringing together healthcare professionals, patients, and families during times of tension and conflict. This experience demonstrates how real leadership requires stepping away from managerial control and fostering the creation of communal structures that build a sense of belonging. Leadership, as seen through Paul’s interactions, is about initiating conversations that allow diverse perspectives to surface and focusing on the shared well-being of the community.
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Creating a Future Distinct from the Past:
Paul’s challenge of bridging divides within the hospital environment—whether it was addressing Dr. Singh’s resistance or guiding the staff towards collaboration—exemplifies leadership’s critical task of creating a future distinct from the past. Real change emerges from convening spaces where people can reimagine their relationships and work toward collective goals, rather than merely improving upon past efforts.
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The Power of Small Groups & Dialogue
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Building Trust and Collective Accountability:
The simulation underscored the importance of small groups as the foundational structure for fostering openness and trust. Whether Paul was mediating between frustrated staff or co-creating solutions with patients and their families, the power of small groups in activating the Common Good became evident. Participants learned that real transformation happens not through top-down mandates, but by bringing diverse voices into dialogue, allowing them to take collective ownership of the outcomes.
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Engaging in Authentic Conversations:
In various scenarios—such as the Cafeteria Confrontation—participants experienced how difficult, authentic conversations can reveal underlying assumptions, fears, and barriers to change. The dialogue between Paul and Dr. Singh highlighted how resistance is often rooted in unspoken fears or concerns. Participants were challenged to move beyond surface-level communication and engage in deeper conversations that address the emotional and relational dynamics at play.
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Belonging & Social Contracts
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Reframing Social Contracts for Change:
Paul’s journey through the hospital’s tensions invited participants to reflect on the social contracts that guide interactions within organizations. From the unspoken expectations between staff members to the explicit tensions between patients and healthcare professionals, participants saw how these contracts must evolve to support collective well-being. The simulation illustrated that activating the Common Good requires rethinking how we choose to be together—shifting from individual concerns to a shared sense of responsibility for the community.
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Creating Spaces for Belonging:
A key takeaway from the simulation was the realization that fostering belonging is at the heart of communal transformation. In scenes like the Family and Staff Forum, participants witnessed how belonging arises when every voice is valued and heard. This space of inclusion and trust allows people to bring their full selves to the table, transforming not just the organization but also the culture that sustains it.
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Mindfulness & Presence in Leadership​
Tuning into Resistance and Vulnerability:
Participants faced various forms of resistance throughout the simulation—whether it was Dr. Singh’s skepticism or the frustration from frontline workers. The experience prompted participants to recognize how vulnerability and fear often hide beneath the surface of resistance. Mindfulness, in this context, is about remaining present and attuned to these underlying dynamics, allowing leaders to respond with empathy and patience rather than defensiveness or force.
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Leading with Presence:
One of the most profound insights of the simulation is the role of presence in leadership. Paul’s interactions demonstrated how staying fully engaged and mindful of the relational and emotional landscape can create an atmosphere of trust and openness. By being present, leaders can create a space where genuine dialogue and co-creation can flourish, ultimately leading to more sustainable and inclusive solutions.
Resources
Email Invite
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Syllabus Snippet
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Certified Facilitators​
Peter Block
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Anton Shufutinsky
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Key Readings
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