Inside Pediatrics University of Michigan Health System, Spring 2009. Clinicians and researchers, patients and families participated in a DSD Research and Quality Improvement Symposium, designed and facilitated by Sharon Benjamin and David Sandberg, to establish recommendations for a national DSD research and quality improvement agenda. The group is preparing a manuscript for publication in a peer review journal that will summarize the symposium and offer recommendations for future research and collaboration.

Positive Deviance is featured in the New York Times Magazine 8th Annual Year in Ideas. Sharon is one of three PD coaches at the Albert Einstein Medical Center mentioned in the article. read more

Articles & Resources

As a prac-ademic, Sharon Benjamin occasionally writes and⁄or co-authors pieces on organizational change, leadership, and other topics – some current pieces include:

Storied Careers: 40+ Story Practitioners Talk About Applied Storytelling
Compiled by Katharine Hansen and featuring Sharon Benjamin and a host of other practitioners, this no-cost PDF e-book is now available for download at
A Storied Career.

Leading in a Hyper-Connected Society by Michael Arena and Sharon Benjamin. The Systems Thinker, Vol 19, No 9. March 2009.

The Odysseus Paradox: Navigating Organizational Change Using Mutually Exclusive Change Models co-authored with Michael J. Arena and William (Bill) Kirkwood. This article outlines a new model for thinking about how leaders navigate the turbulent waters of personal and organizational change.

Another recent work that will be of interdisciplinary interest is a festschrift honoring the work of Alan Barstow. Benjamin and Arena collaborated with over a dozen other authors to create this tribute to an outstanding colleague and friend. Information on ordering this book can be obtained by e-mailing Sharon at SharonBenjamin.com.

At the 2008 Organizational Development Network annual conference, Sharon presented Lessons from the Field in Applying Positive Deviance - view presentation (ppt) with Carlos Arce and Cathi Balboa.

Read Sharon's recent thoughts on invitation and engagement - Friday Afternoon Thoughts - Invitation and Engagement (pdf)

Words that Make My Spirit Soar (Not Sore!)

Creative chaos.           Open doors.     Not knowing.
            Yellow Springs.           Do be do be do.
Bare feet.              Torrey Pines.       Working joy clearly showing.
            Are you there?          Can you talk?           Shadow dancing in old shoes.
Inviting you.       Big dogs.          Old friends.                  Patchwork sewing.
            On the rocks with a twist.       Great job.        Calling you.
Flying on the edge.            All clear.            Look it's stopped snowing!
            And not only that.        Healing nicely.           Terrifying tango; then the waltzing.
Published work.          Brilliant.           Superlative.            Oh, you shouldn't have.
            Loving friends.                       Thanksgiving.
Fabulous!        Smart.              Funny.
            Marvelous.         Loving.           Fearless.             Grace-full
Thoughtful.                                                                Amazing Men.
            Listen to this.              Laughing.                    Loving.

                                                        Leaping.

                                                                   Lucky me.

                                                                                                                ~ Benjamin
                                                                                                                         2008

acknowledgement to Mira McEwan's Words That Make My Stomach Plummet
Ecstatic, Allbook Books 2007

Alchemy's work is deeply rooted in, and grows out of, the literature and wisdom of the best thinkers from the fields of organizational behavior, complexity, psychology. Some of our favorite, and perhaps, lesser known resources are listed below:

Anderson, R. (2004). Mastering Leadership. Self-published available at http://www.theleadershipcircle.com/site/main/position-papers.htm

Argyris, C. (1990) Overcoming Organizational Defenses. Needham, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Argyris, C. (1993). Teaching Smart People How to Learn. Harvard Business Review, July-August. Reprint number 93402

Badaracco, J. (1998). The Discipline of Building Character. Boston: Harvard Business Review, March-April, Reprint Number 98201.

Budd, M., & Rothstein, L., (2000). You Are What You Say, New Age, Vol. 2:9, pp. 1-6.

Eoyang, G., Olson, E., & Kennedy, J. (2006). Complexity 101: Concepts and Tools for OD Practitioners. Self-published.

Goldberg, M. (1999). Expert Question Asking: The Engine of Successful Coaching. The Manchester Review, 3(5) p. 2-7. Reprint Number 990401

Goleman, D. (1998). What Makes a Leader, Harvard Business Review, November-December, Reprint Number RO401H; HBR OnPoint 3790

Kelso, J.A.S., & Engtrøm, D. (2006). The Complementary Nature. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press pp. Preface, 1-16,217-225, 249-255.

Klein, M., Klein, L., & Victor, K., (2003). The Courage to Act, OD Practitioner, Vol. 3, No. 3, pp. 21-25

Krebs, V., & Holley, J. (2006) "Building Network Weaving Through Smart Communities," http://www.orgnet.com/BuildingNetworks.pdf

Kruger, J. & Dunning, D., (1999). Unskilled and Unaware of It: How Difficulties in Recognizing One's Own Incompetence Lead to Inflated Self-Assessments. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 77(6), pp. 1121-1134.

Pascale, R., & Sternin, J. (2005). Your Company’s Secret Change Agents, Harvard Business Review, May. pp. 1-11.

Singhal, A. (2006). Trust is the Lubricant of Organizational Life: Lessons from the Life and Career of Henri Lipmanowicz Allentown, NJ: The Plexus Institute.

Short, R. R., (1998). Learning in Relationship: Foundations for Personal and Professional Success, Seattle, WA: Learning in Action Technologies, Inc.

Snowden, D., & Boone, M., (2007) A Leader's Framework. Harvard Business Review, November, Reprint Number R0711C, www.hbrreprints.org

Wilson, E. (1998). Back from Chaos, The Atlantic Monthly, March, pp. 41-62