CBODN upcoming events

Coaching Community of Practice – Happy Yes: Making Clearer Commitments, Setting Stronger Boundaries, and Working with Greater Intention (29 Sep 2026)

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 23:00:00 GMT

Happy Yes: Making Clearer Commitments, Setting Stronger Boundaries, and Working with Greater Intention

In business, it is easy to say “yes” before fully considering the time, energy, resources, priorities, or expectations attached to that commitment. Over time, too many agreements can lead to missed deadlines, frustration, resentment, burnout, and diminished trust.

The Happy Yes approach creates a simple decision-making standard: If a commitment is not a Happy Yes, it should become a No or a renegotiated agreement.

This does not mean professionals should only do work they enjoy. Every role includes responsibilities that may be challenging, uncomfortable, or demanding. A Happy Yes means that you are making a commitment you understand, accept, and are prepared to honor.

By the end of this 90-minute session, participants will be able to:

Define what a Happy Yes means in a professional environment.
Recognize the difference between an intentional commitment and an automatic yes.
Identify how unclear commitments affect productivity, trust, and workplace culture.
Practice responding to requests with greater clarity and confidence.
Renegotiate commitments when circumstances or priorities change.
Create a personal “My Happy Yes” commitment to apply after the session.

About the Presenter: Sarah Happel

Sarah Happel is the CEO and founder of Spectrum Leadership Solutions, a boutique consulting firm specializing in leadership development and helping leaders create cultures of respect, prosperity, and alignment. She is also a co-founder and Faculty Fellow in George Mason University’s Coaching Certification for Organizational Well-being and has helped certify more than 200 executives over the past decade. Her work focuses on building resilient leaders and organizations through greater self-awareness, stronger communication, and the ability to navigate complexity.

DC Area OD Practitioners CoP — The Diagnosis Before the Intervention: Six Conditions That Predict 80% of Team Effectiveness (01 Oct 2026)

Thu, 01 Oct 2026 23:00:00 GMT

The Diagnosis Before the Intervention: Six Conditions That Predict 80% of Team Effectiveness

Your client asks for a team building offsite. Six months later, the same team is stuck — and you are wondering what you missed.

Decades of Harvard research by Richard Hackman and Ruth Wageman point to an uncomfortable answer: roughly 80% of a team's effectiveness is determined before the team ever meets, by six conditions that can be deliberately designed. Communication problems, low trust, and conflict are usually symptoms. The leverage sits upstream.

In this session we will work the six conditions as a diagnostic instrument, not a concept. You will bring a real client team, diagnose it live with colleagues, and find where the actual constraint is hiding. We will also look at why coaching a team on its dynamics so often fails to move its results — and what to do instead.

The material is drawn from Neal's work with aircraft carrier and submarine maintenance teams at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, where a team design failure is measured in days of schedule, not survey scores.

What you'll take away:

A one-page diagnostic grid covering all six conditions, ready to use with clients.
Language for reframing a client's presenting problem into a design question.
A clearer read on why some of your past team interventions did not hold

Presenter — Neal Henderson

Neal Henderson is a Systemic Team and Organizational Coach and the Owner and Head Coach of Front Row Performance Coaching (FRPC). A professional coach since 2014, he works at the intersection of team design, cultural change, and operational performance, drawing on the 6 Team Conditions, Shingo Lean, and relationship systems approaches.

His recent work supported the US Navy's aircraft carrier and submarine maintenance community at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, including projects on the USS Theodore Roosevelt and USS Nimitz. He is currently focused on helping community organizations get better at serving their clients.

Neal holds an MS in Organization Development and Knowledge Management from George Mason University, is an ICF Master Certified Coach (MCC) with the Advanced Certification in Team Coaching (ACTC).

CBODN Networking Night - Pre-Conference Social Event (23 Oct 2026)

Fri, 23 Oct 2026 22:00:00 GMT

Back by Popular Demand: CBODN Networking Night!

After a fantastic turnout last year, we're excited to bring back our Networking Night to kick off the Leadership Conference weekend.

Join us at UPSIDE on Moore in Arlington, VA for an evening of connection, conversation, and community as we kick off the Conference weekend. Reconnect with colleagues, meet new faces, expand your network, and get energized for the day ahead.

Bring your friends, partners, and colleagues—the more, the merrier. We hope to see you there!

Don't miss Saturday's line-up of learning, collaboration, and inspiration. Join us for CBODN CONNECT 2026: Igniting Change Together on October 24th from 9am-5pm!

And, bundle the conference and networking social for even greater savings (to do so, register for the conference and simply select the Networking Night Social add-on during checkout to take advantage of the discounted rate.)

CONNECT 2026 - CBODN Annual Conference (24 Oct 2026)

Sat, 24 Oct 2026 13:00:00 GMT

You won’t want to miss this synergistic, thought-provoking, engaging, and fun day offering plenty of opportunities for learning, collaboration, and inspiration.

CBODN CONNECT 2026: Igniting Change Together celebrates the power of connection as a catalyst for organizational progress. As organizations continue to evolve, so does the work of organization development. Join fellow practitioners, leaders, and change agents for thought-provoking conversations, practical learning, and meaningful connections that will help you navigate what's next.

Connect with People

Network with 100+ OD professionals, consultants, coaches, and leaders
Build relationships with peers who understand the challenges and opportunities of OD work
Engage in a shared experience with a vibrant learning community

Connect with Ideas

Gain insights from an inspiring keynote speaker
Choose from a dozen-plus breakout sessions on timely OD topics
Explore emerging trends, tools, and practices shaping the future of organizations

Connect with Action

Leave with practical strategies and resources you can apply immediately
Discover new approaches to leading change and driving organizational effectiveness
Reignite your energy, purpose, and impact

Plus

Networking Breakfast
Networking Lunch
Meaningful conversations and connections throughout the day

Secure your spot today and join us as we ignite change together!

Don't miss our Pre-Conference Networking Night! Kick off the conference weekend with an unforgettable evening of connection and conversation at a nearby venue. Join us Friday, October 23, 2026 from 6:00 – 9:00 PM at UPSIDE on Moore (1700 N Moore St level m2, Arlington, VA 22209).

WANT THE BEST VALUE?

Bundle the conference and networking social for even greater savings. When registering for the conference, simply select the Networking Night Social add-on during checkout to take advantage of the discounted rate.

If you are interested in attending and the cost of the conference is a barrier, please email admin@cbodn.org. We want to ensure you are able to attend.