Justice, Love, and Organizational Healing – A Conversation with Ora Grodsky – Kathy Caprino

Part of Kathy Caprino’s series “Building a Better World for All”

Amidst today’s cultural and political landscape, many organizations are struggling to stay aligned with their core values while remaining effective and resilient. Research shows that organizations that center equity, inclusion, and well-being not only perform better but also foster greater innovation, trust, and long-term sustainability. 

For example, according to Deloitte, inclusive teams outperform their peers by 80% in team-based assessments, and employees in inclusive organizations are more likely to feel engaged and loyal. 

In her new book, Justice, Love, and Organizational Healing: A Guide to Transformational Consulting, Ora Grodsky draws on over 25 years of organizational consulting experience to provide actionable insights and tools that drive inclusivity and effectiveness within organizations.

Ora is an organizational consultant, coach, and facilitator with over 25 years of experience supporting mission-driven leaders and organizations. She is a co-founder of Just Works Consulting.

Below she shares about her approach to consulting with organizations and explores how transformational consulting differs from traditional consulting, and why that difference matters.

And to hear more about Ora’s insights, approach and teachings, listen to our recent Finding Brave podcast interview (click the image below) or watch us on YouTube:

Kathy Caprino: Ora, your book presents a fresh approach to consulting. Can you explain how transformational consulting differs from more traditional consulting?

Ora Grodsky: Traditional consulting operates on an “expert model,” where a consultant comes in, analyzes the problem, and delivers solutions for the client to implement. That approach is useful when an organization needs specialized technical expertise. 

But when it comes to creating sustained changes oriented toward building a more just world, outside experts often don’t provide solutions that stick. 

Transformational consulting isn’t new, but it brings a deeper dimension to the work by introducing processes that help people see each other, their challenges, and possibilities in new and nuanced ways. This, in turn, allows people to generate their own solutions—rooted in the wisdom and needs of those most impacted—creating greater alignment and energy for sustained implementation.

For example, I worked with a nonprofit that had lost clarity about its mission. Staff and board members had competing visions and understanding of what the organization was here to do, and morale was low. Through structured conversations and deep, respectful listening, they were able to reconnect with their purpose and create a clear path forward. 

My role wasn’t to tell them what to do but to guide them through a process where they could regain alignment around their core purpose and work together to refresh their shared commitment to their work. Their new clarity led to more focused and better programming, increased business, and a more satisfied staff.

Caprino: You write about the importance of addressing systemic oppression in creating more effective organizations. In light of the current backlash against DEI—diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts—how do you see this affecting organizational health?

Grodsky: At its core, DEI is about making organizations work for everyone—employees and the people they serve. When organizations move away from a commitment to DEI, they are, consciously or not, signaling that they don’t value the voices and needs of people from historically marginalized groups. That’s not only ethically wrong; it also damages the long-term success of an organization by compromising employee well-being, stifling creativity and innovation, and thwarting the organization’s ability to meet the needs of the community it serves. ..

What’s crucial to understand is that long-standing systems of oppression—such as racism and sexism that perpetuate the harmful notion that some people are more worthy of resources and opportunities based on their identities—don’t just exist out in the world; they shape the way organizations function. Leaders and all others must work to actively dismantle these patterns and building structures that operate outside the traditional paradigms of dominance and exclusion. It’s not about checking a box—it’s about creating an environment where everyone can thrive.

Caprino: What do you think people might misunderstand about what DEI efforts are really trying to address and achieve?

Grodsky: Some common misconceptions are that DEI is about assigning blame or trying to get unearned advantages for groups of people. DEI is about recognizing that historical patterns of discrimination—racism, sexism, ableism, and more—haven’t disappeared. They’ve evolved, and they’re often embedded in the policies, norms, and assumptions of our institutions.

The goal of DEI is not to vilify anyone—it’s to create cultures where everyone is respected, valued, and has what they need to thrive. And ultimately, that’s good for everyone.

Caprino: Your book talks about addressing bias. I’d love your thoughts on how to uncover the unconscious biases that so many of us hold. These are often outside of our awareness. How do you help organizations and work cultures uncover and shift those?

Grodsky: Unconscious bias is tricky because, by definition, we don’t see it. But it influences everything—how we treat others, who we trust, whose ideas we consider valid, how we make decisions, and how we allocate resources. It’s vitally important to recognize and understand the dehumanizing consequences of upholding systems of oppression and how our biases keep them in place. And we need opportunities to become curious about our potential biases and how they impact our perspectives, decision-making and actions, so these biases don’t drive our behavior in harmful ways.

It’s important to create intentional spaces where people can learn together without shame and blame, reflect on their experiences and assumptions, and build deeper understanding of their own and others’ identities. This often includes providing historical contexts, storytelling,  facilitating reflection and dialogue, as well as review and revision of organizational practices, policies, and culture—with a focus on identifying and shifting patterns that perpetuate inequity and exclusion.

Caprino: Your book explores the link between personal growth, organizational transformation, and social change. Why do you believe these are inseparable?

Grodsky: Bill O’Brien said it beautifully in Otto Scharmer’s book Theory U:

“The success of an intervention depends on the interior condition of the intervener.”

If I haven’t done my own internal work—examining my fears, assumptions, biases, and motivations—I will carry those with me wherever I go, and they will impact everything that I do. 

When we attend to our inner development—through practices like reflection, meditation, peer learning, therapy—we build the clarity, compassion, and courage to show up more skillfully. And when we bring that presence into our work, it invites others to do the same.

Caprino: What’s one uplifting message you’d like to share about the positive impact of this work?

Grodsky: It’s more important than ever now that we lean in and take care of one another. Connection and meaning in our work have always mattered—and that’s especially true now. It’s easy to feel like we don’t matter, or that our efforts in service to others aren’t making a difference—but that’s simply not true. 

Leaning into love and care in our workplaces isn’t just possible—it’s essential. Organizations can be places where people are held with dignity and compassion—both those who work within them and those they serve. People and communities rooted in justice and care not only model what’s possible—they help us imagine and build toward the future we want.

Caprino: Finally, what advice would you give to those looking to integrate the principles of justice, love, and organizational healing into their own work, whatever that may be?

Grodsky: As we move through these uncertain times, I believe one of the most important things we can do—especially those of us in formal leadership roles—is to tend to our own internal condition and emotional well-being to lead others.

The world is shifting around us in unpredictable ways.  And yet people are still running organizations, still providing essential services, still making decisions, and still showing up for one another.

With everything that’s bombarding us, it’s easy for our nervous systems to become dysregulated, as polyvagal theory teaches us. When we’re in survival mode—coming from fear and constriction—we lose access to the full range of our heart and mind. We may act in ways that are contrary to our values and goals, make decisions that are short-sighted, and cause harm.

Keeping ourselves grounded and present as much as possible—and having practices to bring us back into a balanced state when we’re knocked off center—is essential to leadership rooted in justice and love. This is always true, and it’s especially true now.

There’s a well-known story about the Dalai Lama, who meditates an hour each morning. Someone once asked how he has time for that with his schedule. He replied, “When I’m especially busy, I meditate for two hours.” Tending to our inner state is not a luxury, it’s essential.

In times of fear and division, choosing to lead with care and integrity is a powerful act of courage. It’s how we build the future we long for.

To learn more about Ora’s work and her new book Justice, Love, and Organizational Healing, visit Just Works.

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For hands-on career, leadership and personal growth support to empower your own professional life, leadership and communication approach, check out Kathy Caprino’s Career Help services, including her private, 1:1 coaching programs, her 8-week live course The Most Powerful You (Spring 2025 session begins May 15), her speaking and media work, and her podcast Finding Brave.