Edith Whitfield Seashore’s Contribution to the Field of Organization Development: Theory in Action

Abstract

Edie Seashore was a protégé of Douglas McGregor and a pioneer in the small group dynamics training movement that emerged from the work of Kurt Lewin (founder of the field of social psychology) and developed by the National Training Institute (NTL) at its summer campus at Bethel, Maine. She led the movement that integrated NTL and became its first woman president. NTL also created the first OD training program for consultants. During her more than 60 years as an independent consultant, she founded the American University master’s degree program in OD (with Morley Segal) and taught in many of the other OD graduate degree programs in the United States. She had a profound influence on the hundreds of OD consultants that she taught and trained. She believed that diversity and inclusion were central values in OD practice. She embodied this value in her work and life. Seashore wrote one of the earliest articles on gender in the workplace. As a gifted practitioner, she believed that taking action produced data that led to effective interventions. She emphasized the use of self as critical to effective practice. Her choice awareness matrix helped practitioners interact with clients effectively, learn from the situation, and take next steps. Her wonderful sense of humor and deep practitioner insight helped many OD consultants over many years.