The Georgia Smoke Diver program is, in my experience, an anomaly in organizational development practices. I have heard organizational leaders in the business world, the not-for-profit realm, and the public service sector often put forward elements of this model. However, leaders pick and choose those elements that suit their own needs, which may be related to financial gain, ego boosts, or power grabs. What seems to be missing is the sense of purpose, a sense of service toward the customer or the public, and honor and respect toward the people actually doing the work of the organization.
The GSD program is successful and has demonstrated longevity through its leaders’ commitment to purpose, infrastructure, inclusion, camaraderie, service, creativity, and innovation. All these elements have to be in place to sustain an organization over time. The following chapter explores this framework in detail.