Somatic transformation goes main stream in organisational development and coaching

Against the backdrop of an unconventional American West setting and its distinctive indigenous culture, my childhood experiences laid the foundation for an extraordinarily nontraditional and daring life journey. My narrative begins by exploring embodied ways of knowing which serendipitously guided me toward the somatic discourse—the body in its living wholeness—within the context of executive leadership coaching. This thesis critically examines lessons learned from skilfully navigating miles and miles of whitewater around the globe as one of the preeminent professional river guides of my era, in parallel to analyzing a diverse portfolio career deemed transdisciplinary in nature. The River flows elegantly throughout this autoethnographic narrative, offering nuanced interpretations of individual, team, and organisational dynamics. Sometimes a tranquil, beguiling current; at other times a tempestuous Class IV rapid; and occasionally, thundering continuous whitewater. Perpetual motion. Rarely predictable. My odyssey has been informed by a layered education, stratified with academic studies, professional development, and avant-garde experiences, merging into a powerful waterway. The flow gains momentum through the confluence of themes: experiential learning; intercultural relations; community revitalisation; gender dynamics; resilience and generative leadership. The subtle language of the body functions as the vessel carrying my three public works of organisational development endeavors downstream with increasing velocity: (i) Nos Aruba 2025: A national integrated strategic plan for sustainable development through mass participation, demonstrating how embodied practices fused with appreciative inquiry facilitate large-scale societal change; (ii) The Leadership Journey: A community leadership development programme experientially bridging cultural differences through somatic awareness and shared practice; and (iii) K-P Healthcare: Transforming a regional workforce in an integrated nonprofit care and coverage organisation through sustained organisational development interventions, by fusing technical expertise with embodied leadership principles. Each public work is carefully examined through the lens of blending—the process of harmonising with self and others to achieve a shared vision and simultaneously valuing individual contributions. This critical introspection reveals deep-seated patterns of interaction that have either facilitated or disrupted successful outcomes in professional relationships. Fresh insights, churned and surfaced like gold nuggets from the riverbed, emerge to offer a unique scholarly contribution to the somatic discourse. Key findings include: the role of personal coherence in establishing social coherence; the relationship between attunement and effective collaboration; and how co-regulation enables sustainable transformation in organisational settings. These findings offer a distinctive scholarly contribution to the somatic discourse within organisational development practice. Through this work, sustainable change at all levels becomes the paramount objective, made possible through embodied leadership practices leading to somatic transformation. New pathways are illuminated for practitioners seeking to integrate somatic intelligence with organisational change initiatives. The implications extend beyond traditional organisational development to suggest a new framework for embodied activism in addressing complex societal challenges.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

DProf by Public Works

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

DProf thesis

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Middlesex University

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Author dc:creator

• McCulloch, R.

Identifier

oai:repository.mdx.ac.uk:2w882x

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:repository.mdx.ac.uk:2w882x