Look at the following list of key OD values which guide our profession as we supoort various change efforts.

• Respect and Inclusion
• Collaboration
• Authenticity
• Self-awareness
• Empowerment

Are these values shared globally? As I see it, in many parts of the world, the guiding values are very different! For example:

• Respect and Inclusion looks more like “Give face to boss and get face in return”
• Collaboration looks more like “obedience or feigned obedience because there is “one tiger to a hill” and collaboration is seen as betrayal of authority.
• Authenticity looks more like  “total control and repression of emotion as a desired state” and authenticity is weakness.
• Self-awareness looks more like “appear” professional and collected at all times
• Empowerment looks more like ” power is to be hoarded not shared” and empowerment means giving away a rare resource….ie, stupidity.

Imperialism is defined as a  policy of extending a country’s power and influence through diplomacy or military force. Is OD as practiced cultural imperialism?