Episode 36: Creating Joyful Workplaces - Curiosity, Learning, and Growth with Yolanda Fraction Artwork

UNBOXING OD: Exploring the Work Behind the Work

Unboxing OD is your guide to making sense of Organizational Development - one thoughtful conversation at a time. Hosted by Kenneth Pearson, seasoned OD practitioner and author of The Flow of Five Tiers, this podcast unpacks the complexity of organizational life with clarity, compassion, and a bit of edge.

Whether you're an early-career OD professional, a leader trying to navigate change, or simply someone who believes workplaces can be more human, you'll find grounded insights and actionable takeaways here. While most episodes are solo deep dives into the fieldwork and philosophy behind OD, we also feature voices from the field, bringing in experts, newcomers, and those who challenge the status quo.

No jargon. No endless theory. Just practical wisdom, lived experience, and a steady focus on making organizations better for the people who keep them alive.

Ready to deepen your OD practice? Connect with Kenneth on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/unboxing-od-podcast or visit the Pearson & Pearson LLC website at www.pearsonpearson.llc.

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UNBOXING OD: Exploring the Work Behind the Work

Episode 36: Creating Joyful Workplaces - Curiosity, Learning, and Growth with Yolanda Fraction

April 24, 2026 • Kenneth Pearson • Season 3 • Episode 4

0:00 | 56:29

Sometimes, the path into Organizational Development begins with a single moment. A moment where someone recognizes potential and opens the door to something more.

In this episode of Unboxing OD, Kenneth Pearson sits down with Yolanda Fraction, author of Joyful Workplaces, to explore how that moment shaped her journey and how it continues to influence the way she approaches leadership, learning, and development.

What begins as a personal story expands into a deeper conversation about how growth actually happens in organizations. Together, they explore how adults learn, how environment shapes experience, and how curiosity becomes a powerful driver in creating meaningful and lasting development.

At the heart of this conversation is a simple and powerful idea: Joyful workplaces are created through intentional design, thoughtful leadership, and a deep understanding of the people at the center of the work.

This episode offers a grounded perspective on what it means to support growth in real time while building environments where individuals can think, reflect, and contribute in meaningful ways.

To learn more about Yolanda’s work and her book Joyful Workplaces, connect with her here:

ORDER JOYFUL WORKPLACES: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GRG5FJ84
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yolanda-fraction/
Website: https://www.yolandafraction.com

Yolanda Fraction's Bio:

Yolanda Fraction is a Senior Organization Development Consultant at Johns Hopkins University and a doctoral student in Industrial-Organizational Psychology. With over 20 years of experience spanning higher education, government, nonprofits, and corporate environments, she helps leaders and teams navigate change, foster human-centered workplaces, and build cultures where people and performance thrive. She is the host of the Teamwork Sandbox podcast and an emerging author on joyful workplaces. Yolanda is passionate about translating evidence-based insights into practical strategies that inspire transformation.

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