Solving Big Problems? Get People in a Room with Anissa Oukhiar
Update: 2025-09-25
Description
Live from Milan at the European Organization Design Forum (EODF), Tim Brewer and Damian Bramanis sit down with Anissa Oukhiar — EODF Chair, trustee, and host of Brown, Brainy and Beautiful.
Anissa shares her unconventional journey into org design, from a multi-disciplinary academic path to finding her place in a collaborative consultancy, and ultimately leading a diverse, values-driven community. She explains why EODF is the “hippies” of the org design world, what makes its conferences so unique, and how the community’s spirit fosters both inclusion and innovation.
This conversation dives into:
• The power of pulling yourself into leadership roles rather than planning them
• Why representation matters without tokenism
• Anissa’s top three organizational symptoms that demand design intervention
• The “physiotherapist” analogy for explaining org design to anyone — even a 10-year-old
• How to get buy-in and navigate ambiguity without losing the human touch
Whether you’re an org design veteran or just exploring the field, this episode offers both inspiration and practical wisdom from one of its most vibrant leaders.
Org Design Podcast
https://www.functionly.com/org-design-podcast
https://www.linkedin.com/company/orgdesignpodcast/
Functionly
https://www.functionly.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/functionly/
European Organisation Design Forum
https://eodf.eu/
org design, EODF, Anissa Oukhiar, organizational behavior, collaborative work, community engagement, European Organization Design Forum, podcast, leadership, strategic alignment, organizational change, personal development, mentorship, networking, sustainable practices
Anissa shares her unconventional journey into org design, from a multi-disciplinary academic path to finding her place in a collaborative consultancy, and ultimately leading a diverse, values-driven community. She explains why EODF is the “hippies” of the org design world, what makes its conferences so unique, and how the community’s spirit fosters both inclusion and innovation.
This conversation dives into:
• The power of pulling yourself into leadership roles rather than planning them
• Why representation matters without tokenism
• Anissa’s top three organizational symptoms that demand design intervention
• The “physiotherapist” analogy for explaining org design to anyone — even a 10-year-old
• How to get buy-in and navigate ambiguity without losing the human touch
Whether you’re an org design veteran or just exploring the field, this episode offers both inspiration and practical wisdom from one of its most vibrant leaders.
Org Design Podcast
https://www.functionly.com/org-design-podcast
https://www.linkedin.com/company/orgdesignpodcast/
Functionly
https://www.functionly.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/functionly/
European Organisation Design Forum
https://eodf.eu/
org design, EODF, Anissa Oukhiar, organizational behavior, collaborative work, community engagement, European Organization Design Forum, podcast, leadership, strategic alignment, organizational change, personal development, mentorship, networking, sustainable practices
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