Debra A. Noumair: Understanding organizational life beneath the surface

Abstract

Debra A. Noumair is Associate Professor of Psychology and Education at Teachers College, Columbia University, and Founding Director of the college's Executive Masters Program in Change Leadership. A contemporary leading voice in organization change and development, Dr. Noumair's key intellectual contributions can be found in her work applying psychodynamic and systems theories to group and organizational behavior. This chapter reviews her intellectual contributions to change research, theory, and practice, including the application of group relations to organizational settings, the integration of group relations and organization development, the creation of a systems psychodynamic framework for organizational consultation, and the development of executive education in leading and managing change. The chapter also reviews the early influences and motivations that led to her career as an organizational psychologist, as well as the impact of her teaching, writing, and professional practice on thousands of students, clients, and colleagues over the last two decades. The earliest outlines of her intellectual legacy in the field are also considered.