Douglas O'Loughlin

Doug's professional journey began with a focus on community work. Despite his initial aspirations to join a Big 8 accounting firm after studying accounting in the late 1970s, he found himself in a full-time IT job with AT&T. Simultaneously, Doug invested a lot of time and energy in community work – coaching kids of all ages in basketball and baseball. He found immense satisfaction in contributing to the community and serving the youth by instilling self-esteem, teamwork, and emotional management skills. Over 13 years, the kids achieved many championships and secured college scholarships, forming lasting connections with Doug.

He didn’t realize it at the time, but he later saw that his success in community work and coaching became the foundation for his transition to organization development (OD) work. Emphasizing individualized treatment and strong teamwork, he developed a unique approach that laid the groundwork for his future endeavors.

After several years in IT, Doug saw that it wasn't his true calling. Despite competence in programming, he lacked passion for the job. A chance encounter with a colleague reading a thick computer manual to his baby made Doug reflect on his misalignment with his career. Determined to find his niche, he sought training roles at AT&T but nothing materialized. Embracing a positive mindset, he decided to appreciate his current job while awaiting the right opportunity.

His optimism paid off when, miraculously, he secured a role as an OD Consultant at AT&T after attending a Culture Change program. Engaging in "Project Miracles," this workshop incorporated belief systems, experiential learning, communication profiling, Aikido, and nutrition and fitness. Doug dedicated five years to facilitating this program around the world. However, a downturn in AT&T's business led to a department retrenchment, prompting Doug to leave the company at the age of 33.

During his job search, Doug's AT&T Singapore and Thailand colleagues invited him to conduct workshops in Asia. He did a few projects and slowly built up a reputation, eventually feeling that Singapore was meant to be home. He joined the Singapore Institute of Management (SIM) as a lecturer in 1994 and over a decade, he contributed significantly to SIM and the nascent OD scene in Singapore. Doug also became a Permanent Resident in Singapore.

In 2011, Doug's journey took another turn as he joined the Civil Service College (CSC) after a lunch meeting with Low Chee Seng, the Director of the Center of OD at CSC. Engaged in his PhD research, Doug saw the OD role at CSC as an opportunity to shape the development of OD in public service, turning it from an unknown field to an honored profession. Working alongside passionate colleagues like Christian Chao, now CEO of Care Corner, Doug played a pivotal role in promoting healthy change within the Singapore Public Service and society at large, leaving a lasting impact on a large system.

Doug continues to be active in consulting work, mostly with the public and social sectors, as well as with care. He has written two books and wants to do what he can to pass on what he has learned over the years.