Introduction There are a number of core principles that can guarantee successful operations in leading organizations. While the principles have been applied for a long time within the context of profit-making organizations, it is crucial to mention that successful administration of a local church also requires the same principles. A church is a non-profit making organization. However, the key administrative skills required to run a local church are similar to the principles of organizational development discussed in this essay. This paper explores critical principles in leading organizational development and how the principles can be employed in the administration of a local church. Principles of organizational development Empowerment, self-awareness, authenticity, collaboration, respect and inclusion are some of key principles of organizational development. The opinion and perspective of every employee in an organization should be valued under the respect and inclusion principle. A client and a practitioner should also foster a collaborative working relationship. This principle should be extended throughout the organization. Organizational members should also be encouraged to practice authenticity in the course of delivering services to clients at workplace. In addition, interpersonal skills and self-awareness should be promoted among employees in an organization. This can be attained through lifelong learning. Hence, it implies that training, capacity building and development are key tenets that enhance self-awareness and productivity of workers. Moreover, a community or client organization should strive to help every member in organization through empowerment. A certain degree of satisfaction is attained when members in an organization are given the opportunity to exercise their autonomy. For example, employees who are fully empowered at workplace can make critical decisions and be a source of invaluable knowledge. Organizational development is a knowledge-based capacity building approach that targets performance. It is a long-term effort to change an organization in a systematic and planned manner in order to enhance its performance capability and overall productivity. It generally involves the re-organization and improvement of the internal structures and processes. Internal structures are reorganized according to the distribution of tasks among staff members. It also depicts and reflects the rules, regulations, procedures, organizational plans and job descriptions. Internal processes refer to relations between members of the organization, which reflect communication patterns and mechanisms of cooperation, decision-making and planning. Improved internal structures and processes is not an end in itself but rather a means by which to increase the efficiency of commodities or services in organization. These explain why the approach to organizational development has several traits as discussed below. Organizational development is a participatory approach that includes all members of the organization. If the organization is small, it includes all members from support staff to executives. In the case of larger organizations, these are the teams or different services (the “organizational family”) that perform all analysis for improvements in their respective units. With the involvement of all members of the organization, workers develop a sen