29 July, 2026
Over the past several weeks, I have spoken with many ombuds who feel misunderstood and, at times, under attack. Concerns about confidentiality have been especially prominent.
The ombuds role is both unique and frequently misunderstood. How ombuds operate—and why confidentiality is so essential to building trust and effectiveness—is not always well understood. Confidentiality is fundamental not only to supporting stakeholders, but also the organization.
We are in the final stages of the SOP Gap and Clarification Project, and we hope the accompanying Compendium will provide additional language and practical guidance to explain our Standards, how they translate within and help your organizations, and why ombuds practice the way they do.
Ombuds are both essential and distinctive. There is nothing quite like the ombuds function within an organization. As a result, you are often educating, explaining, negotiating, and sometimes defending your role or value. We recognize that these conversations are taking more and more of your time, and we want to support you with tools, resources, and programs that make those discussions easier and more effective.
At our most recent conference, IOA Board Member Mark Patterson and I presented a session titled Standards as Strategic Allies, which introduced a framework for explaining our Standards through the lens and language of organizational partners such as Human Resources, Compliance, and General Counsel. To complement that session, we developed a Guide designed to help you navigate those moments when you feel misunderstood, challenged, or like you're an army of one advocating for the ombuds function. You can find it here.
This blog—and the many other resources available through IOA—are intended to support you in this important work. I am also available to provide support and technical assistance whenever it would be helpful. Please don't hesitate to reach out. And remember -- you are not alone.