Keeping a clear focus on what is right in an organisation by tapping into its positive core, Appreciative Inquiry (AI) encourages individuals and teams to move beyond being on the cusp of something great to experiencing the transformational power of positive discourse. Through the wisdom with which it “sees” how ecology and economy can work in unison to benefit the global community, AI continues to be the much-needed revolution that encourages organisations and institutions toward a deep humanity while “getting the job done”. In this issue of AI Practitioner, Mille Themsen Duvander and Marcel van Marrewijk share their experience of such a revolution within their particular fields.
Voices from the Field are brought together by Keith Storace. You have a story to share? Mail to keithstorace@kikuimagination.com
Keith Storace is a psychologist/manager at La Trobe University Melbourne Australia driven by a deep interest in social inclusion. As a result of his Appreciative Inquiry experience across the Health and Education sectors, Keith uses appreciative dialogue to assist higher education students in moving from self-doubt to inspired positive action.
There are many moments in conducting research that give us a chance to pause, rewind and consider another methodological tack. After transcribing hours of interviews with award-winning multimedia freelancers discussing their projects, I was getting depressed from hearing a familiar refrain, “You have to chase the work down, do the work and then chase down the money” (Goldman, 2013).
Although grounded in social construction, it became apparent that I had to find a new way to assess the situation. I did not want to eliminate the barrage about clients not paying on time or reduced wages – but I needed a wide-angle lens, a more positive framework in which to operate. I interviewed eleven Guggenheim, Emmy and award-winning freelancers during the recession so it was understandable that financial issues dominated. After all, I was exploring the central question, “What is the lived experience of a media freelancer at the border of a changing work culture?” The larger “aha” moment appeared when I asked myself,
“What has allowed these folks to creatively persevere in this capacity for fifteen, or thirty years or more and succeed?”
The Appreciative Reflection is a short six-to-ten -page interactive ethnographic takeaway, inspired by an interest in Appreciative Inquiry (Cooperrider and Whitney, 2005), where the conversation shifts to what is working. These generative narratives countered the excessive grumbling by showcasing the participants’ work and highlighting factors contributing to career longevity while allowing for a richer portrait to emerge of lessons learned.
For example, Jimi Izrael, a nationally recognized commentator on National Public Radio’s The Barbershop, CNN, Nightline Faceoff, The Root blog, and author of The Denzel Principle: Why Black Women Can’t Find Good Black Men – expressed agitation with magazine editors owing him money and was candid about seeing a 60-percent reduction in rates. While mentioning his frustration, I appreciatively explored Jimi’s ability to get national airtime on radio, television and blogs because of his brash, bold style that courageously and with humor speaks “his” truth on challenging topics such as politics, race and identity. As a storyteller, he creates a vivid visual and emotional snapshot.
On CNN news, after receiving notoriety for his blog bashing Joe Jackson’s self-promotion at the Black Entertainment Television tribute for his son Michael, Jimi declares, “I have friends who have lost parakeets, dogs, guinea pigs and wino uncles, and they’ve spent more time in mourning than Michael Jackson’s father. I’ve been more distraught over bad sushi” (*). He illustrates the importance of creating a conversational space that moves away from abstract positions and is rooted in a story (McNamee and Shotter, p. 4). Jimi’s commentary is straightforward, hard-hitting and rarely politically correct.
These self-disclosive storytelling moments mirror my academic attempt to create intimate, relatable writing and research rooted in AI. The Appreciative Reflection, a shared conversation, highlights the relational connection with participants and removes the pretence of observational distancing. AI has helped me to discover a new way of interpreting research. (**)
Footnotes:
*) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvNUBtgitDQ
**) For complimentary access to these reflections in The Migrant Creative, visit the Wake Forest University Digital Press website http://wfu.tizrapublisher.com/the-migrant-creative-by-laine-goldman/.
REFERENCES
Cooperrider, D. L., & Whitney, D. K. (2005) Appreciative Inquiry: A Positive Revolution in Change. San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler.
CNN (2009) Interview with Blogger on “Shameless Joe Jackson”.
Izrael, J. (2010) The Denzel Principle: Why Black Women Can’t Find Good Black Men. New York: St. Martin’s Press.
Izrael, J. (Producer). (2010) Nightline Faceoff: “Ladies, stop choosing bums,”
McNamee, S. and Shotter, J. (2004) Dialogue, Creativity, and Change. In R. Anderson, L. A. Baxter & K.N. Cissna (Eds.), Dialogue: Theorizing Difference in Communication Studies. (pp. 91–104) Thousand Oaks, CA US: Sage Publications, Inc.
Goldman, L. (2013). The Migrant Creative: US Media Freelancers at the Border of a Changing Work Culture.
(Ph.D. dissertation).Tilburg University, Netherlands. Wake Forest Digital Publishing, 2014.
The theory of Appreciative Inquiry has been made very accessible in the past years; there are countless books, case studies, films and websites. The challenge lies in the translation of the ideas into practise. AI comes to life in conversation and interaction. A central figure in these relational processes is the AI facilitator, who is an omnipotent figure, really: radiating hope and trust, shining like a beacon, while non-judgmental and unobtrusive like a fly on the wall. Warm, welcoming, result-oriented and “AI-authentic” to the core. When conflicts arise, all eyes are on the AI-facilitator–how will she exhibit appreciation, when under pressure? Far from being a perfect AI facilitator myself, I would like to share five lessons I have embraced through the years:
Practise what you preach
AI facilitators are only credible when they live and act out appreciation not only to others, but also to themselves. People will not remember what you said,
they will remember your energy, how you are, your choices under pressure. An appreciative mindset goes further than just using the AI-tools; it should have become a core-value that is reflected in personal habits and choices. Let AI sink into your personality. What do you appreciate about yourself as a facilitator? For what do you receive compliments?
Lesson 1: Keep developing an appreciative mindset in your professional and private life.
Affirmative topics need time
What is the question behind the question? I have learned to never underestimate this stage and always make sure to give it enough time. If the first stones of the foundation are not set properly, the entire building will not stand strong. What is the question the group really needs to answer? What is the essence of what they really desire? Often, such a clarification process is not straightforward. Discussions arise, frustration sets in. It is tempting to rush and cut this important phase short, as participants might “want to get going”, or find what they have done so far “good enough”. However, the satisfaction of a group that succeeds in crafting a truly relevant core-question is a great reward. In addition, the facilitator has led the group through their first mini-AI-process, which will pay off in the process that follows.
Lesson 2: Take enough time for the wording of the “question behind the question”.
Balancing result and process
Regularly I hear from participants that “time flew by”. Elements of AI, like generative questions and analysing successes, release energy. It is an art to create a feeling of space, a secure setting that allows emotions and a supportive atmosphere to foster creativity, on the one hand, while keeping an eye on the results and structure on the other hand. You want to facilitate a balanced process of inclusion, where the voice of each one is heard and where a concrete output is realised.
Lesson 3: Invest time to design and shape a balanced program that lets the AI principles come to life.
A space that reflects the nature of AI
A pleasant environment contributes to good conversations. This is also a sign of appreciation for the participants. Choose a space that helps them relax,
with enough water, healthy snacks, air and light. Music can play a fine role in contributing to an atmosphere of comfort and inspiration. You want to create a day that stands out and feeds positive emotions.
Lesson 4: Pay attention to the facilities and space. This supports the wellbeing of the group.
Focus on contact before content
Before the actual AI process begins, it is important to enable the participants to get to know each other, the programme and the environment. Participants who feel at ease are more likely to engage in open conversations. I have created a repertoire of active, fun, interactive exercises to open a meeting.
Lesson 5: Pay close attention to introduction and contact before engaging in content.
These are a few of my personal lessons. There are many more, maybe this article will trigger you to reflect on what AI has taught you.
The more I work from an AI perspective, the more apparent it becomes that the inner self and the outer self are both supported by the learning. We need to be appreciative and kind to our own self before we can do the same at work. My own journey is testament to this, having worked through major illness, learning how to be less tough on myself in the process. Asking myself “would I rather be right or happy?” was the kind of appreciation of my situation at the time that continued to reassure my confidence in AI. It provides for a broader perspective, a more helpful attitude, and the tools to move forward. This was one of the reasons we developed two appreciative journals (*), and why participants get a copy of one of our journals on all our training courses, with a request to use it to develop their appreciative muscle. We also refer to the power of journalling when we talk about both the enactment principle and the awareness principle.
It became clear to me that AI builds emotional intelligence, effective communication, relationships and understanding. As I emphasised in an article (**) I co-authored that focussed on my observations of the effectiveness of this process within homeless hostels, it was apparent that AI offered a unique advantage of being:
an Organisational Development (OD) and team-building tool;
a process that residents could use to rebuild their lives; and
a way in which staff could communicate better with each other and residents.
I’m fortunate to work with a good team from a perspective that provides AI approaches for groups and organizations, as it allows me to see how talented and imaginative people truly are. AI brings out the best in individuals, teams and organisations. Over the last two years we have trained 140 people in an international charity so that they could use AI to develop and support “positive engagement” conversations. I found it particularly satisfying that many of them saw how they could then move forward and apply AI to many sections of their work – whether it was OD, youth education or working with refugees. Most recently, I worked with a group using AI to build personal resilience to help staff deal with redundancy. One participant in particular highlighted how it had helped her rebuild her sense of connection with others; be aware of her tendency to frame things in terms of deficits or problems; reinvigorate her capacity and appetite for taking the actions she needed to take in the next phase of her life; and remind her of tools, approaches and resources that can help her.
A “stand-out” feature I most enjoy about training people in AI is introducing them to the principles, particularly social constructionism. It is a way to encourage participants to explore the concept that our thoughts are not fixed – that things we thought were facts were actually more like habitual ways of seeing the world. It is possible to change the “unhelpful, habitual” way we sometimes think and, by paying attention to good things in our lives and connections with others, be more deeply appreciative – even, at times, actively delighted – as we go through our day. Regular journalling helps build this “appreciative muscle”.
AI is, indeed, that inner and outer journey that gently challenges us to appreciate the inherent power of that journey in taking us to where we need to be!
**) Organisational development, Appreciative inquiry and the development of Psychologically Informed Environments (PIEs) Part I: A positive psychology approach www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/abs/10.1108/HCS-03-2014-0003.
I had just turned 20 when I started working with homeless women who faced psychiatric and addiction problems. These 25 women lived together in a shelter for homeless women in Amsterdam in the Netherlands, where they secured a safe place with “bed, bath and bread”, the “3-B’s” policy at that time for the homeless sector. As a student at the Social Work Academy, I observed that assistance focused on damage control in order to keep everyone safe and prevent fights.
We provided more attentionaround women’s personalwell-being.
Together with the team, I developed a strengths-based approach to support these women within the limited time and resources we had: the Eight Steps Model (ESM). We provided more attention around women’s personal well-being by using individual support plans. I was awarded first prize for our dissertation project and that gave me the confidence to scale up to national level. Policy changed at that time acknowledged that people who faced homelessness needed more guidance during their rehabilitation process. The fourth ‘policy B’ was introduced: that of guidance (Begeleiding in Dutch). These new policy ambitions, in combination with the practice-based origin, led to a great success for the ESM. In 2008, about 75% of all homeless shelters in the Netherlands used the model. Later we embraced the opportunity to test the model abroad in Ukraine, the Czech Republic and Portugal.
One important aspect of the ESM is to analyse a person’s strengths and challenges in all important areas of life. It was normal to report about difficulties and weaknesses, but strengths-based questions were hardly ever asked. Interests, hopes, dreams, relations and meaningfulness were not addressed. For me, the basic aim of the model is to see human beings again instead of problems. It is wonderful to see what happens when social workers experience the impact of this change in their work. They get to know their clients as complete persons.
The way AI works with teamsis exactly how social workerswork with their clients in ESM.
As the work continued, I found that some shelters that said they used the model did not share the basic principles of strengths-based work. They implemented the model according to the steps described in the handbook, but the soul was missing. It made me wonder. The handbook, although valuable, did not invite teams to use their own ideas, strengths and power. In 2013, I learned about AI. It felt – and still feels – like the perfect match for the implementation of ESM. The models share the same principles and processes are similar. The way AI works with teams is exactly how social workers work with their clients in ESM. It is about asking the right questions, involving others and building on strengths. In 2014 I was given the chance to implement ESM at two Salvation Army locations and this time I used AI. It was an exciting experience, leading to fundamental changes in the team. It really touched people’s hearts; it was the only right place to start strengths-based work. It all fell in place.
Almost 20 years from the beginning of my work with the homeless women, it feels like I am still graduating… It has been a privilege to be part of such wonderful changes and chances. With my new implementation partner, AI, I hope to be involved in much more strengths-based social work. It is wonderful to see what happens in social work and care if we actually look at people as complete persons and build on their strengths.
I am convinced leaders can become stronger creators of success conditions and organisations more effective, productive and rewarding operations. That is the social construction, in my mind, which I endeavour to manifest as I show up in my personal life as well as through my work, both as principal of Inspired-Inc. (an international leadership and organisation development consultancy) and Organisation Development professor (at American University, in Washington, DC). The essential message is that, by holding an appreciative stance, we can create the conditions in the world in which we, and others, become capable of imagining, stating and then creating the better future reality we call “vision”. Doing so, we bring accountability to the process, enabling the creative tension between who we are (authenticity) and what we ultimately want to achieve (accountability). Finally, adding adaptability to this equation enables the agility to interact effectively.
An opportunity to practice my appreciative stance happened recently during my first time in Saudi Arabia, where I led several leadership development sessions, over a three-week period, with over 100 managers. My own mindful awareness that I – like every other human being – am perceiving the world through the filters of my unique cultural lens (which I’ve labelled MUCL – see 2014 AI Practitioner 16(1), pp. 9–19) in combination with my own effort, over years of exploring my own MUCL, proved enlightening. It kept reminding me that every person in front of me (virtually all of them Saudi citizens) had her or his own MUCLs. Theirs were neither better nor worse than mine; they were simply different. Such recognition fuelled my genuine curiosity to get to know each one of them, as individuals, as well as to learn and respect their culture, thus building my cultural capacity (i.e., my ability to operate effectively) in their culture. The combination of success achieved, with the expressions of appreciation I received for how that work was conducted, gives me great personal and professional satisfaction. It ended up being fun while adding significant value to the client. Plus, it is one more powerful confirmation of the value from holding an appreciative stance.
Teaching every semester, we have seen the powerful impact that inviting students to show up with an appreciative stance has on their success, within their teamwork and with their clients. It is not indispensable to be AI experts to competently embody a practice of appreciation, an appreciative stance, and reap benefits from doing so.
Anybody interested in bringing out the best in others and self can show up with an appreciative stance. It is based on the essential AI philosophical tenets, which compel us to explore more distinctions and possibilities, enriching deliberations and discernment. This empowers us to go beyond mere initial impressions and prejudices, considering the vast array of information which becomes available to us when we are genuinely curious to explore our own, and the other person’s, MUCL. Without this, well meaning and appreciative individuals are at risk of bringing unwilling cross-cultural prejudice into their inquiry and subsequent behaviours.
Over a decade of working in emergency relief in nine countries left me discouraged, hopeless and cynical. I had seen the effects of war, managed crises and experienced abuses of power. I struggled to see the impact of my work, to the point of noticing the detriment and potential harms of aid. Situations were bleak, and all I could see and feel was sorrow. I was on the verge of burnout.
My world turned around one day when a colleague introduced me to AI, and I subsequently began reading online posts and articles about Appreciative Inquiry, specifically applications of AI in the international aid and development context.
While explaining my doctoral dissertation ideas to a colleague in the early days of its formation, our conversation turned to AI. My dissertation focused on promoting positive male-gender socialisation among male refugees living in East Africa, as a means of preventing gender-based violence. Male-gender socialisation, the development of one’s gender identity, is a relational construct that refers to social expectations and ideals about how men are meant to behave.1 In this initial AI conversation with my colleague, she encouraged me to explore AI as a possible approach to uncovering this best-case scenario amid complex environments. My research was initially an attempt to challenge my inner cynic to grasp one last chance of a tangible hope; the outcome, with AI as my method, greatly exceeded these expectations.
AI was the reset button to my ‘hope meter’
AI complemented my world view as a follower of Jesus, and provided a practical application of gratitude: seeing positive change in unexpected places. AI, in many ways, was the reset button to my “hope meter”, and my vision suddenly opened from a myopic perspective of deficit details to the bigger picture of possibilities.
Today I apply AI to global health consulting efforts in East Africa and the Middle East, challenging the status quo of needs-based programming and community problem solving to promote creative, generative thinking that links what works to achieving the dream. I love seeing people’s faces light up when asked what they appreciate about their community or organisation, as well as the transformation that takes place when one tells a story and realises that the answer lies within themselves or their community. Furthermore, with each AI experience, I also learn something new: from the art of the right question to the power of storytelling to the transformative potential of dreaming.
While dreaming was a foreign concept to me before being introduced to AI, today dreaming is a way of thinking; a way of life. I recognise through AI that transformation is not only accessible for the people with whom I work, but I also have begun to thrive and flourish in all aspects of life. I have embraced the joy of working amid complexity, for possibilities for positive change are amplified by the generative power in such environments. Indeed, transformation among individuals and communities embracing the AI mindset is often palpable in these settings, restoring my own hope in the potential for positive change in complex environments.
REFERENCE
Dunkle KL, Decker MR. Gender-bBsed Violence and HIV: Reviewing the evidence for links and causal pathways in the general population and high-risk groups. American Journal of Reproductive Immunology. 2013; 69:20–26.
When I returned to Amsterdam, I reflected on a wonderful week attending the WAIC2015 in Johannesburg. The sessions about Being AI stood out for me. They taught me more about the value of appreciated questions and constructive dialogue within our daily lives. Instead of focusing on business development (as I usually do) I took the opportunity to truly connect with my inner voice and to reflect on how to apply AI in my life. The results of this connection for me have been more joy in life, a rigorous change in my career, more connection with my loved ones, and time and energy to pick up plans I had put aside for a while. One of these plans I will highlight in this article.
Open conversations about the first year of being a mother
Over the last few years, I have had sincere and open conversations with many women in the Netherlands about the first year of being a mother. I’ve discovered that lots of women experience tremendous joy, but on the other hand they also faced difficulties finding the right balance between their child, work, partner, social life, etc. Within our Dutch society, it has become standard that women gain good education and thereafter find a good job, start a family, buy a house and have a lively social network. Although I believe that the access women have to education and labour has a high positive impact on our society, I also feel it contributes to the pressure many women feel to combine everything. I had this experience myself:
Two years ago, I was fortunate to become the mother of a beautiful girl. The first year of being a mother had a huge impact on my energy level and the ability to truly connect with myself. While my baby girl slept by the book, I had difficulties sleeping myself. It took a while before I dared to express my doubts, my fears and all my questions. Because I acknowledged this and because people asked me appreciative questions, I had the opportunity to connect with the woman and mother I am and want to be.
Showing your doubts and vulnerabilities as a mother is still a taboo. I see lots of similarities with leaders in companies, who are afraid to admit they don’t have the answers. How beautiful would it be if we could openly share our doubts and differences? Therefore, I am working on an initiative for women who have just become mothers: a group of between six and ten women meet together four or five times. During these sessions, we construct a dialogue between these mothers and exchange stories. Appreciative questions can support women to switch from problem focus to constructive topics and opportunities within their new family life. As neuroscientist Barbara Fredrickson clarified at the conference: “stimulating positive emotions has a positive effect on our health and wellbeing”.
My dream for Brazil is to present many stories of women who have experienced more value during the first year of motherhood because they made a positive connection with themselves and with other mothers. I want to do more research on effective interventions and will certainly use some models I have learned about during the conference, like Jeanie Cockell and Joan McArthur-Blair’s ALIVE model.
