Social Transformation through Appreciative Inquiry

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1 Social Transformation Social Transformation through Appreciative Inquiry through Appreciative Inquiry Ronald E. Fry, Ph.D. Department of Organizational Behavior Case Western Reserve University [email protected]

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Social Transformation through Appreciative Inquiry Ronald E. Fry, Ph.D. Department of Organizational Behavior Case Western Reserve University [email protected]. What a Wonderful Time to Be Alive!. End of Apartheid Fall of the Berlin Wall Democratization of Governance and Information - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Transcript of Social Transformation through Appreciative Inquiry

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Social TransformationSocial Transformationthrough Appreciative Inquirythrough Appreciative Inquiry

Ronald E. Fry, Ph.D.Department of Organizational Behavior

Case Western Reserve [email protected]

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What a What a Wonderful Time Wonderful Time to Be Alive!to Be Alive!

• End of Apartheid• Fall of the Berlin Wall • Democratization of Governance and Information• Proliferation of Strategic and Trade Alliances• Increasing focus on Sustainability (not just profits)

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It is a Time for It is a Time for RethinkingRethinkingHuman Organization and Human Organization and ChangeChange

““We are at the very point in time when a 400-We are at the very point in time when a 400-year old age is dying and another is struggling year old age is dying and another is struggling to be born, a shifting of culture, science, to be born, a shifting of culture, science, society, and institutions enormously greater society, and institutions enormously greater than the world has ever experienced. Ahead, than the world has ever experienced. Ahead, the possibility of the regeneration of the possibility of the regeneration of relationships, liberty, community, and ethics relationships, liberty, community, and ethics such as the world has never known, and a such as the world has never known, and a harmony with nature, with one another, and harmony with nature, with one another, and with the divine intelligence such as the world with the divine intelligence such as the world has never dreamed.” has never dreamed.”

--Dee Hock, Founder & CEO--Visa--Dee Hock, Founder & CEO--Visa

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Deficit Theory of Change Deficit Theory of Change … and Cultural … and Cultural Consequences of Deficit Consequences of Deficit DiscourseDiscourse

Identify problemConduct root cause analysisBrainstorm solutionsand analyzeDevelop action plans

“The signal accomplishment of the industrial age was the notion of continuous improvement. It remains the secular religion of most managers… has reached the point of diminishing returns in incremental improvement programs.”

– Gary Hamel Leading The Revolution

Metaphor…Metaphor…Organizations Organizations are problems to are problems to be solved!be solved!

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Consequences Consequences of Deficit Discourseof Deficit Discourse

FragmentationFew New Images of Possibility…Self-Fulfilling Frames/QuestionsExhaustion &Visionless Voice“The Experts Must Know”…Dependence and HierarchySpirals in Deficit Vocabularies Breakdown in Relations/Closed Door Meetings/Decrease in Public Space/Cycle of despair …

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Appreciative Appreciative Inquiry Inquiry is a Shift…is a Shift…

“No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it. We must learn to see the world anew.”

“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.”

– Albert Einstein

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Ap-pre’ci-ate, v.,Ap-pre’ci-ate, v.,1. Valuing …

The act of recognizing the best in people and the world around us;

Affirming past and present strengths, successes, and potentials;

To perceive those things that give life (health, vitality, and excellence) to living systems.

2. To increase in value, e.g. the economy has appreciated in value. Synonyms: valuing, prizing, esteeming,

and honoring.

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In-quire’ (kwir), v.,In-quire’ (kwir), v.,

1. The act of exploration and discovery.

2. To ask questions; to be open to seeing new potentials and possibilities. Synonyms: discovery, search,

studyand systematic exploration.

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Appreciative InquiryAppreciative Inquiry

A collaborative and A collaborative and systematic search to systematic search to identify and understand identify and understand the organization’s the organization’s strengths, its’ potentials, strengths, its’ potentials, the greatest the greatest opportunities, and people’s opportunities, and people’s hopes for the future.hopes for the future.

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What is AI?What is AI?

Learn from the “best of the our past” to envision our future

Celebrate and exploit our “Positive Core”

Create bold, positive images of our future to drive organizational change

Work together on ideas that most attract us

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Metaphor… Metaphor… Organization as a Organization as a “wonder” to “wonder” to embraceembrace

DiscoveryDiscovery““What gives life?”What gives life?”

(The best of what is)(The best of what is)AppreciatingAppreciating

DiscoveryDiscovery““What gives life?”What gives life?”

(The best of what is)(The best of what is)AppreciatingAppreciating

DreamDream““What might be?”What might be?”(What is the world(What is the world

calling for)calling for)Envisioning ResultsEnvisioning Results

DreamDream““What might be?”What might be?”(What is the world(What is the world

calling for)calling for)Envisioning ResultsEnvisioning Results

DesignDesign““What should be—What should be—

the ideal?”the ideal?”Co-constructingCo-constructing

DesignDesign““What should be—What should be—

the ideal?”the ideal?”Co-constructingCo-constructing

DestinyDestiny““How to empower, learn,How to empower, learn,

and improvise?”and improvise?”SustainingSustaining

DestinyDestiny““How to empower, learn,How to empower, learn,

and improvise?”and improvise?”SustainingSustaining

AffirmativeAffirmativeTopic ChoiceTopic Choice

AI “4D”AI “4D”CycleCycle

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Who Is Using It?Who Is Using It? US Navy British Airways Roadway Express MacDonalds Dalai Lama Nutrimental (Brazil) Palestine & Jewish Entrepreneurs Avon Mexico American Red Cross Cleveland Public Schools GTE (Verizon)

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Los 5 Principios de Los 5 Principios de “AI”“AI”

El Principio ConstruccionistaEl Principio Construccionista - - Organizations move in the direction of what they most talk about.

El Principio de SimultaneidadEl Principio de Simultaneidad - - Change begins with the first question you ask.

El Principio PoéticoEl Principio Poético - - Anything can be studied in every social system.

El Principio de AnticipaciónEl Principio de Anticipación - - Deep change = change in our active images of the future.

El Principio PositivoEl Principio Positivo - - The more positive the anticipatory image, the more positive the change.

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“YES” MEN

MISSED COMMITMENTS

BURNOUT

CriticalThinking

Gap Analysis

TURF BATTLES

New Circuit Failure Rate

REORGANIZATION

Repeat Reports

Spell Check

BLOCKED CALLS

UNFAVORABLE

TROUBLE REPORTCUSTOMERCOMPLAINTS

RISKPERFORMANCE REVIEW

DEBUG

Red Tape

WARNINGWARNING SILOSDown Time

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The Power of AI StoriesThe Power of AI Stories

• Stories stick like glue…Stories stick like glue…• Make information easier to Make information easier to

remember…”Whole brain”remember…”Whole brain”• Builds identities and fosters relationshipsBuilds identities and fosters relationships• Medium for conveying values, visionsMedium for conveying values, visions• Moves the internal dialogue of the Moves the internal dialogue of the

system…builds sense of cooperative system…builds sense of cooperative potentialpotential

• Human Hope…suspends notions of why Human Hope…suspends notions of why things cannot happen things cannot happen

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Pioneering Pioneering ResearchResearch

Across Many Across Many FieldsFields

An Emerging Vocabulary An Emerging Vocabulary of “Positive Change”of “Positive Change”

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Placebo Effect:

Pygmalion Effect:

The Role of Positive Emotions?

Imbalanced “Inner Dialogue”

Cultural Consequences

Learned Affirmative Capacity

Many Many DisciplineDiscipliness

Positive Positive Images of Images of Future Drives Future Drives Positive Positive ChangeChange

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What Good are Positive What Good are Positive Emotions?Emotions?

JOY JOY PlayPlay

INTERESTINTEREST ExplorationExploration

CONTENTMENTCONTENTMENT Savor & IntegrateSavor & Integrate

LOVELOVE All of the aboveAll of the above

Positive Emotions broaden our thoughtPositive Emotions broaden our thoughtand action repertories…and action repertories…

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Empirical Empirical SupportSupport

In the moment, Positive Emotions:

Broaden Attention and Thinking

(Fredrickson & Branigan, 2002; Waugh &

Fredrickson, in prep)

Undo Lingering Negative Emotional

Arousal (Fredrickson & Levenson, 1998; Fredrickson,

Mancuso, Branigan & Tugade, 2000)

Fuel Resilient Coping(Fredrickson, Tugade, Waugh & Larkin, 2002; Tugade & Fredrickson,

2002)

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Empirical SupportEmpirical Support

Over time, Positive Emotions:

Prevent depression (Fredrickson, Tugade, Waugh, & Larkin, 2002)

Trigger Upward Spirals to Increase

Well-being (Fredrickson & Joiner, 2002; Tugade & Fredrickson,

2002)

Build optimism, tranquility, and

resilience (Fredrickson, Tugade, Waugh, & Larkin, 2002)

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What would What would youyou call it? call it?(all these things taken together)(all these things taken together)

AchievementsStrategic opportunitiesCooperative MomentsTechnical assetsInnovationsElevated thoughtsCommunity assetsPositive emotions

Community wisdomCore competenciesVisions of possibilityVital traditions, valuesSocial capitalEmbedded knowledgeFinancial assets

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The “Positive Core”The “Positive Core”

Complete Organizational Wealth— ”Well-being”

An Incredible Energy

Source of Continuity

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Whole System Whole System Connection to the Connection to the “Positive Core”“Positive Core”

Elevates:Elevates: elicits positive emotions of hope, elicits positive emotions of hope, inspiration, confidence, joy; raises intelligence; inspiration, confidence, joy; raises intelligence; expands the language of life (internal expands the language of life (internal dialogue); increases in appreciative dialogue); increases in appreciative interchange and mutually elevating interchange and mutually elevating relationships; heightens creativity, ignites relationships; heightens creativity, ignites decision making, increases collective capacity.decision making, increases collective capacity.

““Undoes” Negative Impacts:Undoes” Negative Impacts: releases, makes releases, makes irrelevant, finishes the residual of negative irrelevant, finishes the residual of negative past.past.

Protects:Protects: Increases health, resilience, Increases health, resilience, accumulation of power - like an increase in accumulation of power - like an increase in immune system functioning.immune system functioning.

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The Idea of Positive Change

The Idea of Positive Change

Any form of organization change, re-design, or planning that begins with comprehensive analysis of an organization’s “positive core” and then links this knowledge to the heart of any strategic change agenda.

Because human systems move toward what they persistently ask questions about, positive change involves the deliberate discovery of everything that gives a system “life” when it is most effective in economic and human terms.

Link the positive core directly to any strategic agenda, and changes never thought possible are more rapidly mobilized while simultaneously building enthusiasm, corporate confidence, and human energy.

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Positive Topic ChoicePositive Topic Choice

Human systems move in the direction Human systems move in the direction of what we deeply and persistently of what we deeply and persistently ask questions aboutask questions about

Transformational topics are possible Transformational topics are possible in in anyany situation, and will generate situation, and will generate more positive change—every time.more positive change—every time.

The skill of framing and re-framingThe skill of framing and re-framing

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What Would You What Would You Prefer to Spend Your Prefer to Spend Your Time on?Time on?

Low Morale brought Low Morale brought about by severe about by severe

recessionrecession

oror

High Enthusiasm High Enthusiasm derived from derived from innovationinnovation

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FROM:FROM: “Reduce Lost and “Reduce Lost and DamagedDamaged Baggage Claims” Baggage Claims”

TO:TO: “Exceptional Arrival “Exceptional Arrival Experiences” Experiences”

British AirwaysBritish Airways

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FROM:FROM: “Throughput”“Throughput”

TO:TO: “Winning with “Winning with Employee-Driven Employee-Driven Throughput: Crushing non-Throughput: Crushing non-union competition by union competition by delivering unsurpassed delivering unsurpassed speed and leveraging speed and leveraging employee pride and employee pride and involvement.”involvement.”

Roadway ExpressRoadway Express

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Applications of Applications of Appreciative Inquiry*Appreciative Inquiry*Applications of Applications of Appreciative Inquiry*Appreciative Inquiry*

Culture change Strategic Change/Planning Full Engagement of People: Schools

Communities, Networks, Movements, Organizations

Strength of Diversity: Cultures of Unity Labor-management partnerships Good Supervision Operational Excellence: “Optimal Margins” Mergers; New Teams* AI & Organizational Transformation: Reports from the

field. R. Fry, et. al. (Eds.) Westport, CN: Quorum, 2001.

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Genius is in Genius is in CreatingCreating the Question the Question

““What would the universe look What would the universe look like if I were riding on the end like if I were riding on the end of a light beam at the speed of of a light beam at the speed of light?”light?”

– – Albert EinsteinAlbert Einstein

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The Art of the The Art of the QuestionQuestion

What’s the biggest problem here?Why did I have to be born in such a troubled family?Why do you blow it so often?Why do we still have those problems?

What possibilities exist that we have not yet considered?

What’s the smallest change that could make the biggest impact?

What solutions would have us both win?

What makes HR questions inspiring, energizing, and mobilizing?

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There is No such thing as There is No such thing as a “Neutral” Question!a “Neutral” Question!

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“To survive and succeed, every organization will have to learn to turn itself into a change agent. The most effective way to manage change is to successfully create it. But experience has shown that grafting innovation on to traditional enterprise does not work. The enterprise has to become the change agent…It requires organized abandonment of things unsuccessful and exploitation of successes.

Peter F. Drucker

Managing in the New Society, 2002

The Call for Positive ChangeThe Call for Positive Change

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Remember…Remember…

Organizing is a miraclemiracle to be embraced

People and Organisations are “heliotropic”“heliotropic”

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ExceptionalityEssentialityEquality/Voice

We are born to Appreciate!We are born to Appreciate!

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DiscussionDiscussion

• One key idea or interesting thought you have heard…

• One specific way you could personally shift the “positive imbalance” of dialogue in your life…TOMORROW

• One idea you have for shifting the positive imbalance of public dialogue in Uruguay

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Recent PublicationsRecent Publications

Appreciative Inquiry: Change at the speed of imagination. Watkins, J., Mohr, Bernard, Jossey Bass, 2001

Appreciative Inquiry & Organizational Transformation: Reports from the field. Fry, R., Barrett, F., Seiling, J. Whitney, D. (Eds.) Quorum, 2002

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Website For These Website For These SlidesSlides and for Sharing AI Tools and for Sharing AI Tools

http://ai.cwru.edu http://ai.cwru.edu

(“Appreciative Inquiry Commons”, Weatherhead School of Management, Case Western Reserve University)

Please submit/share your new tools, stories, studies!