Appreciative Leadership

Transcription

1 Appreciative Leadership 1 STRATEGIES AND PRACTICES THAT TURN POTENTIAL TO POWER NSPA Annual Conference October 10, 2016 Kansas City, MO October 3, 2016

2 Our Agenda 2 Understand Appreciative Leadership: a relational process that mobilizes creative potential and unleashes positive power. Explore the five core strategies of Appreciative Leadership. Experience personal, one-to-one and team practices that can turbo-charge staff, students and donors and our capacity to promote college success through the power of scholarships. Appreciative Leadership, Whitney, Trosten-Bloom & Rader, 2010

3 The Global Context 3 1. New generations have come of age 2. Diversity is the norm 3. Institutions are being reinvented 4. Holistic, sustainable approaches are essential Appreciative Leadership, Whitney, Trosten-Bloom & Rader, 2010

4 The Philosophical Context 4 Positive Organizational Scholarship Positive Psychology Strengths Movement A positive revolution: Personal Interpersonal Organizational October 3, 2016

5 The Experiential Context 5 Personal Observation Appreciative Interviews Appreciative Focus Groups Appreciative Leadership Whitney, Trosten-Bloom & Rader, Appreciative Leadership, 2010

6 Appreciative Leadership: A New Approach for a New World 6 The relational capacity to mobilize creative potential and turn it into positive power. Appreciative Leadership, Whitney, Trosten-Bloom & Rader, 2010

7 Positive power means 7 Bringing your best forward Recognizing creative potential Enhancing individual and collective capacity Appreciative Leadership, Whitney, Trosten-Bloom & Rader, 2010

8 Let s explore 8 Describe a time when exemplary leadership unleashed positive power, enabling a powerful and positive outcome that would otherwise not have been possible. What was the situation? Who and what was involved? What specific strategies or practices did leadership employ, to mobilize creative potential: both individual and system-level? What were the initial results? How about the long-term or residual benefits? October 3, 2016

9 Five Relational Strategies of Appreciative Leadership 9 Appreciative Leadership, Whitney, Trosten-Bloom & Rader, 2010

10 The Wisdom of Inquiry: Leading with Positively Powerful Questions 10 If I had an hour to solve a problem and my life depended on the solution, I would spend the first 55 minutes determining the proper question to ask. Albert Einstein Appreciative Leadership, Whitney, Trosten-Bloom & Rader, 2010

11 The Problem with Problem-Solving What happens when you focus on a problem during a meeting? What are the unintended consequences? 11 Thought Action Behavior Downward Spiral October 3, 2016

12 From Problems to Opportunities 12 Outcomes / Results The Problem or Opportunity Root Causes October 3, 2016

13 Root Causes of Turnover 13 Root causes: Low compensation Bad leadership Lack of recognition Long hours Insufficient training Outcomes we might achieve: Increased productivity Reduced training costs Satisfied employees Higher pay October 3, 2016

14 Root Causes of Magnetic Work Environment 14 Root causes: Humor and fun Creativity Effective training Connected workforce High engagement Meaningful rewards Outcomes we might achieve: Increased productivity Reduced training costs Good PR Enhanced recruitment Use of skills and passions Connection to mission Pride Appropriate recognition Satisfied employees Risk Taking Innovation October 3, 2016

15 Fixing Problems vs. Building Capacity Illness Narrow Focus Error-prone Divisive Conflict Health Wider Focus Reliable Compromise Well-being Infinite Possibility Flawless Collaboration Fix Problems Adapted from: Barrett & Fry. (2006.) Appreciative Inquiry: A Positive Approach to Building Cooperative Capacity. Taos Institute. 15 October 3, 2016

16 So great questions often 16 Focus on opportunities vs. problems Engage people personally: heart, mind and spirit Invite stories Draw on life experience Stimulate imagination Suggest action The Power of Appreciative Inquiry, 2 nd Edition, Whitney and Trosten-Bloom, 2010

17 Three Kinds of Positive Questions 17 Backward: Describe a time when Forward: Imagine / If you had three wishes... Inward: What are the core factors that enable October 3, 2016

18 The Courage of Inspiration: Awakening the Creative Spirit 18 Hope is having a dream and believing it s possible to get there. Verena Kast Author Joy, Inspiration and Hope Appreciative Leadership, Whitney, Trosten-Bloom & Rader, 2010

19 The Art of Illumination: Bringing out the Best of People and Situations 19 The task of leadership is to align strengths toward a purpose or goal, in such a way that weaknesses become irrelevant. Peter Drucker Founder of modern management Appreciative Leadership, Whitney, Trosten-Bloom & Rader, 2010

20 il lu mi na tion (n.) Willingness and ability to see what works (vs. what doesn t) 2. Interest and capacity to discover strengths 3. Ability to sense positive potential in every situation Synonyms: CLARIFICATION, ENLIGHTENMENT, ELUCIDATION Appreciative Leadership, Whitney, Trosten-Bloom & Rader, 2010

21 Accelerated Learning Through Illumination 21 Correction does much; but encouragement does more. Corporation for Positive Change,

22 1. Select a partner. 2. Ask your partner to tell you a success story. 3. Probe and listen deeply to discover your partner s strengths. Be a Strengths Spotter! 4. Reflect back to your partner the strengths you heard embedded in the story. 5. Reverse roles. Appreciative Leadership, Whitney, Trosten-Bloom & Rader,

23 Positive Inner Dialogue This project is impossible. I ll never get it done right. Corporation for Positive Change This project is hard. I m going to have to bring all I know to get it done well.

24 The Genius of Inclusion: Engaging with People to Co-Create the future 24 Diversity in the world is a basic characteristic of human society, and also the key condition for a lively and dynamic world. Hu Jintau Former General Secretary Communist party of China Appreciative Leadership, Whitney, Trosten-Bloom & Rader, 2010

25 Idaho School for the Deaf and Blind 25 To continue or to close? Why? Where? How? Broad, diverse participation New relationships new realities Final recommendations implemented 2009 October 3, 2016

26 Six Categories of Stakeholder 26 Information Influence Impact Investment Interest Innovation October 3, 2016

27 Everybody Whose Future It Is 27 Employees Colleges Individual Donors Educators Students Legislators Foundations Board members October 3, 2016

28 It s Your Turn 28 Divide into groups of 3 or 4 ROUND ONE Imagine and describe a life-like scenario in which a number of diverse stakeholders might come together to fulfill or extend your organization s mission. Examples: Strategic planning Development of a new scholarship program Formation of a new partnership Write the scenario out, and trade with another group Corporation for Positive Change,

29 It s Your Turn 29 ROUND TWO Within your group, read aloud the scenario you ve been passed. Discuss and make recommendations. Given what you know: Who must be directly included? Who should be engaged or informed? What creative ways might there be to engage people, beyond direct participation in meetings? October 3, 2016

30 The Path of Integrity: Making Decisions for the Good of the Whole 30 All human beings are part of that unbroken whole which is continually unfolding and making itself manifest in the world. Joe Jaworski CEO American Leadership Forum Appreciative Leadership, Whitney, Trosten-Bloom & Rader, 2010

31 Practice Conscious Decision Making 31 Every choice emerges from other choices Large or small, conscious or unconscious, our decisions influence ourselves and others We are all connected through an interdependent web of life Consider the web, when making your choices Appreciative Leadership, Whitney, Trosten-Bloom & Rader, 2010

32 For More Information 32 Consulting Workshops and Training Leadership Development Keynotes October 3, 2016