Positive Change: Taking it to Scale

Transcription

1 Positive Change: Taking it to Scale Diana Whitney Ways of Knowing Symposium 2010 Whole System Healing

2 My story Learn to live and work in the energetically positive. We do these things so the people may live. Meeting with David Cooperrider and Surresh Srivastva. Founding of Taos Institute. Tom White, President, GTE Telecommunications asked, How do we get this to 67,000 people? Bishop Wm. Swing, Help us create a global interfaith organization dedicated to peace. (c) Corporation for Positive Change 2

3 Today Appreciative Inquiry in Principle Introduction to a Positive Revolution Appreciative Inquiry Process for Large Scale Positive Change Appreciative Leadership Practices Strengths Movement Positive Psychology (c) Corporation for Positive Change 3

4 What is Appreciative Inquiry? The study of what gives life to human systems people, teams, relationships, organizations, communities when they are at their best. Appreciation = to value, prize, affirm, honor, and recognize the best of people and situations. Inquiry = to explore, discover, ask; to be open to seeing new potential and possibilities. (c) Corporation for Positive Change 4

5 Appreciative Inquiry: An Alternative to Problem Solving (c) Corporation for Positive Change 5

6 Unintended Consequences Deficit Approaches to Change Slow: Puts attention on yesterday s causes Produces vocabularies of human deficit Creates downward spirals of energy and morale resulting in fatigue Weakens teamwork & relationships (c) Corporation for Positive Change 6

7 Inquiry is the Intervention The questions we ask are fateful. They determine what we find. They create the world as we know it. (c) Corporation for Positive Change 7

8 What We Study Matters It sets the agenda for dialogue, learning and change. Stress at Work Joyful Productivity (c) Corporation for Positive Change 8

9 Appreciative Inquiry 4-D Model Strategic Strategic Focus: Topicfocus Choice Discovery Studying the best of what is. Appreciating Destiny Self-organizing to innovate, improvise and get results. Delivering Positive Core of Strengths Dream Envisioning what might be. Imagining Design Deciding what will be the ideal organization. Defining (c) Corporation for Positive Change 9

10 Appreciative Inquiry 4-D Model Strategic Nursing Retention focus Discovery The Call to Nursing Why Nurses Stay Humor: The Other Vital Sign Destiny 13% reduction in turnover 20 % increase in patient Satisfaction with nursing Positive Core of Strengths Dream A Hospital with Magnetic Attraction for Nurses Design Processes, Systems and Recognition that Attract Nurses (c) Corporation for Positive Change 10

11 Forms of Engagement Mass Mobilizing Inquiry Hundreds of people, overtime, overlocations AI Summit Whole System in the Room (c) Corporation for Positive Change 11

12 A Story of Wholeness Idaho State Department of Education Appreciative Inquiry Summit Focus: Educational Services the Deaf and the Blind Sub-Text: Should we close the school? (c) Corporation for Positive Change 12

13 Who Would You Include? Teachers School Administrators Students Blind and Deaf Adults Blind and Deaf Governor s Office Advocacy Groups Educators at all Levels Other States Facing Similiar Issues Parents Family Members Community Members Board of Education State Department of Ed. Sign Interpreters Guide Dogs Others? (c) Corporation for Positive Change 13

14 A Transformational Moment George s Story (c) Corporation for Positive Change 14

15 Question for Discussion What is it about Wholeness that brings out the best of people? (c) Corporation for Positive Change 15

16 Theory: Social Construction of Reality Meaning is made in relationship. Conversation, language, words and stories are vehicles for making meaning and creating realities. Human organizing and change are conversational. Organization culture is the story we tell ourselves about ourselves and then we forget it s just a story. We are constantly analyzing, interpreting, making sense and creating realities together. To change organizations is to change the conversation who talks to whom about what. The more positive and life affirming the question, the more positive and long lasting the change. (c) Corporation for Positive Change 16

17 Leaders of Successful AI Endeavors Were willing to engage with other members of their organization or community to co-create a way that works for all. Were willing to learn and to change. Truly believed in the power of the positive. Cared about people, often describing the work of their organization or business in terms of helping people learn, grow, and realize their potential.

18 Peter Drucker The task of leadership is to create an alignment of strengths for a purpose or toward a goal in such a way that weaknesses become irrelevant. (c) Corporation for Positive Change 18

19 Strengths Near perfect performance in an activity. Feel easy. Increase excellence, success, productivity. Provide a sense of joy, flow, energy, and fulfillment. Now, Discover Your Strengths Buckingham and Clifton (c) Corporation for Positive Change 19

20 Excellent Performers Are rarely well-rounded. They capitalize on their strengths. They minimize their weaknesses. Each person s greatest room for growth is in his or her areas of greatest strengths. Now, Discover Your Strengths Buckingham and Clifton (c) Corporation for Positive Change 20

21 Be a Strengths Spotter. (c) Corporation for Positive Change 21

22 Strengths Spotting Inquiry 1. Tell me about a recent success, something you ve done in the past few weeks or months that gave you great satisfaction and pride. 1. What did you do? 2. What else did you do? 3. What gave you the idea to do this? 4. Who else was involved and how did you relate to them? 5. Tell me more about what you did to make this a success. 2. Based upon your success story, I sense that some of your strengths are (c) Corporation for Positive Change 22

23 Strengths Spotting Now 1. Select a partner someone new. 2. Ask your partner to tell you a success story. 3. Listen to discover your partner s strengths. 4. Reflect the strengths back to your partner Reverse Roles Total Time 8 minutes 4 minutes each (c) Corporation for Positive Change 23

24 The Birth of Positive Psychology Prof. Martin Seligman, President, APA, 1996 Author: Learned Optimism; Authentic Happiness 30 years of psychology research 45,000 studies on depression, illness 300 studies on joy, hope, happiness (c) Corporation for Positive Change 24

25 Research on Positive Emotions Prof. Barbara Fredrickson, UNC Author: Positivity Broaden and Build Theory Positive Emotions: 1. Broaden Attention and Thinking 2. Undo Lingering Negative Emotional Arousal 3. Build Resilient Coping Like Immune System (c) Corporation for Positive Change 25

26 Positive Emotions & Performance Joy...play, imagination, experimentation innovation Interest..involvement, investigate, explore new knowledge Optimism...opportunity, confidence, persevere achievement Contentment savor, integrate complex ideas deeper insight Love. connect, relate cooperation (c) Corporation for Positive Change 26

27 Positivity Ratio and Performance People flourish in the presence of positive emotions and communication. The Healthy Range is 4+ : : 1- Marcial Losada, Chile: Successful Teams 5+:1- John Gottman, UC Berkley Long Term Successful Marriages 5+:1- (c) Corporation for Positive Change 27

28 Appreciative Leadership The relational capacity to mobilize creative potential and turn it into positive power to set in motion positive ripples of confidence, energy, enthusiasm, and performance to make a positive difference in the world. Appreciative Leadership Whitney, Trosten-Bloom, Rader

29 Five Strategies of Appreciative Leadership The Wisdom of INQUIRY The Genius of INCLUSION The Art of ILLUMINATION The Courage of INSPIRATION The Path of INTEGRITY Appreciative Leadership Whitney, Trosten-Bloom, Rader (c) Corporation for Positive Change 29

30 1. The Wisdom of Inquiry Asking Positively Powerful Questions Tell me about the river that connects you. Appreciative Leadership (c) Corporation for Positive Change Whitney, Trosten-Bloom, Rader 30

31 2. The Genius of Inclusion Engaging with others. Including the whole system all the people who s future it is, in the conversations about the future. Don t talk about me without me. Appreciative Leadership Whitney, Trosten-Bloom, Rader (c) Corporation for Positive Change 31

32 3. The Art of Illumination Bringing Out the Best of People and Situations (c) Corporation for Positive Change Appreciative Leadership Whitney, Trosten-Bloom, Rader 32

33 4. The Courage of Inspiration Awakening the Creative Spirit Change requires large amounts of creativity and positive emotions. People flourish in the presence of positive emotions. Appreciative Leadership Whitney, Trosten-Bloom, Rader (c) Corporation for Positive Change 33

34 5. The Path of Integrity Making Choices for the Good of the Whole Starts with You Your Own Wholeness (c) Corporation for Positive Change Appreciative Leadership Whitney, Trosten-Bloom, Rader 34

35 A Tale of Two Wolves (c) Corporation for Positive Change 35

36 For More Information Available July 9, 2010 Diana Whitney Corporation for Positive Change (c) Corporation for Positive Change 36