Diana
Whitney, Ph.D.
Amanda Trosten-Bloom
Over the past 5 years, we and others around the globe (Khalsa and Kaczmarski,
1996; Ludema, 1997; Bushe, 1998 ) have discovered a way of working that
consistently and dramatically liberates peoples sense of individual
and collective power. The liberation of that power, along with peoples
willingness to exercise it on behalf of their organizations, adds "value"
to the organizations and businesses in question. That philosophy, practice,
and way of working is called Appreciative Inquiry.
In case after case, using Appreciative Inquiry as a process for strategic
organizational change, we have seen remarkable transformations in the
way people work together and in the results they achieve. We have participated
in the drama of personal transformation as people have discovered who
they are at their best. We have seen high performance in the face of
positive possibility - rather than crisis. And we have heard stories,
over and over again, about the positive impact of Appreciative Inquiry
on peoples personal, as well as professional, lives.
Having been repeatedly surprised and delighted, as weve watched
the enthusiasm with which people have engaged themselves with their
organizations change initiatives, we have begun to ask ourselves
whats happening. Why is it that people get so excited and want
to participate with Appreciative Inquiry? Why is it that participation
so readily leads to innovation, productivity, employee satisfaction
and profitability? What is it that creates such possibilities for personal
transformation and for people to discover and be their best at work?
What are the conditions that foster cooperation throughout a whole system
of highly diverse groups of people? In short, the central question of
our reflection, and the question addressed in this paper is, What is
it about Appreciative Inquiry that "powers up the people?"
The "Power-full" Organization
Think with us for a moment about the questions: What is the value of
a human being? And, what is it that organizations value about human
beings?
Beyond the inherent worth and value that every human being on the planet
holds, organizations answers to these questions can and do vary
widely. Now, as weve taken our first steps into the 21st century,
corporations around the globe "value" human beings at
anything from a few cents per hour (or the equivalent thereof) to millions
of dollars per year - depending on their answers to such questions as:
Who are the people? What unique skills or background do they bring to
the picture? How capable are they of making independent decisions? Of
actively influencing their work environment and the world around them?
In short, what value can they add to the organization or business?
Now, lets restate the question. What is the value of a "powerful"
human being? A person who knows that the world is subject to human influence?
Who knows that she personally has the power to change the world? Who
chooses to exercise that power for the good of the whole? Who encourages
and grooms the people around him to join him in exercising that power?
Who invites others into cooperation to discover, dream and design the
future?
"Ah," we hear you say, "now that is a different question!"
That kind of person is "valued" much more highly, in organizations
today, than the person who simply "shows up and does what shes
told." That kind of person is "worth" a great deal more,
in organizational and business terms.
When the individual and collective power of human beings is unleashed,
organizations become "power-full."
A power-full organization is one in which people care about and work
towards being the best they can possibly be - personally, as well as
organizationally. It is a place where people seek to work by what we
might call "spiritual ideals" - peace, harmony, justice, love,
joy, wisdom and integrity. It is a place in which people take responsibility
for dreaming and for acting upon their dreams.
A power-full organization is one in which power - the capacity to create,
innovate, and to influence change - is an unlimited (vs. "zero-sum")
relational capacity and experience. It is shared freely; and in the
process of being shared it grows. People exercise power in ways that
are inclusive . . . that nurture and expand the people around them.
Imagine an organization in which people are motivated, energized, and
committed to being the best. Imagine the possibilities for innovation
and excellence. Imagine the impact that such an organization might have
on its industry . . . on the world.
This article draws upon our work with just such an organization: Hunter
Douglas Window Fashions Division in Broomfield, CO. This thousand-person
manufacturing company - the largest and most successful Division of
Hunter Douglas International - innovates, manufactures, and fabricates
high-end window covering products.
In the spring of 1997, in response to several years of off-the-chart
growth and related changes in structure and leadership, the Divisions
leadership launched a full-system appreciative inquiry with the intention
of:
-
Creating
a collective vision for the future of the organization - one that
would engage and excite the entire organization and its stakeholders.
-
Re-instilling
the creativity, flexibility, intimacy, and sense of community that
had contributed to the Divisions original success.
-
Building
leadership within the organization (i.e., enhancing the skills of
existing leadership, and building the "bench strength"
by identifying and training future leaders)
-
Transcending
the silos that had recently emerged between management and the general
work force, and across business units, as well as between operations
and "support" functions.
Just
one year into its work with Appreciative Inquiry Hunter Douglas reported
significant results in productivity, operational improvement, turnover,
and employee engagement. Production and productivity improved, particularly
in the lower-yield operations. Operations improvement suggestions were
up over 100 percent, resulting in hundreds of thousands of dollars in
savings through process innovation and operational improvements.
Turnover was the lowest it had been for six years, despite negligible
unemployment in the County in which they operate. Participation in tuition
assistance was up, especially among hourly employees. In addition, when
Dale Carnegie advertised its basic training, six months into the Appreciative
Inquiry effort, 22 people - most of whom were hourly - signed up to
participate. (This was up over 100% from the previous year.) The interviewer
from Dale Carnegie commented that she had never seen a more positive
and enthusiastic group of people before, and inquired about "this
[Appreciative Inquiry] program of yours." Six months after initiating
Appreciative Inquiry, the Company moved to create a Toastmasters chapter
on-site at Hunter Douglas. When sign-up sheets were posted, 48 people
volunteered to participate on their own time. The majority of these
volunteers were production workers from the plant, who had connected
the importance of their developing communication skills to their future
potential in the organization. Over the coming months, attendance continued
at extraordinary rates, and the Company moved to establish a second
on-site chapter.
On-site research (Chandler, 1998) quantitatively established positive
changes as a result of the Appreciative Inquiry efforts. In particular,
Chandlers research indicated that since the implementation of
Appreciative Inquiry there were improvements in:
-
Employees
understanding of organizational goals.
-
Employees
understanding of how their work fit with the organizations
goals.
-
Employee
commitment to the organizations goals.
-
Employees
sense of ownership for their work.
-
Employees
motivation to be productive, innovative, and creative.
All
of these quantitative findings were supported by the qualitative employee
comments that were gathered during on-site focus groups.
Perhaps most telling were the results of an unplanned series of "Employee
on the Street" interviews which were conducted about nine months
into the effort. 75% of the employees who were polled had been only
tangentially involved in the Appreciative Inquiry effort. Most of these
employees described Hunter Douglas as a kinder, gentler, more open place
to work than it had been just nine months before.
What is Appreciative Inquiry?
Appreciative Inquiry ("AI") is an organization development
philosophy and methodology that enhances organizations capacities
for positive change and ongoing adaptability (Whitney & Schau, 1998).
It was developed in the mid 1980s by David Cooperrider, Ph.D.
and Suresh Srivastva, Ph.D. of the Weatherhead School of Management
at Case Western Reserve University (Cooperrider & Srivastva, 1984).
It provides a philosophy and tools for leaders to understand and build
upon the best of what has been and might yet be within their organizations
through inquiry into their "positive core" (Cooperrider &
Whitney, 1998). An organizations positive core is described as
the collective wisdom, knowledge, and capabilities - often undiscussed
- of the organization at its best.
Consider
the individual words "appreciate" and "inquire."
Websters Dictionary defines the word "appreciate" as
follows:
1: to value or admire highly;
to judge with heightened understanding;
to recognize with gratitude.
2: to increase in value.
"To inquire" is defined as meaning:
1: to search into.
2: to seek for information by questioning.
Hence, Appreciative Inquiry guides us to ask questions with gratitude
and a sense of "valuing" . . . in order to increase understanding
and enhance value. AI is the study of what gives life to a human system,
when it is at its best.
Appreciative Inquiry, as a process, takes place over four phases, which
are generally described as the "4-D Process." Based on the
assumption that change occurs through thoughtful inquiry into and dialogue
about affirmative life-giving forces, the four phases of the process
are: Discovery, Dream, Design, and Delivery.
Discovery: Appreciating What Gives Life
The Discovery phase is a quest to identify positive stories and spread
them throughout the organization. It brings into focus those things
which give life and energy to people, their work, and their organization.
It assumes that the life-giving forces are indeed present in every situation,
but that our habits of organizing and talking often overlook the positive
in favor of analyzing obstacles, resistance, and deficits. The Discovery
phase shifts the balance of organizational attention from what isnt
working to what is, and to what may possibly work in the future.
Discovery begins with the introduction of Appreciative Inquiry theory
and practice to the organization. The purpose of the effort is clarified,
and a "core team" is selected to both guide the effort and
select topics for the inquiry. Topics are affirmative, and are stated
in affirmative language.
For example, an organization wishing to reduce turnover might study
"employee retention." Another wishing to reduce conflict might
study "collaboration." In the selection of affirmative topics,
organization members are asked to focus on the things they want more
of in their organization - the things they want to grow. ("What
would make this organization even more the place you want to work?")
"Appreciative interviews," the core technology of Appreciative
Inquiry, are at the heart of the Discovery phase - and are often woven
into later phases of the process as well. Generally conducted as a mutual
interview among diverse stakeholder groups, they may also be conducted
in focus groups. Interview questions are crafted around the affirmative
topics, and an interview guide is created, exploring: a) peoples
beginnings with the organization; b) what they value most about themselves,
their work and the organization; c) their appreciative stories related
to the topics being studied; and d) their hopes and dreams for the organization
and its future. Discovery involves interviewing many - if not all -
members of an organization, and often includes interviews with external
stakeholders (i.e., customers, suppliers, and community members).
At Hunter Douglas Window Fashions, the Discovery phase engaged the entire
organization (plus key external stakeholders) in one form or another.
A cross-section of the organization (100 people from all functions,
business units, shifts, levels, tenure, race, and gender) selected topics
for the inquiry and wrote four different interview guides. This same
group then initiated interviews with colleagues, customers, suppliers,
and stakeholders. Beginning six weeks later, another 200 people joined
that first group, to begin both second and third "waves" of
interviews.
Over the course of the just six months, 450 employees and 75 stakeholder
interviews had been conducted and "synthesized," in preparation
for later phases of the process. Interviews were conducted and synthesized
with the balance of the work force - another 500 people - over the next
six months.
Dream:
Imagining What Might Be
The Dream phase is a time for groups of people to engage in thinking
big, thinking out of the box, and thinking out of the boundaries of
what has been in the past. It is a time for people to describe their
wishes and dreams for their work, their working relationships, and their
organization.
The activities of this phase often take place in a large group meeting
of 50 to over 1000 people. This meeting, known in the field as an Organizational
Summit (Whitney & Cooperrider, 1998) encourage participants to consider
what their organization (department, business unit, or entire company)
is being "called" to do. This connects the work of all members
of the organization to a greater purpose and vision.
Working together in small groups of eight, participants share and discuss
the data and stories collected in the Discovery phase. Even as these
discussions ground them in the most positive aspects of their organizations
past, they inspire them to imagine possibilities - what "might
be" for themselves and their organization in relation to the world.
Small group conversations have been preceded by one-on-one appreciative
interviews, and small groups have been given guidelines for self-management.
Participants have been encouraged to "check their titles at the
door," and listen for the "lone small voice" - the one
with a different idea or a different way of looking at things. This
focus on relationship and dialogue builds safety and trust, which in
turn inspires lively, enlivening, participative, and highly creative
conversations. In fairly short order, divergent groups of people begin
to converge towards and focus on the things that bind them together,
as opposed the things that pull them apart.
Often, small group conversations are followed by high-energy, creative
presentations to the larger group - which in turn inspire even greater
ease and creativity. Skits, murals, songs, poems, and commercials are
all possible modes of expression for dramatizing the positive possibilities
envisioned for the organization and its future.
The Hunter Douglas Dream phase - like its Discovery - has been iterative.
The Divisions first Organizational Summit - which took place upon
completion of the first 500 interviews - very much followed the design
described above. Later, Dream activities occurred in conjunction with
whole-system strategic planning - which was initiated as an annual activity,
as a result of the first Organizational Summit.
Design: Determining What Will Be
In the Design phase, organization members and stakeholders (including
customers and suppliers) recreate the "social architecture"
of the organization, so that everything about organizing reflects and
is responsive to the organizations most positive past and highest
potential.
Whereas the Discovery and Dream phases generate and expand the organizations
images of itself, the Design and Delivery phases ask members to make
choices for the organization. Stakeholders draw on interviews and dreams
to select high-impact design elements, and then craft "Provocative
Propositions" (or Design Statements) which incorporate the positive
core into high-impact processes, systems, and programs.
True to the principles of Appreciative Inquiry, Design Statements are
written in the present tense. They recreate the organizations
image of itself by presenting clear, compelling pictures of how things
will be when the organizations positive core is boldly alive in
all of its strategies, processes, systems, decisions, and collaborations.
In this way, Design Statements redirect daily actions and create future
possibilities for the organization and its members.
The Hunter Douglas Design phase has also taken place over many iterations.
The seven "Design Statements" created at the first Organizational
Summit continue to guide the organizations decisions and actions.
Later Design activities included development of Divisional and the Business
Unit-level strategies that would bring the company Mission, and Strategic
Vision to life.
Delivery / Destiny: Creating What Will Be
Change occurs in all phases of an Appreciative Inquiry, as the process
provides an open forum for employees to contribute and step forward
in the service of the organization. The Delivery process, however, focuses
specifically on personal and organizational commitments and "paths
forward."
During Delivery sessions, commitments are made to ensure that the Design
Statements are realized. Individuals commit to applications and action
plans, small groups work on areas that require collaboration, and teams
may be established for new initiatives. Alignment on actions to be taken
is high, as a result of the extensive involvement of large numbers of
people in the Discovery, Dream and Design phases. The massive number
of people engaged in interviews, large group meetings, and critical
decision making helps participants get strong sense of what the organization
is really about, and of how they can contribute to the future through
their personal actions.
At Hunter Douglas, the Delivery phase was initially manifested through
"Action Groups" - collections of employees convened around
a topic of mutual interest and passion. These teams formulated their
own goals and objectives, set their own timelines for completion, and
recruited their own "champions" from among the Window Fashions
leadership. Participation was about equal between hourly and salaried,
production and professional. Through a unique combination of commitment
to action and support, they achieved exceptional results over a 1- to
2-year period of time, in areas that were directly tied to the hopes,
dreams and aspirations of the organization as a whole.
The 4-D Cycle and the "Six Freedoms"
So whats the relationship between the 4-D Cycle and the liberation
of power? Personal and organizational power is liberated - unleashed
- when certain essential conditions are present for people within organizations.
Our work with the people of Hunter Douglas as well as other organizations
suggests to us that there are at least six pre-conditions for the liberation
of power. We call these pre-conditions the "Six Freedoms."
The magic of Appreciative Inquiry comes, in part, from the way in which
it unleashes all of the "Six Freedoms," over the course of
just one complete 4-D cycle. Because of this breadth of impact, it has
a greater capacity for transforming personal and collective realities
than many of the other organizational change processes weve seen
to date.
Any one of these "Six Freedoms" can significantly affect peoples
perception of their power within an organizational context. Because
individuals learn and are motivated differently; interventions which
provide the opportunity for people to experience multiple freedoms have
the greatest potential to impact the most number of people and ultimately
the organization as a whole.
The journey to liberation - from oppression to power - is one of "social
emergence." Paulo Freires work ( 1970 ) suggests that the
"oppressed" are submerged in reality. They are in a sense
"social realists" who believe the world is the way it is and
there is nothing they can do about it. They experience and describe
themselves without place or power to change things. We have heard this
organizational lament all too often, " This is how it has always
been around here. Its been this way for the twenty years I have
worked here. It is never going to change." These are the voices
of the "organizationally oppressed."
It is our experience that the "organizationally oppressed"
live and work in all functions, at all levels and in all sectors of
organizations. No organizational group, level, or function is always
and exclusively more receptive to organizational oppression than another.
In some organizations it is the marketing group that doesnt feel
heard or able to influence decisions. In others it is manufacturing.
In some organizations those at the top express great frustration in
not being able to influence the market or shareholders - or to "motivate"
employees. In others it is front line employees who experience themselves
as invisible and unable to impact the way work (even their own work)
gets done. Often, when one group in an organization feels undervalued
and unable to influence, so do others.
The first step toward liberation begins when people recognize the world
and their organization as open to social change, as created by and through
human interaction and creativity. At this stage, people often see and
describe positive impact as an attribute of others. ("She is such
a great leader. Since she has been here we have made major improvements.")
This other-oriented power is a step toward liberation. It acknowledges
the potential for social change, while still placing the capacity for
influence and change with some "other." Generally, the other
is more informed, has more authority, is more experienced or is in someway
described as more powerful.
When people realize that they - in relation to others - can and do make
a difference, they experience true liberation. Theoretically, we call
these people "social constructionists:" people who understand
the socially crafted nature of our realities. (Gergen, 1994 ) Appreciative
Inquiry, through the Six Freedoms, creates a relational and narrative
rich context which becomes the path on which the journey to liberation
takes place. The Six Freedoms are:
1. Freedom to be Known in Relationship
2. Freedom to Be Heard
3. Freedom to Dream in Community
4. Freedom to Choose to Contribute
5. Freedom to Act with Support
6. Freedom to Be Positive
Following is our description of these Six Freedoms, along with examples
of ways in which each freedom was experienced and expressed in the words
of employees who participated in the Hunter Douglas inquiry. These are
voices of the organizationally liberated.
#1:
Freedom to be Known in Relationship
"Despite
our habit of seeing ourselves as separate, solid things,
our minds, our beings are not fixed. We exist in a web of relationships."
Joseph Jaworski
Synchronicity
Human identity is formed and evolves in relationship. "Persons
represent the intersection of multiple relationships" (McNamee
& Gergen 1999). Our sense of self is a relational identity that
thrives in communication with others. "Communicative connections
to other people are fundamental to the workings of the human mind and
self, and to the culture that enriches and sustains our spirits and
achievements" (Fogel, 1993). Just as we know and become ourselves
in relationship, so do we also contribute to our organizations in relationship.
For many people, the quality of their relationships at work is one and
the same with the quality of their work life.
All too often in work settings, people are known in role, rather than
in relationship. They are vice presidents and operators, doctors and
nurses, employees and customers - in short, they are perceived as what
they do, rather than who they are.
Appreciative Inquiry allows us to know one another in relationship,
rather than in role. It calls us to know one another not just as unique
individuals, but as a part of the web of relationships through which
"I" exist. The more fully we are known in relationship, the
more fully we can come to work and contribute. John Cade, a printer
with the Window Fashions Division, reflects on the fundamental human
need to be known in this way. "I want to be known, and to belong,"
says Cade. "The animal takes care of survival, but the heart -
the soul - wants to belong."
Being known in relationship includes knowing one another as relational
beings - as parents, coaches, artists, bowlers, etc. The more fully
I am known in my relational world, the more fully I can come to work
and contribute.
Appreciative Inquiry breaks the cycle of depersonalization that masks
peoples sense of "being and belonging." The appreciative
interview, which is the core technology of Appreciative Inquiry, is
powerfully rooted in the personal and relational. It seeks after and
explores in depth peoples personal peaks . . . times when they
have been most engaged, most alive, and most proud of themselves, their
organizations, and their work. It asks them to recall those moments
in vivid detail, and to share their experiences with people whom theyve
heretofore known only "in role" - or not at all. The process
affirms people in relation to others, enables new relationships to be
formed and enhances respect among people working together on a day to
day basis. It gives people the freedom to get to know themselves and
others as fundamental to high performance.
Renee Chavez, an inspector with Window Fashions, says, "I did my
interviews with people who werent like me. That helped me meet
and get to know people who are very different from me: different jobs,
different backgrounds, different races."
Cindy Stewart, another printer, describes the interviews as "energizing,
every time you do them. Its just a really nice process. They build
relationships, give you a chance to connect. They tell people that their
ideas are important."
Appreciative Inquiry doesnt just build relationships. It also
levels the playing field and builds bridges across the artificial boundaries
that seem so prevalent in late 20th century organizations. For example,
Joe Sherwood, a manufacturing and fabrication process coordinator, says,
"In asking the right questions, you bring back enthusiasm and renew
relationships. [The interviews] give us an opportunity to go to our
bosses and speak up for ourselves." Mark Maier, a machinist, says
it even more succinctly: "Appreciative Inquiry blew the communication
gap wide open."
Similarly, John Cade comments on the ways in which Appreciative Inquiry
in general - and the interviews in particular - help to make other people
and their ideas more accessible. As he puts it, "Appreciative Inquiry
gives us opportunities to be known across the boundaries." The
"contagious spirit" of the interviews results in a sense of
connection to others. "As our Appreciative Inquiry effort got fully
under way, other people became excited, just like me. I didnt
feel alone. For the first time, it was me with the world."
Perhaps the best example of the "Freedom to be Known in Relationship",
what Brian Bassett, shipping coordinator, called "human to human
contact" is the story of Germaine Piper, a third-shift operator
who interviewed numerous Vietnamese, Lao, and Cambodian refugees as
part of the original Discovery process. When asked what shed learned
from the interviews, she referred to the "heroism" of the
people shed interviewed.
"They left their jobs, their homes, and their families. They lived
in and escaped from refugee camps. They traveled to this country under
inhuman conditions, and finally arrived in the US. And for what? People
who had once held professional positions had to take whatever jobs they
could get - just because they didnt speak English.
This just isnt right! Ive decided that I want to teach them
English on my lunch hour. Ive decided that if I can teach them
English, I might learn some of their language too."
Within a day, Germaine had phoned the Companys Vice President
of Human Resources and offered to teach English classes. Ultimately,
she ended up coordinating (rather than teaching) a series of English
as a Second Language ("ESL") courses that were brought onto
the campus from a local community college. (Ironically, the Human Resources
Department had been trying for years to get an ESL program off the ground,
with no success.) Germaines dedication and power - liberated through
her experience of getting to know new people - made an enormous difference
in the lives of dozens non-native Hunter Douglas employees. Through
the additional support they received, these employees were also "powered
up" to contribute to the success of Hunter Douglas its customers.
In todays business world relationships - teams, alliances, partnerships,
colleagues - are essential. Work gets done through relationship. "The
central economic imperative of the network economy is to amplify relationships"
(Kelly, 1998). Through Appreciative Inquiry, the freedom to know and
be known in relationship liberates peoples energy and ideas. Personal
and organizational power emerges when people are known in relationship.
#2:
Freedom to be Heard
"I
have seen over and over again - all around the world - what happens when
people who are not used to being valued feel heard. The experience of
being heard allows them to be present and to offer the best of themselves
in a way that could not happen otherwise."
The Reverend Canon Charles P. Gibbs
United Religions Initiative
In the process of being heard we become apparent. We go from a voice
- the expression of "babbling ideas" - to a being. When another
hears us - when they witness and repeat our ideas and stories - we become
tangible . . . real . . . significant . . . somebody. The sense of not
being heard, of having no voice, of not having a say, is the experience
of the oppressed - people who feel one down and unable to make a difference.
To be heard is to have a recognized and credible voice . . . to be known
as a source of creativity, innovation, and influence.
Surprisingly little has been written on the experience of being heard,
much more on the act of listening. Listening, as we know it, is a trait
or skill of an individual. One can listen without truly hearing - or
knowing - the other.
Being heard, on the other hand, is relational. To be heard requires
another to be listening with sincere curiosity, empathy and compassion,
and with an openness to learn. It also requires hearing a persons
story, as well as his or her words. Appreciative interviews encourage
this kind of relational hearing. They ask speaker and listener alike
to reach beyond the mundane, the theoretical, into personal experience
and values. They invite an act of "hearing" that draws out
the best of another, encourages the cooperative creation of meaning
and identity.
During Appreciative Inquiry, people experience themselves as being heard
- and as hearing others - in powerful, fulfilling, and energizing new
ways. The appreciative interviews "level the playing field,"
says Brian Bassett. Thus, employees who are traditionally disenfranchised
- the "organizationally oppressed" - begin to "show up,"
think, and imagine in bold and provocative new ways.
But the one-on-one interviews do something equally (if not more) important,
to open channels of communication and nurture peoples experience
of being heard. They unleash a plethora of stories - which, through
later phases of the process spread and multiple throughout the organization.
Ultimately, once the organization has completed its first Design phase,
individuals and groups can recognize their work, language, insights,
and inspiration in the new organization or system. On a practical level,
people experience being heard as their ideas and stories are presented,
discussed, and put into action.
In 1997, when Hunter Douglas first implemented Appreciative Inquiry
as a culture change process, Mark Maier was supervising a group that
performed technical maintenance on the companys production machinery.
He and his staff felt under-valued, not heard and often ignored - even
when it came to maintenance (their expertise). Mark decided to put Appreciative
Inquiry to the test. He initiated an inquiry among all of the teams
internal customers: engineers, technical support staff, etc. He and
his staff collected stories of exceptional support that people had experienced
both here and at other companies. He invited people to dream about the
service that theyd always wanted, and to describe it in detail.
What was the result, when all was said and done? "My people were
finally recognized as contributors. (Wed been considered to be
the black hole for years!) We built relationships with the
engineers and the technical support staff. We were really seen for the
first time ever."
Appreciative Inquiry affords the opportunity to be heard. By setting
the stage for the Freedom to be Heard" it opens doors for
people who feel ignored and without voice to come forward with information,
ideas and innovations. It creates a rich context for knowledge creation
and exchange.
#3:
Freedom to Dream in Community
"It
is up to each of us. As we move into the twenty-first century let us
align with one another to bring our highest vision into manifestation.
We can make personal and collective dreams a living reality. Let us
work together. We are the architects of our own destiny."
Rama Vernon
The Fabric of the Future
Visionary leaders have long been recognized assets to their organizations
(Kouzes and Posner, 1987 ). Their capacity to put forth an image, a
dream, a sense of possibility that others can rally round has been regarded
highly among the traits of transformational leaders (Tichy and Devanna,
1986). But what of the dreams of the people? In todays highly
diverse world, neither leadership vision nor shared vision - alone -
are enough. (Starhawk, 1999 ) We need leaders who invite everyone to
dream and to realize their dreams. We need organizations to be safe
places where people dream and share dreams, in dialogue with one another.
We need the "Freedom to Dream in Community."
The images we hold, in our minds eye and in the stories we tell,
directly impact personal and organizational performance, health, and
learning (Cooperrider, 1984 ). Images - be they of a person or an organization
- are a kind of community property. They are created and maintained
in community dialogue, in conversations among members and stakeholders
of the community. To enrich an organizations dreaming is to enrich
its communally held images and its potential for greater achievement
and vitality.
Through one-on-one interviews, story-based synthesis, and collective
dreaming processes, Appreciative Inquiry stimulates peoples imaginations
and opens their dreams up to the whole. This can change peoples
work and lives, as it did for Brenda Lubben, a ten-year employee of
the Company:
"At the end of my interview, I was asked to imagine one thing that
would help me do my job even better. I said, It would be going
to Mexico. You see, my sample books, the products which I produce,
go to one of our fabricators down in Mexico. Can you believe it? They
ended up sending me to Mexico! The trip made me feel like I really knew
my job, like my job was really important to the Company. Just seeing
who they were and what they needed gave me better ways to communicate
with those folks."
But what is the effect on the whole, when these dreams are unleashed?
At the second organizational summit, George Sharpe, a business unit
vice president , stared at a wall covered with things the organization
did exceptionally well. He pondered aloud:
"What does all this say to me, about who we are and what we might
become? I have a dream of an organization in which we take this core
technology of ours and use it for much more than just window coverings."
As a result of Georges dream - liberated through conversations,
stories, and sensory-based imagining - Appreciative Inquiry transformed
the strategic direction of the company.
Time after time, Appreciative Inquiry invites people at all levels of
the organization into the dreaming process. It creates an impetus for
doing things better . . . for realizing dreams, be they big or small,
personal or organizational. It puts attention on the visionaries, rather
than the squeaky wheels - on the path ahead, rather than the problems
of the past. And it enables images of hope, potential and being the
best to rise, like cream, to the surface of organizational life.
#4:
Freedom to Choose to Contribute
"If
each of us would ask, "How might I best use my time, energies and
talents to serve the larger world?" we would transform this society
and transform the planet. It is not for me or anyone else to tell people
what to do. It is up to each of us to do those things that we know in
our hearts we should do."
Marianne Williamson
The Fabric of the Future
Work
can serve to separate us from what matters most to us; or it can serve
as the vehicle through which we enact and realize our deepest calling
(Fox, 1994 ). In patriarchal, command and control organizations, some
other is said to know what is best for us. A manager, supervisor or
employment advisor determines the scope of a job and whether or not
we are "suited to it." People are matched to work based on
the needs of the organization.
Not so in participatory organizations, where the freedom to choose ones
work and learning opportunities is recognized as essential to creativity,
cooperation, and well being. When people are matched to work, a job,
or a project (or better yet free to volunteer) based on their interests
and passion, their capacity to learn and to contribute is significantly
enhanced. The scope, success and satisfaction of contribution is directly
related to the freedom to choose the nature and extent of contribution.
One thing that differentiates Appreciative Inquiry from a number of
other organizational change methodologies is that - at its best - people
have complete freedom to choose how, when, and to what extent theyll
engage in the process. They can and do join only when they become curious,
stimulated, or inspired by a task, activity, or dream.
Many people choose only to participate in the interviews - and yet even
that minimal level of engagement (generally no more than 1 to 2 hours
of time) has a liberating effect on those who are involved. Joe Sherwood
aptly describes the effect of the interviews alone, "When you see
your ideas coming out and coming true, it reinforces your sense of influence.
The interviews opened the door more than it had been open in the past
. . . made it easier for people to simply talk to one another and share
their feedback, thoughts, and ideas."
Some people get on board later in the process. Kathy Mayfield, for example,
didnt have much good to say about the Appreciative Inquiry effort,
initially. A printer with several years tenure, she refused even
to be interviewed. But eight months into the process, someone recruited
her into an Action Group - formed at the first Summit - that was working
on a task that piqued her curiosity and profound interest. Soon she
had become one of the strongest supporters of Appreciative Inquiry in
the entire organization.
John Cade believes this capacity to choose the nature and extent of
ones contribution has a built-in mentoring and developmental quality.
"Since some people are more comfortable following than leading,"
he suggests, "the Appreciative Inquiry process - which is grass-roots
and designed to engage people in their own time and way - gives them
"a hand to hold" and "helps train people to take responsibility
for their own lives."
As is often the case with organizational change, there are some people
who are more committed to, enthusiastic about, and engaged in the change
effort than others. They become the "informal leaders" of
the change effort. And again, because Appreciative Inquiry works to
locate and channel peoples interests and passions, that kind of
involvement is nurtured and supported, rather than contained. Brian
Bassett describes the relationship between this kind of engagement and
the liberation of power:
"Because our initial efforts flowed from peoples passions,
people had energy to do the work. This may seem like a no-brainer, but
most organizational change efforts give directives, rather than following
peoples passions.
Once people had success with the work that the really mattered to them
- the work that was so important to them that they were willing to change
their old habits and play - they wanted to act elsewhere . . . to continue
acting. Thats why people at Hunter Douglas kept moving from one
[Action Group] to another! It wasnt because they had to . . .
it was because it felt so good that they didnt want to stop.
Ive tasted the fruits of success! I know, deep inside of me, that
I have made a difference, and that Ill continue to do so."
Not surprisingly, our research suggests that the more engaged people
are in the intervention, the greater their experience of personal transformation.
Joe Sherwood observes,
"Ive seen a huge difference in the people who have really
embraced Appreciative Inquiry. Those who were more involved, and more
willing to become part of the leadership of the process, seemed to grow
the most."
The human gift of free will is exercised in the process of choosing
to contribute. "Freedom to Choose to Contribute" brings out
the best in people. It leads to learning, a sustained sense of power
(the ability to innovate and influence) and an experience of fun at
work. When people chose to do a project or piece of work and commit
to others to do it, they get very creative and determined about it.
They will do whatever it takes and learn whatever is needed to get the
job done. And they seem to enjoy both the doing and the results. The
"Freedom to Choose" stretches people and their organizations.
It invites mutual commitment that is genuine and life giving. In organizations
applying Appreciative Inquiry, the workplace is alive with excitement
as people creatively contribute to the organization of their dreams.
#5:
Freedom to Act with Support
"Leadership
is about creating, day by day, a domain in which we and those around
us continually deepen our understanding of reality and are able to participate
in shaping the future. This, then, is the deeper territory of leadership
- collectively listening to what is wanting to emerge in the world,
and then having the courage to do what is required."
Joseph Jaworski
Synchronicity
To act with support is the quintessential act
of positive interdependence. It requires that we understand the dreams
of the organization, that we are willing to act in their service, and
that we acknowledge the resourcefulness of others. To act with support
is to act within a web of relationships. It requires an informed understanding
of what the organization wants to become; and an open access to valued
resources, capabilities and contributions.
In the first 3 Ds, people learn to Discover, Dream, and Design
the organization around the things that give life to the system. In
the last "D" - Delivery (or Destiny, as it is also known),
people are called to act on behalf of the things that passionately inspire
them . . . the things that they know will make a difference in their
organization and in the world. They are called to act in the service
of the organization, with support from others at all levels of the organization.
Much organizational support is limited. To be supported by one part
of an organization - one supervisor or one manager - leaves room for
doubt, mistrust, and hesitation. Partial support breeds fragmentation.
By contrast, when people know that the whole organization is aware of
their project and willing to cooperate, they feel safe to experiment,
innovate, and learn. In other words, whole-system support stimulates
people to take on challenges, and draws them into acts of cooperation
that bring forth their best.
Hunter Douglas Destiny phase was organized in ways that provided
both leadership and organizational support. Hunter Douglas business
unit mangagers supported the Action Groups by consistently offering
participants access to information, time, resources, skills training,
and professional facilitation. They served as champions for the Action
Groups and they served on the Appreciative Inquiry Advisory Team.
When members of the Appreciative Inquiry Advisory Team were asked to
describe the support they provided and what they had learned about "leading"
an appreciative change effort they commented: "We didnt have
to do much [as leaders]. Mainly, we provided guidance and the green
light for people. We helped build confidence that peoples ideas
and plans made sense."
In addition to providing counsel and resources, leadership also supported
peoples freedom to act by initiating and maintaining a communication
network through which the Action Groups activities and successes
were broadcast to the entire organization. The communication network
influenced and promoted organizational support for the work of the Action
Groups. As members of the larger organization recognized and celebrated
that their hopes and dreams (which had been expressed through Discovery,
Dream, and Design) were taking form and coming to life in the work of
the Action Groups, they offered support. Many people joined Action Groups
underway and brought with them much needed creative thinking and organizational
resources.
Brian Bassett describes the interplay that is suggested between leadership
and organizational support, in this Freedom to Act with Support:
"The Action Groups that were formed at the end of the first Hunter
Douglas Summit reeducated people about their power and influence in
the organization. We had always had support to take action on behalf
of the organization, but now - suddenly - people were making resources
available and paying attention to what we were doing. They backed us
up, and made it possible for us to follow through on - and finally do
- the things that we knew needed to be done."
Of the initial 14 Action Groups, 11 either met or exceeded their original
goals. Freedom to Act with Support resulted in:
-
Development
of a career pathing and mentoring system
-
Establishment
of an organization-wide recognition and reward system that was tied
to Divisional Values
-
Creation
of a "virtual" university within the organization
-
Initiation
of a "new hire orientation" program, through which every
employee could develop a sense of his or her relationship to the
entire business
-
Implementation
of a high-engagement strategic planning process
But what of the three Action Groups that failed to meet of achieve their
goals? Surprisingly, our research shows that this Freedom to Act with
Support liberated individual and organizational power even when the
actions "failed." Tina LaGranges story powerfully testifies
to that effect. She attended the first Summit just a few weeks after
she had joined the company. Completely "fresh" to the process,
she dove in and began working towards one of her dreams for the company:
a cross-training program that would allow people to move from job to
job, business unit to business unit. It was an idea that made impeccable
sense, given one of the organizations greatest challenges, which
was significant, regular, seasonal mandatory overtime.
"I came away from that Summit clear that cross-training was very,
very important. I talked to my co-workers, and they all said, Yeah,
yeah - theyll never support this or let it happen. Sure we need
it, but it wont go through.
Well, I joined an Action Group and worked hard. We were given the responsibility
and authority to act on our vision. We designed a great program, proposed
it to the Advisory Team, and got the go-ahead to test it. Then . . .
nobody signed up!!!
Once we got over trying to drive it through, we stepped
back and thought about it. We realized, finally, that there was a loud,
clear message trying to be heard. They werent the
problem - it was the organization. The organization didnt really
have a passion for cross training.
When our cross-training program died, I was disappointed but OK. In
the end, the only thing I really accomplished was getting an answer
- but that was a big thing. It meant that I had the power to get an
answer."
The capacity to act in the service of the organization is too often
limited by the lack of support, perceived or actual. With Appreciative
Inquiry, people sense support from one another, from the organizations
management and from the whole system. It is exhilarating and highly
motivating to act on your own interests and passions while being backed
up and supported by people at all levels of the organization. To take
initiative is an adventure and a risk for many, to do so with full knowledge
and support of colleagues throughout the organization creates a pathway
for innovation, learning and self confidence.
#6:
The Freedom to be Positive
"Happiness
involves skills for everyday living that few people consistently practice.
Instead of taking pride in our accomplishments, we tend to be self-critical.
Instead of holding positive visions of the future, we run worst case
scenarios . . . . Rather than regularly expressing appreciation to those
we love, we find fault with them. . . . Genuine pride in a job well
done, maintaining hope even during hard times, spontaneously expressing
gratitude to someone - these are some of the simple pleasures that can
enrich and vitalize our everyday lives, which we just dont enjoy
often enough."
Stella Resnick, Ph.D.
The Pleasure Zone
Appreciative Inquiry assumes that every living system has untapped,
rich, inspiring accounts of the positive. Link this "positive change
core" directly to any change agenda, and changes never thought
possible are suddenly and democratically mobilized (Cooperrider &
Whitney, 1999).
Renee Chavez describes the effect that this last, seemingly simple Freedom
had on her:
"I dont know if its me or if its Appreciative
Inquiry - but I like to be positive. I liked doing the interviews, because
I heard more positive things. Because of my involvement with Appreciative
Inquiry, I got people thinking more positively. I think that a lot of
the improved morale, the communication, the sense of community with
the other departments came from Appreciative Inquiry and its positive
approach."
Similarly, Tina LaGrange refers to the effect that this Freedom to be
Positive had on her and the people around her.
"You know, there were people in the organization who were skeptical
about this Appreciative Inquiry stuff. They thought it was just pollyannish.
But still they were affected by it. My smiles affected them, even if
nothing else did."
What happens to an organization when the Freedom to be Positive is unleashed?
"You know the old adage, Garbage in, garbage out?"
asks Joe Sherwood. "Well, Appreciative Inquiry replaces the garbage
in with positive feelings and positive experiences. It creates,
instead, a cycle of energy in, energy out. It jump
starts organizational change."
How odd to think that people need permission to be positive. And yet
so it is today, in organization after organization. In too many organizations
communication patterns are "deficit based" focusing attention
on problems of the past, in lieu of possibilities for the future. Appreciative
Inquiry in its choicefully affirmative stance is a radical departure.
Appreciative Inquiry is an invitation to a positive revolution in change.
The
"Ripple" Effect
The entire 4-D cycle of Appreciative Inquiry gives people the experience
of personal and collective power. It gives them practice in exercising
it, and in doing so responsibly, for the good of the whole. It breeds
confidence, as it offers support and recognition for successful accomplishments.
Having once experienced this liberation of power and the effect it has
on the world . . . people are permanently transformed.
Liberation
of Personal Power
Renee Chavez describes the long-term effect that her participation in
the Appreciative Inquiry effort had on her self-esteem and sense of
personal power. "I think this is a good job, but I made it that
way. The only person whos going to get me what I want is me. Appreciative
Inquiry helped me to express myself, and helped me learn to communicate
in a better way. It helped me become more of who Ive always been."
Likewise, Brian Bassett describes the effect the process had on those
whom he observed. "As people tried and got results, they gained
confidence. That led to five times as much input, and the desire to
get more involved."
Tina LaGrange believes that Appreciative Inquiry had on permanent effect
on her career at Hunter Douglas:
"Shortly after coming to Hunter Douglas, I applied for a position
in the Customer Information Center. I went through the interview process,
and was turned down.
So I applied again, and was turned down again.
In the past, I might have stopped after this. I might have felt too
discouraged to keep trying. But Appreciative Inquiry told me that I
was responsible for doing what I needed to do and getting what I needed
to be successful. So I found out what I was missing (which turned out
to be technical training), got the training, and reapplied one more
time.
This time, I got the job. I had persisted, because Appreciative Inquiry
taught me thats how you get things done."
One of the more powerful stories about the long-term effect of Appreciative
Inquiry comes from Kathy Mayfield - the "latecomer" to the
process.
"[Appreciative Inquiry] created a complete turnaround for me. Im
painfully shy. Before Appreciative Inquiry, I would go down the hall
and wouldnt look at anyone. Now I march! I talk to everyone -
even the suits! Since this change happened, Im even
getting a little better on the outside [i.e., outside of
work]. Now I know Im somebody.
You know, Im luckier than some people. I dont have to work.
But something happened here that changed the way I saw my work. I realized
that I didnt have to be here - but that I wanted to be here."
These and similar experiences tells us that liberated power breeds the
ongoing liberation and expression of power. Power is like the proverbial
genie in the bottle: once liberated, it wont be re-contained.
It continues to seek ways of expressing itself, within the organization
and the world.
Liberation
of Others Power
Within organizations, people begin thinking and acting differently -
begin asking questions, thinking for themselves, and engaging people
around them in a more positive, more life-affirming way. In the process,
they touch the "power" in the people around them. As Dottie
Hamilton (stacker) says, "When we use Appreciative Inquiry with
others, people feel encouraged to come to us and work with us."
As a result of this extended liberation of power, people who werent
involved with the original inquiry begin changing the way that they
think and act. Brian Bassetts shipping department is a good example:
"The tag line [for Appreciative Inquiry at Hunter Douglas]
was All Voices . . . All Opinions . . . All Ideas. I took
that philosophy to heart and created team meetings in the area that
I supervise. I would meet with the two most experienced employees in
every part of the team every two weeks. Wed talk about different
parts of our process, always asking the same two questions: How
can we do this better? How can we use what we know works
- as well as what weve dreamed about and imagined - to make this
the best it can possibly be?
"Before this, decisions were being made by people who didnt
do the job . . . people who didnt have much experience in the
area. Now, I was asking people for what they knew. It gave people the
leeway and the willingness to speak up. It gave them the confidence
to make important changes and decisions related to our work.
"The results were incredible. Overtime dropped. Production increased.
Our training process was transformed. You see, by asking for ideas and
giving the people the information, skills, and support they to take
intelligent action, Hunter Douglas has really saved a lot of money.
If you look at and see what someone does well, and provide an environment
in which they can build on it, the things that are wrong get taken care
of."
As power is liberated throughout the organization, people and cultures
are transformed. Renee Chavez says, "The [positive changes in]
morale, the communication, the sense of community with the other departments
- all of that came from the work with Appreciative Inquiry."
So its clear that the Appreciative Inquiry - through its Six Freedoms
- unleashes personal and collective power within organizations. But
what effect does this have on the world as a whole? Organizations have
been called the "next frontier" for personal and spiritual
transformation. As the place in which people spend most of their waking
hours, they are the place that can - and should - have the most profound
positive effect on how people live their lives in their families, communities,
and world.
At Hunter Douglas, participants in the Appreciative Inquiry effort described
long-term changes in their family relationships. Dottie Hamilton, for
example, says "This works at home with my kids. It helps me get
them involved in thinking things through for themselves and getting
what they want." Bob Parkins, the Operations Maintenance Coordiantor,
says that Appreciative Inquiry has positively affected the way that
he relates to his ADHD son. Rinda Becker , an Executive Secretary, says
that her use of Appreciative Inquiry on the occasion of her 30th wedding
anniversary led to "one of the most insightful and meaningful conversations
my husband and I have ever had." If these stories are to be believed,
the power that Appreciative Inquiry liberates has the capacity to create
transformations way beyond the individuals - even the organizations
- that it originally touches.
Our
Dream
Earlier in this paper, we described what we called the "power-full"
organization. We described such an organization as one in which people
care about and work towards being the best they can possibly be, personally,
as well as organizationally . . . in which power is an unlimited commodity
or experience.
Over the past several pages, weve talked about and shown how Appreciative
Inquiry creates an environment that liberates personal and organizational
power. Weve illustrated ways in which that liberation unleashes
previously unknown capacities for organizational performance. Weve
shown how liberated people tend to invite and welcome the power of the
people around them - both within and outside their organization. Weve
talked about "power-full" organizations, and the increased
"value" that those organizations enjoy.
Here is our dream: organizations where people seek out and practice
opportunities to be their best, and to bring out the best in others.
Take a few moments now, to imagine an organization in which everyones
work life is intellectually, socially, and spiritually challenging and
growthful. Imagine that "power-full" organization. Based on
the transformations weve witnessed and experienced, we firmly
believe that power-full organizations - even a power-full world - are
within reach through the philosophy and practice of Appreciative Inquiry.
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