[Ailist] Re: Ailist Digest, Vol 53, Issue 9

[Alice Leibowitz]

I agree with Rob that you need to give a rationale, but not just so that
people won't argue with you. I believe that knowledge is power, so I want to
share as much useful information with my clients as possible.

Specifically, I want them to know how to use AI in the future. If they don't
understand the rationale, they will have no reason to recognize the
next opportunity that arises to use it in their organization.

-Alice Leibowitz



> Message: 1
> Date: Tue, 07 Aug 2007 07:54:44 -0700
> From: "Rob Voyle" <rob at voyle.com>
> Subject: Re: [Ailist] Re: How much theory to give
> To: ailist at lists.business.utah.edu
> Message-ID: <46B82544.28683.184650F6 at rob.voyle.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
>
> Hi Folks
> I would agree with the "no theory" and I would also add that you do need a
> couple of good rationales up your sleeve for doing what you are doing that
> you
> may need to use to get buy in.  For example I was invited in as a
> consultant in
> the midst of conflict to do some reconciliation work.  When I invited them
> to start
> sharing with one another about what they valued about the organization,
> one
> person angrily retorted that he thought they were there to discuss the
> conflict.
> My response was that was exactly what we were doing and that from my
> understanding people go into conflict when a value is threatened or
> compromised.  So in order for me to understand whats going on we first
> needed
> to know what people valued. What I didn't tell him was that my
> understanding of
> the conflict was actually unimportant, but that what was important was the
> changes in people's hearts and attitudes towards one another as they began
> to
> talk about what they really valued.
>
> The other thing you do need is a clear statement about the purpose of the
> gathering, stated positively, and a brief rationale for why doing an
> exercise such
> as inteviews of dreaming etc. will help achieve the purpose.
>
> Rob
>
> Robert J. Voyle, Psy.D.
> Director, Clergy Leadership Institute
> For Coaching and Training in Appreciative Inquiry
> Author: Core Elements of the Appreciative Way
> http://www.clergyleadership.com/
> 503-647-2378 or 503-647-2382
>
>  ~