[Ailist] Re: Applying leeches?

[Jane Magruder Watkins]

Dear Colleagues:

Over the years I've thought a lot about leading people to believe that they
can make changes and having some "higher-up" squelch their plans. So, I
always do several things:

First, ask the person who hires me to have a conversation about how much
they are willing to let people plan and implement new ideas.

Second, I tell the client and make clear to the participants that planning
how to make their ideas happen ALWAYS includes:

	-Clear statement of what they want to do (a "how will we make this
happen" plan)

	-Understanding that their plan has to include:
		1. How to get the support and permissions that are needed to
go forward
		2. How to get the resources - people, funds, etc. - that we
need
		3. How to get all of the people who will be impacted
involved in the process 
		
If you do those steps, it helps keep people away from the notion that they
only have to have the idea and someone else will just do it and pay for it.
AI involves grassroots people in all phases of the project from getting the
right people to approve through finding resources to proceed all the way to
"valuating" how it's working and being prepared to re-think and re-design if
they are not were they want to be.

It is SO IMPORTANT to be up front and frank so that the group avoids the
traditional process of giving ideas to higher-ups who will make it happen.
MAJOR difference in traditional action research and AI.

Cheers, Jane

Jane Magruder Watkins & Ralph Kelly
Appreciative Inquiry Unlimited
An Organization Development Center for Teaching, Consulting and Mentoring
 
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-----Original Message-----
From: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu
[mailto:ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu] On Behalf Of Nancy Stetson
Sent: Thursday, April 17, 2008 12:44 PM
To: Cheri Torres
Cc: ailist at lists.business.utah.edu
Subject: RE: [Ailist] Re: Applying leeches?

>Cheri,

It probably needs to be a gradual thing ... some parameters established
about what needs to be blessed by the leaders.  For instance, if the Bold
Idea(s) require new resources.  But often, in my experience, it simply means
someone doing something different.

Nancy

>Nancy,
>
>This makes sense to me.  I think where some organizations falter is
>leadership may think they want to empower and engage, but then discover
they
>are unwilling to let go of control or they want to empower and they have an
>organization that is not ready to take on that responsibility yet.
>
>Cheri
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Nancy Stetson [mailto:nancy at sonic.net]
>Sent: Wednesday, April 16, 2008 7:57 PM
>To: Cheri Torres
>Cc: ailist at lists.business.utah.edu
>Subject: RE: [Ailist] Re: Applying leeches?
>
>>Cheri,
>
>I only meant the question to relate to whether or not an organization
wanted
>to adapt AI as a way of being and doing business.  In my opinion (and of
>course I could be wrong :), AI will NOT work if leadership isn't willing to
>empower its employees.  When AI unleashes all that positive energy for
>change, if leadership says no to the Bold Ideas, etc., I think the
>organization likely will be worse off than pre-AI!  I wasn't thinking about
>other OD interventions, only AI.
>
>Nancy
>

-- 
Nancy E. Stetson, Ed.D., Educational Advisor
FINTELO - Finish the Distance: Online Management Software
www.fintelo.com - "You owe it to your students to see Fintelo in action."

Also, Consultant, Executive Coach and Faculty Mentor

"The task of leadership is to create an alignment of strengths,
making our weaknesses irrelevant." Peter Drucker
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