[Ailist] Re: Applying leeches?

[John Loty]

Cherri, et al,

Wonderful development of this dialogue,

My pennyworth - 

Asking questions, exploring etc are challenging events that necessarily
leads to turbulence, doubts the unknown and the unfamiliar.

If an organisation's leadership is committed to this process and is willing
to embrace/tolerate - support a constructive journey through a period of
uncertainty (that is certain to happen!) then no worries about the outcome.

If the leadership are not prepared for the rough waters to come (where
command and control will not work - it will require "all hands on deck"
thinking collaboratively and for themselves -) then there may well be a
'change of mind' at the helm and the organisation may be the worse of!

Yes the gradual process is probably the best - if nature is any guide (trees
- especially those in the mountains - grow slowly but they live a long long
time).

The difficulty with the gradual approach is that it too can falter - dwindle
- and given our short-term thinking/ immediate results/ instant coffee
culture may well disappear - just like the Shakespearean - brief moment on
the stage..

The beauty of the AI approach (as I understand it) is that it generates a
collective enthusiasm (or collective consciousness if you like) within the
organisation that is difficult to put out! 

Thousands of years ago the ancients that wrote the I Ching observed that (my
summary) 'When people learn together they experience joy'.

Joy is one of the positive emotions that "broaden and build" our thought
/action repertoire (a la Barbara Fredrickson's research) and when people
feel good about themselves in this way they can do amazing things and the
organisation they are part of /working in/with will prosper.

Interesting thing is I just heard that leeches are being used in some
plastic surgery procedures!

John Loty
Appreciative Inquiry Advocate, Facilitator and Consultant
Director
Logistics Training International 
 
"What we focus on - grows."
 
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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: Friday, 18 April 2008 2:44 AM
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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