[Ailist] Re: Ailist Digest, Vol 60, Issue 7 Appreciation vs. Cynicism

[Cheri Torres]

Jack,

Jack,

Thank you for your post; your email--combined with others--has caused me to
reflect on my own frame and how I was approaching/seeing and contributing to
this dialogue. Mine was just one more frame or take on the same picture.  

I think one of the things this conversation offers is the opportunity for us
as a community to develop some practice and knowledge around the challenges
associated with multiple frames where people we are engaged with (not
consulting for) hold conflicting values and come from diverse cultures. This
is exactly the on-going situation in many organizations, communities and the
world--perhaps we could explore how is it that we can practice AI in ways
that allows space for each frame while moving forward in a meaningful
direction--especially in the face of controversy.  I would certainly welcome
the opportunity to learn from all of you. I'd like to learn how to be more
reflective-in-action and how to engage in the present while scanning for the
greatest number of possible positive opportunities that might be in that
present moment...and then the next. 

This is not a new challenge for the field of dialogue--how to hold the
container and the space in the midst of disagreement, emotional reaction,
judgment, reflection, diverse values, etc.--but it is an opportunity I
haven't experienced on this listserv. And I've not heard specific
suggestions for how AI can intentionally support this. I would welcome
learning from all of you how you do this...and how you know when to stop
because you realize "it ain't gonna happen."

So, if anyone is interested, I would love to follow Jack's suggestion--to
get back to foundation and application of AI--> and do so by looking at our
own immediate situation!

Cheri   

-----Original Message-----
From: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu
[mailto:ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu] On Behalf Of Jack cerva
Sent: Sunday, March 09, 2008 10:38 PM
To: ailist at lists.business.utah.edu
Subject: [Ailist] Re: Ailist Digest, Vol 60,Issue 7 Appreciation vs.
Cynicism

Howdy All AI,

I do not contribute much but generally have gleaned much from all of your AI
posts.  However as of late, most recent example is this thread Apprciation
vs Cynicism, it seems like this list has become a bit out of focus.  In this
regard I agree with Dennis Baird notes below.  I am certain that given the
learned and insightful nature of the people who generally post herein
that they/we can take ANY topic or news report or speech, or socio political
circumstance and build a "thread" out of it.  I for one would like us to
focus more on the basics--back to our foundation and applications vs what I
see in many blogs these days.

Jack D. Cerva & Associates

Bangkok, Thailand





>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: Dennis Baird <dgb147 at hotmail.com>
> To: Charlotte Henley <chenley at hualuer.midco.net>, <
> ailist at lists.business.utah.edu>
> Date: Sun, 9 Mar 2008 03:29:07 +0000
> Subject: RE: [Ailist] Appreciation vs. Cynicism
> Charlotte:
>
> Thank you.
>
> I  would really like to see the dialogue on this list focus on the
> essentials of Appreciative Inquiry.
>
> I wonder if the discussions about Steve Jobs and the Obamas (and other
> candidates if we continue the present course) are morphing into value
> statements that masquerade as dialogues on AI.  I have a belief that AI is
> about focusing on identifying and working with the positive core of people
> and organizations and not on judging.  Let us remember that "good" people
> sometime do "bad" things and "bad" people sometime do "good" things.  If
we
> get caught up in judging the worth of people based on their personality or
> their apparent misstatements then I think we are in deep do-do because
none
> of us is perfect but each of us has a positive core that, Jane assures us,
> is much larger than our negative core.
>
> I appreciate the fact that writers are trying to deal with moral dilemmas
> but I really feel that we are starting to stray from the original intent
of
> this list.
>
> I also realize that I may be missing a greater philosophical implication
> of the dialogue on Jobs and Obama.  But I am uncomfortable with some of
the
> value statements and judgements I see.
>
> Dennis Baird
> A simple(?) Canadian
>
>
>
> >
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