[Ailist] Loving Politicians etc

Fri May 9 12:42:52 MDT 2008

Dear Jane, Nick and all others interested in finding the best in  
Government and Politics,

Most people get into public service for good and positive reasons.   
They want to help others and to  make  government work efficiently  
and effectively.

So how can we help people  remember and celebrate why they ran for  
office or served on a board or held a government job?

What might happen if we asked unconditionally positive questions?

Those of us in the Positive Change Core believe that when young  
people are the "askers" there are splendid and honest responses.

We are committed to finding a way to create youth dialogues with  
politicians using AI to inquire into career high points, personal  
strengths, positive core and wishes for the future.

We hope that some might be willing to try promoting this approach  
with us... you all might like it!

We do.

Marge Schiller and Joyce Lemke
For the Positive Change Core

On May 1, 2008, at 10:03 PM, Jane Magruder Watkins wrote:

> Dear Nick: BRAVO!!!! I worked in Washington for many years in all  
> parts of
> the government and it is a city full of wonderful people committed  
> to making
> our country strong and healthy. I can't understand why people  
> believe the
> mess that the media puts out without checking for themselves first!  
> Thanks
> for your hopeful note.
>
> Appreciatively, Jane
>
> Jane Magruder Watkins & Ralph Kelly
> Appreciative Inquiry Unlimited
> An Organization Development Center for Teaching, Consulting and  
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> Magruder
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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 Nick Heap
> Sent: Wednesday, April 30, 2008 6:44 AM
> To: ailist at lists.business.utah.edu
> Subject: *****SPAM***** [Ailist] Loving Politicians etc
>
> I have had some thoughts about making the world a better place for  
> a long
> time and just wanted to share them with you. I have a feeling they  
> just
> could make a difference and be quite simple to do. I wonder what  
> you think?
>
> Love politicians
>
> This is a radical thought! Politicians are people so, however it  
> may appear,
> just like us they are always doing the best they can. It may not be  
> the best
> possible, but given their history and circumstances it is the best  
> they can
> at the time. So blaming and criticizing is no help. In any case,  
> you can't
> manage the past only learn from it.
>
> Politicians may enjoy exercising power, but so do we all. They do  
> decide to
> manage on our behalf anything that may happen. This is an awesome
> responsibility. All of them would earn much more in a less  
> demanding role.
>
> I would like to see us supporting and loving politicians rather than
> criticizing them personally. Challenging their ideas is fine. If we  
> elect
> them to help us, we should help them. One way might be to catch  
> them doing
> something right and send an appreciative note. Another might be to  
> offer
> some time or a listening ear. What do you think you could do?
>
> Finding the healthiest happiest people and discovering why and how
>
> Some people are both healthy and happy. They are not necessarily  
> "rich".
> There is no evidence that material wealth, beyond quite a modest  
> income,
> adds to either. It could be that these happy and healthy people are  
> doing
> some things, or thinking some things that directly contribute to  
> them being
> happy and healthy. If this is so, and we knew what it was, we could  
> choose
> to do the same.
>
> We could find some healthy and happy people and find out what they  
> do and
> how they think. Who knows, there might be simple things we could  
> all do.
>
> There are already some clues active churchgoing can add years to  
> active
> life. A positive attitude to ageing can do the same.
>
> Neighbours from heaven
>
> I get fed up and depressed by all the television programmes that  
> show people
> at their worst. They are typically called "Neighbours from hell". I  
> imagine
> the effect on the viewers is either to confirm their prejudices  
> that people
> are awful or that this is all you can expect from a particular  
> class or
> group of people. Neither is very productive.
>
> So, what about some programmes e g "Neighbours from Heaven" that  
> showed the
> best of people instead? These would show heart-warming stories of
> extraordinary generosity and kindness. Instead of depressing the  
> viewer,
> they would challenge and inspire her or him to do something  
> similar. This
> would increase the amount of positive energy and spirit. If might  
> encourage
> more of us to pay attention to good things, and then we would feel  
> better
> too.
>
> These are three of a longer list that is here
> http://makeyourworldhappy.blogspot.com/
>
> If you have any comments, or can suggest ways of progessing these  
> thoughts,
> I would be glad to hear them.
>
> Best wishes
>
> Nick
>
> Web: www.nickheap.co.uk
>
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>
> _______________________________________________
> The Appreciative Inquiry Discussion List is hosted by the David  
> Eccles School of Business at the University of Utah. Jack Brittain  
> is the list administrator. For subscription information, go to:
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