[Ailist] Re: Diversity of Thinking, and other articles
Mike Sands
msands at dccnet.com
Sat Nov 29 15:32:00 MST 2008
Magic happens when stories inspire stories
So Marge's story made me think of this:
In about 1998 I was "between jobs". And as part of "looking for my next
job" I did some Myers Briggs tests - and being me - I read a bit about
them - WOW I thought - this explains all that difficulty - I'm an ENTP
working in ISTJ jobs.
Maybe that was true - but it never really solved anything - not for me.
The real WOW - for me was when I read about THE QUESTION in an AI book. THE
QUESTION was of course - "Tell me about a time you had a wonderful time" -
THE QUESTION found a deep resonance with me because I had been studying NLP
(Neuro Linguistic Programming) and in NLP one person often asks that same
question. I had frequently been asked it - or asked it of other students -
a nd I had earned experientially that if you ask a person to tell you about
a time they had a good time - and if you listen with interest - and ask more
questions founded closely from their answers - your partner is likely to
become energetic, optimistic, confident and creative - and form a very nice
bond with you.
For me Myers Briggs - very nice try - but if I want to connect and go
forward with grace, ease, dignity and effectiveness - just ask - what gave
you a thrill. And once there is connection, trust, safety - then "borders,
breeds and birth" (and gender) melt away.
I used the process (approach?) yesterday - or a variation of it - in a
telephone conversation with the widow of a school friend. I had last seen
John 50 years ago - had never met Anne - but Anne and I connected, had a
good time - I am sure my interest in what she had to say lightened her
moments - and we will meet again.
I have often commented in this listserve that "parts of AI" can transform
relationships and lives It is this information I am trying to spread in
WWW.conversationsthatinspire.wetpaint.com. C'mpm over and have a look.
I also entered the idea into the Google 10 to 100 project under the title
"Conversations for Humanity" For the entry I put a video on Youtube - which
you can see at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7n2uDFT_rI My friends tell
me not to give up my day job - and I have a new respect for actors - even
this attempt of mine must have taken 20 "Takes"
And I recently gave a workshop to 17 people entitled "Conversations that
Help Each Other Flourish" - I'd be happy to share ideas from this program.
I honestly believe that all 17 people went away from the 2 hour workshop -
not as experts - but having had four experiences of conversations that
dramatically lifted their EOC levels - energy, optimism, and confidence.
I offer this stuff not as bragging - but in the hopes that we all can help
each other have lives worth loving.
Thanks for listening.
Mike
Mike
----- Original Message -----
From: "Marge Schiller" <margeschiller at yahoo.com>
To: "Leif Josefsson" <leif.josefsson at gmail.com>
Cc: "AI list AI List" <ailist at lists.business.utah.edu>
Sent: Saturday, November 29, 2008 6:16 AM
Subject: Re: [Ailist] Re: Diversity of Thinking, and other articles
Great Story!
I remember working with the CFO and his team from a major multinational.
When they were first introduced to MBTI the leader said "Oh that's
what you call all those annoying people- extroverts!"
His comments moved the team into a discovery of complementary
strengths and preferences.
What started as a destructive experience opened the door to wonderful
conversations.
Marge
On Nov 29, 2008, at 4:27 AM, Leif Josefsson wrote:
> It is now almost 10 years ago now that I worked with IBM. In "Customer
> Room", an internal project aimed at Global Account Teams I was one of the
> facilitators of a two day workshop. We worked with a "Team,Task,
> Technology" methodology working with the whole team during two days where
> the team worked with their mission and goals, looked into who they were
> and then do training in using the Lotus Notes application CustomerRoom
> helping they to collaborate as "One IBM"
>
> One of the elements of the CustomerRoom program was the MBTI test, used
> to illuminate and appreciate differences in type.
>
> A highlight was in the Peugeot/Citroen team in Paris where the Client
> Executive suddenly understood why he his recruitement to o his team was
> so succesful.. He was an IST.. type and had recruited a couple of ENT..
> in important positions. "Now I now why we are so good. It's because we
> are different!"
>
> But what I really wanted to share here are some images from the workshop
> with the IBM Account team working with the South African State IT
> organisation. This was in May 2000, and a most memorable experience.
> The team talked 7 different languages (portugese, german, africaans,
> english, zulu + two other native languages) - and were "proudly South
> African"
>
> As I had just come into contact with ideas around appreciative thinking,
> I exchanged the traditional "What are your expectations from these days"
> with a pair interview "Tell about a memorable moment where collaboration
> across borders at IBM meants success...". The pairs came back with
> wonderful stories about business wins and successful projects.
> I asked the question... "So if you at IBM uses your strengths and
> diversities, who can win over you?"
> The answer was "No one"
> "In that case, would you be intererested in exploring a tool to help you
> collaborate better?"
> Of course the answer to that was obvious.
>
> But back to the MBTI.....
> I documented the lineups we did and have kept the pictures from this
> workshop as a precious memory. Suddenly we see diversity in so many
> other ways than just color or background.
>
> Greetings from winter dark Stockholm
>
> Leif
>
> On Fri, Nov 28, 2008 at 11:28 PM, Marge Schiller <margeschiller at yahoo.com
> > wrote:
> Dear Teresa,
>
> About 30 years ago I was introduced to the Meyers Briggs Type Indicator
> (MBTI)
> That instrument and the Jungian foundation upon which it was built was
> my introduction to an appreciative inquiry into differences of
> perception, sorting, priority setting and decision making.
>
> MBTI celebrates diverse preferences as applied to work and home.
>
> For 50 years I've been married to an Introverted Sensor Thinker Judger
> (ISTJ)
> I'm an Extroverted Intuitive Thinker Perceiver (ENTP)
>
> Every day we are delighted and frustrated with how our different ways of
> thinking, working and problem solving play themselves out.
>
> Life (when we let it) is a laboratory for valuing differences.
>
> Read "Gifts Differing" or some of the extensive MBTI literature and you
> will get both theory and case examples.
> Enjoy.
>
> Marge
>
> Marjorie Schiller , PhD
>
> 49 Rockwood Road
> Hingham, MA 02043
> 781 749 4373
>
> 1057 Hillsboro Mile
> Hillsboro Beach
> Florida, 33062
> 954 788 3009
>
>
> On Nov 26, 2008, at 5:24 PM, Howard Ditkoff wrote:
>
> http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com/wp-content/themes/179/aschool012008.html
>
> Most of the time when we think about diversity we remember sex, gender ,
> and culture, though i am looking for articles were i can find the value
> of
> diversity of thinking, working, problem solving and others.
>
> Also looking for articles on diversity and emotional intelligence and AI.
>
> Can any one HELP?
>
> Teresa Chang Ramos
>
> _______________________________________________
> 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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>
> _______________________________________________
> 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:
> http://mailman.business.utah.edu:8080/mailman/listinfo/ailist
>
>
>
> --
> Leif Josefsson
> Förenklare / Facilitator
> LeanderLeander AB
> Communicate & Change
> Ölandsgatan 48 - 116 63 Stockholm - tel +46 (0)70-773 00 54
>
> www.leanderleander.com
> <Extravert Introvert.jpg><Sensing iNtuition.jpg><Thinking
> Feeling.jpg><Judging perceiving.jpg>
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