[Ailist] Deficit and Constructionist Approaches

[Bruce Elkin]

Extract from ³The Irrational Side of Change Management² by Carolyn Aiken and
Scott Keller, McKinsey Quarterly April 2009:
>  
> It takes a story with both + and ­ to create real energy.
>  
> The ³deficit based² approach‹which identifies the problem, analyzes what¹s
> wrong and how to fix it, plans, and then takes action‹has become the model
> predominantly taught in business schools and is presumably the default change
> model in most organizations. Research has shown, however, that a story focused
> on what¹s wrong invokes blame and creates fatigue and resistance, doing little
> to engage people¹s passion and experience.
>  
> This has led to the rise of the ³constructionist based² approach to change,
> where the change process is based on discovery (discovering the best of what
> is), dreaming (imagining what might be), designing (talking about what should
> be), and destiny (creating what will be). The problem with this approach is
> that an overemphasis on the positive can lead to watered down aspirations and
> impact.
>  
> The reason is that, as humans, we are more willing to take risks to avoid
> losing what we¹ve got than we are to gain something more. Some anxiety is
> useful when it comes to spurring behavioral change. We believe the field of
> change management has drawn an artificial divide between deficit-based and
> constructionist-based approaches and stories.
>  
> While it is impossible to prescribe generally how the divide should be split
> between positive and negative messages (as it will be specific to the context
> of any given change program), we strongly advise managers not to swing the
> pendulum too far in one direction or another. Consider Jack Welch, former CEO
> at GE, who took questions of ³what¹s wrong here?² (poorly performing
> businesses, silo-driven behavior, and so forth) head-on, as well as ³imagining
> what might be² (number one or two in every business, openness, and
> accountability).
>  

Great post., Brian,
It pinpoints what I think is a flaw in AI ‹ the reluctance to look clearly
into reality, in order to avoid negatives. But you don¹t have to judge
reality, you can just describe it as it is ‹ accurately and objectively.

Then the gap between envisioned results and current reality sets up a useful
creative tension that both energizes and guides (contains) actions.

This is the basis of the creating process ‹ the ACT of creating ‹ that has
served creators so well over the millennia. The ³both/and² structure of
creating is powerful enough to embrace and transcend the aspects of current
reality that we mistakenly call ³problems² -- and  to use them as the raw
material for creating what matters.

Great stuff. Thanks for posting this.

Cheers!
Bruce
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BRUCE ELKIN: Helping You Create What Matters Most‹
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