[Ailist] Deficit and Constructionist Approaches

[Rob Voyle]

Hi Brian

I think it is clearly a case or "both and" not "either or". However I think the issue 
is not about deficit versus constructionist in terms of process but the underlying 
philosophy or purpose these processes are put to use

I think what is more important is the underlying philosophy and culture in the 
organization. Is the essential culture of the organization alienating or accepting? 
In an alienating organization, blame, judgment, and punishment abound. Many 
organizations creat internally competitive situations, pitting employee against 
employee in win/lose situations. that is alienating they will feed on the problem 
approach, and want better processes to solve problems but they will be used in 
destructive ways of blame and punishment. Many in the alienating world will 
reject AI because it simplistic or "Pollyana-ish" ie it doesn't provide the one bit of 
useful information: tell them who to blame and punish.

In accepting organizations the underlying outlook is appreciative and 
collaborative rather than competitive. In such an organization it is possible to 
analyze problems. We can look at problems from the perspective of solutions and 
possibilities rather than blame and punishment. But if deep down our personal 
culture is alienating and we don't like it, we will reject the problem solving 
approaches because they take us to the place we don't like. We are likely to use 
appreciative processes because they keep us away from the place we haven't 
accepted and resolved.

Rob
  
Robert J. Voyle, Psy.D.
Director, Clergy Leadership Institute
For Coaching and Training in Appreciative Inquiry
Author: Core Elements of the Appreciative Way 
http://www.clergyleadership.com/
503-647-2378 or 503-647-2382  

On 19 Apr 2009 at 2:28, Brian Guest wrote:

> Perhaps some list members would like to comment on, or add their own
> experience or reflections to, the following argument on balancing
> the two approaches? 
> Thank you,
> Brian Guest
>  
>  
> Extract from "The Irrational Side of Change Management" by
> Carolyn Aiken and Scott Keller, McKinsey Quarterly April 2009:
>  
> It takes a story with both + and - to create real energy. 
>  
> The "deficit based" approach-which identifies the problem,
> analyzes what´s 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
> what´s wrong invokes blame and creates fatigue and resistance,
> doing little to engage people´s passion and experience.
>  
> This has led to the rise of the "constructionist based" 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 we´ve 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 "what´s wrong here?" (poorly performing
> businesses, silo-driven behavior, and so forth) head-on, as well as
> "imagining what might be" (number one or two in every business,
> openness, and accountability).
>  
> 
> 
>       
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