[Ailist] Positive Core of America: responsibility

[Leif Josefsson]

I have followed this thread with interest and, to be honest, in the
beginning also with irritation.  After a while, however, I finally find a
discussion on AI List that (in one way) takes a broader perspective and
actually connects to what is happening in the world/society of today. But I
wondered, why should I think of the positive core of just America?
For a while I was thinking about the possibility of launching a discussion
about "The positive core of Sweden"......  but I could not find this a
meaningful idea So I started to think about launching the thread "The
positive core of Europe" - at least that would create a broader perspective.
And I think about my experience from participation in the "European Network
around Appreciative Inquiry and strength based change" (also called
"Begeistring Organisations" | www.networkplace.eu | ) where we have talked a
lot about identity.  ("What is it about being European?  Is there a European
identity?  Yes, we think so - We are Europeans - and we are different...")

But then we often refer to ourselves as belonging to the "West" which
includes also Australia, New Zealand and, probably, Japan.    Last year I
found Kishore Mahbubani from Singapore who in his book "The rise of the
Eastern Hemispher" challenges the dominance of the west.  This speech caught
my interest last year.  Somewhat prophetic:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GEcXVbsEX8


Looking for "The positive core of America" in an international discussion
group creates dilemmas:

   - It puts all of us in a position where we have to relate to US as
   a center of the world. Less than 5% of the world's population are Americans
   (even if the US accounts for 50% of global military spending) And to put the
   country I live in a perspective, Sweden is 3% of America's population.  3%
   of 5%......
   - It assumes that a nation must have a "positive core"  - risking
   inquirying into conformity rather than diversity
   - Looking for the "positive" it might overshadow important, and possibly
   painful, changes needed.  Tax rises, role changes, behavior change, self
   identity change, economic discipline etc
   - Risk of having Appreciative Inquiry perceived just as another American
   Consulting Fad.

Something that has troubled me following the AI-list during quite some time
is the narrowing in on words connected with the words "positive" and
"happiness".   There are lots of situation in life where these words rather
would be limiting.

When I think of "Appreciative Inquiry" words like curiosity, interest,
compassion and engagement feel much more lifegiving to me.

If you have come this far, please do not see this as "America bashing" (and
Robin I do not criticize you for starting the discussion).  Apparently the
subject has aroused a lot of energy.  And one cannot blame Americans for the
rest of us being quiet.  So I would like to challenge both Europeans AND
"non Westerns" to engage in this discussion which could be reframed to
something like

   - "How could we look with Compassionate Engagement and Appreciative
   Curiousity to what is happening in the world today?
   - How could we look with a positive lens even if there is an inevitable
   world shift leading to decreased (relative) influence of America (and
   Europe) on the world
   - How can we use the mindsets, values and tools of Appreciative Inquiry
   to open up our perspective and to start exploring the world using the eyes,
   ears and minds of others.


And finally, my reflection on "the positive core":
There is no common core.  What I find most fascinating about the US is that
whatever you are looking for, you will find it.  It is the projection of
everyones wishes, fears, dreams. It has been a scapegoat or salvation in
minds of people around the world.  There is not one America. To me America
is a chaotic multiverse mixup where everybody happens to speak English. I
like it.

Thanks for listening This was my personal views. I am happy to belong to the
AI-List.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you are European or might come to Europe sometime, welcome to register on
www.networkplace.eu to the European Network around Appreciative Inquiry and
Strength Based Change.
http://www.networkplace.eu/web/page.aspx?pageid=14071

The next European network meeting is in Barcelona April 23-24 - more
information here:
http://www.networkplace.eu/web/page.aspx?pageid=14110&eventid=4559&page=1



On Tue, Mar 10, 2009 at 11:24 PM, Madelyn Blair <pelerei at mac.com> wrote:

> As I read through what Mary Alice wrote, I had to share with you a story
> that I gave at a January AI event in Washington, DC.
>
> Living Appreciatively
>
> At the very first meeting of this group that Deb started, she asked if I
> would do something on story. I decided to do something from my work with
> Stories inside Words. I told of the project that I am working on to gather
> stories from peacemakers and the opening set of stories from three
> ambassadors who told stories inspired by words to the preamble to the
> Charter of the UN. We played a bit with how words become more alive when
> stories are told that came from their inspiration. Then I asked the group to
> tell stories inspired by either the word enquiry or appreciation.
>
> As I listened to the stories, I wondered where this one was going. Could
> people be so used to the words appreciative inquiry that they would not be
> able to find something new in themselves? Would all of their stories be of
> how they used AI? Would the words remain the same to me even after hearing
> all the stories? I just didn’t know what would happen.
>
> Every other time I have used the Stories inside Words exercise, the
> participants were excited about the words. They are usually words from
> mission statements or vision statements. I usually begin with asking them to
> tell stories inspired by words from mission statements of famous
> corporations like Niki or Mary Kay or Lego. They have fun with the words,
> and they see the words come alive in new ways. So, by the time they began to
> tell stories from their own mission statement, they are having fun, and they
> are practiced in finding the stories. But with the AI group, we wouldn’t
> have time to do this extra step. I had to rely on my belief that stories
> inside words would enliven in any event.
>
> I began to listen to the stories about appreciation or enquiry. The stories
> were mixed together. As they told their stories, I began to jot down points
> in their stories. One by one, the stories began to reveal things about the
> speakers. Perhaps the story was about a family member who had a habit of
> asking questions about everything. Perhaps the story was about something
> earlier in their career when someone gave them a real break that set them on
> the right track. Just as we find in AI work, the response to questions or
> the telling of the story ‘of the time when’ are revealing about a lot of
> things. But was there some kernel of something new here? I recognized my own
> dreariness with the words appreciative inquiry. I had been using that phrase
> for almost 10 years. I had written about them. I had worked through them. I
> had taught about them. Would there be something new for me?
>
> I didn’t see it at first. Perhaps because time was running out (I did this
> in an amazingly short period of time.) and so my thinking cap never got put
> on right and no new thoughts were coming to me. But the group was happier
> and happier about what they were seeing in the stories. They certainly got
> the point. They could see that stories enlivened words. But what about me?
>
> The next day, I began to write up the notes from the session. I typed each
> phrase, word, and note that I had made. Then as I got toward the end of the
> list, I felt that tingle of excitement start deep inside. Yes, there was
> something new there. Word after word just kept adding to the excitement that
> was growing in me. And suddenly, there it was. The stories about
> appreciation were about compassion – every story had some aspect in it. The
> stories about enquiry were about the interaction between two people who were
> engaged with each other in some form of conversation. That was it –
> compassionate engagement.
>
> Compassionate engagement. I had it. This was new to me. Suddenly, AI became
> something entirely revitalized. We engage compassionately with others in
> compassionate engagement. I have never felt the same about AI since then.
>
> Now, the new words allowed me to broaden my view of, my use of this
> philosophy. I could design retreats, surveys, or interview protocols;
> conduct conversations, briefings, or discussions; teach, coach, or advise
> with my full attention on the others in the room (engagement) and with good
> intentions toward the other (a compassionate heart).
>
> These two new words were now fresh and alive to me. They also became
> measures of my intended actions and actual actions. Easy and simple. Be
> there for the other person with a desire to be helpful and affirming.
>
> I recently conducted some interviews for a book I am writing. The
> interviews were about how the persons perceived me. Here is one of the
> statements I recorded: “You always bring a strong desire to understand
> fully, to assure that the framework is clear, yet you give comfort to others
> while you do it.”
>
> Compassionate engagement has become my guide post.
>
> M. Blair, January 2009
>
>
> Madelyn Blair, Ph.D.
> Pelerei, Inc.
> Turning Vision into Reality
> www.pelerei.com
> 301-371-7100
> 301-371-7957 (fax)
> 301-471-8721 (mobile)
> Skype ID: madelynblair
>
>
>
> On Mar 9, 2009, at 5:55 PM, Mary-Alice Arthur wrote:
>
>  Hello all!
>>
>> I've been following this thread with interest.  I'd like to add to the
>> conversation about 'responsibility' the two words 'connectedness' and
>> 'engagement', because I think they help to grow the capacity for
>> response-ability.
>>
>> In November last year I was in Japan, one of a facilitator team at an
>> international development conference.  We were working on the 10 UN themes
>> and my facilitation partner and I were leading the group on 'Disconnection
>> and Barriers to Engagement'.  Now all of the themes are stated in this
>> negative way, which makes them very difficult to get excited about and
>> even
>> harder to feel like there is hope or an answer.  It didn't surprise me at
>> all that the sign announcing our space fell off on the first day and would
>> not allow itself to become reattached to the wall!
>>
>> Through the five days the group worked on this topic, we had very
>> interesting conversations, and one stayed with me.  The group had been
>> asked
>> to take part in an Appreciative interview in twos and we had one group of
>> three.  The two young women in the trio agreed they got connected with
>> other
>> people first, then they got engaged.  The young man said he got engaged
>> first, then he got connected.  They drew a little circular diagram that
>> connected the words 'connection' and 'engagement'.
>>
>> They then went further and defined 'connection' as something that happens
>> to
>> you -- a feeling.  You can become connected to something or someone
>> without
>> even being able to understand it.  'Engagement' however, they defined as
>> an
>> action; acting on the connection you feel.  I had never heard it defined
>> so
>> simply.
>>
>> The group went on the put ME/WE as the central part of our work (and if
>> you
>> can imagine ME on top of WE you will see that they are actually
>> reflections
>> of each other in word form).  We came to the conclusion that if ME and WE
>> are beautiful reflections of each other and individual and community
>> well-being are beautiful reflections of each other, then the world is a
>> beautiful place.
>>
>> This seems very simple, but, in fact is a very radical idea, if you place
>> it
>> in Japan, where WE dominates and overpowers ME or the in the US, were ME
>> overwhelms and overshadows WE.
>>
>> Years ago there was a cover story on FAST COMPANY about Yahoo called 'Love
>> is the killer app'.  I believe it is so. If we loved enough there would be
>> no power plays at work.  If we loved enough there would be no war.  If we
>> loved enough there would be no hunger or global desolation through our
>> actions.  Imagine a business where leaders loved what they were doing,
>> where
>> people loved each other into their best expression, where people loved
>> working and clients loved doing business.  This would be the type of world
>> where we would naturally take responsibility because it would be an
>> outpouring of our love.
>>
>> Loving enough IS a radical act.  I am continually asking myself whether I
>> am
>> up to it.
>>
>> Blessings,
>>
>> Mary Alice
>>
>>
>>
>> Mary-Alice Arthur
>> SOAR
>> PO Box 10-868
>> Wellington
>> New Zealand
>> mobile:  +64-21-687-627
>> email:  mary-alice at getsoaring.com
>> web:  http://www.getsoaring.com
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
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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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>



-- 
Leif Josefsson
Förenklare / Facilitator
LeanderLeander AB
Communicate & Change
Ölandsgatan 48 - 116 63 Stockholm - tel +46 (0)70-773 00 54

www.leanderleander.com