From kzeno1 at comcast.net Thu Oct 1 08:12:58 2009 From: kzeno1 at comcast.net (Kenneth Zeno) Date: Thu, 1 Oct 2009 10:12:58 -0400 Subject: [Ailist] Survey of Dialogue and Deliberation Practitioners In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <33AF12EA-F421-4DCB-820E-397F8D207356@comcast.net> Dear Caroline and and others, The Public Conversations Project (PCP) in Cambridge, MA is a non- profit group that you and others may appreciate. I have attended their Facilitation workshop on dialogue and it was outstanding. Take a look at their website. Also, you may want to contact Alison at the PCP and ask her the questions you raise since they have trained hundreds of people. They have an upcoming workshop in Seattle October 16-18th on the Power of Dialogue. Wishing you success with your project. Ken PUBLIC CONVERSATIONS PROJECT: http://www.publicconversations.org/main POWER OF DIALOGUE: http://www.publicconversations.org/workshops/pod Staying Grounded When on The Spot: http://www.publicconversations.org/workshops/stayinggrounded Kenneth Zeno, MA, MAT, PhD Cand. Director Center for Health & Human Development 4850 Sherwood Forest Drive Delray Beach, FL 33445 561-865-4593 Family, Life Coach and Facilitator FL Supreme Court Certified Mediator On Sep 30, 2009, at 10:14 AM, Caroline Lee wrote: > For those on this list who use dialogue and deliberation methods in > their > practice, the following survey might be of interest. Please contact > me off > list if you have any questions, and apologies in advance for any > cross-posting. We will plan on sharing our results with the list. > Thanks in > advance for your time! Caroline Lee > > -- > Survey of Dialogue and Deliberation Practitioners > > Will you help us to learn more about the field of dialogue and > deliberation-- and possibly win a cash prize for your favorite > charitable > organization? > > The field of public dialogue and deliberation is growing > dramatically-- so > dramatically, in fact, that no one fully knows what the field looks > like: > who is doing public dialogue and deliberation work, what forms their > work > is taking, what common challenges they face, how they would like to > see > The field develop. We are two sociologists who want to find answers > to > those questions by asking you, the experts. > > We believe that your insights will help to strengthen the field, and > we > plan to share whatever information we learn. The survey at the link > below > will take about 15 to 30 minutes to complete. Your answers will be > anonymous, but we will enter a charitable organization of your > choice in a > raffle for a $200 donation-- a small token of our appreciation for > your > participation. > > Thanks in advance for your help in making the survey a success! > > Francesca Polletta and Caroline Lee > > Click on this link: > > https://opinio.lafayette.edu:443/opinio/s?s=1176 > > > _______________________________________________ > 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 From colette at insightshift.com Thu Oct 1 08:20:38 2009 From: colette at insightshift.com (Colette Herrick) Date: Thu, 1 Oct 2009 08:20:38 -0600 Subject: [Ailist] Upcoming Salt Lake City Appreciative Inquiry Workshop: From Principles to Practice, Dec 1-3, 2009 Message-ID: Greetings All, Please join Insight Shift and Shared Sun Studio for a three-day Appreciative Inquiry Workshop: From Principles to Practice, in Salt Lake City, Utah, December 1-3, 2009. The workshop is open to only fourteen participants and provides a strong foundation for integrating the principles and practices of Appreciative Inquiry into organizational and community projects as well as daily life and leadership! Given the size of the workshop, there is abundant time for supporting each participant in a rich learning experience! Please click here to view the workshop details or feel free to contact Colette Herrick at colette at insightshift.com or Sallie Lee at sallie at sharedsun.net for more information! Kind Regards, Colette ______________________________ Colette Herrick, Managing Principal Insight Shift, putting insights into action 175 W 200 S, Suite 1004, SLC, UT 84101 (o) 801.531.1203 (m) 801.557.8670 www.insightshift.com Integral Leadership Coaching Team Training and Coaching Innovation and Collaboration Consulting ____________________________ "The important thing is to not stop questioning...Never lose a holy curiosity." - Albert Einstein From sandy at THATAWAY.ORG Thu Oct 1 10:09:29 2009 From: sandy at THATAWAY.ORG (Sandy Heierbacher) Date: Thu, 1 Oct 2009 12:09:29 -0400 Subject: [Ailist] [NCDD-UPDATES] news and opportunities in dialogue, deliberation and public engagement Message-ID: <2E403920-0247-4917-AC71-7134DF3F8239@thataway.org> Update from T H A T A W A Y. O R G - Home of the National Coalition for Dialogue & Deliberation - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Hi, all! Thought I'd send out a quick "September" update message so I can bring your attention to a few things... 1. Important survey for dialogue, deliberation and public engagement professionals Two NCDD members who are respected scholars in this field - Francesca Polletta and Caroline Lee - are administering an important survey of dialogue and deliberation professionals. If enough professionals in D&D and public engagement respond to this survey, the data gathered will be of incredible value for our field. The field of public dialogue and deliberation is growing dramatically-- so dramatically, in fact, that no one fully knows what the field looks like: - Who is doing public dialogue and deliberation work? - What forms is their work taking? - What common challenges are they facing? - How would they like to see the field develop? Caroline and Francesca are two sociologists who want to find answers to those questions by asking you, the experts. They believe that your insights will help to strengthen the field, and plan to share the data they collect with the NCDD network. The survey at the link below will take about 15 to 30 minutes to complete. Your answers will be anonymous, but if you complete the survey they will enter a charitable organization of your choice in a raffle for a $200 donation. The survey is up at https://opinio.lafayette.edu:443/opinio/s?s=1176 and I encourage all of you who do dialogue & deliberation work to take the time to complete it asap. 2. Healthcare town halls inspire practitioners to create resources on what _quality_ engagement really looks like Those of you who aren't members of NCDD and don't regularly check our blog at thataway.org may not be aware of the public engagement field's response to the recent town halls on healthcare held across the U.S. The town halls, for the most part, were great examples of how NOT to engage the public in contentious issues, and many in our field used this as an opportunity to tell citizens, public officials, community leaders and others about what quality public engagement looks like, and what it can accomplish. We had a juicy discussion on the NCDD-Discussion list (our main listserv) about what our field can do in this kind of situation and what advice we can offer. Based in large part on that discussion, I created (with the feedback and input of NCDDers) a series of three articles about "upgrading the way we do politics" and a one-page flyer for decision-makers. We made them available to the network and encouraged people to share them on their blogs and newsletters, edit them and submit them to their local papers as letters to the editor, and print them and share them with public officials and others. - You can view my longer article on the Yes! Magazine site at www.yesmagazine.org/democracy/upgrading-the-way-we-do-politics/ - You can download the one-page flyer from www.thataway.org/files/NCDD_Town_Hall_Tips_08-09.pdf - And you can see the shorter versions of the article by following the links at www.thataway.org/?p=1644 If you'd like to be a part of future such discussions, I invite you to become a member of NCDD. Go to www.thataway.org/join to complete the membership form. You can also see a list of some of the other articles, posts, etc. folks in our field have published in response to the recent health care town halls at www.thataway.org/?p=1644. I tried to stay on top of what was being published where, and there are links to articles by people like Jim Fishkin, Pete Peterson and Noelle McAffee, radio programs featuring Peter Levine and Martin Carcasson, statements from the organizations behind the Strengthening Our Nation's Democracy events, and more. 3. GSA Office of Citizen Services & Communications releases jaw- dropping newsletter on citizen engagement in gov't The U.S. General Services Administration's (GSA's) Office of Citizen Services & Communications just released its Intergovernmental Solutions Newsletter, which is organized around the theme of "Engaging Citizens in Government." Not your typical newsletter, this 43-page PDF document includes article after article written by public and private sector leaders in our field (including NCDD members Carolyn Lukensmeyer, Matt Leighninger, Jed Miller and Mike McGrath). The Office of Citizen Services & Communications serves as the nation?s focal point for information and services offered by the federal government, and conveys information about GSA to federal employees and external audiences, including the media, agency customers, stakeholders, and the American public. Check out the mouth-watering (for people like me, anywho) table of contents: - Increasing Citizen Engagement in Government - By the People, For the People - Citizen Engagement - National Dialogues Build Communities - Believable Change: A Reality Check on Online Participation? - Reinventing We the People - Data is Not Democracy - Could Citizens Run the White House Online? - E-Petitions Preserves an Old British Tradition - My better Estonia - Participatory Lawmaking in Brazil - Brazil and Argentina: From Participatory Budgeting to e- Participatory Budgeting - Pew: Well-off and Well-educated Are More Likely to Engage - Public Engagement on Fairfax Countys Budget - Citizen Engagement in Oakland County - Washington Goes to Mr. Smith: The Changing Role of Citizens in Policy Development - Ohio Redistricting Competition - Planning for Citizen Engagement - Potholes and PDAs - New Media Makers Pioneer Novel Forms of News - Putting Your Audience to Work: EPAs Radon Video Contest - A Millennial Model of Civic Engagement - Emerging Themes for Effective Online Citizen Engagement - The Importance of Open Web Standards in the Move to Open and Transparent Government Download the newsletter at www.usaservices.gov/pdf_docs/EngagingCitizensII.pdf 4. Headlines from the News & Perspectives blog Aside from all kinds of stuff on the healthcare town halls and some discounts and dialogues (like the CDC's recent online dialogue on the H1N1 vaccination) that have passed, here are a few recent posts to the NCDD blog (at thataway.org) that may be of interest... - Must-Read NY Times Article on Civic Participation, Open Gov?t and Social Media by Anand Giridharadas - 10% NCDD Discount for National MultiCultural Institute Conference - Free Nat?l Civic Review issue on decision-making in local government - Inroads Made in Mormon-Evangelical Relations - Watch It Again? The Gorgeous Photo Journal from the Austin NCDD Conference You can stay on top of NCDD blog posts by signing up for our Feedburner feed in the left sidebar at thataway.org or by joining the NCDD group in LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=990997 5. Discounts on top-notch trainings and conferences for dues-paying NCDD members NCDD members who pay the membership fee (only $50 for individuals or $100 for orgs!) can take advantage of discounted rates for dozens of upcoming trainings and programs offered by our partners. Many of the discounts we've negotiated for you save you hundreds of dollars. Visit www.thataway.org/discounts for details on the programs (including cost and how to register). Or go to www.thataway.org/join to become one of our dues-paying members and benefit from these great discounts! We've also been negotiating special NCDD rates for members who attend leading conferences in our field, like the recent IAP2 conference in San Diego. Here are two great upcoming conferences that are welcoming NCDD members with open arms: 2009 National MultiCultural Institute (NMCI) Conference NMCI is offering a 10% discount for dues-paying NCDD members attending the Diversity Leadership Institute and Emerging Issues Forum. Depending on what you are interested in attending, that?s a savings of up to $97 for nonprofits and individuals, or $145 for corporate attendees. NMCI?s 2009 conference, ?Forging New Pathways for Diversity and Inclusion: Building Skills for Collaboration and Dialogue,? takes place November 18-21 at the Marriott Crystal City in Arlington, Virginia. If you are interested in professional development and dialogue on cutting-edge diversity and inclusion issues, the NMCI conference is for you. NCDD is an official sponsor of the conference. Sandy Heierbacher, NCDD?s Director, helped design and organize the innovative Emerging Issues Forum on November 18th, a day-long event designed to convene engage leaders from different sectors and disciplines in thoughtful dialogue on controversial diversity and equity issues they face in their organizations, communities, and greater society. NCDD members David Campt and Leilani Henry will help this session succeed, using electronic keypads and Playback Theatre techniques (respectively) to enable top thought leaders in diversity and inclusion to identify and explore the major challenges they face, now and in the future, in achieving their goals of a truly equitable and inclusive society. Learn more about NMCI and this year?s training program at www.nmci.org or download the PDF program at www.nmci.org/documents/NMCIProgramFinalWebVersion.pdf . 4th Annual International Conference on ?Engaging the Other? NCDD is Co-Sponsoring the 4th Annual International Conference on ?ENGAGING THE OTHER:? The Power of Compassion, which will take place November 12-15, 2009 in San Francisco (San Mateo), California, USA. This international, multi-cultural, multi-disciplinary conference examines concepts of ?The OTHER? from a universal, cross-cultural perspective to promote wider public dialogue about concepts of ?Us and Them.? We encourage all NCDDers interested in conflict resolution and intergroup relations to attend! Registration is discounted for NCDD members ($290 rather than $350 for the early rate, which is good until October 12th). This extraordinary conference will address the roots of fear-based belief systems and stereotypes, prejudice, polarization, enemy images, and artificial barriers of misunderstanding and distrust that divide us. Learn more at www.cbiworld.org/Pages/Conferences_ETO.htm -- As always, email me at sandy at thataway.org with announcements for the blog or to inquire about partnership opportunities. Good luck with all you are doing! Best, Sandy Sandy Heierbacher Director, National Coalition for Dialogue & Deliberation (NCDD) e: sandy at thataway.org p: 717-243-5144 w: www.thataway.org -- NCDD Social Media... FaceBook group: www.groups.to/ncdd/ LinkedIn group: www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=990997 Twitter: www.twitter.com/ncdd YouTube: www.thataway.org/6fa6ec (public playlists of NCDD videos and D&D videos in general) Flickr: www.flickr.com/search/?q=ncdd2008 (over 400 photos from the last NCDD conference) My Social Media... FaceBook: www.facebook.com/heierbacher LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sandyheierbacher Twitter: www.twitter.com/heierbacher -- The "dialogue and deliberation community" is a rapidly growing community of practice dedicated to solving group and societal problems through honest talk, quality thinking and collaborative action. NCDD provides the infrastructure needed in this community so we can work together to increase both our individual and our collective impact. To unsubscribe from this monthly update message on news and opportunities for the dialogue & deliberation community, send a blank email to NCDD-Updates-signoff-request at lists.thataway.org or email joy at thataway.org and ask to be removed from the updates. --- NCDD's discussion and announcement lists are generously provided by L-Soft ( www.lsoft.com ) and are powered by L-Soft's LISTSERV mailing list management software ( www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html ). Learn more about NCDD's email lists in the community section of the NCDD website ( www.thataway.org/community/lists/ ). From relationshipresources at fuse.net Thu Oct 1 14:58:30 2009 From: relationshipresources at fuse.net (relationshipresources at fuse.net) Date: Thu, 1 Oct 2009 16:58:30 -0400 Subject: [Ailist] DON'T MISS THIS! Bargain Fares and Good Stuff before/after amazing AI conference in Kathmandu Message-ID: <17670422.1254430711136.JavaMail.root@wmvirt11> Hello all I am unsure whether health issues will allow my travel - am being treated for hip problems but I am working hard to make the trip. My question is whether or not anyone is flying from the midwest or east and would like a travel companion - I will be flying alone and would find the long flight easier doing it with someone. I am NOT asking for physical assistance just companionship. :-) I am especially interested in taking advantage of the flights Malcolm has mentioned. thanks for your kind reply in advance. Joan -- Joan Colleran Hoxsey D.Min., MSed Principal, Relationship Resources LLC Co-owner AIC 513 681-2513 "Be the change you wish to see in the world"...Gandhi ---- MALCOLM ODELL wrote: > MESSAGE TO SHARE WITH ALL YOUR FRIENDS, COLLEAGUES, AND CO-WORKERS.... > 'DO IT NOW!' > > Hi Folks! > > I've just been checking the web and catching up with my mail about the > amazing 2009 International Appreciative Inquiry, conference in > Kathmandu in Nepal... and want you to know there are cheap flights out > there... cheap hotels in Kathmandu... and a remarkable agenda of > global giants and hands-on practitioners from around the world ready > to share their powerful stories... > > Then there are the Elephant Safaris, Meditation Retreats, and mind- > bending flights around Everest and treks around Annapurna to book > before/after.... Our friends are making their bookings now.... and > they want you to join them... scroll down for just a couple of > examples... (One of our friends is joining a meditation retreat, too, > but I can't find her message just now... ) > > Today's flights on Kayak, Expedia, Orbitz and/or Cheapoair start at > $999... cluster around $1500.... not many over $1900 -- Qatar is a > good, reliable airline, too... Hotels in Ktm from $40-75... Elephant > safaris with lodge, meals, everything... run about $100 per day.... > You can't stay home for the holidays for what it costs to get to Nepal > for that 'trip of a lifetime...!!' > > If you haven't signed up already, YOU MUST NOT MISS THIS!! > Remember: our full registration fee, all inclusive for conference > activities, is a fraction of what conferences like this normally go > for... Ours is what I call, "A bargain even if it were twice the price:" > > > Marcia will be introducing you to some of the amazing WORTH women who, > with the help of AI/APA have not only kept their 1,000 village banks > going through that decade of Maoist rebellion (Now long behind us!), > but--on their own--increased the number of women in the program and > quadrupled their savings/assets to an average of $1,300 per group... > (These women are NOT poor any more!) You can also join us after the > conference to visit the women in their villages... and take in > elephant safaris in the morning and evening... > > Or sign up via website or with folks below, to join other 'once-in-a- > lifetime' adventures. > Remember my APA mottos: > If you look for problems, you find and create more problems > If you look for success, you find and create more success > If you believe in your dreams, you create miracles... > So.. believe in your dream, book your flights, register on our > website... > > And... as we say at the end of all our APA meetings: > DO IT NOW! > > Looking forward! > Mac (and Marcia) Odell > > >> > >> > >>> From: "Sue James" > >>> Date: September 22, 2009 6:54:49 AM EDT > >>> To: macodell at verizon.net > >>> Subject: Joining you after the conference for Chitwan and day > >>> visits to WORTH groups > >>> Reply-To: > >>> > >>> Dear Mac > >>> > >>> I saw your post to the AI list re an excursion after the > >>> conference .. you said: > >>> > >>> "I expect we'd head straight for Chitwan after the closing of the > >>> conference... Spend one or two nights at Machan Safari Lodge near > >>> Chitwan, morning and evening elephant rides through the jungle > >>> searching for elusive Bengal Tiger... (miracle if we see one, but > >>> we will see lots of rhino, deer, wart hogs, monkeys, birds, etc. > >>> etc. etc.. ) Day visits to WORTH groups in the vicinity... We'll > >>> have a plan worked out with STS, Kesang and Kaldhen Sherpa, and > >>> let any and all interested folks know details." > >>> > >>> Chris and I have planned to stay on for a few days after the > >>> conference to see some of the sights and we'd LOVE to join you and > >>> be a part of this. > >>> > >>> However I do need some information about dates, as we are juggling > >>> finalising our accommodation in Khatmandu through Yeti Travels - > >>> and may need to change the date of our flight home? > >>> > >>> We already have booked our flights and paid our airfares and, at > >>> the moment, our return flight to Australia leaves Kathmandu on the > >>> 23rd at 1.00 pm. It may be possible to extend this to a later day > >>> with no penalty, but this would need to be done as soon as possible. > >>> > >>> I've also been in email contact with Suja at Yeti Travels to > >>> reserve our accommodation at the Kathmandu Guest House during the > >>> conference - but have tentatively booked our rooms right through > >>> until we leave .. Which of course is not what we want if we'll be > >>> heading out of Kathmandu and staying elsewhere during the days > >>> following the conference. :) > >>> > >>> So I do need to know with some urgency whether we'll be able to > >>> join you - in other words the dates you're planning for this trip > >>> and when we'd return to Kathmandu so we can fly home.. :) Then > >>> I'll be able to confirm our accommodation booking with Yeti > >>> Travels and - if need be - seek to change the date of our return > >>> flight. > >>> > >>> Waiting with bated breath ... and looking forward to hearing from > >>> you. :) > >>> > >>> Warmly > >>> Sue > >>> > >>> Sue James > >>> Facilitator and Consultant > >>> Ph: +613 9758 2528 > >>> BJ Seminars International > >>> inspiring and connecting people > >>> www.bjseminars.com.au > >>> Twitter: SueJ1 > >>> Blog: www.suejames.com > >> This is fabulous... the adventure.... > >> > >> Adrienne, thank you for sharing your research and plans and Mac for > >> yours as well. I am still searching and wondering who might be > >> interested in an excursion post conference 20th - 23rd, which is > >> such a short time, so I am open to extend. Adrienne your options > >> were pre-conference. Are your travel plans set? > >> > >> Mac, what are the dates you are thinking of for the visit to > >> Chitwan and meeting the WORTH women and how long? > >> > >> Wondering who'd be interested in Nagarkot to see glimpses of Mt > >> Everest at sunrise and sunset? The following tour accommodates > >> such dreams. > >> > >> The 3 day tour of Swayambhunath & Kathmandu City > >> Day 1: Half day sightseeing of Swayambhunath & Kathmandu City > >> Day 2: After breakfast drive to Nagarkot enroute stop at Bhaktapur. > >> Overnight at Nagarkot. > >> Day 3: After breakfast drive back to Kathmandu enroute stop at > >> Pashupatinath & Bouddhanath for sightseeing. > >> > >> I am open to all ideas and am aware of a number of great people in > >> Nepal who do this for a living and can guide us. Traveling with > >> companions will add to the joy. Please feel free to use my > >> personal email to contact me. > >> > >> Kind regards to all. > >> > >> Robyn > >> > >> Robyn Stratton-Berkessel > >> www.positivematrix.com > >> +1 732 291 0462 > >> +1 732 939 8239 (mobile) > >> Skype: robynsb > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> Malcolm Odell wrote: > >>> Dear Adrienne, > >>> > >>> This is just the best news! > >>> > >>> And just what I have hoped some of our conference attendees would > >>> be doing... great opportunity... and The Annapurna Conservation > >>> Area is one of my favorites, and truly will make a world class > >>> experience... I know it will be a trip of a lifetime. > >>> > >>> I presume you have your bookings already finalized, but if not, be > >>> sure to check out options through my best friends in Nepal for > >>> over 40 years, Kaldhen Sherpa and his family's Sherpa Trekking > >>> Service... First in Nepal and, in my view, the best of all such > >>> teams. > >>> > >>> Sherpa Trekking Service is on our website for the Conference at > >>> http://www.charitiesandchallenges.com/index.php?function=page&type=internal&id=90 > >>> and/or contact Kesang Sherpa at > >>> > >>> I hope many others will be similarly inspired..... > >>> > >>> We're planning options for people to come meet the WORTH women in > >>> Chitwan right after the conference... and connect that with a > >>> visit to the Royal Chitwan National Park... elephant safaris > >>> through the amazing jungles that are the home of the Royal Bengal > >>> Tiger... Maybe you'd like to stay on after the conference and join > >>> us there, too?! > >>> > >>> Looking forward!! > >>> With all best wishes, > >>> Mac Odell > >>> ----------------------------- > >>> At 10:59 AM -0700 9/18/09, Adrienne Keane (akeane) wrote: > >>>> Greetings World AI Conference Attendees! > >>>> I will be attending the AI conference and have decided to come > >>>> early and plan a trek. I am exploring options and have found a > >>>> good itinerary in Annapurna region would leave Kathmandu on 11/9 > >>>> and return on 11/15. I am looking for others to join me and form > >>>> a group. Alternatively, is anyone else looking for another member > >>>> for their group or know of an organized trek during this time? > >>>> > >>>> Please email me at akeane at cisco.com if you are interested or have > >>>> helpful information. > >>>> Thanks and see you in Nepal! > >>>> > >>>> Adrienne Keane > >>>> > >>>> Program Manager > >>>> Employee Engagement > >>>> Cisco Systems, Inc > >>>> Phone: 408-526-4333 > >>>> Cell: 714-394-5950 > >>>> Home: 714-963-8756 > >>>> > >>>> "My experience is what I agree to attend to." > >>>> William James > >>>> > >>> > > > > _______________________________________________ > 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 From Capela2 at aol.com Thu Oct 1 18:09:52 2009 From: Capela2 at aol.com (Capela2 at aol.com) Date: Thu, 1 Oct 2009 20:09:52 EDT Subject: [Ailist] using AI within a large organization Message-ID: To All: I was asked the question below, does anyone have any examples or ideas that might work? I was intrigued about the process of appreciative inquiry and wondered if there was any way to incorporate the concepts of AI into a survey? Have you ever done this? If so would you be willing to provide me with some examples of how questions would be structured? Given our organizational structure it is difficult to pull focus groups together anytime we want feedback from our community and need to rely upon surveys to a certain extent. I really like the concepts of AI and find it extremely well connected to our organizational values, and yet wonder if it can only be utilized in a face to face setting. Stan Capela From mail at sachinchavan.com Thu Oct 1 23:43:29 2009 From: mail at sachinchavan.com (Sachin Chavan) Date: Fri, 2 Oct 2009 11:13:29 +0530 Subject: [Ailist] using AI within a large organization In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <36F06CB37AEA4EF7B9D439ADA02B58E5@SachinNotebook> Stan, Working on identifying core competence of an organisation, learning from its successes is one of the best applications of AI in the organisational context. You could read more on Core Competencies from Prahlad and Hamel's books 'The Core Competencies of the Corporation' and 'Competing for the Future'. There are some free essays by them at: http://www.oppapers.com/subjects/core-competencies-prahalad-hamel-page1.html Further, AI can be used to facilitate almost every OD (org. development) intervention. And finally, AI forms the latest of the approaches towards 'leadership development' through identifying the axis/purpose for an individual and aligning around it... And helping others find theirs (Stephen Covey's '8th Habit' for eg.) David Cooperrider, who popularised AI is himself a management professor. Read some on AI processing in organisations at http://www.bnet.com/2403-13059_23-216764.html There is a case on AI in Business Renewal at John Deere. You can download from: http://appreciativeinquiry.case.edu/uploads/John%20Deere%20Case3.doc Hope that helps. Regards, Sachin Sachin Chavan www.sachinchavan.com -----Original Message----- From: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu [mailto:ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu] On Behalf Of Capela2 at aol.com Sent: 02 October 2009 05:40 AM To: ailist at lists.business.utah.edu Subject: [Ailist] using AI within a large organization To All: I was asked the question below, does anyone have any examples or ideas that might work? I was intrigued about the process of appreciative inquiry and wondered if there was any way to incorporate the concepts of AI into a survey? Have you ever done this? If so would you be willing to provide me with some examples of how questions would be structured? Given our organizational structure it is difficult to pull focus groups together anytime we want feedback from our community and need to rely upon surveys to a certain extent. I really like the concepts of AI and find it extremely well connected to our organizational values, and yet wonder if it can only be utilized in a face to face setting. Stan Capela _______________________________________________ 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 From wjs.consulting at shaw.ca Fri Oct 2 09:52:54 2009 From: wjs.consulting at shaw.ca (Bill Scott) Date: Fri, 2 Oct 2009 08:52:54 -0700 Subject: [Ailist] using AI within a large organization In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <001801ca4378$67947700$36bd6500$@consulting@shaw.ca> Hi Stan and all, I have been using appreciative processes in program and service reviews for a couple of years now. I use qualitative interviews as an integral part of the process. So far, clients have been very favourable in their valuing of the analysis and recommendations that have come out of the process. If you're interested in knowing more about my approach, please check out my website. When I first started thinking about doing appreciative reviews, one of the first sources I looked at was the Preskill and Catsambas book, Reframing Evaluation Through Appreciative Inquiry (2006). I found it to be an extremely helpful resource. Hope that helps. Best regards, Bill Elpis Consulting Vancouver, B.C. bill at elpisconsulting.com www.elpisconsulting.com 604-574-1856 -----Original Message----- From: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu [mailto:ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu] On Behalf Of Capela2 at aol.com Sent: Thursday, October 01, 2009 5:10 PM To: ailist at lists.business.utah.edu Subject: [Ailist] using AI within a large organization To All: I was asked the question below, does anyone have any examples or ideas that might work? I was intrigued about the process of appreciative inquiry and wondered if there was any way to incorporate the concepts of AI into a survey? Have you ever done this? If so would you be willing to provide me with some examples of how questions would be structured? Given our organizational structure it is difficult to pull focus groups together anytime we want feedback from our community and need to rely upon surveys to a certain extent. I really like the concepts of AI and find it extremely well connected to our organizational values, and yet wonder if it can only be utilized in a face to face setting. Stan Capela _______________________________________________ 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 From stephanie at brainhygiene.com Fri Oct 2 14:48:38 2009 From: stephanie at brainhygiene.com (Stephanie West Allen) Date: Fri, 2 Oct 2009 14:48:38 -0600 Subject: [Ailist] iPods in mediation? More on the power of music Message-ID: http://westallen.typepad.com/brains_on_purpose/2009/10/ipods-in-mediation-more-on-the-power-of-music.html Or http://snipurl.com/musmed Stephanie ???????????????????????????????????? Stephanie West Allen, JD http://www.brainsonpurpose.com http://www.idealawg.net Denver, CO USA From msands at dccnet.com Fri Oct 2 19:08:54 2009 From: msands at dccnet.com (Mike Sands) Date: Fri, 02 Oct 2009 18:08:54 -0700 Subject: [Ailist] I need a word - again Message-ID: <624173980C5F4406931AFF009AB5D8EA@Mike2009PC> Whom do you ask for help when you need more energy, to get out of the dumps, to help solve a problem, to listen to you as you try to flesh out a neat idea? (Such as I am doing with you right now?) And what would you call the relationship you have with such a person? Maybe some of you might agree that if someone is looking for help from Positive Psychology that helping them find such a resourceful relationship, or to be such a helpful friend could add richness and riches to their lives. Why do I want it - because I have written an essay on the subject of how to have conversations that help each other do these things - co-create energy, optimism, confidence, solve problems, inspire, motivate -- but so far I haven't been able to come up with a word that does the process justice. Got any ideas? Desperately seeking more inspiration Well not desperately, but it was fun to make the play on an old movie title. Mike PS an obvious answer is "Building Appreciative Relationships" - I'm hoping to find a word that is even more dynamic and stimulative. Helping the future be friendly. From chris.dennis at shaw.ca Fri Oct 2 23:01:34 2009 From: chris.dennis at shaw.ca (Christopher Dennis) Date: Fri, 2 Oct 2009 22:01:34 -0700 Subject: [Ailist] I need a word - again In-Reply-To: <624173980C5F4406931AFF009AB5D8EA@Mike2009PC> References: <624173980C5F4406931AFF009AB5D8EA@Mike2009PC> Message-ID: <9A7D2D1E-C689-49AB-B7EE-501EE1CD01C0@shaw.ca> Mike, How about coaching in the true meaning of listening to, acting as a thinking partner, brainstorming alternatives, developing scenarios, challenging assumptions, co-creating action plans, anticipating the results and developing measurements that really show the improvement. Through powerful questions , you get to what new energy means with an action plan to develop this needed energy. It may mean getting rid of an existing burden which, in turn, needs an action plan and timeline with a clear measurement of "exit this activity elegantly with minimal hurt". Coaching is a broad word that can take many meanings and yet fit in the context of the conversation. Hope this helps. Regards, Chris On 2-Oct-09, at 6:08 PM, Mike Sands wrote: > Whom do you ask for help when you need more energy, to get out of > the dumps, to help solve a problem, to listen to you as you try to > flesh out a neat idea? > > (Such as I am doing with you right now?) > > And what would you call the relationship you have with such a person? > > Maybe some of you might agree that if someone is looking for help > from Positive Psychology that helping them find such a resourceful > relationship, or to be such a helpful friend could add richness and > riches to their lives. > > Why do I want it - because I have written an essay on the subject of > how to have conversations that help each other do these things - co- > create energy, optimism, confidence, solve problems, inspire, > motivate -- but so far I haven't been able to come up with a word > that does the process justice. > > Got any ideas? > > Desperately seeking more inspiration > > Well not desperately, but it was fun to make the play on an old > movie title. > > Mike > > PS an obvious answer is "Building Appreciative Relationships" - I'm > hoping to find a word that is even more dynamic and stimulative. > > > Helping the future be friendly. > _______________________________________________ > 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 From mail at sachinchavan.com Sat Oct 3 00:29:01 2009 From: mail at sachinchavan.com (Sachin Chavan) Date: Sat, 3 Oct 2009 11:59:01 +0530 Subject: [Ailist] I need a word - again In-Reply-To: <624173980C5F4406931AFF009AB5D8EA@Mike2009PC> Message-ID: Mike, There is a term used for such a person in your life, "Nutritious Person" See if it suits. Regards, Sachin Sachin Chavan 91-22-25308355 91-9820316390 www.sachinchavan.com -----Original Message----- From: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu [mailto:ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu] On Behalf Of Mike Sands Sent: 03 October 2009 06:39 AM To: AI Listserve Subject: [Ailist] I need a word - again Whom do you ask for help when you need more energy, to get out of the dumps, to help solve a problem, to listen to you as you try to flesh out a neat idea? (Such as I am doing with you right now?) And what would you call the relationship you have with such a person? Maybe some of you might agree that if someone is looking for help from Positive Psychology that helping them find such a resourceful relationship, or to be such a helpful friend could add richness and riches to their lives. Why do I want it - because I have written an essay on the subject of how to have conversations that help each other do these things - co-create energy, optimism, confidence, solve problems, inspire, motivate -- but so far I haven't been able to come up with a word that does the process justice. Got any ideas? Desperately seeking more inspiration Well not desperately, but it was fun to make the play on an old movie title. Mike PS an obvious answer is "Building Appreciative Relationships" - I'm hoping to find a word that is even more dynamic and stimulative. Helping the future be friendly. _______________________________________________ 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 From kctucker at gmail.com Sat Oct 3 01:58:58 2009 From: kctucker at gmail.com (Kim Tucker) Date: Sat, 03 Oct 2009 09:58:58 +0200 Subject: [Ailist] I need a word - again In-Reply-To: <624173980C5F4406931AFF009AB5D8EA@Mike2009PC> References: <624173980C5F4406931AFF009AB5D8EA@Mike2009PC> Message-ID: <4AC70442.4020407@gmail.com> Hi Mike and all, > > PS an obvious answer is "Building Appreciative Relationships" > - I'm hoping to find a word that is even more dynamic and stimulative. How about "Appreciating Relationships". (pun: you appreciate the relationship and the relationship appreciates) This is along the same lines as saying "Appreciation" instead of "Appreciative Evaluation". (pun: as co-workers appreciate each others' contributions, their collective performance appreciates) Kim ---- Mike Sands wrote: > Whom do you ask for help when you need more energy, to get out of the dumps, to help solve a problem, to listen to you as you try to flesh out a neat idea? > > (Such as I am doing with you right now?) > > And what would you call the relationship you have with such a person? > > Maybe some of you might agree that if someone is looking for help from Positive Psychology that helping them find such a resourceful relationship, or to be such a helpful friend could add richness and riches to their lives. > > Why do I want it - because I have written an essay on the subject of how to have conversations that help each other do these things - co-create energy, optimism, confidence, solve problems, inspire, motivate -- but so far I haven't been able to come up with a word that does the process justice. > > Got any ideas? > > Desperately seeking more inspiration > > Well not desperately, but it was fun to make the play on an old movie title. > > Mike > > PS an obvious answer is "Building Appreciative Relationships" - I'm hoping to find a word that is even more dynamic and stimulative. > > > Helping the future be friendly. > _______________________________________________ > 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 From crightmer116995mi at comcast.net Sat Oct 3 04:40:51 2009 From: crightmer116995mi at comcast.net (crightmer116995mi at comcast.net) Date: Sat, 3 Oct 2009 10:40:51 +0000 (UTC) Subject: [Ailist] I need a word - again In-Reply-To: <624173980C5F4406931AFF009AB5D8EA@Mike2009PC> Message-ID: <1586530655.1548851254566451428.JavaMail.root@sz0019a.emeryville.ca.mail.comcast.net> Mike; The first word that came to my mind was mentor. From my experience there are a couple of people that I can go to that will help me in the way you describe. Jeff Rightmer ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mike Sands" To: "AI Listserve" Sent: Friday, October 2, 2009 9:08:54 PM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern Subject: [Ailist] I need a word - again Whom do you ask for help when you need more energy, to get out of the dumps, to help solve a problem, to listen to you as you try to flesh out a neat idea? (Such as I am doing with you right now?) And what would you call the relationship you have with such a person? Maybe some of you might agree that if someone is looking for help from Positive Psychology that helping them find such a resourceful relationship, or to be such a helpful friend could add richness and riches to their lives. Why do I want it - because I have written an essay on the subject of how to have conversations that help each other do these things - co-create energy, optimism, confidence, solve problems, inspire, motivate -- but so far I haven't been able to come up with a word that does the process justice. Got any ideas? Desperately seeking more inspiration Well not desperately, but it was fun to make the play on an old movie title. Mike PS an obvious answer is "Building Appreciative Relationships" - I'm hoping to find a word that is even more dynamic and stimulative. Helping the future be friendly. _______________________________________________ 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 From discuss at rds-net.com Sat Oct 3 06:02:30 2009 From: discuss at rds-net.com (Gary Lear) Date: Sat, 3 Oct 2009 08:02:30 -0400 Subject: [Ailist] I need a word - again In-Reply-To: <624173980C5F4406931AFF009AB5D8EA@Mike2009PC> References: <624173980C5F4406931AFF009AB5D8EA@Mike2009PC> Message-ID: <79BAB4E7D6524878BCDD3FBC0C64D0AE@DHVG3VB1> Mike, You asked: "Whom do you ask for help when you need more energy, to get out of the dumps, to help solve a problem, to listen to you as you try to flesh out a neat idea?" A couple of words come immediately to mind: Spouse; and Friend. Two simple, uncomplicated relationships that aren't artificial or contrived (as opposed to coach, counselor, or therapist). But I think the key word there is "relationship," and that involves having Trust; not just with that person, but that person with you, as well. Trust allows for some powerful communications between two people because there is mutual respect and sharing. The two people I always turn to for help when I need what you asked about are my wife and my best friend. They always listen, are always ready to challenge my thinking, and help get me going in the right direction. I hope this helps to jog some ideas for you. Make a Great Day! Gary Lear, President & CEO Author of Leadership Lessons From the Medicine Wheel: The Seven Elements of High Performance Resource Development Systems LLC Managing the Human Side of Business (sm) gelear at rds-net.com www.ResourceDevelopmentSystems.com (c) 2009 permission denied to use this post in any other forum or in any way other than on the discussion list that it was originally posted. From Alice.Macpherson at kwantlen.ca Sat Oct 3 07:06:02 2009 From: Alice.Macpherson at kwantlen.ca (Alice Macpherson) Date: Sat, 3 Oct 2009 06:06:02 -0700 Subject: [Ailist] I need a word - again In-Reply-To: <624173980C5F4406931AFF009AB5D8EA@Mike2009PC> Message-ID: Hi Mike How about "Positive Collaboration" of "Positive Collaborator" All the best Alice Macpherson PD & PLA Coordinator The Centre for Academic Growth Kwantlen Polytechnic University "Supporting Excellence and Innovation in Teaching and Learning" http://kwantlen.ca/academicgrowth 604 599-3040 Si Vales Valeo - If you are well, I am well Mike Sands Sent by: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu 10/02/2009 06:08 PM To AI Listserve cc Subject [Ailist] I need a word - again Whom do you ask for help when you need more energy, to get out of the dumps, to help solve a problem, to listen to you as you try to flesh out a neat idea? (Such as I am doing with you right now?) And what would you call the relationship you have with such a person? Maybe some of you might agree that if someone is looking for help from Positive Psychology that helping them find such a resourceful relationship, or to be such a helpful friend could add richness and riches to their lives. Why do I want it - because I have written an essay on the subject of how to have conversations that help each other do these things - co-create energy, optimism, confidence, solve problems, inspire, motivate -- but so far I haven't been able to come up with a word that does the process justice. Got any ideas? Desperately seeking more inspiration Well not desperately, but it was fun to make the play on an old movie title. Mike PS an obvious answer is "Building Appreciative Relationships" - I'm hoping to find a word that is even more dynamic and stimulative. Helping the future be friendly. _______________________________________________ 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 From cheri.torres at gmail.com Sat Oct 3 10:55:28 2009 From: cheri.torres at gmail.com (Cheri Torres) Date: Sat, 3 Oct 2009 12:55:28 -0400 Subject: [Ailist] I need a word - again In-Reply-To: <624173980C5F4406931AFF009AB5D8EA@Mike2009PC> References: <624173980C5F4406931AFF009AB5D8EA@Mike2009PC> Message-ID: Mike: Jump-starting Joy Lifting Up Laughter Elevating Happiness Brace for Lift-Off When You Let Go of Burdens Dumpster Diving Again Are We? Stop Listening to Voices and Hear the Harmony :o) Cheri Cheri B. Torres, Ph.D. Collaborative by Design 135 Westwood Place Asheville, NC 28806 828-225-5088 On Oct 2, 2009, at 9:08 PM, Mike Sands wrote: > Whom do you ask for help when you need more energy, to get out of > the dumps, to help solve a problem, to listen to you as you try to > flesh out a neat idea? > > (Such as I am doing with you right now?) > > And what would you call the relationship you have with such a person? > > Maybe some of you might agree that if someone is looking for help > from Positive Psychology that helping them find such a resourceful > relationship, or to be such a helpful friend could add richness and > riches to their lives. > > Why do I want it - because I have written an essay on the subject of > how to have conversations that help each other do these things - co- > create energy, optimism, confidence, solve problems, inspire, > motivate -- but so far I haven't been able to come up with a word > that does the process justice. > > Got any ideas? > > Desperately seeking more inspiration > > Well not desperately, but it was fun to make the play on an old > movie title. > > Mike > > PS an obvious answer is "Building Appreciative Relationships" - I'm > hoping to find a word that is even more dynamic and stimulative. > > > Helping the future be friendly. > _______________________________________________ > 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 From msands at dccnet.com Sat Oct 3 12:33:35 2009 From: msands at dccnet.com (Mike Sands) Date: Sat, 03 Oct 2009 11:33:35 -0700 Subject: [Ailist] I need a word - again Message-ID: <0DE24344AD5F4C0AB2692E93239879CD@Mike2009PC> Cherri I loved the way you dove in to see where your thoughts could lead And now two word banners float across my mind - Asking Questions That Create Life, Creating Relationships That Enrich Lives and then Asking Questions That Jump Start Joy I hope you can hear the resonance. You possibly remember the old Coke song I 'd like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony --- I'd love to come up with a variation on that - I'd like to ask each one of you A question that you'd love And help you ask each other one We'd become a flock of doves I'd like to lend each one my ear To help your answer flow And in your turn you'd do the same We'd cut out so much woe. I'd like to ask each one of you How you can jump start joy So we could both pass it along Oops I'd like to ask each one of you How you can joy jump start So we could both pass it along A world of heart to heart There, I did it Mike A grove of questions. > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Cheri Torres" > To: "Mike Sands" > Cc: "AI Listserve" > Sent: Saturday, October 03, 2009 9:55 AM > Subject: Re: [Ailist] I need a word - again > > >> Mike: >> >> Jump-starting Joy >> Lifting Up Laughter >> Elevating Happiness >> Brace for Lift-Off When You Let Go of Burdens >> Dumpster Diving Again Are We? >> Stop Listening to Voices and Hear the Harmony >> >> :o) >> Cheri >> >> >> >> Cheri B. Torres, Ph.D. >> >> Collaborative by Design >> 135 Westwood Place >> Asheville, NC 28806 >> 828-225-5088 >> >> >> >> >> On Oct 2, 2009, at 9:08 PM, Mike Sands wrote: >> >>> Whom do you ask for help when you need more energy, to get out of the >>> dumps, to help solve a problem, to listen to you as you try to flesh >>> out a neat idea? >>> >>> (Such as I am doing with you right now?) >>> >>> And what would you call the relationship you have with such a person? >>> >>> Maybe some of you might agree that if someone is looking for help from >>> Positive Psychology that helping them find such a resourceful >>> relationship, or to be such a helpful friend could add richness and >>> riches to their lives. >>> >>> Why do I want it - because I have written an essay on the subject of >>> how to have conversations that help each other do these things - co- >>> create energy, optimism, confidence, solve problems, inspire, >>> motivate -- but so far I haven't been able to come up with a word >>> that does the process justice. >>> >>> Got any ideas? >>> >>> Desperately seeking more inspiration >>> >>> Well not desperately, but it was fun to make the play on an old movie >>> title. >>> >>> Mike >>> >>> PS an obvious answer is "Building Appreciative Relationships" - I'm >>> hoping to find a word that is even more dynamic and stimulative. >>> >>> >>> Helping the future be friendly. >>> _______________________________________________ >>> 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 >> >> > From mail at bjseminars.com.au Sat Oct 3 13:27:19 2009 From: mail at bjseminars.com.au (Sue James) Date: Sun, 04 Oct 2009 06:27:19 +1100 Subject: [Ailist] I need a word - again In-Reply-To: <624173980C5F4406931AFF009AB5D8EA@Mike2009PC> References: <624173980C5F4406931AFF009AB5D8EA@Mike2009PC> Message-ID: <4AC7A597.20101@bjseminars.com.au> Hi Mike Some years ago I read somewhere that there's a word in Russian which, roughly translated, means "soul talk". Are there any Russian speakers on this list who could help me out here? :) We don't have a single word in English to describe this kind of conversation ... but for me the expression "soul talk" has resonated since as a way to describe the kind of conversation you are talking about. The kind of conversation we have in relationship with another person whom we value or respect, and in which we can talk about everything that matters to us - our dreams, hopes, despairs, ideas, plans, opinions, angers, politics, values, beliefs and philosophies. In short, a conversation that supports us, comforts us, lifts our spirits, helps us chart the landscape and move forward again if we're stuck .. and does all those things you mentioned. :) I don't know if this will help you in your quest for the right word. And I certainly empathise with the challenge of finding a 'right word' for such a conversation, because the true essence of it is in so many ways beyond words. Warmly Sue Sue James Facilitator & Consultant Ph: +613 9758 2528 BJ Seminars International inspiring and connecting people www.bjseminars.com.au Twitter: SueJ1 Mike Sands wrote: > Whom do you ask for help when you need more energy, to get out of the dumps, to help solve a problem, to listen to you as you try to flesh out a neat idea? > > (Such as I am doing with you right now?) > > And what would you call the relationship you have with such a person? > > Maybe some of you might agree that if someone is looking for help from Positive Psychology that helping them find such a resourceful relationship, or to be such a helpful friend could add richness and riches to their lives. > > Why do I want it - because I have written an essay on the subject of how to have conversations that help each other do these things - co-create energy, optimism, confidence, solve problems, inspire, motivate -- but so far I haven't been able to come up with a word that does the process justice. > From drj at lsol.net Sun Oct 4 05:15:50 2009 From: drj at lsol.net (Dr Judy Krings) Date: Sun, 4 Oct 2009 06:15:50 -0500 (Central Daylight Time) Subject: [Ailist] I need a word - again References: <0DE24344AD5F4C0AB2692E93239879CD@Mike2009PC> Message-ID: <4AC883E6.00026B.04748@OWNER-PC> Hi, Mike, Thanks for engendering this lovely discourse on relishing relationships, one of my all-time favorite sports. And now we see you are a poet. Smiles abound, I am sure. I don't know about you, but I sure as heck can use more fun in my life. Thanks for adding so much spark! Judy Judy Krings, Ph.D.,CMC,ACC Personal and Professional Coach Clinical Psychologist Follow me for fun at: http://www.linkedin.com/in/judithbkringsphd http://twitter.com/judykrings http://www.facebook.com/judy.krings1?ref=mf#/inbox/?ref=mb ActionBasedCoaching.com BariatricSurgeryCoaching.com Riverhillhelps.com Tel: 920-682-9119 Fax: 920-683-3017 "It's your life, live it well!" -------Original Message------- From: Mike Sands Date: 10/3/2009 6:52:51 PM To: AI Listserve; Cheri Torres Subject: Re: [Ailist] I need a word - again Cherri I loved the way you dove in to see where your thoughts could lead And now two word banners float across my mind - Asking Questions That Create Life, Creating Relationships That Enrich Lives and then Asking Questions That Jump Start Joy I hope you can hear the resonance. You possibly remember the old Coke song I 'd like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony --- I'd love to come up with a variation on that - I'd like to ask each one of you A question that you'd love And help you ask each other one We'd become a flock of doves I'd like to lend each one my ear To help your answer flow And in your turn you'd do the same We'd cut out so much woe. I'd like to ask each one of you How you can jump start joy So we could both pass it along Oops I'd like to ask each one of you How you can joy jump start So we could both pass it along A world of heart to heart There, I did it Mike A grove of questions. > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Cheri Torres" > To: "Mike Sands" > Cc: "AI Listserve" > Sent: Saturday, October 03, 2009 9:55 AM > Subject: Re: [Ailist] I need a word - again > > >> Mike: >> >> Jump-starting Joy >> Lifting Up Laughter >> Elevating Happiness >> Brace for Lift-Off When You Let Go of Burdens >> Dumpster Diving Again Are We? >> Stop Listening to Voices and Hear the Harmony >> >> :o) >> Cheri >> >> >> >> Cheri B. Torres, Ph.D. >> >> Collaborative by Design >> 135 Westwood Place >> Asheville, NC 28806 >> 828-225-5088 >> >> >> >> >> On Oct 2, 2009, at 9:08 PM, Mike Sands wrote: >> >>> Whom do you ask for help when you need more energy, to get out of the >>> dumps, to help solve a problem, to listen to you as you try to flesh >>> out a neat idea? >>> >>> (Such as I am doing with you right now?) >>> >>> And what would you call the relationship you have with such a person? >>> >>> Maybe some of you might agree that if someone is looking for help from >>> Positive Psychology that helping them find such a resourceful >>> relationship, or to be such a helpful friend could add richness and >>> riches to their lives. >>> >>> Why do I want it - because I have written an essay on the subject of >>> how to have conversations that help each other do these things - co- >>> create energy, optimism, confidence, solve problems, inspire, >>> motivate -- but so far I haven't been able to come up with a word >>> that does the process justice. >>> >>> Got any ideas? >>> >>> Desperately seeking more inspiration >>> >>> Well not desperately, but it was fun to make the play on an old movie >>> title. >>> >>> Mike >>> >>> PS an obvious answer is "Building Appreciative Relationships" - I'm >>> hoping to find a word that is even more dynamic and stimulative. >>> >>> >>> Helping the future be friendly. >>> _______________________________________________ >>> 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 >> >> > _______________________________________________ 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 From Capela2 at aol.com Sun Oct 4 10:24:03 2009 From: Capela2 at aol.com (Capela2 at aol.com) Date: Sun, 4 Oct 2009 12:24:03 EDT Subject: [Ailist] I need a word - again Message-ID: Okay when I am down in the dumbs the people I have found helpful are consumers within the organization where I work or by having a pleasant conversation with an individual that I often see when I take my meditatie walks early in the morning or coming home at the end of the day. As for the consumers, my organization has a large developmental disabilities program. Often I have to go do consumer surveys. In some instances I go to the group home. When doing these individuals what I find is a strong spirit to bring joy. This one concsumer in particular is always happy and whoever she comes in contact with she goes out of her way to make sure you walk away with a smile on your face. A couple of others work within the program and usually are dropping off internal mail. They will stop by and make a commen about a ball game such as Yanks etc. Everytime they walk away I tend to feel refreshed. As for those individuals I run into while taking my walk I often engage them in a conversation and find something that they do that might be of interest. For example there was one instance where I have seen this same person for several years and we would talk about how I see a vision of the person becoming a writer like writing mysteries. In the end I come away totally refreshed and happy. Stan Capela From mukul.kumar at rogers.com Sun Oct 4 18:32:43 2009 From: mukul.kumar at rogers.com (Mukul Kumar) Date: Sun, 4 Oct 2009 20:32:43 -0400 Subject: [Ailist] I need a word - again In-Reply-To: <624173980C5F4406931AFF009AB5D8EA@Mike2009PC> References: <624173980C5F4406931AFF009AB5D8EA@Mike2009PC> Message-ID: <00fb01ca4553$5b18bb30$114a3190$@kumar@rogers.com> Hello Mike, Your question just sparked my quest for which I am also searching for an answer. I too have been looking desperately for such kind of person. Now I am just keenly observing the responses of your question. What I have experienced and noticed so far in my case, it is dialogue with our own innerself and trusting on that conversation. Some people name it as "Guidance", some people say as listening to God's whispering. Some time God converses through a person, a movie, a book, or a song. Thanks for raising this issue. Just wondering if you would like to share your essay that you have written on this subject, Mukul -----Original Message----- From: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu [mailto:ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu] On Behalf Of Mike Sands Sent: Friday, October 02, 2009 9:09 PM To: AI Listserve Subject: [Ailist] I need a word - again Whom do you ask for help when you need more energy, to get out of the dumps, to help solve a problem, to listen to you as you try to flesh out a neat idea? (Such as I am doing with you right now?) And what would you call the relationship you have with such a person? Maybe some of you might agree that if someone is looking for help from Positive Psychology that helping them find such a resourceful relationship, or to be such a helpful friend could add richness and riches to their lives. Why do I want it - because I have written an essay on the subject of how to have conversations that help each other do these things - co-create energy, optimism, confidence, solve problems, inspire, motivate -- but so far I haven't been able to come up with a word that does the process justice. Got any ideas? Desperately seeking more inspiration Well not desperately, but it was fun to make the play on an old movie title. Mike PS an obvious answer is "Building Appreciative Relationships" - I'm hoping to find a word that is even more dynamic and stimulative. Helping the future be friendly. _______________________________________________ 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 From ann.spirit at comcast.net Mon Oct 5 07:10:09 2009 From: ann.spirit at comcast.net (Ann Quinn) Date: Mon, 5 Oct 2009 09:10:09 -0400 Subject: [Ailist] I need a word - again In-Reply-To: <00fb01ca4553$5b18bb30$114a3190$@kumar@rogers.com> References: <624173980C5F4406931AFF009AB5D8EA@Mike2009PC> <00fb01ca4553$5b18bb30$114a3190$@kumar@rogers.com> Message-ID: <004c01ca45bd$2ab32740$801975c0$@spirit@comcast.net> One vibrant possibility is a relationship with a "soul friend", "spiritual director", "spiritual guide", "spirit companion", "Anam Cara"..... many names for a relationship in which two people sit in sacred space, listening for the depth of the universe / God / Light / Love / Freedom / Compassion / whatever one's sense of the holy. By opening into such a time and relationship, one can sense and listen to "where is God in that for me, now"..... in the song, in the full moon, in a particular prayer, in my work......... To quote from the Spiritual Director's International website ( http://www.sdiworld.org ), "Spiritual direction is the process of accompanying people on a spiritual journey. Spiritual direction helps people tell their sacred stories every day. Spiritual direction exists in a context that emphasizes growing closer to God (or the holy or a higher power). Spiritual direction invites a deeper relationship with the spiritual aspect of being human. Spiritual direction offers a place to explore prayer practices, meditation, spiritual experiences, and our growing desire for significance. Spiritual direction is not psychotherapy, counseling, or financial planning." Additional definitions and many resources are on the site. Blessings, Ann Ann Quinn Lambertville NJ Spiritual Director who loves AI and this awesome community -----Original Message----- From: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu [mailto:ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu] On Behalf Of Mukul Kumar Sent: Sunday, October 04, 2009 8:33 PM To: 'Mike Sands' Cc: 'AI Listserve' Subject: Re: [Ailist] I need a word - again Hello Mike, Your question just sparked my quest for which I am also searching for an answer. I too have been looking desperately for such kind of person. Now I am just keenly observing the responses of your question. What I have experienced and noticed so far in my case, it is dialogue with our own innerself and trusting on that conversation. Some people name it as "Guidance", some people say as listening to God's whispering. Some time God converses through a person, a movie, a book, or a song. Thanks for raising this issue. Just wondering if you would like to share your essay that you have written on this subject, Mukul -----Original Message----- From: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu [mailto:ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu] On Behalf Of Mike Sands Sent: Friday, October 02, 2009 9:09 PM To: AI Listserve Subject: [Ailist] I need a word - again Whom do you ask for help when you need more energy, to get out of the dumps, to help solve a problem, to listen to you as you try to flesh out a neat idea? (Such as I am doing with you right now?) And what would you call the relationship you have with such a person? Maybe some of you might agree that if someone is looking for help from Positive Psychology that helping them find such a resourceful relationship, or to be such a helpful friend could add richness and riches to their lives. Why do I want it - because I have written an essay on the subject of how to have conversations that help each other do these things - co-create energy, optimism, confidence, solve problems, inspire, motivate -- but so far I haven't been able to come up with a word that does the process justice. Got any ideas? Desperately seeking more inspiration Well not desperately, but it was fun to make the play on an old movie title. Mike PS an obvious answer is "Building Appreciative Relationships" - I'm hoping to find a word that is even more dynamic and stimulative. Helping the future be friendly. _______________________________________________ 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 _______________________________________________ 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 From drj at lsol.net Mon Oct 5 07:40:15 2009 From: drj at lsol.net (Dr Judy Krings) Date: Mon, 5 Oct 2009 08:40:15 -0500 (Central Daylight Time) Subject: [Ailist] Imagine Nepal Message-ID: <4AC9F73F.00030F.04748@OWNER-PC> Hi, all, Even though I needed to cancel my trip as my Mom has health concerns, my Nepalese trekking friend sent these to me hoping I would enjoy them. His kindness and concern has been so lovely. I am sharing in hopes you will enjoy them as much as I. Have a great week. Judy Judy Krings, Ph.D.,CMC,ACC Personal and Professional Coach Clinical Psychologist Follow me for fun at: http://www.linkedin.com/in/judithbkringsphd http://twitter.com/judykrings http://www.facebook.com/judy.krings1?ref=mf#/inbox/?ref=mb ActionBasedCoaching.com BariatricSurgeryCoaching.com Riverhillhelps.com Tel: 920-682-9119 Fax: 920-683-3017 "It's your life, live it well!" -------Original Message------- From: nepal aryal Date: 10/4/2009 11:36:23 PM To: drj at lsol.net Subject: Imagine Nepal Dear Judy Namaste!(Traditional Neplease greetings) I am sending of beautiful Pic of Nepal Some of famous part of Nepal Nepal Trekking If you have the time and energy to trek, don't miss the opportunity to leave Kathmandu and see the spectacular beauty and the unique culture of Nepal. Fortunately for the visitor, there are still only a few roads extending deeply into the hills, so the only way to truly visit the remote regions of the kingdom is in the slowest and most intimate manner - walking. It requires more time and effort, but the rewards are also greater. Instead of zipping down a freeway, racing to the next "point of interest," each step provides new and intriguing viewpoints. You will perceive your day as an entity rather than a few highlights strung together by a ribbon of concrete. For the romanticist, each step follows the footsteps of Hillary, Tenzing, Herzog and other Himalayan explorers. If you have neither the patience nor the physical stamina to visit the hills of Nepal on foot, a helicopter flight provides an expensive and unsatisfactory substitute. Trekking in Nepal will take you through a country that has captured the imagination of mountaineers and explorers for more than 100 years. You will meet people in remote mountain villages whose lifestyle has not changed in generations. Most people trust foreigners. Isolation is traditionally a crucial element of any wilderness experience but in Nepal it is impossible to get completely away from people, except for short times or at extremely high elevations While trekking you will see the great diversity of Nepal. Villages embrace many ethnic groups and cultures. The terrain changes from tropical jungle to high glaciated peaks in only 150 km. From the start, the towering peaks of the Himalaya provide one of the highlights of a trek. As your plane approaches Kathmandu these peaks appear to be small clouds on the horizon. The mountains become more definable and seem to reach impossible heights as you get closer and finally land at Kathmandu's Tribhuvan Airport. Major Trek Routes of Nepal There are many criteria that might influence your choice of a trek. If you have the time and are in reasonably good condition, the Everest walk-in trek which allows you a glimpse of both lowland villages as well as the high Himalaya, is the best choice. If time is a constraint, check the various that are less than a week long, or if you don't want to trek to a high elevation, look at the treks listed under low altitude treks. If you are an experienced trekker, and want to go to one of the newly opened regions of Nepal, such as Mustang, look at the list of restricted area treks Nepal's TOP Trekking Destinations The Everest Region The Everest Region Summit of Everest The Khumbu or Everest region is the most popular trekking area in Nepal. It would probably be the most popular destination, but it is more difficult to get to Solu Khumbu than to the Annapurna area. To get near Everest, you must either walk for 10 days or fly to Lukla, a remote mountain airstrip where flights are notoriously unreliable. Solu Khumbu is justifiably famous, not only for its proximity to the world's highest mountain (8848 metres), but also for its Sherpa villages and monasteries. The primary goal of an Everest trek is the Everest base camp at an elevation of about 5340 metres. But you cannot see Everest from the base camp, so most trekkers climb Kala Pattar, an unassuming 5545-metre bump on the southern flank of Pumori (7145 metres).. Other than the problem of access, the other major complication to an Everest trek is the high likelihood of Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS). This potentially deadly disease, commonly known as altitude sickness, is caused by climbing too quickly to a high elevation. Be sure to read the section on mountain sickness in the Health & First Aid chapter if you are planning an Everest trek.. If you suffer symptoms of altitude sickness and cannot go to base camp, you can still make a worthwhile trek to less ambitious destinations such as Namche Bazaar, the administrative headquarters of the Khumbu region; Khumjung or Thami, more typical Sherpa villages; or Tengpoche Monastery. From Tengpoche you will have an excellent view of Everest and its more spectacular neighbour Ama Dablam (6856 metres). Everest Expedition Route This is the best way to do an Everest trek. It follows much of the old approach route followed by Everest expeditions from the 1950's through the 70's. It provides a good opportunity to see the densly populated middle hills and the high altitude splendour of the Khumbu, or Everest, region. The portion of the trek from Jiri to Lukla is often uncrowded, and therefore much better trekking country. From Namche the trek follows the Lukla to Everest base camp route and then flies out from Lukla. Instant Everest If your time is limited, you can fly in to the remote mountain airstrip at Lukla and trek to the Sherpa capital of Namche Bazaar, the monastery at Tengpoche and the high yak pasture of Dingboche. This trek provides an overview of Sherpa culture and excellent views of the high Himalaya The Annapurna Region Machhapuchhare Central Nepal is dominated by the Annapurna Himal and the village of Pokhara. There are three major trekking routes in central Nepal: to Jomsom, to Annapurna Sanctuary, and a circuit of the Annapurna Himal itself. Pokhara is also a good starting place for short treks of one to four days, including the "Royal" trek, which is described here. Mustang is also geographically a part of the Annapurna region, but because treks to Mustang are subject to special restrictions, this is described it in the separate page on restricted area treks. About two-thirds of the trekkers in Nepal visit the Annapurna region. The area is easily accessible, hotels in the hills are plentiful, and treks here offer good scenery of both high mountains and lowland villages. Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) ACAP was established in 1986 under the guidance of the King Mahendra Trust for Nature Conservation. The project encompasses the entire Annapurna range, more than 7600 sq km. In an innovative approach to environmental protection, it was declared a "conservation area" instead of a national park. A large number of people live within the protected region, but traditional national park practices dictate that few, if any, people reside within park boundaries. In an effort to avoid any conflicts of interest, ACAP has sought the involvement of local people and has emphasized environmental education. ACAP projects include the training of lodge owners, with an emphasis on sanitation, deforestation and cultural pride. They have trained trekking lodge operators and encouraged hoteliers to charge a fair price for food and accommodation. ACAP encourages the use of kerosene for cooking throughout the region, and requires its use above Chhomrong in the Annapurna Sanctuary and on the route between Ghandruk and Ghorapani. ACAP is supported by a conservation fee" of Rs 650 that is collected from all trekkers who obtain trekking permits for the Annapurna region. ACAP has encouraged the construction of toilets throughout the area; use them no matter how disgusting they are. ACAP has also made provision for the supply of kerosene in those parts of the conservation area where the use of firewood by both trekking groups and hotels is prohibited. In Pokhara, visit ACAP's Trekkers Information & Environmental Centre next to the Hotel Lakeside. In addition to providing information, the centre sells iodine, solar battery chargers and other products that can help you to protect the environment while you are trekking. There is also a "trekkers meeting board" and a battery drop-off centre. Jomsom Trek The views of the mountains are spectacular, and the route actually crosses to the other side of the main Himalayan range for some unusual views of the northern flanks. The entire route remains below 3000 metres, though the trek is still strenuous enough to be stimulating (see the Route Profile for the trek around Annapurna). This is a good trek if you wish to avoid high altitudes. Annapurna Sanctuary The route to Annapurna Sanctuary (Annapurna Deuthali in Nepali), the site of the Annapurna south face base camp, is a spectacular short trek. Though it has some steep climbs, the trek is not difficult. The major problem with this trek is that it can become impassable because of snow and avalanches in winter and early spring. It is the only major trekking route in Nepal that has significant avalanche danger, so you must inquire locally whether the trail is safe. Some trekkers have died because of avalanches, and others have been stranded in the sanctuary for days. The sanctuary trek traverses a variety of terrain, from lowland villages and rice terraces to glaciers, and offers outstanding high mountain views. This trek is a fine opportunity to surround yourself with Himalayan peaks in a short time, without having to contend with the altitude and flight problems of the Everest region. Around Annapurna This trek travels around the entire Annapurna massif, visiting the Tibet-like country on the northern slopes of the Himalaya and the dramatic Kali Gandaki Gorge. Much of the trek is through lowland country, but there is one high pass, Thorung La. The pass is not difficult, but this is still a long trek at high elevation. You should be aware that you might have to return to Dumre if it is impossible or dangerous to cross Thorung La because of snow or altitude sickness. There are years when the weather allows it to stay open, but Thorung La is usually snowbound and closed from mid-December to mid-April. The Royal Trek This is an easy, short trek that starts near Pokhara and offers good mountain views. It gained its name because Prince Charles and an entourage of 90 guests, camp followers and staff trekked here. The trek has also seen the likes of such luminaries as Mick Jagger. The route is not a popular one, so you will see few other trekkers. Eastern Nepal Trekking goals in eastern Nepal include Makalu base camp, an eastern approach to Everest, and the area near Kanchenjunga. There is endless variety in this part of the country. Most ethnic groups are represented and many villages, such as Dhankuta, Khandbari and Bhojpur, are large, prosperous and clean.. The area has hot, rice-growing districts and also encompasses the cooler tea-growing region of Ilam. The heavily populated Middle Hills are gouged by the mighty Arun River which has cut through at an elevation of less than 400 metres. The Arun is flanked by the major mountain massifs of Kanchenjunga and Makalu. Treks here tend to be more expensive, since you and your gear must travel to eastern Nepal by bus or plane. The treks are also longer because it requires two weeks to travel from Dharan to the high mountains. Flying to STOL airstrips at Tumlingtar and Taplejung can shorten the time, but increases the expense. Inhabitants of this part of Nepal have not seen many Westerners in their villages. If you travel in eastern Nepal, you should take great care to avoid the mistakes that trekkers have made in the more popular regions; mistakes which have contributed to theft, over-reliance on the whims of tourists to support the economy, and to problems of garbage, pollution, begging by both adults and children and unnecessary hotel construction. Kanchenjunga, at 8586 metres, is the world's third-highest mountain. The peak is on the border of Nepal and Sikkim (India) and has several distinct summits. It is visible from Darjeeling, so many expeditions explored this region and tried to climb the mountain during the British rule in India. A British team led by Charles Evans made the first ascent of Kanchenjunga in 1953. They trekked from the south of Nepal and climbed the south face of the peak. One of the most spectacular peaks in the region is Jannu (Khumbakarna), at 7710 metres. The Nepalese renamed this peak Khumbakarna in 1984 when a committee Nepalised the names of many peaks. Jannu was also called "Mystery Peak" and "Peak of Terror" by early expeditions. A French team made the first ascent of Jannu in 1962. Kanchenjunga Nepal opened the Kanchenjunga area to trekkers in 1988, though people have trekked in the area in connection with mountaineering expeditions since the turn of the century. Kanchenjunga is a long way from Kathmandu, and the nearest roads and airports are a long way from the mountain. You can trek either to the north or south Kanchenjunga base camp, but it takes luck, determination and a lot of time to visit both sides of the peak. The northern side is particularly remote; it takes almost two weeks of walking to get to the base camp at Pang Pema. Kanchenjunga is on the border of Nepal and the Indian state of Sikkim, so a circuit of the mountain is politically impossible. The next best alternative is to visit both the north and south sides of the mountain from the Nepal side; you need to be equipped for a high pass crossing and have a minimum of four weeks. If for any reason you cannot cross the pass, then it's a long way around. Since the region was opened, few groups have made successful crossings of either the Lapsang La or Mirgin La. Bad weather and snow is often to blame, but more often it is simply a lack of time. Many trekkers have wallowed around in the lowlands near Taplejung because they miscalculated the time required to reach the high country. Unless you have at least four weeks, and preferably five, you should plan to visit either the north or south base camp, not both. If you can get to Taplejung by either road or air, the trek can be shortened by four days, making it a bit more reasonable. The lowland portion of this region is culturally intriguing, but there are few good mountain views. The two treks that I have described here will probably need to be extended by a few days because of porter problems, weather, or the need for a rest day.. The Kanchenjunga region is the home of the Limbus. Relatives of the Rais, Limbus dominate the region east of the Arun River and few live elsewhere. Limbu men wear a distinctive tall topi, a Nepalese cap that is much more colourful than that worn by other Nepalese. A noteworthy contribution of Limbu culture is the drink tongba. A wooden pot is filled with fermented millet seeds and boiling water added. You sip the dangerously potent mixture through a special bamboo straw, with tiny filters to keep the seeds out of the drink, as the hotelier merrily adds more hot water. It is often served in a large plastic mug, but ethnically correct hotels serve it in a special wooden tongba pot, which has brass rings, and a wooden cap with a hole for the straw. Tongba goes down easily, as you might do yourself when you arise after a lengthy tongba session. Watch for this speciality anywhere north of Dharan. East of Everest This trek provides an interesting approach to Solu Khumbu (the Mt Everest region). Tilman, the first foreign visitor to Everest base camp, used this route in 1950. It traverses the width of the country, from the jungles of the terai to the high Himalaya. Kanchenjunga South Base Camp The lowland portion of this region is culturally intriguing, but there are few good mountain views. Once the trek reaches the high country south of Kanchenjunga, the mountain scenery is some of the most spectacular in the world. The Kanchenjunga region is the home of the Limbus. Relatives of the Rais, Limbus dominate the region east of the Arun River and few live elsewhere. Limbu men wear a distinctive talltopi, a Nepalese cap that is much more colourful than that worn by other Nepalese. Makalu Base Camp The trek to Makalu base camp visits one of the most remote and unfrequented areas of Nepal. The Barun Valley is part of a huge international protected area under an agreement between Nepal and China. The trek crosses several high passes as it climbs into the remote Barun Valley at the foot of Makalu, the world's fifth highest mountain. This area was once threatened by a dam project on the upper reaches of the Arun River. The World Bank cancelled its support of this project in August, 1995, so this region will retain its unique character that includes interesting villages and wildlife. Nepal Bird Watching For a country that boasts of 847-recorded species of birds, precious little has been done in the way of promoting Bird watching. Most government officials probably have not even heard of this past time. With the exception of agencies that actually conduct bird-watching tours, tours they organize An agency does not necessarily handle all the different tours it advertises. Those are passed on the specialized agencies. So why not bird watching. Ardent bird watchers travel the length and breathe of Nepal doing nothing but bird watching. From down to dusk, these fanatical tourists do nothing but peer through binoculars and telescopes. Even meals and interrupted if a special bird makes a sudden appearance outside. Half-eaten dishes have to wait as they excitedly rush out to gaze at the intruder.. These tourists will go anywhere; do anything to catch a glimpse of rare species of birds. There are bird watching societies all over the world including Nepal. It is up to the tour operators to tap them. Once more and more bird watchers arrive in Nepal they will go, back spread the word around. We never bother about the varied interests of westerners, which we fail to understand. Gazing at birds and spending money in the process may not make sense to us but for some people it is a passion. Bird watchers go around the world identifying birds and keeping records of species sighted. At the end of the day, an assessment is made of the number of new sightings. The sight of a rare bird generates great excitement among these fanatics. Nepal needs to add new attractions to lure more tourists into the country. The worldwide web has made it relatively easy to reach all corners of the globe. We need to highlight all aspects of tourism including bird watching. Talk foreigners are not even aware of the fact that a large part of Nepal is flat Terai covered with thick jungles. That Nepal has safari camps where one can come across tigers and rhinos comes as a surprise to many tourists. Many associate this country only with mountains. Our tourism posters mostly feature mountains. Nepalese Tourism authorities are obsessed with mountains. We are yet to see a poster on Birds of Nepal like the one brought but by Bangla Biman on birds of Bangladesh. We can do a lot by just imitation other countries thus saying ourselves endless hours of brainstorming. Nepal can become a popular destination for birds' watchers but we need to take promotion seriously. Birding is possible anywhere in Nepal from the hot plains in the south to the mountainous regions in the north. The Kathmandu Valley: Kathmandu has four major bird watching areas, and one can start on the banks of the Bagmati and Manohara rivers. Birds sighted along there rivers are the Egrets, herons, Kingfishers, Ibis bill, Wood Sandpipers and Plovers. The Chovar Gorge is particularly recommended as an area for birds as its isolation from human habitation has encouraged their presence. Phulchowki: Phulchowki is another ideal site, with a Redheaded Trogan, a very rate bird sighted there in April 2002 (it was last seen n Nepal 44 years ago). Phulchowki is 2760 meters and 18kms southeast of Kathmandu and is reached via Godawari and the Botanical Gardens. Walking can start from behind the gardens, with a combination of trails and roads. The hillside is covered with forest featuring outstanding flora as well as diverse birds.. About 90 species have been recorded in this area including the endemic spring babbler, as well as the Curia, Mountain Hawk Eagle, Rufous Bellied Pied Woodpeckers and the Black-throated Parrot bill, to name a few. Shivapuri Watershed And Wildlife Reserve, & Nagarjun: Two other areas of the valley are the Shivapuri Watershed Reserve, 12kms north of the city, and Nagarjun in the north west. Shivapuri can be reached two ways either from Sundarijal or from Budhanilkantha.. The reserve is managed by Nepalese Army and it costs Rs 250 for foreigners to enter. (Rs1000/- is charged for a movie or video camera). Some of the birds in the area are the Laughing Thrush, Crested Serpent Eagle, little Pied Fly Catchers, Rupy-throats, and Babblers. At Nagarjun at 2105 meters pheasants, magpies, sunbirds, and ruby throats are found. Pokhara: in Pokhara, the two well known lakes Phewa Tal and Begnas Tal and the surrounding areas are highly recommended. Of particular interest are the areas with minimum disturbances, away from human inhabitation the forests around the south shore of Phewa lake. Look out in the fields and pools especially in the winter for Egrets, Herons, Pipits, and Buntings etc. other birds are occurring are Gulls, Terns, Ducks, and Falcons etc. Begnas Tal is 15Km away from Pokhara and it easily reached by taxi or bicycle. Accommodations are available here too. Terraced hills and light forests surround the lake. One should spend time on the slopes and wet fields. Birds sighted here are Ducks, pheasant-tailed jacana; Hoppie Grey bellied Tesias, common pintail snipe, bulbuls etc. Pokhara lakeside is basically a tourist town, which caters to all the needs f visitors. From cheap lodges to very expensive star hotels are available in and around Pokhara. Lakeside is full of restaurants of all kinds. Pokhara can be reached by air or by road. Bird watching is best in October and April. Koshi Barage And Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve: are in the eastern Terai to the Far East of Nepal. The Koshi is great for waterfowl and waders, with about 26 varieties of ducks alone. Here the method of viewing is by boat, gliding through the waters in the stillness of the early morning and evenings. Over 450 species have been sighted hare, including Black Ibis, Honey Kites, Ospreys, Black Headed Orioles, Peregrine Falcon, Partridges, and Storks. Chitwan National Park: Chitwan is in the lowlands of Nepal, known as the Terai. The Royal Chitwan National park is the best-known site in Nepal for bird watching. Bird watching need to be done from the safely of a chair, the back of an elephant or in a jeep (by far the last choice). And if you wish to walk, accompanied by a guide or a naturalist, or preferably an ornithologist. The area consists of Sal Forest, Riverine forest, and grasslands, with three rivers forming the boundaries of the park. Some 500 species have been recorded in Chitwan and some of them are Blue Indian Roller, Stork-billed Kingfishers, Bengal Florican, Asian Paradise Flycatcher Bee-eaters, and Cormorants. Trekking Regions One of the best ways of viewing birds in Nepal is a leisurely trek through the foothills of the Kingdom. There are three main trekking areas in Nepal: the Langtang region six hours by road North of Kathmandu, the Solu Khumbu region eight hours by road East of Kathmandu and the Annapurna region, six hours by road or a 30 minute flight West of Kathmandu. Of the three trekking regions, the Annapurna region offers the widest variety of species. The region is also easily accessible. The Annapurna Conservation Area To set the scene a little, the Annapurna region is a Conservation Area is the largest and most protected region in the World (ACA), covering around 2600sq km towards the North-central region of Nepal. The Kali Gandaki river runs North to South through this region, through the world's deepest gorge, some 6000m below the high Annapurna and Dhaulagiri massifs, seven of these peaks are over 7000m, the highest (Annapurna I) at 8091m. A few facts and figures above, but as you can imagine, the ACA supports a remarkable but delicate biodiversity, with 441 recorded species of birds (so far), including the only endemic species of Nepal, the spiny babbler (Turdoides Nepalensis). The bird habitat ranges from the sub-tropical lowlands towards Pokhara in the south of ACA to dry sub-alpine conditions above the tree-line towards the North. The Kali Gandaki valley is also a major migration pathway in the autumn, when 40 species, including demoiselle cranes (Anthropoides Virgo), can be seen around Jomsom and Tukche. Happily this coincides with one of the two trekking seasons (Spring and Autumn). Migrating West about this time further South around Kaare and Dhampus are about 20 identified species of eagle and other birds of prey. The most commonly observed are:lammergeier gypaetus barbatus (Bearded Vulture), known as the giddha in Nepal, it frequently occurs at 4100m.and the golden eagle Aquila Cryaetos, known as baaj in Nepal. There are six Himalayan pheasants to be found in ACA: Himalayan The Monal Lophophorus impejanus satyra Tragopan Tragopan satyra (Crimson Horned Pheasant) Blood Pheasant Ithaginis cruentus Koklass Pheasant Pucrasia macrolopha Cheer Pheasant Catreus wallichiiKalij Pheasant Lophura leucomelana, are the most commonly occurring of Nepali pheasants Kathmandu Valley Nestled in the lap of snow mountains, the verdant Kathmandu Valley abounds in archaic temples, shrines and palaces that reflect its glory of the bygone era. Colorful Kathmandu with its old Asian legacy houses seven Cultural Heritage Sites four of which are its art-excelling temples while three are residential palaces of ancient Royals. The Valley is situated at 1,336 meters above sea level and comprises three cities within its parameters. Kathmandu is connected by air and by road to most parts of Nepal. It is also connected by air to major cities in India and some parts of the world. With its many facades, Kathmandu is a true little city of wonder for its visitors Within Kathmanduy valley, following places are listing at world heritage site of NEpal by UNESCO. 1. Kathmandu Durbar Square 2. Bhaktapur Durbar Sqauare 3. Patan Durbar Square 4. Swayambhu 5. Changu Narayan 6. Pashupati 7. Bouddha Kathmandu Durbar Square Kathmandu Durbar Square is in the heart of old city Kathmandu in Basantapur. The Royal complex was residence to Nepal's Royal family before the construction of the Narayanhiti Royal Palace. The founding of the Royal Palace dates back to Licchavi times. With considerable renovations by Malla rulers and later the Ranas, construction was accomplished progressively over many centuries. There are around 50 temples in the vicinity including the temple of Royal titular deity, Taleju Bhawani. The Durbar is divided into two courtyards, the outer comprising Kasthamandap, Kumari Ghar, and Shiva-Parvati Temple, and the inner consisting of Hanuman Dhoka and the main palace. It also houses two museums. Important ceremonies, including the coronation of the Nepali monarch, are held in the Kathmandu Durbar Square. Most parts of the palace premise are open for tourists throughout the week during office hours. Patan Durbar Square Patan Durbar Square complex, situated in the center of Patan city, houses the residence of the former Royal family of Patan. The Square and its surroundings provide very good example of ancient Newari architecture. The palace has three main courtyards the central and the oldest is Mul Chowk. To the west of the complex are a dozen free standing temples of various sizes and styles. Krishna Temple, Bhimsen Temple, the Golden Temple of Hiranya Varna Mahavira and Sundari Chowk mark the architectural excellence of its era. The Sundari Chowk with the sunken Royal bath of Tusha Hiti, contains exquisite woodcarvings, stone, and metal sculpture. Patan Durbar Square also houses a temple of Taleju Bhawani. Swayambhu Swayambhu literally means 'Self-Existent One.' Swayambhunath is believed to have been established more than 2,500 years ago. An inscription dated 460 A D. states that the construction was carried out by King Manadeva. By the thirteenth century Swayambhunath had developed into an important Buddhist learning site. The history of Kathmandu Valley is said to have started with the beginning of Swayambhu. The largest image of the Sakyamuni Buddha in Nepal is in a monastery next to the stupa. Behind the hilltop is a temple dedicated to Manjusri of Saraswati - the goddess of learning. Statues and shrines of Buddhist and Hindu deities dot the stupa complex. Large numbers of Buddhists and Hindus alike visit Swayambhunath. Swayambhu is perhaps the best place to observe the religious harmony in Nepal. The stupa is atop a hill, and requires considerable walk. There is also a road that leads almost to the base of the statue Changu Narayan Narayan, or Vishnu, is the preserver of creation to Hindus. His temple near Changu village is often described as the most ancient temple in the Kathmandu Valley. A fifth century stone inscription, the oldest to be discovered in Nepal, is located in the temple compound and it tells of the victorious King Mandev. The temple now covers sixteen hundred years of Nepalese art history. The temple, built around the third century, is decorated by some of the best samples of stone, wood, and metal craft in the Valley. In the words of one tourist guide, "When you look upon Changu Narayan, you observe the complete cultural development of the Valley." On the struts of the two-tiered Changu Narayan Temple, are the ten incarnations in which Narayan destroyed evil-doers. A sixth-century stone statue shows the cosmic form of Vishnu, while another statue recalls his dwarf incarnation when he crushed the evil king Bali. Vishnu as Narsingha disemboweling a demon is particularly stunning. The western bronze doors sparkle in the evening sunlight, dragons decorate the bells, and handsome devas stare from the walls. Garuda, half man and half bird, is the steed of Vishnu, and his life-sized statue kneels before the temple. The favourite of many tourists is the statue of Vishnu sitting astride his steed Bhaktapur Durbar Square This is a unique city located east of Kathmandu at 1,400m above sea level. With an area of 5 sq. kms. this unique city is divided into 24 traditional localities. It was founded by King Ananda Dev in 889 A.D. Bhaktapur in supposed to have been built in the shape of a conch shell, a scared symbol of Lord Vishnu. The world Bhaktapur means The City of Devotees Bhaktapur; at one time an independent city, was ruled by the Malla Kings. They were very religious and gave importance to their artistic heritage which is evident throughout the city. Some of the significant momuments here are: The Lion Gate: Built by King Bupatindra Malla in 17 th century A.D. Golden Gate: The main entrance to the famous 55 Window Palace and Royal Taleju. Constructed in 1754 A.D. The statue of King Bupatindra Malla. 55 Window Palace: This architectural structure dominates the entire Bhadgaon Durbar Square. It is worth admiring. Vastala Temple. Pashupati Nath Temple. Nyatapole Temple. Bhairav Nath Temple. Bouddha Nath Stupa Bouddhanath is the center of Tibetan culture in Nepal. The 36-meter-high stupa of Bouddhanath is one of the largest stupas in South Asia. Bouddhanath Stupa was renovated by Licchavi rulers in the eighth century. The mandala design in Bouddhanath is a copy of the one in Gyangtse in Tibet. The stupa is located in the area of ancient trade route to Tibet where Tibetan merchants rested and offered prayers for many centuries. When refugees entered Nepal from Tibet in the 1950s, many decided to live around Bouddhanath. Hence, a complete township has developed around Bouddhanath. The stupa is said to entomb the remains of a Kasyap sage venerable both to Buddhists and Hindus. Smaller stupas are located at the base. Gompa monasteries, curio shops, and restaurants surround Bouddhanath. Lumbini Lumbini associated with the birth of Lord Buddha is of extreme archeological importance and also a UNESCO Cultural Heritage Site. It is said that Prince Siddhartha Gautam, who later became Buddha the Englightened One, was born in the gardens of Nepal's Lumbini in 623 B.C. The main shrines of Lumbini are the newly restored Mayadevi Temple, the Ashokan Pillar behind the temple and the Lake Shakya Puskarini where Mayadevi is said to have bathed before delivering the little Buddha into the world. Several other places near Lumbini are linked with stories connected to Buddha and Buddhism. Lumbini is about 300 kilometers southwest of Kathmandu. Bus and flights to Bhairawa which is about 22 kilometers from Lumbini, are available from major cities. From Bhairawa transport services to Lumbini are easily available. Food and accommodation facilities are available in Lumbini and Bhairawa. hope you will mail ..When u got this mail, These are the materials i want to put in my article about nepal Warm regards hari Hope You Will Love This Harry From macodell at verizon.net Mon Oct 5 20:00:18 2009 From: macodell at verizon.net (MALCOLM ODELL) Date: Mon, 05 Oct 2009 22:00:18 -0400 Subject: [Ailist] Imagine Nepal In-Reply-To: <4AC9F73F.00030F.04748@OWNER-PC> References: <4AC9F73F.00030F.04748@OWNER-PC> Message-ID: <7E3D5FBB-2980-4715-A617-5A6665D81E4F@verizon.net> It's all true... As I can attest from living in Nepal 13 yrs. To make your own arrangements you can go on Conference website... or contact my old friends Kaldhen and Kesang Sherpa at And don't miss our 2-night, 3-day trip to Chitwan to visit WORTH women and watch wildlife from the back of an elephant. See you in Kathmandu! Mac Odell ------------------ On Oct 5, 2009, at 9:40 AM, Dr Judy Krings wrote: > Hi, all, > > Even though I needed to cancel my trip as my Mom has health > concerns, my > Nepalese trekking friend sent these to me hoping > I would enjoy them. His kindness and concern has been so lovely. I am > sharing in hopes you will enjoy them as much as I. > > Have a great week. > > Judy > Judy Krings, Ph.D.,CMC,ACC > Personal and Professional Coach > Clinical Psychologist > > Follow me for fun at: > http://www.linkedin.com/in/judithbkringsphd > http://twitter.com/judykrings > http://www.facebook.com/judy.krings1?ref=mf#/inbox/?ref=mb > > ActionBasedCoaching.com > BariatricSurgeryCoaching.com > Riverhillhelps.com > > Tel: 920-682-9119 > Fax: 920-683-3017 > > "It's your life, live it well!" > -------Original Message------- > > From: nepal aryal > Date: 10/4/2009 11:36:23 PM > To: drj at lsol.net > Subject: Imagine Nepal > > > > Dear Judy > > Namaste!(Traditional Neplease greetings) > > > I am sending of beautiful Pic of Nepal > Some of famous part of Nepal > > Nepal Trekking > > If you have the time and energy to trek, don't miss the opportunity > to leave > Kathmandu and see the spectacular beauty and the unique culture of > Nepal. > Fortunately for the visitor, there are still only a few roads > extending > deeply into the hills, so the only way to truly visit the remote > regions of > the kingdom is in the slowest and most intimate manner - walking. It > requires more time and effort, but the rewards are also greater. > Instead of zipping down a freeway, racing to the next "point of > interest," > each step provides new and intriguing viewpoints. You will perceive > your day > as an entity rather than a few highlights strung together by a > ribbon of > concrete. For the romanticist, each step follows the footsteps of > Hillary, > Tenzing, Herzog and other Himalayan explorers. If you have neither the > patience nor the physical stamina to visit the hills of Nepal on > foot, a > helicopter flight provides an expensive and unsatisfactory substitute. > > Trekking in Nepal will take you through a country that has captured > the > imagination of mountaineers and explorers for more than 100 years. > You will > meet people in remote mountain villages whose lifestyle has not > changed in > generations. Most people trust foreigners. > Isolation is traditionally a crucial element of any wilderness > experience > but in Nepal it is impossible to get completely away from people, > except for > short times or at extremely high elevations > While trekking you will see the great diversity of Nepal. Villages > embrace > many ethnic groups and cultures. The terrain changes from tropical > jungle to > high glaciated peaks in only 150 km. From the start, the towering > peaks of > the Himalaya provide one of the highlights of a trek. As your plane > approaches Kathmandu these peaks appear to be small clouds on the > horizon. > The mountains become more definable and seem to reach impossible > heights as > you get closer and finally land at Kathmandu's Tribhuvan Airport. > Major Trek Routes of Nepal > There are many criteria that might influence your choice of a trek. > If you > have the time and are in reasonably good condition, the Everest walk- > in trek > which allows you a glimpse of both lowland villages as well as the > high > Himalaya, is the best choice. If time is a constraint, check the > various > that are less than a week long, or if you don't want to trek to a high > elevation, look at the treks listed under low altitude treks. If you > are an > experienced trekker, and want to go to one of the newly opened > regions of > Nepal, such as Mustang, look at the list of restricted area treks > > > Nepal's TOP Trekking Destinations > The Everest Region > The Everest Region > > Summit of Everest The Khumbu or Everest region is the most popular > trekking > area in Nepal. It would probably be the most popular destination, > but it is > more difficult to get to Solu Khumbu than to the Annapurna area. To > get near > Everest, you must either walk for 10 days or fly to Lukla, a remote > mountain > airstrip where flights are notoriously unreliable. > > Solu Khumbu is justifiably famous, not only for its proximity to the > world's > highest mountain (8848 metres), but also for its Sherpa villages and > monasteries. The primary goal of an Everest trek is the Everest base > camp at > an elevation of about 5340 metres. But you cannot see Everest from > the base > camp, so most trekkers climb Kala Pattar, an unassuming 5545-metre > bump on > the southern flank of Pumori (7145 metres).. > > Other than the problem of access, the other major complication to an > Everest > trek is the high likelihood of Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS). This > potentially deadly disease, commonly known as altitude sickness, is > caused > by climbing too quickly to a high elevation. Be sure to read the > section on > mountain sickness in the Health & First Aid chapter if you are > planning an > Everest trek.. If you suffer symptoms of altitude sickness and > cannot go to > base camp, you can still make a worthwhile trek to less ambitious > destinations such as Namche Bazaar, the administrative headquarters > of the > Khumbu region; Khumjung or Thami, more typical Sherpa villages; or > Tengpoche > Monastery. From Tengpoche you will have an excellent view of Everest > and its > more spectacular neighbour Ama Dablam (6856 metres). > > Everest Expedition Route > This is the best way to do an Everest trek. It follows much of the old > approach route followed by Everest expeditions from the 1950's > through the > 70's. It provides a good opportunity to see the densly populated > middle > hills and the high altitude splendour of the Khumbu, or Everest, > region. The > portion of the trek from Jiri to Lukla is often uncrowded, and > therefore > much better trekking country. From Namche the trek follows the Lukla > to > Everest base camp route and then flies out from Lukla. > > Instant Everest > If your time is limited, you can fly in to the remote mountain > airstrip at > Lukla and trek to the Sherpa capital of Namche Bazaar, the monastery > at > Tengpoche and the high yak pasture of Dingboche. This trek provides an > overview of Sherpa culture and excellent views of the high Himalaya > The Annapurna Region > > Machhapuchhare Central Nepal is dominated by the Annapurna Himal and > the > village of Pokhara. There are three major trekking routes in central > Nepal: > to Jomsom, to Annapurna Sanctuary, and a circuit of the Annapurna > Himal > itself. Pokhara is also a good starting place for short treks of one > to four > days, including the "Royal" trek, which is described here. Mustang > is also > geographically a part of the Annapurna region, but because treks to > Mustang > are subject to special restrictions, this is described it in the > separate > page on restricted area treks. About two-thirds of the trekkers in > Nepal > visit the Annapurna region. The area is easily accessible, hotels in > the > hills are plentiful, and treks here offer good scenery of both high > mountains and lowland villages. > > Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) > ACAP was established in 1986 under the guidance of the King Mahendra > Trust > for Nature Conservation. The project encompasses the entire > Annapurna range, > more than 7600 sq km. In an innovative approach to environmental > protection, > it was declared a "conservation area" instead of a national park. A > large > number of people live within the protected region, but traditional > national > park practices dictate that few, if any, people reside within park > boundaries. In an effort to avoid any conflicts of interest, ACAP > has sought > the involvement of local people and has emphasized environmental > education. > > ACAP projects include the training of lodge owners, with an emphasis > on > sanitation, deforestation and cultural pride. They have trained > trekking > lodge operators and encouraged hoteliers to charge a fair price for > food and > accommodation. ACAP encourages the use of kerosene for cooking > throughout > the region, and requires its use above Chhomrong in the Annapurna > Sanctuary > and on the route between Ghandruk and Ghorapani. ACAP is supported > by a > conservation fee" of Rs 650 that is collected from all trekkers who > obtain > trekking permits for the Annapurna region. > > ACAP has encouraged the construction of toilets throughout the area; > use > them no matter how disgusting they are. ACAP has also made provision > for the > supply of kerosene in those parts of the conservation area where the > use of > firewood by both trekking groups and hotels is prohibited. > > In Pokhara, visit ACAP's Trekkers Information & Environmental Centre > next to > the Hotel Lakeside. In addition to providing information, the centre > sells > iodine, solar battery chargers and other products that can help you to > protect the environment while you are trekking. There is also a > "trekkers > meeting board" and a battery drop-off centre. > > Jomsom Trek > The views of the mountains are spectacular, and the route actually > crosses > to the other side of the main Himalayan range for some unusual views > of the > northern flanks. The entire route remains below 3000 metres, though > the trek > is still strenuous enough to be stimulating (see the Route Profile > for the > trek around Annapurna). This is a good trek if you wish to avoid high > altitudes. > > Annapurna Sanctuary > The route to Annapurna Sanctuary (Annapurna Deuthali in Nepali), the > site of > the Annapurna south face base camp, is a spectacular short trek. > Though it > has some steep climbs, the trek is not difficult. The major problem > with > this trek is that it can become impassable because of snow and > avalanches in > winter and early spring. It is the only major trekking route in > Nepal that > has significant avalanche danger, so you must inquire locally > whether the > trail is safe. Some trekkers have died because of avalanches, and > others > have been stranded in the sanctuary for days. The sanctuary trek > traverses a > variety of terrain, from lowland villages and rice terraces to > glaciers, and > offers outstanding high mountain views. This trek is a fine > opportunity to > surround yourself with Himalayan peaks in a short time, without > having to > contend with the altitude and flight problems of the Everest region. > > Around Annapurna > This trek travels around the entire Annapurna massif, visiting the > Tibet-like country on the northern slopes of the Himalaya and the > dramatic > Kali Gandaki Gorge. Much of the trek is through lowland country, but > there > is one high pass, Thorung La. The pass is not difficult, but this is > still a > long trek at high elevation. You should be aware that you might have > to > return to Dumre if it is impossible or dangerous to cross Thorung La > because > of snow or altitude sickness. There are years when the weather > allows it to > stay open, but Thorung La is usually snowbound and closed from mid- > December > to mid-April. > > The Royal Trek > This is an easy, short trek that starts near Pokhara and offers good > mountain views. It gained its name because Prince Charles and an > entourage > of 90 guests, camp followers and staff trekked here. The trek has > also seen > the likes of such luminaries as Mick Jagger. The route is not a > popular one, > so you will see few other trekkers. > Eastern Nepal > > Trekking goals in eastern Nepal include Makalu base camp, an eastern > approach to Everest, and the area near Kanchenjunga. There is endless > variety in this part of the country. Most ethnic groups are > represented and > many villages, such as Dhankuta, Khandbari and Bhojpur, are large, > prosperous and clean.. The area has hot, rice-growing districts and > also > encompasses the cooler tea-growing region of Ilam. The heavily > populated > Middle Hills are gouged by the mighty Arun River which has cut > through at an > elevation of less than 400 metres. The Arun is flanked by the major > mountain > massifs of Kanchenjunga and Makalu. Treks here tend to be more > expensive, > since you and your gear must travel to eastern Nepal by bus or > plane. The > treks are also longer because it requires two weeks to travel from > Dharan to > the high mountains. Flying to STOL airstrips at Tumlingtar and > Taplejung can > shorten the time, but increases the expense. > > Inhabitants of this part of Nepal have not seen many Westerners in > their > villages. If you travel in eastern Nepal, you should take great care > to > avoid the mistakes that trekkers have made in the more popular > regions; > mistakes which have contributed to theft, over-reliance on the whims > of > tourists to support the economy, and to problems of garbage, > pollution, > begging by both adults and children and unnecessary hotel > construction. > Kanchenjunga, at 8586 metres, is the world's third-highest mountain. > The > peak is on the border of Nepal and Sikkim (India) and has several > distinct > summits. It is visible from Darjeeling, so many expeditions explored > this > region and tried to climb the mountain during the British rule in > India. A > British team led by Charles Evans made the first ascent of > Kanchenjunga in > 1953. They trekked from the south of Nepal and climbed the south > face of the > peak. > > One of the most spectacular peaks in the region is Jannu > (Khumbakarna), at > 7710 metres. The Nepalese renamed this peak Khumbakarna in 1984 when a > committee Nepalised the names of many peaks. Jannu was also called > "Mystery > Peak" and "Peak of Terror" by early expeditions. A French team made > the > first ascent of Jannu in 1962. > > Kanchenjunga > Nepal opened the Kanchenjunga area to trekkers in 1988, though > people have > trekked in the area in connection with mountaineering expeditions > since the > turn of the century. Kanchenjunga is a long way from Kathmandu, and > the > nearest roads and airports are a long way from the mountain. You can > trek > either to the north or south Kanchenjunga base camp, but it takes > luck, > determination and a lot of time to visit both sides of the peak. The > northern side is particularly remote; it takes almost two weeks of > walking > to get to the base camp at Pang Pema. > > Kanchenjunga is on the border of Nepal and the Indian state of > Sikkim, so a > circuit of the mountain is politically impossible. The next best > alternative > is to visit both the north and south sides of the mountain from the > Nepal > side; you need to be equipped for a high pass crossing and have a > minimum of > four weeks. If for any reason you cannot cross the pass, then it's a > long > way around. > > Since the region was opened, few groups have made successful > crossings of > either the Lapsang La or Mirgin La. Bad weather and snow is often to > blame, > but more often it is simply a lack of time. Many trekkers have > wallowed > around in the lowlands near Taplejung because they miscalculated the > time > required to reach the high country. Unless you have at least four > weeks, and > preferably five, you should plan to visit either the north or south > base > camp, not both. If you can get to Taplejung by either road or air, > the trek > can be shortened by four days, making it a bit more reasonable. > > The lowland portion of this region is culturally intriguing, but > there are > few good mountain views. The two treks that I have described here will > probably need to be extended by a few days because of porter problems, > weather, or the need for a rest day.. The Kanchenjunga region is the > home of > the Limbus. Relatives of the Rais, Limbus dominate the region east > of the > Arun River and few live elsewhere. Limbu men wear a distinctive tall > topi, a > Nepalese cap that is much more colourful than that worn by other > Nepalese. > > A noteworthy contribution of Limbu culture is the drink tongba. A > wooden pot > is filled with fermented millet seeds and boiling water added. You > sip the > dangerously potent mixture through a special bamboo straw, with tiny > filters > to keep the seeds out of the drink, as the hotelier merrily adds > more hot > water. It is often served in a large plastic mug, but ethnically > correct > hotels serve it in a special wooden tongba pot, which has brass > rings, and a > wooden cap with a hole for the straw. Tongba goes down easily, as > you might > do yourself when you arise after a lengthy tongba session. Watch for > this > speciality anywhere north of Dharan. > > East of Everest > This trek provides an interesting approach to Solu Khumbu (the Mt > Everest > region). Tilman, the first foreign visitor to Everest base camp, > used this > route in 1950. It traverses the width of the country, from the > jungles of > the terai to the high Himalaya. > > Kanchenjunga South Base Camp > The lowland portion of this region is culturally intriguing, but > there are > few good mountain views. Once the trek reaches the high country > south of > Kanchenjunga, the mountain scenery is some of the most spectacular > in the > world. > > The Kanchenjunga region is the home of the Limbus. Relatives of the > Rais, > Limbus dominate the region east of the Arun River and few live > elsewhere. > Limbu men wear a distinctive talltopi, a Nepalese cap that is much > more > colourful than that worn by other Nepalese. > > Makalu Base Camp > The trek to Makalu base camp visits one of the most remote and > unfrequented > areas of Nepal. The Barun Valley is part of a huge international > protected > area under an agreement between Nepal and China. The trek crosses > several > high passes as it climbs into the remote Barun Valley at the foot of > Makalu, > the world's fifth highest mountain. > > This area was once threatened by a dam project on the upper reaches > of the > Arun River. The World Bank cancelled its support of this project in > August, > 1995, so this region will retain its unique character that includes > interesting villages and wildlife. > > > Nepal Bird Watching > > For a country that boasts of 847-recorded species of birds, precious > little > has been done in the way of promoting Bird watching. Most government > officials probably have not even heard of this past time. With the > exception > of agencies that actually conduct bird-watching tours, tours they > organize > An agency does not necessarily handle all the different tours it > advertises. > Those are passed on the specialized agencies. So why not bird > watching. > > Ardent bird watchers travel the length and breathe of Nepal doing > nothing > but bird watching. From down to dusk, these fanatical tourists do > nothing > but peer through binoculars and telescopes. Even meals and > interrupted if a > special bird makes a sudden appearance outside. Half-eaten dishes > have to > wait as they excitedly rush out to gaze at the intruder.. These > tourists > will go anywhere; do anything to catch a glimpse of rare species of > birds. > > There are bird watching societies all over the world including > Nepal. It is > up to the tour operators to tap them. Once more and more bird watchers > arrive in Nepal they will go, back spread the word around. We never > bother > about the varied interests of westerners, which we fail to understand. > Gazing at birds and spending money in the process may not make sense > to us > but for some people it is a passion. Bird watchers go around the world > identifying birds and keeping records of species sighted. > > At the end of the day, an assessment is made of the number of new > sightings. > The sight of a rare bird generates great excitement among these > fanatics. > Nepal needs to add new attractions to lure more tourists into the > country. > The worldwide web has made it relatively easy to reach all corners > of the > globe. We need to highlight all aspects of tourism including bird > watching. > Talk foreigners are not even aware of the fact that a large part of > Nepal is > flat Terai covered with thick jungles. That Nepal has safari camps > where one > can come across tigers and rhinos comes as a surprise to many > tourists. Many > associate this country only with mountains. Our tourism posters mostly > feature mountains. Nepalese Tourism authorities are obsessed with > mountains. > We are yet to see a poster on Birds of Nepal like the one brought > but by > Bangla Biman on birds of Bangladesh. We can do a lot by just > imitation other > countries thus saying ourselves endless hours of brainstorming. > Nepal can > become a popular destination for birds' watchers but we need to take > promotion seriously. Birding is possible anywhere in Nepal from the > hot > plains in the south to the mountainous regions in the north. > > The Kathmandu Valley: Kathmandu has four major bird watching areas, > and one > can start on the banks of the Bagmati and Manohara rivers. Birds > sighted > along there rivers are the Egrets, herons, Kingfishers, Ibis bill, > Wood > Sandpipers and Plovers. The Chovar Gorge is particularly recommended > as an > area for birds as its isolation from human habitation has encouraged > their > presence. > > Phulchowki: Phulchowki is another ideal site, with a Redheaded > Trogan, a > very rate bird sighted there in April 2002 (it was last seen n Nepal > 44 > years ago). Phulchowki is 2760 meters and 18kms southeast of > Kathmandu and > is reached via Godawari and the Botanical Gardens. Walking can start > from > behind the gardens, with a combination of trails and roads. The > hillside is > covered with forest featuring outstanding flora as well as diverse > birds.. > About 90 species have been recorded in this area including the endemic > spring babbler, as well as the Curia, Mountain Hawk Eagle, Rufous > Bellied > Pied Woodpeckers and the Black-throated Parrot bill, to name a few. > > Shivapuri Watershed And Wildlife Reserve, & Nagarjun: Two other > areas of the > valley are the Shivapuri Watershed Reserve, 12kms north of the city, > and > Nagarjun in the north west. Shivapuri can be reached two ways either > from > Sundarijal or from Budhanilkantha.. The reserve is managed by > Nepalese Army > and it costs Rs 250 for foreigners to enter. (Rs1000/- is charged > for a > movie or video camera). Some of the birds in the area are the Laughing > Thrush, Crested Serpent Eagle, little Pied Fly Catchers, Rupy- > throats, and > Babblers. At Nagarjun at 2105 meters pheasants, magpies, sunbirds, > and ruby > throats are found. > > Pokhara: in Pokhara, the two well known lakes Phewa Tal and Begnas > Tal and > the surrounding areas are highly recommended. Of particular interest > are the > areas with minimum disturbances, away from human inhabitation the > forests > around the south shore of Phewa lake. Look out in the fields and pools > especially in the winter for Egrets, Herons, Pipits, and Buntings > etc. other > birds are occurring are Gulls, Terns, Ducks, and Falcons etc. > > Begnas Tal is 15Km away from Pokhara and it easily reached by taxi or > bicycle. Accommodations are available here too. Terraced hills and > light > forests surround the lake. One should spend time on the slopes and wet > fields. Birds sighted here are Ducks, pheasant-tailed jacana; Hoppie > Grey > bellied Tesias, common pintail snipe, bulbuls etc. Pokhara lakeside is > basically a tourist town, which caters to all the needs f visitors. > From > cheap lodges to very expensive star hotels are available in and around > Pokhara. Lakeside is full of restaurants of all kinds. Pokhara can be > reached by air or by road. Bird watching is best in October and April. > > Koshi Barage And Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve: are in the eastern > Terai to > the Far East of Nepal. The Koshi is great for waterfowl and waders, > with > about 26 varieties of ducks alone. Here the method of viewing is by > boat, > gliding through the waters in the stillness of the early morning and > evenings. Over 450 species have been sighted hare, including Black > Ibis, > Honey Kites, Ospreys, Black Headed Orioles, Peregrine Falcon, > Partridges, > and Storks. > > Chitwan National Park: Chitwan is in the lowlands of Nepal, known as > the > Terai. The Royal Chitwan National park is the best-known site in > Nepal for > bird watching. Bird watching need to be done from the safely of a > chair, the > back of an elephant or in a jeep (by far the last choice). And if > you wish > to walk, accompanied by a guide or a naturalist, or preferably an > ornithologist. The area consists of Sal Forest, Riverine forest, and > grasslands, with three rivers forming the boundaries of the park. > Some 500 > species have been recorded in Chitwan and some of them are Blue Indian > Roller, Stork-billed Kingfishers, Bengal Florican, Asian Paradise > Flycatcher > Bee-eaters, and Cormorants. > > Trekking Regions > One of the best ways of viewing birds in Nepal is a leisurely trek > through > the foothills of the Kingdom. There are three main trekking areas in > Nepal: > the Langtang region six hours by road North of Kathmandu, the Solu > Khumbu > region eight hours by road East of Kathmandu and the Annapurna > region, six > hours by road or a 30 minute flight West of Kathmandu. Of the three > trekking > regions, the Annapurna region offers the widest variety of species. > The > region is also easily accessible. > > The Annapurna Conservation Area > To set the scene a little, the Annapurna region is a Conservation > Area is > the largest and most protected region in the World (ACA), covering > around > 2600sq km towards the North-central region of Nepal. The Kali > Gandaki river > runs North to South through this region, through the world's deepest > gorge, > some 6000m below the high Annapurna and Dhaulagiri massifs, seven of > these > peaks are over 7000m, the highest (Annapurna I) at 8091m. > > A few facts and figures above, but as you can imagine, the ACA > supports a > remarkable but delicate biodiversity, with 441 recorded species of > birds (so > far), including the only endemic species of Nepal, the spiny babbler > (Turdoides Nepalensis). The bird habitat ranges from the sub-tropical > lowlands towards Pokhara in the south of ACA to dry sub-alpine > conditions > above the tree-line towards the North. > > The Kali Gandaki valley is also a major migration pathway in the > autumn, > when 40 species, including demoiselle cranes (Anthropoides Virgo), > can be > seen around Jomsom and Tukche. Happily this coincides with one of > the two > trekking seasons (Spring and Autumn). > > Migrating West about this time further South around Kaare and > Dhampus are > about 20 identified species of eagle and other birds of prey. The most > commonly observed are:lammergeier gypaetus barbatus (Bearded > Vulture), known > as the giddha in Nepal, it frequently occurs at 4100m.and the golden > eagle > Aquila Cryaetos, known as baaj in Nepal. > > There are six Himalayan pheasants to be found in ACA: Himalayan The > Monal > Lophophorus impejanus satyra Tragopan Tragopan satyra (Crimson Horned > Pheasant) Blood Pheasant Ithaginis cruentus Koklass Pheasant Pucrasia > macrolopha Cheer Pheasant Catreus wallichiiKalij Pheasant Lophura > leucomelana, are the most commonly occurring of Nepali pheasants > > > > Kathmandu Valley > > Nestled in the lap of snow mountains, the verdant Kathmandu Valley > abounds > in archaic temples, shrines and palaces that reflect its glory of > the bygone > era. Colorful Kathmandu with its old Asian legacy houses seven > Cultural > Heritage Sites four of which are its art-excelling temples while > three are > residential palaces of ancient Royals. The Valley is situated at 1,336 > meters above sea level and comprises three cities within its > parameters. > Kathmandu is connected by air and by road to most parts of Nepal. It > is also > connected by air to major cities in India and some parts of the > world. With > its many facades, Kathmandu is a true little city of wonder for its > visitors > > > Within Kathmanduy valley, following places are listing at world > heritage > site of NEpal by UNESCO. > 1. Kathmandu Durbar Square > 2. Bhaktapur Durbar Sqauare > 3. Patan Durbar Square > 4. Swayambhu > 5. Changu Narayan > 6. Pashupati > 7. Bouddha > Kathmandu Durbar Square > > Kathmandu Durbar Square is in the heart of old city Kathmandu in > Basantapur. > The Royal complex was residence to Nepal's Royal family before the > construction of the Narayanhiti Royal Palace. The founding of the > Royal > Palace dates back to Licchavi times. With considerable renovations > by Malla > rulers and later the Ranas, construction was accomplished > progressively over > many centuries. There are around 50 temples in the vicinity > including the > temple of Royal titular deity, Taleju Bhawani. The Durbar is divided > into > two courtyards, the outer comprising Kasthamandap, Kumari Ghar, and > Shiva-Parvati Temple, and the inner consisting of Hanuman Dhoka and > the main > palace. It also houses two museums. Important ceremonies, including > the > coronation of the Nepali monarch, are held in the Kathmandu Durbar > Square. > Most parts of the palace premise are open for tourists throughout > the week > during office hours. > Patan Durbar Square > > Patan Durbar Square complex, situated in the center of Patan city, > houses > the residence of the former Royal family of Patan. The Square and its > surroundings provide very good example of ancient Newari > architecture. The > palace has three main courtyards the central and the oldest is Mul > Chowk. To > the west of the complex are a dozen free standing temples of various > sizes > and styles. Krishna Temple, Bhimsen Temple, the Golden Temple of > Hiranya > Varna Mahavira and Sundari Chowk mark the architectural excellence > of its > era. The Sundari Chowk with the sunken Royal bath of Tusha Hiti, > contains > exquisite woodcarvings, stone, and metal sculpture. Patan Durbar > Square also > houses a temple of Taleju Bhawani. > > Swayambhu > > Swayambhu literally means 'Self-Existent One.' Swayambhunath is > believed to > have been established more than 2,500 years ago. An inscription > dated 460 A > D. states that the construction was carried out by King Manadeva. By > the > thirteenth century Swayambhunath had developed into an important > Buddhist > learning site. The history of Kathmandu Valley is said to have > started with > the beginning of Swayambhu. The largest image of the Sakyamuni > Buddha in > Nepal is in a monastery next to the stupa. Behind the hilltop is a > temple > dedicated to Manjusri of Saraswati - the goddess of learning. > Statues and > shrines of Buddhist and Hindu deities dot the stupa complex. Large > numbers > of Buddhists and Hindus alike visit Swayambhunath. Swayambhu is > perhaps the > best place to observe the religious harmony in Nepal. The stupa is > atop a > hill, and requires considerable walk. There is also a road that > leads almost > to the base of the statue > Changu Narayan > > Narayan, or Vishnu, is the preserver of creation to Hindus. His > temple near > Changu village is often described as the most ancient temple in the > Kathmandu Valley. A fifth century stone inscription, the oldest to be > discovered in Nepal, is located in the temple compound and it tells > of the > victorious King Mandev. The temple now covers sixteen hundred years of > Nepalese art history. The temple, built around the third century, is > decorated by some of the best samples of stone, wood, and metal > craft in the > Valley. In the words of one tourist guide, "When you look upon Changu > Narayan, you observe the complete cultural development of the Valley." > > On the struts of the two-tiered Changu Narayan Temple, are the ten > incarnations in which Narayan destroyed evil-doers. A sixth-century > stone > statue shows the cosmic form of Vishnu, while another statue recalls > his > dwarf incarnation when he crushed the evil king Bali. Vishnu as > Narsingha > disemboweling a demon is particularly stunning. The western bronze > doors > sparkle in the evening sunlight, dragons decorate the bells, and > handsome > devas stare from the walls. Garuda, half man and half bird, is the > steed of > Vishnu, and his life-sized statue kneels before the temple. The > favourite of > many tourists is the statue of Vishnu sitting astride his steed > Bhaktapur Durbar Square > > This is a unique city located east of Kathmandu at 1,400m above sea > level. > With an area of 5 sq. kms. this unique city is divided into 24 > traditional > localities. It was founded by King Ananda Dev in 889 A.D. > Bhaktapur in supposed to have been built in the shape of a conch > shell, a > scared symbol of Lord Vishnu. The world Bhaktapur means The City of > Devotees > > Bhaktapur; at one time an independent city, was ruled by the Malla > Kings. > They were very religious and gave importance to their artistic > heritage > which is evident throughout the city. Some of the significant > momuments here > are: > The Lion Gate: Built by King Bupatindra Malla in 17 th century A.D. > Golden Gate: The main entrance to the famous 55 Window Palace and > Royal > Taleju. > Constructed in 1754 A.D. > The statue of King Bupatindra Malla. > 55 Window Palace: This architectural structure dominates the entire > Bhadgaon > Durbar Square. It is worth admiring. > Vastala Temple. > Pashupati Nath Temple. > Nyatapole Temple. > Bhairav Nath Temple. > Bouddha Nath Stupa > > Bouddhanath is the center of Tibetan culture in Nepal. The 36-meter- > high > stupa of Bouddhanath is one of the largest stupas in South Asia. > Bouddhanath > Stupa was renovated by Licchavi rulers in the eighth century. The > mandala > design in Bouddhanath is a copy of the one in Gyangtse in Tibet. The > stupa > is located in the area of ancient trade route to Tibet where Tibetan > merchants rested and offered prayers for many centuries. When refugees > entered Nepal from Tibet in the 1950s, many decided to live around > Bouddhanath. Hence, a complete township has developed around > Bouddhanath. > The stupa is said to entomb the remains of a Kasyap sage venerable > both to > Buddhists and Hindus. Smaller stupas are located at the base. Gompa > monasteries, curio shops, and restaurants surround Bouddhanath. > > Lumbini > > Lumbini associated with the birth of Lord Buddha is of extreme > archeological > importance and also a UNESCO Cultural Heritage Site. It is said that > Prince > Siddhartha Gautam, who later became Buddha the Englightened One, was > born in > the gardens of Nepal's Lumbini in 623 B.C. The main shrines of > Lumbini are > the newly restored Mayadevi Temple, the Ashokan Pillar behind the > temple and > the Lake Shakya Puskarini where Mayadevi is said to have bathed before > delivering the little Buddha into the world. > > Several other places near Lumbini are linked with stories connected to > Buddha and Buddhism. Lumbini is about 300 kilometers southwest of > Kathmandu. > Bus and flights to Bhairawa which is about 22 kilometers from > Lumbini, are > available from major cities. From Bhairawa transport services to > Lumbini are > easily available. Food and accommodation facilities are available in > Lumbini > and Bhairawa. > > > > > > hope you will mail ..When u got this mail, > > These are the materials i want to put in my article about nepal > > > Warm regards hari > > > > Hope You Will Love This > Harry > > > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > 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 From NicholasBowry at bethanychristiantrust.com Tue Oct 6 01:39:45 2009 From: NicholasBowry at bethanychristiantrust.com (Nicholas Bowry) Date: Tue, 6 Oct 2009 08:39:45 +0100 Subject: [Ailist] I need a word - again In-Reply-To: <624173980C5F4406931AFF009AB5D8EA@Mike2009PC> References: <624173980C5F4406931AFF009AB5D8EA@Mike2009PC> Message-ID: <084F493045BF0F4CBF61947C1F713B6331E38C@bms00007.bethanychristiantrust.internal> Mike, I believe that 'Anam Cara' is the Gaelic for 'soul friend'. Maybe they aren't the right words to connect with energy and positivity, but your description of the type of person you're looking for instantly brought this to my mind. Great question and responses. Nick Nicholas Bowry HR Manager Bethany Christian Trust 65 Bonnington Road Edinburgh Midlothian EH6 5JQ t: 0131 625 5310 f: Winner of the TFN Scottish Charity of the Year Award 2009 Every year we help transform the lives of over 3,000 homeless and vulnerable people. Sadly, every day we are forced to turn people away through lack of finances. You have the power to make a difference. Click here to set up a Standing Order. Bethany Christian Trust is a Limited Company Registered in Scotland. Company number 228528 Charity number SC003783 Registered Office 65 Bonnington Road, Edinburgh, EH6 5JQ, tel: 0131 467 3030 Fax: 0131 625 5300. info at bethanyct.com, www.bethanychristiantrust.com From: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu [mailto:ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu] On Behalf Of Mike Sands Sent: 03 October 2009 02:09 To: AI Listserve Subject: [Ailist] I need a word - again Whom do you ask for help when you need more energy, to get out of the dumps, to help solve a problem, to listen to you as you try to flesh out a neat idea? Got any ideas? Desperately seeking more inspiration Well not desperately, but it was fun to make the play on an old movie title. Mike From motivate at frontiernet.net Tue Oct 6 02:46:33 2009 From: motivate at frontiernet.net (Julie Caldwell) Date: Tue, 6 Oct 2009 01:46:33 -0700 Subject: [Ailist] I need a word - again In-Reply-To: <4AC7A597.20101@bjseminars.com.au> References: <624173980C5F4406931AFF009AB5D8EA@Mike2009PC> <4AC7A597.20101@bjseminars.com.au> Message-ID: <7BDD53AA-CA91-4D02-A071-9A0B990C0550@frontiernet.net> Sue, I Skype with a Ukrainian friend who recently used the Russian word yastarayus in the following send: hi! earlier to 20 years of 20 century, people could learn to do something and then this knowledge it could be enough for a lifetime. In the 20 century the situation changed. Speed update their knowledge in society began to exceed the speed of generations. And every year it becomes more and faster. Now the school should teach children to quickly absorb new knowledge and develop based on these new skills. Our school currently does not. And there is no alternative. Child gradually chokes the flow of information which he is forced to memorize. He should learn to perceive the information and filter only needed for themselves. To do this, children need to learn fast reading and other modern methods of information perception. Unfortunately they did not teach me this and I cannot send it to my children. But yatarayus find methods and will gradually put under them as an alternative school methods. 8-| Unfortunately it is a disease of all schools in the world I think. This is beneficial to those who want to keep people like a flock of sheep to shear them, and while they do not even realize that they are sheep and not people.(bow) When I asked what yastarayus means, he replied: [21:26:11] Julie Caldwell: yatarayus <<< it is - I try Transcription Russian yastarayus On Oct 3, 2009, at 12:27 PM, Sue James wrote: > Hi Mike > > Some years ago I read somewhere that there's a word in Russian > which, roughly translated, means "soul talk". Are there any Russian > speakers on this list who could help me out here? :) > > We don't have a single word in English to describe this kind of > conversation ... but for me the expression "soul talk" has resonated > since as a way to describe the kind of conversation you are talking > about. > > The kind of conversation we have in relationship with another person > whom we value or respect, and in which we can talk about everything > that matters to us - our dreams, hopes, despairs, ideas, plans, > opinions, angers, politics, values, beliefs and philosophies. > In short, a conversation that supports us, comforts us, lifts our > spirits, helps us chart the landscape and move forward again if > we're stuck .. and does all those things you mentioned. :) > > I don't know if this will help you in your quest for the right word. > And I certainly empathise with the challenge of finding a 'right > word' for such a conversation, because the true essence of it is in > so many ways beyond words. > > Warmly > Sue > > Sue James > Facilitator & Consultant > Ph: +613 9758 2528 > BJ Seminars International > inspiring and connecting people > www.bjseminars.com.au Twitter: SueJ1 > > > > > Mike Sands wrote: >> Whom do you ask for help when you need more energy, to get out of >> the dumps, to help solve a problem, to listen to you as you try to >> flesh out a neat idea? >> >> (Such as I am doing with you right now?) >> >> And what would you call the relationship you have with such a person? >> Maybe some of you might agree that if someone is looking for help >> from Positive Psychology that helping them find such a resourceful >> relationship, or to be such a helpful friend could add richness and >> riches to their lives. >> Why do I want it - because I have written an essay on the subject >> of how to have conversations that help each other do these things >> - co-create energy, optimism, confidence, solve problems, inspire, >> motivate -- but so far I haven't been able to come up with a word >> that does the process justice. >> > _______________________________________________ > 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 From msands at dccnet.com Tue Oct 6 11:18:53 2009 From: msands at dccnet.com (Mike Sands) Date: Tue, 06 Oct 2009 10:18:53 -0700 Subject: [Ailist] I need a word - again In-Reply-To: <084F493045BF0F4CBF61947C1F713B6331E38C@bms00007.bethanychristiantrust.internal> References: <624173980C5F4406931AFF009AB5D8EA@Mike2009PC> <084F493045BF0F4CBF61947C1F713B6331E38C@bms00007.bethanychristiantrust.internal> Message-ID: <87BB4C9738B44D4E9DB537BC34955808@Mike2009PC> Nick, Many thanks - I really like the sound of those words "anam cara" and the idea. Other people have suggested "friend" - but I am seeking to name a friendship-helper relationship that has intention and skill and confidence that asking, listening, and admiring will always move lives in the direction of the melody. Developing idea -- I wonder if I might use "Anam Cara" to invite people in seniors activity centres to help people be anam caras for each other - starting with the simple - Tell me two stories from your life - two times that you did something you enjoyed doing. Having run some workshops before I think there are skills for the asker - how to ask, how to listen, how to find something to admire and ask again - and how to warm to the warmth these activities can generate. It seems there are skills for the Story teller too - of course the skills of remembering and telling - and also the skill of noticing the effect on their own feeling state of being asked heartwarming, invigorating questions, of being listened to, of remembering for themselves times in which they felt capable, optimistic, and engaged. (The idea of melodic questions comes to mind - not sure of its marketability - but I like it) So far my favorite ( and only) Gaelic expression has been Cead Mile Failte - Hmm - anam cara seems closely related. Go raibh mile maith agat, (I hope that means 100,000 thanks) Mike Any advances from anybody on how to express easily the idea of questions that engage, invite, elevate the spirits, make melody. Harmonic, enticing Possible book title: - The Art of Asking ________Questions" Hmm - Tell me about a time when someone asked you an enticing question. (a delicious question) (Of course a big part of the art is the listening to the answer and the resonance of the second question) ----- Original Message ----- From: "Nicholas Bowry" To: "AI Listserve" Cc: "Mike Sands" Sent: Tuesday, October 06, 2009 12:39 AM Subject: RE: [Ailist] I need a word - again Mike, I believe that 'Anam Cara' is the Gaelic for 'soul friend'. Maybe they aren't the right words to connect with energy and positivity, but your description of the type of person you're looking for instantly brought this to my mind. Great question and responses. Nick Nicholas Bowry HR Manager Bethany Christian Trust 65 Bonnington Road Edinburgh Midlothian EH6 5JQ t: 0131 625 5310 f: Winner of the TFN Scottish Charity of the Year Award 2009 Every year we help transform the lives of over 3,000 homeless and vulnerable people. Sadly, every day we are forced to turn people away through lack of finances. You have the power to make a difference. Click here to set up a Standing Order. Bethany Christian Trust is a Limited Company Registered in Scotland. Company number 228528 Charity number SC003783 Registered Office 65 Bonnington Road, Edinburgh, EH6 5JQ, tel: 0131 467 3030 Fax: 0131 625 5300. info at bethanyct.com, www.bethanychristiantrust.com From: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu [mailto:ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu] On Behalf Of Mike Sands Sent: 03 October 2009 02:09 To: AI Listserve Subject: [Ailist] I need a word - again Whom do you ask for help when you need more energy, to get out of the dumps, to help solve a problem, to listen to you as you try to flesh out a neat idea? Got any ideas? Desperately seeking more inspiration Well not desperately, but it was fun to make the play on an old movie title. Mike From jkaiser at caringmatters.com Tue Oct 6 12:21:01 2009 From: jkaiser at caringmatters.com (Jerry M. Kaiser) Date: Tue, 06 Oct 2009 11:21:01 -0700 Subject: [Ailist] I need a word - again Message-ID: I would call this person a ?friend?, because that?s what a friend does ? or should ? do. I don?t think we need to complexify this stuff with title (or degrees). -- Jerry M. Kaiser CaringMatters 455 Huckleberry Lane, Boulder Creek, CA 95006 831-338-3165 http://www.caringmatters.com http://caringmatters.blogspot.com/ "He is the best physician who is the most ingenious inspirer of hope." Samuel Taylor Coleridge From drj at lsol.net Tue Oct 6 13:03:22 2009 From: drj at lsol.net (Dr Judy Krings) Date: Tue, 6 Oct 2009 14:03:22 -0500 (Central Daylight Time) Subject: [Ailist] Warning, long personal email. Memories of Russia. Nothing research-oriented References: <624173980C5F4406931AFF009AB5D8EA@Mike2009PC> <4AC7A597.20101@bjseminars.com.au> <7BDD53AA-CA91-4D02-A071-9A0B990C0550@frontiernet.net> Message-ID: <4ACB9447.00045A.04748@OWNER-PC> This was a brilliant commentary. So insightful and so loving of the human race. My gratitude for living in the free USA bubbled way up to the top. Here is a positive psych story that this post lovingly resurrected in my mind. One of my fondest memories of that era. I was fortunate to go to Russia in 1974, a surprise as no one working for the USA ever seemed to get a VISA, especially if you were working for the Government. I was the civilian GS (Government Service) masters degree psychologist creator/consultant for the Army's first Community Drug and Alcohol Assistance Center (CDAAC) in Bamberg, Germany. Too many guys were coming out of Vietnam a mess on drugs and drink, so CDAAC had a huge mission. But it was the blind leading the blind, but we were all up to the task. An awesome responsibility, yes, especially because at that age, I didn't know my butt from a hole in the ground. I was paired up with a wonderful 27 year old West Point, two-time Vietnam vet. And that could be a book in itself. But I digress... Behind the Iron Curtain in Russia, the people quietly begged me for the truth about the West. OK,it wasn't smart, but I was 24 and stupid, so I smuggled in many magazines. People knew they were not allowed to read American info, so I was careful, very careful. I would get on a bus, whip one out, and see people straining, eyes furrowed, to see the pages. I will never forget their eagerness. I gladly accommodated. One gal could not believe that we all had washing machines in every house. Nor could she fathom only one family lived in a home. She kept asking me over and over, "No! How many people all together?". I showed her a photo of my Mom's little home, and she shook her head, "NO!" when I told her only Mom lived there. In Leningrad, I asked a small bookseller if she had a book on Leningrad in English. She nodded negatively. I saw her intensely glaring at my bag that just happened to have some magazines peeking through. I made sure I wasn't being watched and inconspicuously left a magazine on her table. I told her that I would leave her more when I left. I wasn't sure if she understood, but I was going to open her eyes to the free world if I could. She seemed scared but smiled. As my Leningrad visit came to an end, I nonchalantly left a small colorful plastic bag on her desk. I nodded my head, smiled, and was on my way. But she beaconed me to wait. Her grateful eyes were peeled to see if anyone took note. We seemed safe. Then carefully, she slowly reached beneath her little table and handed me a brown paper bag wrapped in string. Now it was she who bowed her head at me. No words were spoken. I hauled my too-full suitcase onto the airport headed for Moscow. Safely on the plane, with reverence, I opened her package. To this day, when I look at that IN ENGLISH book on Leningrad, I think of the risk she took to get and give me that book. It still brings tear to my eyes. The risk she took to get it for me, a stranger. Not to mention the financial cost. People then had no money for the plastic shoes they wore and waited for months to get a pair they were the wrong size! Character Strengths in action, and not one word was spoken.Two women, worlds interwoven. Strangers meeting, trusting, sharing and caring. Savoring the moment, spirits flowing, and making the impossible possible. Yep, it is the little things. If you call a life time memory little. Smiles, Judy -------Original Message------- From: Julie Caldwell Date: 10/6/2009 12:41:51 PM To: Sue James Cc: Mike Sands; AI Listserve Subject: Re: [Ailist] I need a word - again Sue, I Skype with a Ukrainian friend who recently used the Russian word yastarayus in the following send: hi! earlier to 20 years of 20 century, people could learn to do something and then this knowledge it could be enough for a lifetime. In the 20 century the situation changed. Speed update their knowledge in society began to exceed the speed of generations. And every year it becomes more and faster. Now the school should teach children to quickly absorb new knowledge and develop based on these new skills. Our school currently does not. And there is no alternative. Child gradually chokes the flow of information which he is forced to memorize. He should learn to perceive the information and filter only needed for themselves. To do this, children need to learn fast reading and other modern methods of information perception. Unfortunately they did not teach me this and I cannot send it to my children. But yatarayus find methods and will gradually put under them as an alternative school methods. 8-| Unfortunately it is a disease of all schools in the world I think. This is beneficial to those who want to keep people like a flock of sheep to shear them, and while they do not even realize that they are sheep and not people.(bow) When I asked what yastarayus means, he replied: [21:26:11] Julie Caldwell: yatarayus <<< it is - I try Transcription Russian yastarayus On Oct 3, 2009, at 12:27 PM, Sue James wrote: > Hi Mike > > Some years ago I read somewhere that there's a word in Russian > which, roughly translated, means "soul talk". Are there any Russian > speakers on this list who could help me out here? :) > > We don't have a single word in English to describe this kind of > conversation ... but for me the expression "soul talk" has resonated > since as a way to describe the kind of conversation you are talking > about. > > The kind of conversation we have in relationship with another person > whom we value or respect, and in which we can talk about everything > that matters to us - our dreams, hopes, despairs, ideas, plans, > opinions, angers, politics, values, beliefs and philosophies. > In short, a conversation that supports us, comforts us, lifts our > spirits, helps us chart the landscape and move forward again if > we're stuck .. and does all those things you mentioned. :) > > I don't know if this will help you in your quest for the right word. > And I certainly empathise with the challenge of finding a 'right > word' for such a conversation, because the true essence of it is in > so many ways beyond words. > > Warmly > Sue > > Sue James > Facilitator & Consultant > Ph: +613 9758 2528 > BJ Seminars International > inspiring and connecting people > www.bjseminars.com.au Twitter: SueJ1 > > > > > Mike Sands wrote: >> Whom do you ask for help when you need more energy, to get out of >> the dumps, to help solve a problem, to listen to you as you try to >> flesh out a neat idea? >> >> (Such as I am doing with you right now?) >> >> And what would you call the relationship you have with such a person? >> Maybe some of you might agree that if someone is looking for help >> from Positive Psychology that helping them find such a resourceful >> relationship, or to be such a helpful friend could add richness and >> riches to their lives. >> Why do I want it - because I have written an essay on the subject >> of how to have conversations that help each other do these things >> - co-create energy, optimism, confidence, solve problems, inspire, >> motivate -- but so far I haven't been able to come up with a word >> that does the process justice. >> > _______________________________________________ > 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 _______________________________________________ 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 From katrik2 at yahoo.com Tue Oct 6 13:33:41 2009 From: katrik2 at yahoo.com (Katri K) Date: Tue, 6 Oct 2009 12:33:41 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [Ailist] I need a word - again In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <549200.27599.qm@web65613.mail.ac4.yahoo.com> Hi Mike :-)! You asked: Whom do you ask for help when you need more energy, to get out of the dumps, to help solve a problem, to listen to you as you try to flesh out a neat idea? I turn to people, who listen and see me, who appreciate the way I think and who appreciate who I am, I turn to people whom I trust :-), I turn to people who can handle situation, if we don't agree, I turn to people with whom I can have heated conversations without a fear of anger, I turn to people who want to study life together. Katri From motivate at frontiernet.net Tue Oct 6 14:31:24 2009 From: motivate at frontiernet.net (Julie Caldwell) Date: Tue, 6 Oct 2009 13:31:24 -0700 Subject: [Ailist] I need a word - again In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <84A9FFAC-FF2D-46C7-80A1-F15A88AB5098@frontiernet.net> Jerry, I agree. First words that came to mind were: friend and spouse Julie Caldwell Emerging Futures Youth Network phone: 01-775-753-8414 (PTD-USA) skype: juliecaldwell "doing together what we can not do alone" On Oct 6, 2009, at 11:21 AM, Jerry M. Kaiser wrote: > I would call this person a ?friend?, because that?s what a friend > does ? or > should ? do. I don?t think we need to complexify this stuff with > title (or > degrees). > -- > Jerry M. Kaiser > CaringMatters > 455 Huckleberry Lane, Boulder Creek, CA 95006 > > 831-338-3165 > http://www.caringmatters.com > http://caringmatters.blogspot.com/ > > "He is the best physician who is the most ingenious inspirer of hope." > Samuel Taylor Coleridge > > _______________________________________________ > 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 From porcia at thrivealliance.org Tue Oct 6 20:23:30 2009 From: porcia at thrivealliance.org (Porcia Silverberg) Date: Tue, 6 Oct 2009 19:23:30 -0700 Subject: [Ailist] using AI for nonprofit leaders & coalition building Message-ID: <002801ca46f5$2c98e570$85cab050$@org> The AI community is a wonderful resource for brilliant and creative ideas. Thank you in advance for helping me with the planning of a two hour meeting (plus 15 min. of networking & lunch at the beginning of the meeting.) This can potentially become a very depressing gathering, because of the topic of discussion - CA budget , which is why I am asking for your suggestions to "AI" the meeting. There will be approx. 20 executive directors/CEOs of diverse nonprofits in the San Francisco peninsula. The goals for this meeting are: 1) Deepen relationships and trust betw. these leaders so ultimately we can work closer and collaborate together, especially during the current California budget shortfall of approx. $25 billion, 2) Find out how the state budget cuts have impacted each organization, 3) Identify successful strategies they've used or are exploring in riding through the economic storm, and finally 4) How my organization can support them. As the Alliance of Nonprofits for San Mateo County, Thrive is a membership organization that was founded in 2000 to promote collaboration, unity and resource sharing between nonprofits, government, business and civic leaders. We foster active connections and communication between nonprofits and their communities. Together, we work to enhance and sustain a thriving San Mateo County. Our vision: People who live and work in a prosperous San Mateo County celebrating the vibrant contributions and partnership of the nonprofit community, who shares their passion and commitment to the common good. May a million things go smoothly in your world. Porcia Chen Silverberg Executive Director porcia at thrivealliance.org http://www.twitter.com/ThriveAlliance http://www.linkedin.com/in/porcia Because you care about San Mateo County, Become a Thrive Member Today! 650-766-1162 Thrive_logo_tag_web -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: image/gif Size: 7787 bytes Desc: not available URL: From wjs.consulting at shaw.ca Wed Oct 7 14:21:29 2009 From: wjs.consulting at shaw.ca (Bill Scott) Date: Wed, 7 Oct 2009 13:21:29 -0700 Subject: [Ailist] using AI for nonprofit leaders & coalition building In-Reply-To: <002801ca46f5$2c98e570$85cab050$@org> References: <002801ca46f5$2c98e570$85cab050$@org> Message-ID: <01a101ca478b$c11908b0$434b1a10$@consulting@shaw.ca> Hi Porcia, As a former Ed of a social profit (I prefer the term to non-profit as it says what we do rather than what we don't do), I can totally relate to the topic of your two hour meeting. I've participated in a few of them. They're never easy and they *can* be downright nasty. I think the key issue will be the development of trust. Often people enter discussion of this type with a zero sum game in mind - i.e. make sure that the recovery of the $25B shortfall is reflected in someone else's budget, not mine. A coordinating organization such as yours is the perfect entity to bring the front line service providers together. With respect to your inquiry, there are obviously a lot of "standard" AI questions that can apply. In addition to those, allow me to suggest a couple of others: * Tell me about a time when you were forced to do more with less and the results exceeded your wildest expectations. Who was involved? How were the results achieved? What did each person specifically do or contribute? * When you think of a time when you collaborated with another group and did so successfully, what comes to mind? What circumstances allowed the collaboration to occur? * Think about a time when you felt incredibly well supported by someone or a group of people from another organization. Tell me about that time. As a consultant, I did some work similar to what you are proposing with 6 social profit organizations and a funding government department. We also started with the EDs. In my opinion, however, the momentum for community collaboration really didn't start to build until we involved front line worker and supervisors, managers, and clients in the process. I suggest that you give such a forum sonsideration for a subsequent meeting. I'd also suggest that you take a look at Jackie Stavros's work with the Quick SOAR methodology. I've been using it in my work and I think it would work very well in this situation. Finally, my colleague Cheri Torres (who is a regular contributor to this list) does remarkable work with community collaboration. I suggest that you check out her website at: http://www.collaborative-by-design.com/. Hope this helps. Best regards, Bill Scott BSW, MBA Surrey, B.C., Canada bill at elpisconsulting.com www.elpisconsulting.com 604-574-1856 -----Original Message----- From: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu [mailto:ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu] On Behalf Of Porcia Silverberg Sent: Tuesday, October 06, 2009 7:24 PM To: ailist at lists.business.utah.edu Subject: [Ailist] using AI for nonprofit leaders & coalition building The AI community is a wonderful resource for brilliant and creative ideas. Thank you in advance for helping me with the planning of a two hour meeting (plus 15 min. of networking & lunch at the beginning of the meeting.) This can potentially become a very depressing gathering, because of the topic of discussion - CA budget , which is why I am asking for your suggestions to "AI" the meeting. There will be approx. 20 executive directors/CEOs of diverse nonprofits in the San Francisco peninsula. The goals for this meeting are: 1) Deepen relationships and trust betw. these leaders so ultimately we can work closer and collaborate together, especially during the current California budget shortfall of approx. $25 billion, 2) Find out how the state budget cuts have impacted each organization, 3) Identify successful strategies they've used or are exploring in riding through the economic storm, and finally 4) How my organization can support them. As the Alliance of Nonprofits for San Mateo County, Thrive is a membership organization that was founded in 2000 to promote collaboration, unity and resource sharing between nonprofits, government, business and civic leaders. We foster active connections and communication between nonprofits and their communities. Together, we work to enhance and sustain a thriving San Mateo County. Our vision: People who live and work in a prosperous San Mateo County celebrating the vibrant contributions and partnership of the nonprofit community, who shares their passion and commitment to the common good. May a million things go smoothly in your world. Porcia Chen Silverberg Executive Director porcia at thrivealliance.org http://www.twitter.com/ThriveAlliance http://www.linkedin.com/in/porcia Because you care about San Mateo County, Become a Thrive Member Today! 650-766-1162 Thrive_logo_tag_web From kathy at companyofexperts.net Wed Oct 7 17:03:07 2009 From: kathy at companyofexperts.net (Kathy Becker) Date: Wed, 7 Oct 2009 16:03:07 -0700 Subject: [Ailist] using AI for nonprofit leaders & coalition building In-Reply-To: <002801ca46f5$2c98e570$85cab050$@org> References: <002801ca46f5$2c98e570$85cab050$@org> Message-ID: <02d301ca47a2$560dcee0$02296ca0$@net> Hello Porcia, Although I am currently living in Nevada - I just recently moved here from California. We have worked with non-profits including CEO's and other executives in higher education in California. They have been hit so hard by the economic crisis and they are struggling. At a large meeting where so much of their time was devoted to those who spoke to them about the doom and gloom, we found that they embraced the opportunity for conversation about the possibilities. In fact, one college president said "we never have this opportunity, thank you!" This was designed to be an introduction to the Creative Change Institute bringing educators, non-profits, corporations and community members to the table all focused on improving education building a stronger workforce - starting at the community level. We worked with Charles Miller on this project from the beginning. Charles lives just north of San Francisco and I recommend him as a possible connection for you as he does tons of work with non-profits and is an advocate for so many. His crmiller at sonic.net you may read more about Charles at our website: http://companyofexperts.net/biz/company/experts-on-call/charles-miller/. Kathy Becker, Appreciative Inquiry Certified Facilitator Celebrating 20 years of service - Building Trust, Valuing People New Workshops Added! http://register.companyofexperts.net Kathy at Company of Experts.net | http://www.companyofexperts.net 1140 N. Town Center Drive, Suite 270, Las Vegas, NV 89144 Phone: (702) 228-4699 | Fax: (702) 242-6182 - Mobile: (760) 333-4993 Please think sustainable before you print this email -----Original Message----- From: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu [mailto:ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu] On Behalf Of Porcia Silverberg Sent: Tuesday, October 06, 2009 7:24 PM To: ailist at lists.business.utah.edu Subject: [Ailist] using AI for nonprofit leaders & coalition building The AI community is a wonderful resource for brilliant and creative ideas. Thank you in advance for helping me with the planning of a two hour meeting (plus 15 min. of networking & lunch at the beginning of the meeting.) This can potentially become a very depressing gathering, because of the topic of discussion - CA budget , which is why I am asking for your suggestions to "AI" the meeting. There will be approx. 20 executive directors/CEOs of diverse nonprofits in the San Francisco peninsula. The goals for this meeting are: 1) Deepen relationships and trust betw. these leaders so ultimately we can work closer and collaborate together, especially during the current California budget shortfall of approx. $25 billion, 2) Find out how the state budget cuts have impacted each organization, 3) Identify successful strategies they've used or are exploring in riding through the economic storm, and finally 4) How my organization can support them. As the Alliance of Nonprofits for San Mateo County, Thrive is a membership organization that was founded in 2000 to promote collaboration, unity and resource sharing between nonprofits, government, business and civic leaders. We foster active connections and communication between nonprofits and their communities. Together, we work to enhance and sustain a thriving San Mateo County. Our vision: People who live and work in a prosperous San Mateo County celebrating the vibrant contributions and partnership of the nonprofit community, who shares their passion and commitment to the common good. May a million things go smoothly in your world. Porcia Chen Silverberg Executive Director porcia at thrivealliance.org http://www.twitter.com/ThriveAlliance http://www.linkedin.com/in/porcia Because you care about San Mateo County, Become a Thrive Member Today! 650-766-1162 Thrive_logo_tag_web From tmcnichol at renassociates.com Wed Oct 7 17:52:52 2009 From: tmcnichol at renassociates.com (Terri McNichol) Date: Wed, 07 Oct 2009 23:52:52 +0000 Subject: [Ailist] using AI for nonprofit leaders & coalition building Message-ID: Hi all, I am following this thread and can't help thinking that nonprofits can lead the way in this time of massive change. They are much more flexible than the behemoth instiutions that are too big to fail because they are incapable of rapid response and more importantly, lack imagination. But nonprofits have the edge because they are entrepreneurial--they make things happen out of nothing! Nonprofits deal in generative ideas which are living things and that calls for experimentation. Life is a big laboratory: jump in and invent something and make a decision and gain consensus from those present to trust the process--like art. Before that masterpiece takes shape it is going to look like a holy mess but if you hang in there and trust the creative process, it will take form. I would get that group together and get people engaged in inquiry, fantasy, invention--well, appreciative inquiry. Bring a video of a bunch of 4 year olds (sadly by age 6 they have lost this ability) in front of an easel slinging paint on the paper. Watch how they invent around the marks they put down and bring it to a complete composition. I once heard a Chinese scholar explain that the first stroke of ink on the paper is the beginning of a new universe--I love that! Terri Ren Associates imaginement? grow imagination~drive appreciative change 707 Alexander Rd., Bldg. 2 Ste. 208 Princeton, NJ 08540 Telephone +1.609.371.5354 Fax +1-609-243-0045 Cell +1.609.638.5878 www.renassociates.com Blog: http://imaginement.wordpress.com/ My Appreciative Inquiry case study is included in the bestselling The Sustainable Enterprise Fieldbook. Greenleaf Publishing, UK, and AMACOM in North America. Jeana Wirtenberg et al, ed. http://bit.ly/IDzuh Presentation Available: "Art or Science: OD in China." with co-presenter Wei Huang, Ph.D. "Inverting Western business models: why museum practices are key to a new management paradigm." 2nd International Committee on Management of International Council of Museums (International Council of Museums standing committee on management. INTERCOM/ICOM) Meeting 2006 "New Roles and Missions of Museums" Taipei, Taiwan, November 2-4, 2006. "The Art of Leading the Museum: Managing for Wonder." 4th Annual Critical Management Studies Conference, Cambridge, UK, July 4-6, 2005. From scott at entelechy.com.au Wed Oct 7 19:39:11 2009 From: scott at entelechy.com.au (Scott Zedack) Date: Thu, 8 Oct 2009 01:39:11 +0000 Subject: [Ailist] using AI for nonprofit leaders & coalition building In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <1835254-1254962542-cardhu_decombobulator_blackberry.rim.net-1945169940-@bda012.bisx.prodap.on.blackberry> I just love this list and in that spirit I am devout in my belief that 'words create worlds'. That being said I prefer to use the term 'purpose beyond profit' as a descriptor for what has been known as non-profits. It is so much more accurate a phrase from which AI can take root. Scott Sent via BlackBerry? from Telstra -----Original Message----- From: "Terri McNichol" Date: Wed, 07 Oct 2009 23:52:52 To: Bill Scott Cc: Subject: Re: [Ailist] using AI for nonprofit leaders & coalition building Hi all, I am following this thread and can't help thinking that nonprofits can lead the way in this time of massive change. They are much more flexible than the behemoth instiutions that are too big to fail because they are incapable of rapid response and more importantly, lack imagination. But nonprofits have the edge because they are entrepreneurial--they make things happen out of nothing! Nonprofits deal in generative ideas which are living things and that calls for experimentation. Life is a big laboratory: jump in and invent something and make a decision and gain consensus from those present to trust the process--like art. Before that masterpiece takes shape it is going to look like a holy mess but if you hang in there and trust the creative process, it will take form. I would get that group together and get people engaged in inquiry, fantasy, invention--well, appreciative inquiry. Bring a video of a bunch of 4 year olds (sadly by age 6 they have lost this ability) in front of an easel slinging paint on the paper. Watch how they invent around the marks they put down and bring it to a complete composition. I once heard a Chinese scholar explain that the first stroke of ink on the paper is the beginning of a new universe--I love that! Terri Ren Associates imaginement? grow imagination~drive appreciative change 707 Alexander Rd., Bldg. 2 Ste. 208 Princeton, NJ 08540 Telephone +1.609.371.5354 Fax +1-609-243-0045 Cell +1.609.638.5878 www.renassociates.com Blog: http://imaginement.wordpress.com/ My Appreciative Inquiry case study is included in the bestselling The Sustainable Enterprise Fieldbook. Greenleaf Publishing, UK, and AMACOM in North America. Jeana Wirtenberg et al, ed. http://bit.ly/IDzuh Presentation Available: "Art or Science: OD in China." with co-presenter Wei Huang, Ph.D. "Inverting Western business models: why museum practices are key to a new management paradigm." 2nd International Committee on Management of International Council of Museums (International Council of Museums standing committee on management. INTERCOM/ICOM) Meeting 2006 "New Roles and Missions of Museums" Taipei, Taiwan, November 2-4, 2006. "The Art of Leading the Museum: Managing for Wonder." 4th Annual Critical Management Studies Conference, Cambridge, UK, July 4-6, 2005. _______________________________________________ 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 From robyn at positivematrix.com Wed Oct 7 21:17:30 2009 From: robyn at positivematrix.com (Robyn Stratton-Berkessel) Date: Wed, 7 Oct 2009 23:17:30 -0400 Subject: [Ailist] Cooperrider and Harvard Conference Message-ID: Fabulous to read: David Cooperrider, PhD delivered the opening keynote at the second Harvard Medical School Coaching in Medicine and Leadership Conference with a call to action for positive change in organizations based on his development of the field of Appreciative Inquiry. http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/life-changes/200910/harvard-conference-reflections Kind regards, Robyn. Robyn Stratton-Berkessel Creator, www.positivematrix.com +1 732 291 0462 +1 732 939 8239 (mobile) Skype: robynsb From coopdole at windstream.net Thu Oct 8 08:25:29 2009 From: coopdole at windstream.net (Dawn Dole) Date: Thu, 8 Oct 2009 9:25:29 -0500 Subject: [Ailist] New Commentary by Cooperrider on AI Commons In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <20091008092529.1UPLU.288.root@ispmxfep15-z01> Dear AI Commons Friends and Colleagues, We invite you to take a look at the new commentary by David Cooperrider. This commentary is a longer version of the Op-Ed David Cooperrider recently published in Cleveland's Plain Dealer newspaper. The commentary shows how AI's passion for the question of "change at the scale of the whole" -- is being played out in a whole city seeking to harness "going green". This remarkable application of Appreciative Inquiry came to fruition in an AI summit initiated by Mayor Frank Jackson with 700 business and society leaders around the theme: "Sustainable Cleveland 2019: Building an Economic Engine to Empower a Green City on a Blue Lake." Other news and new things happening around Appreciative Inquiry: AI Conference: We hope you can join us -- either in Nepal or online -- at the 2009 World Appreciative Inquiry Conference: Creating a Positive Revolution for Sustainable Change. See www.2009worldaiconference.org for all the great details surrounding this conference. The 2009 World AI Conference will have profound implications for everyone interested in leading with hope and optimism, and winning the future through the highest engagement of human strengths?and getting extraordinary results in the process! AI Workshops: Be sure to click on the events calendar on the AI Commons for a full public listing of hundreds of different training programs over the next year on Appreciative Inquiry. There are AI Certificate programs (for example see AI Certificate Program in Positive Business and Society Change , Weatherhead School of Management) and there are even virtual online AI Leadership Programs (for example see Appreciative Inquiry Online Workshop with David Cooperrider and OvationNet Workshops). Please email AI Commons (aicommons at case.edu) if you need help finding the program you want or would like to schedule a discussion for a customized program for your company or organization. Web 2.0 and the AI Commons: We invite people who might want to be part of a steering committee to help in the re-design of a new Web 2.O version of the AI Commons. Part of the co-designing will happen by phone and also live at the Nepal AI World Conference. We want to explore ways to create interactivity on the AI Commons for years to come. Email aicommons at case.edu to submit your name and interest in this project. New articles and submissions on the AI Commons: The AI Commons needs new case studies, new articles, new stories from the field and we invite each one of your to share your work with the rest of us by submitting to the AI Commons. It is easy to submit and share your work. Just go to this link and upload your story, case summary, or AI materials/tools. We all enjoy the resources available on the AI Commons and it is time now to share your's and help keep the resources current and exciting. Please email me at aicommons at case.edu if you have questions. All the best in your AI endeavors, Dawn Dole and Lindsey Godwin AI Commons Knowledge Co-Managers aicommons at case.edu appreciativeinquiry.case.edu Contact: Weatherhead School of Management, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106 From lynda at strategiccrossroads.com Thu Oct 8 11:48:10 2009 From: lynda at strategiccrossroads.com (Lynda Davis) Date: Thu, 8 Oct 2009 11:48:10 -0600 Subject: [Ailist] using AI for nonprofit leaders & coalition building In-Reply-To: <02d301ca47a2$560dcee0$02296ca0$@net> References: <002801ca46f5$2c98e570$85cab050$@org> <02d301ca47a2$560dcee0$02296ca0$@net> Message-ID: <2B040AD73CEA478F8176FB553499EA85@LyndaNC4400> Hi Porcia, I'm a little late responding to your message; however, I wanted to communicate an AI World Caf? process I facilitated last week with group of around 280 nonprofit executives and foundation leaders at an Idaho Nonprofit conference last week. I agree that the nonprofit sector is being heavily hit with challenges in our economic environment at this time; and yet, it's also an incredible opportunity for them to embrace change in new ways to enable their organizations to truly transform to be more successful than in the past. At this conference, the topic was focused on positive change for the future, however, there was initially a heavy energy and concern around how non-profit funds had greatly decreased (and were continuing to decline) while the needs for overall services continues to drastically increase All this was supported by a couple presentations with documented statistics. I was given a four hour time slot to conduct a World Caf? event with the nonprofit executives and foundation leaders - a process that this group had never been involved in before. We carefully crafted an AI question that elicited focus on creating 'Future Pull' - their ability to step into their personal and collective power and focus on generating creative and innovative ideas to pull their desired future into their present, rather than continue to make decisions based on their assumptions from their past experiences. The World Caf? event was wonderful and very successful. The energy throughout the room continued to shift throughout the exercise with foundation and nonprofit leaders 'coming into unity' sharing their experiences and creating new innovative ideas for what they could influence and change. Many learnings and new opportunities emerged from the group including opportunities for the application of deeper collaboration than they had ever implemented before and the recognition of the power and opportunities they truly have individually and collectively when they move from a fear-based economic view to an expanded focus and clarity on their visions for the future. In my experience, anything you can do to shift them from topics that disempower them such as 'riding the economic storm' and 'the impact of budget cuts' to topics that reposition them to be empowered to embrace change, transform their organizations (and themselves individually), to bring their visions to the forefront in their organizations and their communities - will result in individuals ready to step out and embrace the changes around them with new enthusiasm and commitment. I hope this is helpful to you and send you blessings for an incredibly successful meeting! www.strategiccrossroads.com Lynda Davis, Managing Partner C: 208.890.1567 E: lynda at strategiccrossroads.com -----Original Message----- From: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu [mailto:ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu] On Behalf Of Porcia Silverberg Sent: Tuesday, October 06, 2009 7:24 PM To: ailist at lists.business.utah.edu Subject: [Ailist] using AI for nonprofit leaders & coalition building The AI community is a wonderful resource for brilliant and creative ideas. Thank you in advance for helping me with the planning of a two hour meeting (plus 15 min. of networking & lunch at the beginning of the meeting.) This can potentially become a very depressing gathering, because of the topic of discussion - CA budget , which is why I am asking for your suggestions to "AI" the meeting. There will be approx. 20 executive directors/CEOs of diverse nonprofits in the San Francisco peninsula. The goals for this meeting are: 1) Deepen relationships and trust betw. these leaders so ultimately we can work closer and collaborate together, especially during the current California budget shortfall of approx. $25 billion, 2) Find out how the state budget cuts have impacted each organization, 3) Identify successful strategies they've used or are exploring in riding through the economic storm, and finally 4) How my organization can support them. As the Alliance of Nonprofits for San Mateo County, Thrive is a membership organization that was founded in 2000 to promote collaboration, unity and resource sharing between nonprofits, government, business and civic leaders. We foster active connections and communication between nonprofits and their communities. Together, we work to enhance and sustain a thriving San Mateo County. Our vision: People who live and work in a prosperous San Mateo County celebrating the vibrant contributions and partnership of the nonprofit community, who shares their passion and commitment to the common good. May a million things go smoothly in your world. Porcia Chen Silverberg Executive Director porcia at thrivealliance.org http://www.twitter.com/ThriveAlliance http://www.linkedin.com/in/porcia Because you care about San Mateo County, Become a Thrive Member Today! 650-766-1162 Thrive_logo_tag_web _______________________________________________ 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 From stephanie at brainhygiene.com Thu Oct 8 12:21:44 2009 From: stephanie at brainhygiene.com (Stephanie) Date: Thu, 8 Oct 2009 12:21:44 -0600 Subject: [Ailist] Video of Charlie Halpern speaking on "Empathy, Meditation, and the Practice of Law" Message-ID: <8F8B536B-4732-47B4-B47C-D45E1A3D1785@brainhygiene.com> http://westallen.typepad.com/idealawg/2009/10/video-of-charlie-halpern-speaking-on.html Stephanie From tmcnichol at renassociates.com Thu Oct 8 15:01:39 2009 From: tmcnichol at renassociates.com (Terri McNichol) Date: Thu, 08 Oct 2009 21:01:39 +0000 Subject: [Ailist] using AI for nonprofit leaders & coalition building Message-ID: Dear Lynda, Your example of the AI World Caf? process is an extraordinary example of the way in which individuals can be empowered through appreciative inquiry instead of being bogged down in the mire of the current financial constraints. I should know better than to post late at night because my message did not convey as well as yours the spirit of Goethe?s charge to begin what you can dream, for boldness has genius, power and magic in it. I was one of the facilitators for a ?Green? conference held last week. In our discussion on sustainability, one topic that came up at my table was Ken Burn?s new series on the National Parks. When the park system was established, it was the first of its kind in the entire world. It says something about sustainability and the values of Americans to set aside areas of natural resources and beauty. It also says something about us that we are a country with a robust volunteerism movement (nonprofits) which is unmatched. I know I am sounding Ameri-centric but in light of the fact that we initiated the global financial crisis, it should be noted that nonprofits continue to make a vital contribution: that is, they remind us of our time-honored values that initiated their being formed in the first place. Sustainability will be assurred if we can embrace those values once again. Thank you Portia for posting your question about your upcoming event. Isn?t this list a wonderful resource?! Good luck and be sure to let us know the outcome so we can all be uplifted by hearing all about it. Terri Ren Associates imaginement? grow imagination~drive appreciative change 707 Alexander Rd., Bldg. 2 Ste. 208 Princeton, NJ 08540 Telephone +1.609.371.5354 Fax +1-609-243-0045 Cell +1.609.638.5878 www.renassociates.com Blog: http://imaginement.wordpress.com/ My Appreciative Inquiry case study is included in the bestselling The Sustainable Enterprise Fieldbook. Greenleaf Publishing, UK, and AMACOM in North America. Jeana Wirtenberg et al, ed. http://bit.ly/IDzuh Presentation Available: "Art or Science: OD in China." with co-presenter Wei Huang, Ph.D. "Inverting Western business models: why museum practices are key to a new management paradigm." 2nd International Committee on Management of International Council of Museums (International Council of Museums standing committee on management. INTERCOM/ICOM) Meeting 2006 "New Roles and Missions of Museums" Taipei, Taiwan, November 2-4, 2006. "The Art of Leading the Museum: Managing for Wonder." 4th Annual Critical Management Studies Conference, Cambridge, UK, July 4-6, 2005. From Perry.Walker at neweconomics.org Fri Oct 9 03:00:26 2009 From: Perry.Walker at neweconomics.org (Perry Walker) Date: Fri, 9 Oct 2009 10:00:26 +0100 Subject: [Ailist] FW: using AI for nonprofit leaders & coalition building Message-ID: <5309A06FBCB7F24DBFC7070720796835BF334B@NEFSRV3.neweconomics.org.uk> Hi Lynda I'm always looking to improve the questions I ask in events such as these, so if you felt like sharing the one that you used, I'd be fascinated. With best wishes Perry -----Original Message----- From: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu [mailto:ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu] On Behalf Of Lynda Davis Sent: Thursday, October 08, 2009 6:48 PM To: porcia at thrivealliance.org; ailist at lists.business.utah.edu Subject: Re: [Ailist] using AI for nonprofit leaders & coalition building Hi Porcia, I'm a little late responding to your message; however, I wanted to communicate an AI World Caf? process I facilitated last week with group of around 280 nonprofit executives and foundation leaders at an Idaho Nonprofit conference last week. I agree that the nonprofit sector is being heavily hit with challenges in our economic environment at this time; and yet, it's also an incredible opportunity for them to embrace change in new ways to enable their organizations to truly transform to be more successful than in the past. At this conference, the topic was focused on positive change for the future, however, there was initially a heavy energy and concern around how non-profit funds had greatly decreased (and were continuing to decline) while the needs for overall services continues to drastically increase All this was supported by a couple presentations with documented statistics. I was given a four hour time slot to conduct a World Caf? event with the nonprofit executives and foundation leaders - a process that this group had never been involved in before. We carefully crafted an AI question that elicited focus on creating 'Future Pull' - their ability to step into their personal and collective power and focus on generating creative and innovative ideas to pull their desired future into their present, rather than continue to make decisions based on their assumptions from their past experiences. The World Caf? event was wonderful and very successful. The energy throughout the room continued to shift throughout the exercise with foundation and nonprofit leaders 'coming into unity' sharing their experiences and creating new innovative ideas for what they could influence and change. Many learnings and new opportunities emerged from the group including opportunities for the application of deeper collaboration than they had ever implemented before and the recognition of the power and opportunities they truly have individually and collectively when they move from a fear-based economic view to an expanded focus and clarity on their visions for the future. In my experience, anything you can do to shift them from topics that disempower them such as 'riding the economic storm' and 'the impact of budget cuts' to topics that reposition them to be empowered to embrace change, transform their organizations (and themselves individually), to bring their visions to the forefront in their organizations and their communities - will result in individuals ready to step out and embrace the changes around them with new enthusiasm and commitment. I hope this is helpful to you and send you blessings for an incredibly successful meeting! www.strategiccrossroads.com Lynda Davis, Managing Partner C: 208.890.1567 E: lynda at strategiccrossroads.com -----Original Message----- From: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu [mailto:ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu] On Behalf Of Porcia Silverberg Sent: Tuesday, October 06, 2009 7:24 PM To: ailist at lists.business.utah.edu Subject: [Ailist] using AI for nonprofit leaders & coalition building The AI community is a wonderful resource for brilliant and creative ideas. Thank you in advance for helping me with the planning of a two hour meeting (plus 15 min. of networking & lunch at the beginning of the meeting.) This can potentially become a very depressing gathering, because of the topic of discussion - CA budget , which is why I am asking for your suggestions to "AI" the meeting. There will be approx. 20 executive directors/CEOs of diverse nonprofits in the San Francisco peninsula. The goals for this meeting are: 1) Deepen relationships and trust betw. these leaders so ultimately we can work closer and collaborate together, especially during the current California budget shortfall of approx. $25 billion, 2) Find out how the state budget cuts have impacted each organization, 3) Identify successful strategies they've used or are exploring in riding through the economic storm, and finally 4) How my organization can support them. As the Alliance of Nonprofits for San Mateo County, Thrive is a membership organization that was founded in 2000 to promote collaboration, unity and resource sharing between nonprofits, government, business and civic leaders. We foster active connections and communication between nonprofits and their communities. Together, we work to enhance and sustain a thriving San Mateo County. Our vision: People who live and work in a prosperous San Mateo County celebrating the vibrant contributions and partnership of the nonprofit community, who shares their passion and commitment to the common good. May a million things go smoothly in your world. Porcia Chen Silverberg Executive Director porcia at thrivealliance.org http://www.twitter.com/ThriveAlliance http://www.linkedin.com/in/porcia Because you care about San Mateo County, Become a Thrive Member Today! 650-766-1162 Thrive_logo_tag_web _______________________________________________ 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 _______________________________________________ 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 ______________________________________________________________________ This email has been scanned by the MessageLabs Email Security System. For more information please visit http://www.messagelabs.com/email ______________________________________________________________________ DISCLAIMER: This e-mail is confidential and should not be used by anyone who is not the original intended recipient. If you have received this e-mail in error please inform the sender and delete it from your mailbox or any other storage mechanism. Nef does not accept liability for any statements made which are clearly the sender's own and not expressly made on behalf of nef. Please note that nef does not accept any responsibility for viruses that may be contained in this e-mail or its attachments and it is your responsibility to scan the e-mail and attachments (if any). ______________________________________________________________________ This email has been scanned by the MessageLabs Email Security System. For more information please visit http://www.messagelabs.com/email ______________________________________________________________________ From coopdole at windstream.net Fri Oct 9 06:52:16 2009 From: coopdole at windstream.net (Dawn Dole) Date: Fri, 9 Oct 2009 7:52:16 -0500 Subject: [Ailist] Cooperrider commentary link In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <20091009075216.ZBI6J.19560.root@ispmxfep14-z02> Hello again, Some of you pointed out that the link to the commentary by Cooperrider did not come through so here it is: http://appreciativeinquiry.case.edu/intro/comment.cfm I invite all of you to please consider sharing your cases, stories and examples of AI by posting them on the AI Commons. Over and over again on this listserv, you all tell us of the great AI work happening around the world - it would be fantastic to have those examples and resources on the AI Commons. You can do this easily by going to this link: http://appreciativeinquiry.case.edu/join/easySubmit.cfm Thank you very much. Dawn Dole aicommons at case.edu From lynda at strategiccrossroads.com Fri Oct 9 11:13:58 2009 From: lynda at strategiccrossroads.com (Lynda Davis) Date: Fri, 9 Oct 2009 11:13:58 -0600 Subject: [Ailist] using AI for nonprofit leaders & coalition building In-Reply-To: <5309A06FBCB7F24DBFC7070720796835BF334B@NEFSRV3.neweconomics.org.uk> References: <5309A06FBCB7F24DBFC7070720796835BF334B@NEFSRV3.neweconomics.org.uk> Message-ID: Hi Perry, In response to your question - asking what was the core question that we asked for our Nonprofit World Caf?, I'm happy to share. I will also provide more information about the entire process I created for the World Caf? soon in the Archives. The core question that was presented to the 40+ round table groups was: What can we do differently today to fully embrace our changing environment and positively impact the future of our sector? After the rounds of conversations in the World Caf?, we asked each of the tables to summarize their key themes on the poster paper on their tables (where they had already used to draw, capture their ideas and stories). I then had them post their papers up on the walls all around the room and had them do a Wall Walk - where everyone spent 20 minutes walking around the room reviewing the themes, stories, etc., from each table. During this time, I presented them with some additional questions to 'feel into' during the Wall Walk. Those questions were pretty standard World Caf? questions, as follows: What is emerging for you? ? If there was a single voice in the room, what would it be saying? ? Do you see deeper questions emerging as a result of our conversations? ? Do you notice any patterns or themes, and if so, do these patterns inform us in how to move forward? ? What expanded awareness or new understand has emerged as a result of our conversations? Then after the Wall Walk, everyone returned to their tables and we spent about 45 minutes offering individuals to share their new insights, learnings, key themes, new awarenesses or ideas, inspired actions they wanted to take, etc. We ended on a great high! Separate from the World Caf? event, I also worked with the conference planners to put some additional things in place throughout the conference to encourage deeper connections between participants in order to expand collaboration and their ability to more easily move from conversation to action. Hope this is useful!! I would appreciate feedback as well as to ideas on how I could have improved this overall process! Blessings, Lynda ? www.strategiccrossroads.com ????????? ??????? Lynda Davis, Managing Partner???????????? ?????? C: 208.890.1567 ??????????????????????????????????????? E: lynda at strategiccrossroads.com -----Original Message----- From: Perry Walker [mailto:Perry.Walker at neweconomics.org] Sent: Friday, October 09, 2009 3:00 AM To: Lynda Davis Cc: ailist at lists.business.utah.edu Subject: FW: [Ailist] using AI for nonprofit leaders & coalition building Hi Lynda I'm always looking to improve the questions I ask in events such as these, so if you felt like sharing the one that you used, I'd be fascinated. With best wishes Perry -----Original Message----- From: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu [mailto:ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu] On Behalf Of Lynda Davis Sent: Thursday, October 08, 2009 6:48 PM To: porcia at thrivealliance.org; ailist at lists.business.utah.edu Subject: Re: [Ailist] using AI for nonprofit leaders & coalition building Hi Porcia, I'm a little late responding to your message; however, I wanted to communicate an AI World Caf? process I facilitated last week with group of around 280 nonprofit executives and foundation leaders at an Idaho Nonprofit conference last week. I agree that the nonprofit sector is being heavily hit with challenges in our economic environment at this time; and yet, it's also an incredible opportunity for them to embrace change in new ways to enable their organizations to truly transform to be more successful than in the past. At this conference, the topic was focused on positive change for the future, however, there was initially a heavy energy and concern around how non-profit funds had greatly decreased (and were continuing to decline) while the needs for overall services continues to drastically increase All this was supported by a couple presentations with documented statistics. I was given a four hour time slot to conduct a World Caf? event with the nonprofit executives and foundation leaders - a process that this group had never been involved in before. We carefully crafted an AI question that elicited focus on creating 'Future Pull' - their ability to step into their personal and collective power and focus on generating creative and innovative ideas to pull their desired future into their present, rather than continue to make decisions based on their assumptions from their past experiences. The World Caf? event was wonderful and very successful. The energy throughout the room continued to shift throughout the exercise with foundation and nonprofit leaders 'coming into unity' sharing their experiences and creating new innovative ideas for what they could influence and change. Many learnings and new opportunities emerged from the group including opportunities for the application of deeper collaboration than they had ever implemented before and the recognition of the power and opportunities they truly have individually and collectively when they move from a fear-based economic view to an expanded focus and clarity on their visions for the future. In my experience, anything you can do to shift them from topics that disempower them such as 'riding the economic storm' and 'the impact of budget cuts' to topics that reposition them to be empowered to embrace change, transform their organizations (and themselves individually), to bring their visions to the forefront in their organizations and their communities - will result in individuals ready to step out and embrace the changes around them with new enthusiasm and commitment. I hope this is helpful to you and send you blessings for an incredibly successful meeting! www.strategiccrossroads.com Lynda Davis, Managing Partner C: 208.890.1567 E: lynda at strategiccrossroads.com -----Original Message----- From: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu [mailto:ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu] On Behalf Of Porcia Silverberg Sent: Tuesday, October 06, 2009 7:24 PM To: ailist at lists.business.utah.edu Subject: [Ailist] using AI for nonprofit leaders & coalition building The AI community is a wonderful resource for brilliant and creative ideas. Thank you in advance for helping me with the planning of a two hour meeting (plus 15 min. of networking & lunch at the beginning of the meeting.) This can potentially become a very depressing gathering, because of the topic of discussion - CA budget , which is why I am asking for your suggestions to "AI" the meeting. There will be approx. 20 executive directors/CEOs of diverse nonprofits in the San Francisco peninsula. The goals for this meeting are: 1) Deepen relationships and trust betw. these leaders so ultimately we can work closer and collaborate together, especially during the current California budget shortfall of approx. $25 billion, 2) Find out how the state budget cuts have impacted each organization, 3) Identify successful strategies they've used or are exploring in riding through the economic storm, and finally 4) How my organization can support them. As the Alliance of Nonprofits for San Mateo County, Thrive is a membership organization that was founded in 2000 to promote collaboration, unity and resource sharing between nonprofits, government, business and civic leaders. We foster active connections and communication between nonprofits and their communities. Together, we work to enhance and sustain a thriving San Mateo County. Our vision: People who live and work in a prosperous San Mateo County celebrating the vibrant contributions and partnership of the nonprofit community, who shares their passion and commitment to the common good. May a million things go smoothly in your world. Porcia Chen Silverberg Executive Director porcia at thrivealliance.org http://www.twitter.com/ThriveAlliance http://www.linkedin.com/in/porcia Because you care about San Mateo County, Become a Thrive Member Today! 650-766-1162 Thrive_logo_tag_web _______________________________________________ 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 _______________________________________________ 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 ______________________________________________________________________ This email has been scanned by the MessageLabs Email Security System. For more information please visit http://www.messagelabs.com/email ______________________________________________________________________ DISCLAIMER: This e-mail is confidential and should not be used by anyone who is not the original intended recipient. If you have received this e-mail in error please inform the sender and delete it from your mailbox or any other storage mechanism. Nef does not accept liability for any statements made which are clearly the sender's own and not expressly made on behalf of nef. Please note that nef does not accept any responsibility for viruses that may be contained in this e-mail or its attachments and it is your responsibility to scan the e-mail and attachments (if any). ______________________________________________________________________ This email has been scanned by the MessageLabs Email Security System. For more information please visit http://www.messagelabs.com/email ______________________________________________________________________ From porcia at thrivealliance.org Fri Oct 9 19:11:55 2009 From: porcia at thrivealliance.org (Porcia Silverberg) Date: Fri, 9 Oct 2009 18:11:55 -0700 Subject: [Ailist] using AI for nonprofit leaders & coalition building In-Reply-To: <2B040AD73CEA478F8176FB553499EA85@LyndaNC4400> References: <002801ca46f5$2c98e570$85cab050$@org> <02d301ca47a2$560dcee0$02296ca0$@net> <2B040AD73CEA478F8176FB553499EA85@LyndaNC4400> Message-ID: <005501ca4946$ae1328b0$0a397a10$@org> Lynda, Wow, this is so exciting to hear about the Idaho Nonprofit conference! What a great model. I love the World Caf? event. The outcomes sound very similar to what happened at my luncheon. Your presentations and facilitation sound like what I'm aspiring to do in the future. What were the next steps for those conference attendees? Is the conference organizer doing follow-up convenings? What were the foundation attendees' response to the activities and Wall Walk? I would appreciate learning more about it. Thank you for sharing. And, thanks to Perry for asking the follow up question. May a million things go smoothly in your world. Porcia Chen Silverberg Executive Director porcia at thrivealliance.org http://www.twitter.com/ThriveAlliance http://www.linkedin.com/in/porcia Because you care about San Mateo County, Become a Thrive Member Today! 650-766-1162 Hours: 8:30 am - 6:30 pm M~Th From porcia at thrivealliance.org Fri Oct 9 19:11:55 2009 From: porcia at thrivealliance.org (Porcia Silverberg) Date: Fri, 9 Oct 2009 18:11:55 -0700 Subject: [Ailist] using AI for nonprofit leaders & coalition building In-Reply-To: <1835254-1254962542-cardhu_decombobulator_blackberry.rim.net-1945169940-@bda012.bisx.prodap.on.blackberry> References: <1835254-1254962542-cardhu_decombobulator_blackberry.rim.net-1945169940-@bda012.bisx.prodap.on.blackberry> Message-ID: <005601ca4946$b09bf670$11d3e350$@org> Scott, I completely agree 'words create worlds'. I am consciously monitoring my language when I'm describing my organization when I meet people who are not in the sector. It feels good to talk about optimistic people who are transforming their communities through their chosen profession (we wouldn't be doing this work if we weren't optimistic.) It's really about working for community benefits than monetary benefits of a small group of people, isn't it. Thanks. May a million things go smoothly in your world. Porcia Chen Silverberg Executive Director porcia at thrivealliance.org http://www.twitter.com/ThriveAlliance http://www.linkedin.com/in/porcia Because you care about San Mateo County, Become a Thrive Member Today! 650-766-1162 Hours: 8:30 am - 6:30 pm M~Th From porcia at thrivealliance.org Fri Oct 9 19:11:55 2009 From: porcia at thrivealliance.org (Porcia Silverberg) Date: Fri, 9 Oct 2009 18:11:55 -0700 Subject: [Ailist] using AI for nonprofit leaders & coalition building In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <005a01ca4946$b1c470e0$154d52a0$@org> Hi Teri, I SO agree that CBOs can lead the way in this time of massive change. As I've shared with colleagues in business and government sectors, social profits are the ones with solutions. We are flexible and resourceful because we've had plenty of opportunities to be entrepreneurial. We are the safety net that helps to lift out our communities. I plan to do more appreciative inquiry and fantasy imaginings of possibilities with community leaders. One ED suggested a retreat for a big group of EDs and CEOs to continue the juicy conversations. We may just do that or a philanthropy conference, especially now that you've given the example of the 'Green' conference and Lynda shared about the Idaho NP Conference. BTW, I also caught parts of the National Parks series. What inspired me and touched me deeply were the stories of the advocates of national parks. It reminded me to talk about the people in the social prophet sector, not the organizations when I'm networking and doing community outreach. Thank you and all the others who contributed to this topic and rich discussion! Though I've been a part of many listserv, the AI community is the shining example of generosity and support! I'm so glad I posted my request and met my AI colleagues. May a million things go smoothly in your world. Porcia Chen Silverberg Executive Director porcia at thrivealliance.org http://www.twitter.com/ThriveAlliance http://www.linkedin.com/in/porcia Because you care about San Mateo County, Become a Thrive Member Today! 650-766-1162 Hours: 8:30 am - 6:30 pm M~Th From porcia at thrivealliance.org Fri Oct 9 19:11:55 2009 From: porcia at thrivealliance.org (Porcia Silverberg) Date: Fri, 9 Oct 2009 18:11:55 -0700 Subject: [Ailist] using AI for nonprofit leaders & coalition building In-Reply-To: <02d301ca47a2$560dcee0$02296ca0$@net> References: <002801ca46f5$2c98e570$85cab050$@org> <02d301ca47a2$560dcee0$02296ca0$@net> Message-ID: <005b01ca4946$b3672460$1a356d20$@org> Kathy, Thank you for sharing your experience and the referral of Charles. I'll be in touch with him and learn more about the Creative Change Institute. May a million things go smoothly in your world. Porcia Chen Silverberg Executive Director porcia at thrivealliance.org?? http://www.twitter.com/ThriveAlliance http://www.linkedin.com/in/porcia Because you care about San Mateo County, Become a Thrive Member Today! 650-766-1162 Hours: 8:30 am - 6:30 pm M~Th From porcia at thrivealliance.org Fri Oct 9 19:11:55 2009 From: porcia at thrivealliance.org (Porcia Silverberg) Date: Fri, 9 Oct 2009 18:11:55 -0700 Subject: [Ailist] using AI for nonprofit leaders & coalition building In-Reply-To: <01a101ca478b$c11908b0$434b1a10$@consulting@shaw.ca> References: <002801ca46f5$2c98e570$85cab050$@org> <01a101ca478b$c11908b0$434b1a10$@consulting@shaw.ca> Message-ID: <005c01ca4946$b4cea3a0$1e6beae0$@org> Hi Bill, Thanks for your suggestions. I, too, agree with you in regards to using the term nonprofit, which is constantly debated by my colleagues in the sector. I also like the term social profit (or social prophet as used by Lynne Twist, author of The Soul of Money.) This is a whole other worthy topic of discussion because language is important. The meeting was a success. One of the outcomes of the meeting was a stronger sense of community for the EDs, desire for more gatherings and great interest in creating a clear picture of how all these organizations connect behind the scenes. I will definitely keep the listserv posted on future development. We are exploring an annual report for the sector, organizing site visits to one another's agencies, a communications task force ... amazing projects out of a 90 minute discussion with 20 passionate community leaders! I also appreciate your suggestion of "involving front line worker and supervisors, managers, and clients in the process." I am definitely considering for a subsequent meeting for them. You were absolutely right about developing trust for the executive directors/CEOs in the group. We had a full room of 20, two of whom were board members who weren't EDs. Most of them didn't know one another very well. I deliberately created a diverse group of EDs from diff. subsectors and budget size. I ended up asking them to include the following in their introductions: a. Name and organization mission & description 2. Agency budget 3. Length of time working as an ED/CEO and/or working in the sector (the agency that hosted the lunch came from corp. finance background and has been on the job for 2 months.) This lead into the next question perfectly. 4. 'The one thing I enjoy about my work / the one reason I love my work / why I work in the sector? - this was the juicy AI question that really opened people up. The room was buzzing with positive energy and passion. Then I asked 2 AI questions which lead to a rich discussion, wonderful sharing and productive conversations. 1. What has been the most creative strategy or tactic you have implemented to make your organization more efficient in the past year? 2. During these times, we have increased demand and often less resources, tell us what you've been doing extra that has had positive results for your organization? Though it was hard to get away from their office or to commit to attending the luncheon initially, they were all glad to have made it after all. They admitted this was such a wonderful use of their time to spend with their colleagues and recharge. Thanks again! May a million things go smoothly in your world. Porcia Chen Silverberg Executive Director porcia at thrivealliance.org?? http://www.twitter.com/ThriveAlliance http://www.linkedin.com/in/porcia Because you care about San Mateo County, Become a Thrive Member Today! 650-766-1162 Hours: 8:30 am - 6:30 pm M~Th I think the key issue will be the development of trust. Often people enter discussion of this type with a zero sum game in mind - i.e. make sure that the recovery of the $25B shortfall is reflected in someone else's budget, not mine. A coordinating organization such as yours is the perfect entity to bring the front line service providers together. With respect to your inquiry, there are obviously a lot of "standard" AI questions that can apply. In addition to those, allow me to suggest a couple of others: * Tell me about a time when you were forced to do more with less and the results exceeded your wildest expectations. Who was involved? How were the results achieved? What did each person specifically do or contribute? * When you think of a time when you collaborated with another group and did so successfully, what comes to mind? What circumstances allowed the collaboration to occur? * Think about a time when you felt incredibly well supported by someone or a group of people from another organization. Tell me about that time. As a consultant, I did some work similar to what you are proposing with 6 social profit organizations and a funding government department. We also started with the EDs. In my opinion, however, the momentum for community collaboration really didn't start to build until we involved front line worker and supervisors, managers, and clients in the process. I suggest that you give such a forum consideration for a subsequent meeting. I'd also suggest that you take a look at Jackie Stavros's work with the Quick SOAR methodology. I've been using it in my work and I think it would work very well in this situation. Finally, my colleague Cheri Torres (who is a regular contributor to this list) does remarkable work with community collaboration. I suggest that you check out her website at: http://www.collaborative-by-design.com/. Hope this helps. Best regards, Bill Scott BSW, MBA Surrey, B.C., Canada bill at elpisconsulting.com www.elpisconsulting.com 604-574-1856 -----Original Message----- From: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu [mailto:ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu] On Behalf Of Porcia Silverberg Sent: Tuesday, October 06, 2009 7:24 PM To: ailist at lists.business.utah.edu Subject: [Ailist] using AI for nonprofit leaders & coalition building The AI community is a wonderful resource for brilliant and creative ideas. Thank you in advance for helping me with the planning of a two hour meeting (plus 15 min. of networking & lunch at the beginning of the meeting.) This can potentially become a very depressing gathering, because of the topic of discussion - CA budget , which is why I am asking for your suggestions to "AI" the meeting. There will be approx. 20 executive directors/CEOs of diverse nonprofits in the San Francisco peninsula. The goals for this meeting are: 1) Deepen relationships and trust betw. these leaders so ultimately we can work closer and collaborate together, especially during the current California budget shortfall of approx. $25 billion, 2) Find out how the state budget cuts have impacted each organization, 3) Identify successful strategies they've used or are exploring in riding through the economic storm, and finally 4) How my organization can support them. As the Alliance of Nonprofits for San Mateo County, Thrive is a membership organization that was founded in 2000 to promote collaboration, unity and resource sharing between nonprofits, government, business and civic leaders. We foster active connections and communication between nonprofits and their communities. Together, we work to enhance and sustain a thriving San Mateo County. Our vision: People who live and work in a prosperous San Mateo County celebrating the vibrant contributions and partnership of the nonprofit community, who shares their passion and commitment to the common good. May a million things go smoothly in your world. Porcia Chen Silverberg Executive Director porcia at thrivealliance.org http://www.twitter.com/ThriveAlliance http://www.linkedin.com/in/porcia Because you care about San Mateo County, Become a Thrive Member Today! 650-766-1162 _______________________________________________ The Appreciative Inquiry Discussion List is hosted by the David Eccles School of Business at the University of Utah. Jack Brittain is the list administrator. For subscription information, go to: http://mailman.business.utah.edu:8080/mailman/listinfo/ailist From peggy at opencirclecompany.com Sat Oct 10 18:26:56 2009 From: peggy at opencirclecompany.com (Peggy Holman) Date: Sat, 10 Oct 2009 17:26:56 -0700 Subject: [Ailist] What are nonprofits really? In-Reply-To: <005c01ca4946$b4cea3a0$1e6beae0$@org> References: <002801ca46f5$2c98e570$85cab050$@org> <01a101ca478b$c11908b0$434b1a10$@consulting@shaw.ca> <005c01ca4946$b4cea3a0$1e6beae0$@org> Message-ID: <6F8D47CC-B522-4F81-AFD3-D896522E231D@opencirclecompany.com> I want to pick up on the theme of a different name for nonprofits or NGOs. Both are definitions in terms of what they are not. Bill Scott suggested social profit Porcia mentioned Lynn Twist's variation: social prophet. I've begun using community sector because that's who is served. How are others looking at this? The more we can land on a common term and start using it, the more we can begin to replace the current non-term with something describing what they are. appreciatively, Peggy ______________________________ Peggy Holman The Open Circle Company 15347 SE 49th Place Bellevue, WA 98006 425-746-6274 www.opencirclecompany.com www.journalismthatmatters.org For the new edition of The Change Handbook, go to: www.bkconnection.com/ChangeHandbook "An angel told me that the only way to step into the fire and not get burnt, is to become the fire". -- Drew Dellinger On Oct 9, 2009, at 6:11 PM, Porcia Silverberg wrote: > Hi Bill, > > Thanks for your suggestions. I, too, agree with you in regards to > using the > term nonprofit, which is constantly debated by my colleagues in the > sector. > I also like the term social profit (or social prophet as used by Lynne > Twist, author of The Soul of Money.) This is a whole other worthy > topic of > discussion because language is important. > > The meeting was a success. One of the outcomes of the meeting was a > stronger > sense of community for the EDs, desire for more gatherings and great > interest in creating a clear picture of how all these organizations > connect > behind the scenes. I will definitely keep the listserv posted on > future > development. We are exploring an annual report for the sector, > organizing > site visits to one another's agencies, a communications task force ... > amazing projects out of a 90 minute discussion with 20 passionate > community > leaders! > > I also appreciate your suggestion of "involving front line worker and > supervisors, managers, and clients in the process." I am definitely > considering for a subsequent meeting for them. You were absolutely > right > about developing trust for the executive directors/CEOs in the > group. We had > a full room of 20, two of whom were board members who weren't EDs. > Most of > them didn't know one another very well. I deliberately created a > diverse > group of EDs from diff. subsectors and budget size. > > I ended up asking them to include the following in their > introductions: > a. Name and organization mission & description > 2. Agency budget > 3. Length of time working as an ED/CEO and/or working in the sector > (the > agency that hosted the lunch came from corp. finance background and > has been > on the job for 2 months.) This lead into the next question perfectly. > 4. 'The one thing I enjoy about my work / the one reason I love my > work / > why I work in the sector? - this was the juicy AI question that really > opened people up. The room was buzzing with positive energy and > passion. > > Then I asked 2 AI questions which lead to a rich discussion, wonderful > sharing and productive conversations. > 1. What has been the most creative strategy or tactic you have > implemented > to make your organization more efficient in the past year? > > 2. During these times, we have increased demand and often less > resources, > tell us what you've been doing extra that has had positive results > for your > organization? > > Though it was hard to get away from their office or to commit to > attending > the luncheon initially, they were all glad to have made it after > all. They > admitted this was such a wonderful use of their time to spend with > their > colleagues and recharge. > > Thanks again! > > May a million things go smoothly in your world. > Porcia Chen Silverberg > Executive Director > porcia at thrivealliance.org > http://www.twitter.com/ThriveAlliance > http://www.linkedin.com/in/porcia > Because you care about San Mateo County, Become a Thrive Member Today! > > 650-766-1162 > Hours: 8:30 am - 6:30 pm M~Th > > > I think the key issue will be the development of trust. Often people > enter > discussion of this type with a zero sum game in mind - i.e. make > sure that > the recovery of the $25B shortfall is reflected in someone else's > budget, > not mine. > > A coordinating organization such as yours is the perfect entity to > bring the > front line service providers together. > > With respect to your inquiry, there are obviously a lot of > "standard" AI > questions that can apply. In addition to those, allow me to suggest > a couple > of others: > * Tell me about a time when you were forced to do more with less > and the > results exceeded your wildest expectations. Who was involved? How > were the > results achieved? What did each person specifically do or contribute? > * When you think of a time when you collaborated with another group > and > did so successfully, what comes to mind? What circumstances allowed > the > collaboration to occur? > * Think about a time when you felt incredibly well supported by > someone or > a group of people from another organization. Tell me about that time. > > As a consultant, I did some work similar to what you are proposing > with 6 > social profit organizations and a funding government department. We > also > started with the EDs. In my opinion, however, the momentum for > community > collaboration really didn't start to build until we involved front > line > worker and supervisors, managers, and clients in the process. I > suggest that > you give such a forum consideration for a subsequent meeting. > > I'd also suggest that you take a look at Jackie Stavros's work with > the > Quick SOAR methodology. I've been using it in my work and I think it > would > work very well in this situation. > > Finally, my colleague Cheri Torres (who is a regular contributor to > this > list) does remarkable work with community collaboration. I suggest > that you > check out her website at: http://www.collaborative-by-design.com/. > > Hope this helps. > > Best regards, > Bill Scott BSW, MBA > > Surrey, B.C., Canada > bill at elpisconsulting.com > www.elpisconsulting.com > 604-574-1856 > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu > [mailto:ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu] On Behalf Of Porcia > Silverberg > Sent: Tuesday, October 06, 2009 7:24 PM > To: ailist at lists.business.utah.edu > Subject: [Ailist] using AI for nonprofit leaders & coalition building > > > > The AI community is a wonderful resource for brilliant and creative > ideas. > Thank you in advance for helping me with the planning of a two hour > meeting > (plus 15 min. of networking & lunch at the beginning of the > meeting.) This > can potentially become a very depressing gathering, because of the > topic of > discussion - CA budget , which is why I am asking for your > suggestions to > "AI" the meeting. > > > > There will be approx. 20 executive directors/CEOs of diverse > nonprofits in > the San Francisco peninsula. The goals for this meeting are: 1) Deepen > relationships and trust betw. these leaders so ultimately we can > work closer > and collaborate together, especially during the current California > budget > shortfall of approx. $25 billion, 2) Find out how the state budget > cuts have > impacted each organization, 3) Identify successful strategies > they've used > or are exploring in riding through the economic storm, and finally > 4) How my > organization can support them. > > As the Alliance of Nonprofits for San Mateo County, Thrive is a > membership > organization that was founded in 2000 to promote collaboration, > unity and > resource sharing between nonprofits, government, business and civic > leaders. > We foster active connections and communication between nonprofits > and their > communities. Together, we work to enhance and sustain a thriving San > Mateo > County. Our vision: People who live and work in a prosperous San Mateo > County celebrating the vibrant contributions and partnership of the > nonprofit community, who shares their passion and commitment to the > common > good. > > May a million things go smoothly in your world. > > Porcia Chen Silverberg > > Executive Director > > porcia at thrivealliance.org > > http://www.twitter.com/ThriveAlliance > > http://www.linkedin.com/in/porcia > > > > Because you care about San Mateo County, Become a Thrive Member Today! > > > > 650-766-1162 > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > 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 > > _______________________________________________ > 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 > From mail at sachinchavan.com Sat Oct 10 23:33:23 2009 From: mail at sachinchavan.com (Sachin Chavan) Date: Sun, 11 Oct 2009 11:03:23 +0530 Subject: [Ailist] What are nonprofits really? In-Reply-To: <6F8D47CC-B522-4F81-AFD3-D896522E231D@opencirclecompany.com> Message-ID: Every organisation serves some common purpose it has set for itself. In doing so, it caters to some community/sector/society. It won't be long before the distinction between for-profit and not-for-profit would dissolve. Is Google for profit? Yes. Has it contributed to social profit? Yes. Has it served the world community? Yes. If Melinda and Bill Gates foundation is a NGO, then what would that make Microsoft, through whose profits the foundation has taken shape? As the collective consciousness across the world evolves, the definition of 'profit' would evolve from a pure monetary rent for the investor to a sustainable value for all the stakeholders. And the world would realise that each being, living/non-living is a stakeholder in every thing that happens. Etymology: Profit: Middle English, from Old French, from Latin pr?fectus, from past participle of pr?ficere, make progress, to profit : pr?-, forward; see pro-1 + facere, to make To define profit unless we need to define 'progress'. Regards, Sachin -----Original Message----- From: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu [mailto:ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu] On Behalf Of Peggy Holman Sent: 11 October 2009 05:57 AM To: Appreciative Inquiry List List Subject: [Ailist] What are nonprofits really? I want to pick up on the theme of a different name for nonprofits or NGOs. Both are definitions in terms of what they are not. Bill Scott suggested social profit Porcia mentioned Lynn Twist's variation: social prophet. I've begun using community sector because that's who is served. How are others looking at this? The more we can land on a common term and start using it, the more we can begin to replace the current non-term with something describing what they are. appreciatively, Peggy ______________________________ Peggy Holman The Open Circle Company 15347 SE 49th Place Bellevue, WA 98006 425-746-6274 www.opencirclecompany.com www.journalismthatmatters.org For the new edition of The Change Handbook, go to: www.bkconnection.com/ChangeHandbook "An angel told me that the only way to step into the fire and not get burnt, is to become the fire". -- Drew Dellinger On Oct 9, 2009, at 6:11 PM, Porcia Silverberg wrote: > Hi Bill, > > Thanks for your suggestions. I, too, agree with you in regards to > using the term nonprofit, which is constantly debated by my colleagues > in the sector. > I also like the term social profit (or social prophet as used by Lynne > Twist, author of The Soul of Money.) This is a whole other worthy > topic of discussion because language is important. > > The meeting was a success. One of the outcomes of the meeting was a > stronger sense of community for the EDs, desire for more gatherings > and great interest in creating a clear picture of how all these > organizations connect behind the scenes. I will definitely keep the > listserv posted on future development. We are exploring an annual > report for the sector, organizing site visits to one another's > agencies, a communications task force ... > amazing projects out of a 90 minute discussion with 20 passionate > community leaders! > > I also appreciate your suggestion of "involving front line worker and > supervisors, managers, and clients in the process." I am definitely > considering for a subsequent meeting for them. You were absolutely > right about developing trust for the executive directors/CEOs in the > group. We had a full room of 20, two of whom were board members who > weren't EDs. > Most of > them didn't know one another very well. I deliberately created a > diverse group of EDs from diff. subsectors and budget size. > > I ended up asking them to include the following in their > introductions: > a. Name and organization mission & description 2. Agency budget 3. > Length of time working as an ED/CEO and/or working in the sector (the > agency that hosted the lunch came from corp. finance background and > has been on the job for 2 months.) This lead into the next question > perfectly. > 4. 'The one thing I enjoy about my work / the one reason I love my > work / why I work in the sector? - this was the juicy AI question that > really opened people up. The room was buzzing with positive energy and > passion. > > Then I asked 2 AI questions which lead to a rich discussion, wonderful > sharing and productive conversations. > 1. What has been the most creative strategy or tactic you have > implemented to make your organization more efficient in the past year? > > 2. During these times, we have increased demand and often less > resources, tell us what you've been doing extra that has had positive > results for your organization? > > Though it was hard to get away from their office or to commit to > attending the luncheon initially, they were all glad to have made it > after all. They admitted this was such a wonderful use of their time > to spend with their colleagues and recharge. > > Thanks again! > > May a million things go smoothly in your world. > Porcia Chen Silverberg > Executive Director > porcia at thrivealliance.org > http://www.twitter.com/ThriveAlliance > http://www.linkedin.com/in/porcia > Because you care about San Mateo County, Become a Thrive Member Today! > > 650-766-1162 > Hours: 8:30 am - 6:30 pm M~Th > > > I think the key issue will be the development of trust. Often people > enter discussion of this type with a zero sum game in mind - i.e. make > sure that the recovery of the $25B shortfall is reflected in someone > else's budget, not mine. > > A coordinating organization such as yours is the perfect entity to > bring the front line service providers together. > > With respect to your inquiry, there are obviously a lot of "standard" > AI questions that can apply. In addition to those, allow me to suggest > a couple of others: > * Tell me about a time when you were forced to do more with less and > the results exceeded your wildest expectations. Who was involved? How > were the results achieved? What did each person specifically do or > contribute? > * When you think of a time when you collaborated with another group > and did so successfully, what comes to mind? What circumstances > allowed the collaboration to occur? > * Think about a time when you felt incredibly well supported by > someone or a group of people from another organization. Tell me about > that time. > > As a consultant, I did some work similar to what you are proposing > with 6 social profit organizations and a funding government > department. We also started with the EDs. In my opinion, however, the > momentum for community collaboration really didn't start to build > until we involved front line worker and supervisors, managers, and > clients in the process. I suggest that you give such a forum > consideration for a subsequent meeting. > > I'd also suggest that you take a look at Jackie Stavros's work with > the Quick SOAR methodology. I've been using it in my work and I think > it would work very well in this situation. > > Finally, my colleague Cheri Torres (who is a regular contributor to > this > list) does remarkable work with community collaboration. I suggest > that you check out her website at: > http://www.collaborative-by-design.com/. > > Hope this helps. > > Best regards, > Bill Scott BSW, MBA > > Surrey, B.C., Canada > bill at elpisconsulting.com > www.elpisconsulting.com > 604-574-1856 > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu > [mailto:ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu] On Behalf Of Porcia > Silverberg > Sent: Tuesday, October 06, 2009 7:24 PM > To: ailist at lists.business.utah.edu > Subject: [Ailist] using AI for nonprofit leaders & coalition building > > > > The AI community is a wonderful resource for brilliant and creative > ideas. > Thank you in advance for helping me with the planning of a two hour > meeting (plus 15 min. of networking & lunch at the beginning of the > meeting.) This > can potentially become a very depressing gathering, because of the > topic of discussion - CA budget , which is why I am asking for your > suggestions to "AI" the meeting. > > > > There will be approx. 20 executive directors/CEOs of diverse > nonprofits in the San Francisco peninsula. The goals for this meeting > are: 1) Deepen relationships and trust betw. these leaders so > ultimately we can work closer and collaborate together, especially > during the current California budget shortfall of approx. $25 billion, > 2) Find out how the state budget cuts have impacted each organization, > 3) Identify successful strategies they've used or are exploring in > riding through the economic storm, and finally > 4) How my > organization can support them. > > As the Alliance of Nonprofits for San Mateo County, Thrive is a > membership organization that was founded in 2000 to promote > collaboration, unity and resource sharing between nonprofits, > government, business and civic leaders. > We foster active connections and communication between nonprofits and > their communities. Together, we work to enhance and sustain a thriving > San Mateo County. Our vision: People who live and work in a prosperous > San Mateo County celebrating the vibrant contributions and partnership > of the nonprofit community, who shares their passion and commitment to > the common good. > > May a million things go smoothly in your world. > > Porcia Chen Silverberg > > Executive Director > > porcia at thrivealliance.org > > http://www.twitter.com/ThriveAlliance > > http://www.linkedin.com/in/porcia > > > > Because you care about San Mateo County, Become a Thrive Member Today! > > > > 650-766-1162 > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > 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 > > _______________________________________________ > 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 > _______________________________________________ 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 From kctucker at gmail.com Sun Oct 11 03:44:18 2009 From: kctucker at gmail.com (Kim Tucker) Date: Sun, 11 Oct 2009 11:44:18 +0200 Subject: [Ailist] What are nonprofits really? In-Reply-To: <6F8D47CC-B522-4F81-AFD3-D896522E231D@opencirclecompany.com> References: <002801ca46f5$2c98e570$85cab050$@org> <01a101ca478b$c11908b0$434b1a10$@consulting@shaw.ca> <005c01ca4946$b4cea3a0$1e6beae0$@org> <6F8D47CC-B522-4F81-AFD3-D896522E231D@opencirclecompany.com> Message-ID: <4AD1A8F2.2020200@gmail.com> > I want to pick up on the theme of a different name for > nonprofits or NGOs. > Both are definitions in terms of what they are not. > Bill Scott suggested social profit > Porcia mentioned Lynn Twist's variation: social prophet. The term "social enterprise" may apply to most: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_enterprise Kim ---- Peggy Holman wrote: ... From wjs.consulting at shaw.ca Sun Oct 11 10:46:22 2009 From: wjs.consulting at shaw.ca (Bill Scott) Date: Sun, 11 Oct 2009 09:46:22 -0700 Subject: [Ailist] What are nonprofits really? In-Reply-To: <6F8D47CC-B522-4F81-AFD3-D896522E231D@opencirclecompany.com> References: <002801ca46f5$2c98e570$85cab050$@org> <01a101ca478b$c11908b0$434b1a10$%consulting@shaw.ca> <005c01ca4946$b4cea3a0$1e6beae0$@org> <6F8D47CC-B522-4F81-AFD3-D896522E231D@opencirclecompany.com> Message-ID: <009801ca4a92$5dbb3130$19319390$@consulting@shaw.ca> Hello all, My thanks to Peggy for providing the opportunity to expand on my earlier comment. I think this is an important discussion - particularly in these times when funding bodies debate how to "best save money" while "battling the recession." Unfortunately their "answer" is often to reduce funding to organizations that serve our most vulnerable fellow citizens. The term not-for-profit or non-profit simply states that the organization is not supposed to unnecessarily retain financial resources. It says nothing about what the organization ought to do. The reason I like the term social profit is because it speaks to what organizations do today. They create social profit (or "benefit" as one dictionary describes it) to communities; they provide benefits to individuals and groups within communities (however you choose to define a community) and in doing so, communities themselves benefit. I hold great hope that the world Sachin describes is just around the corner. In the meantime, I believe that there is a need to educate communities that social profits exist to benefit everyone because communities are made up of everyone. Thanks for listening. Best regards, Bill Surrey, B.C., Canada bill at elpisconsulting.com www.elpisconsulting.com 604-574-1856 -----Original Message----- From: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu [mailto:ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu] On Behalf Of Peggy Holman Sent: Saturday, October 10, 2009 5:27 PM To: Appreciative Inquiry List List Subject: [Ailist] What are nonprofits really? I want to pick up on the theme of a different name for nonprofits or NGOs. Both are definitions in terms of what they are not. Bill Scott suggested social profit Porcia mentioned Lynn Twist's variation: social prophet. I've begun using community sector because that's who is served. How are others looking at this? The more we can land on a common term and start using it, the more we can begin to replace the current non-term with something describing what they are. appreciatively, Peggy ______________________________ Peggy Holman The Open Circle Company 15347 SE 49th Place Bellevue, WA 98006 425-746-6274 www.opencirclecompany.com www.journalismthatmatters.org For the new edition of The Change Handbook, go to: www.bkconnection.com/ChangeHandbook "An angel told me that the only way to step into the fire and not get burnt, is to become the fire". -- Drew Dellinger On Oct 9, 2009, at 6:11 PM, Porcia Silverberg wrote: > Hi Bill, > > Thanks for your suggestions. I, too, agree with you in regards to > using the > term nonprofit, which is constantly debated by my colleagues in the > sector. > I also like the term social profit (or social prophet as used by Lynne > Twist, author of The Soul of Money.) This is a whole other worthy > topic of > discussion because language is important. > > The meeting was a success. One of the outcomes of the meeting was a > stronger > sense of community for the EDs, desire for more gatherings and great > interest in creating a clear picture of how all these organizations > connect > behind the scenes. I will definitely keep the listserv posted on > future > development. We are exploring an annual report for the sector, > organizing > site visits to one another's agencies, a communications task force ... > amazing projects out of a 90 minute discussion with 20 passionate > community > leaders! > > I also appreciate your suggestion of "involving front line worker and > supervisors, managers, and clients in the process." I am definitely > considering for a subsequent meeting for them. You were absolutely > right > about developing trust for the executive directors/CEOs in the > group. We had > a full room of 20, two of whom were board members who weren't EDs. > Most of > them didn't know one another very well. I deliberately created a > diverse > group of EDs from diff. subsectors and budget size. > > I ended up asking them to include the following in their > introductions: > a. Name and organization mission & description > 2. Agency budget > 3. Length of time working as an ED/CEO and/or working in the sector > (the > agency that hosted the lunch came from corp. finance background and > has been > on the job for 2 months.) This lead into the next question perfectly. > 4. 'The one thing I enjoy about my work / the one reason I love my > work / > why I work in the sector' - this was the juicy AI question that really > opened people up. The room was buzzing with positive energy and > passion. > > Then I asked 2 AI questions which lead to a rich discussion, wonderful > sharing and productive conversations. > 1. What has been the most creative strategy or tactic you have > implemented > to make your organization more efficient in the past year? > > 2. During these times, we have increased demand and often less > resources, > tell us what you've been doing extra that has had positive results > for your > organization? > > Though it was hard to get away from their office or to commit to > attending > the luncheon initially, they were all glad to have made it after > all. They > admitted this was such a wonderful use of their time to spend with > their > colleagues and recharge. > > Thanks again! > > May a million things go smoothly in your world. > Porcia Chen Silverberg > Executive Director > porcia at thrivealliance.org > http://www.twitter.com/ThriveAlliance > http://www.linkedin.com/in/porcia > Because you care about San Mateo County, Become a Thrive Member Today! > > 650-766-1162 > Hours: 8:30 am - 6:30 pm M~Th > > > I think the key issue will be the development of trust. Often people > enter > discussion of this type with a zero sum game in mind - i.e. make > sure that > the recovery of the $25B shortfall is reflected in someone else's > budget, > not mine. > > A coordinating organization such as yours is the perfect entity to > bring the > front line service providers together. > > With respect to your inquiry, there are obviously a lot of > "standard" AI > questions that can apply. In addition to those, allow me to suggest > a couple > of others: > * Tell me about a time when you were forced to do more with less > and the > results exceeded your wildest expectations. Who was involved? How > were the > results achieved? What did each person specifically do or contribute? > * When you think of a time when you collaborated with another group > and > did so successfully, what comes to mind? What circumstances allowed > the > collaboration to occur? > * Think about a time when you felt incredibly well supported by > someone or > a group of people from another organization. Tell me about that time. > > As a consultant, I did some work similar to what you are proposing > with 6 > social profit organizations and a funding government department. We > also > started with the EDs. In my opinion, however, the momentum for > community > collaboration really didn't start to build until we involved front > line > worker and supervisors, managers, and clients in the process. I > suggest that > you give such a forum consideration for a subsequent meeting. > > I'd also suggest that you take a look at Jackie Stavros's work with > the > Quick SOAR methodology. I've been using it in my work and I think it > would > work very well in this situation. > > Finally, my colleague Cheri Torres (who is a regular contributor to > this > list) does remarkable work with community collaboration. I suggest > that you > check out her website at: http://www.collaborative-by-design.com/. > > Hope this helps. > > Best regards, > Bill Scott BSW, MBA > > Surrey, B.C., Canada > bill at elpisconsulting.com > www.elpisconsulting.com > 604-574-1856 > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu > [mailto:ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu] On Behalf Of Porcia > Silverberg > Sent: Tuesday, October 06, 2009 7:24 PM > To: ailist at lists.business.utah.edu > Subject: [Ailist] using AI for nonprofit leaders & coalition building > > > > The AI community is a wonderful resource for brilliant and creative > ideas. > Thank you in advance for helping me with the planning of a two hour > meeting > (plus 15 min. of networking & lunch at the beginning of the > meeting.) This > can potentially become a very depressing gathering, because of the > topic of > discussion - CA budget , which is why I am asking for your > suggestions to > "AI" the meeting. > > > > There will be approx. 20 executive directors/CEOs of diverse > nonprofits in > the San Francisco peninsula. The goals for this meeting are: 1) Deepen > relationships and trust betw. these leaders so ultimately we can > work closer > and collaborate together, especially during the current California > budget > shortfall of approx. $25 billion, 2) Find out how the state budget > cuts have > impacted each organization, 3) Identify successful strategies > they've used > or are exploring in riding through the economic storm, and finally > 4) How my > organization can support them. > > As the Alliance of Nonprofits for San Mateo County, Thrive is a > membership > organization that was founded in 2000 to promote collaboration, > unity and > resource sharing between nonprofits, government, business and civic > leaders. > We foster active connections and communication between nonprofits > and their > communities. Together, we work to enhance and sustain a thriving San > Mateo > County. Our vision: People who live and work in a prosperous San Mateo > County celebrating the vibrant contributions and partnership of the > nonprofit community, who shares their passion and commitment to the > common > good. > > May a million things go smoothly in your world. > > Porcia Chen Silverberg > > Executive Director > > porcia at thrivealliance.org > > http://www.twitter.com/ThriveAlliance > > http://www.linkedin.com/in/porcia > > > > Because you care about San Mateo County, Become a Thrive Member Today! > > > > 650-766-1162 > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > 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 > > _______________________________________________ > 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 > _______________________________________________ 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 From stephanie at brainhygiene.com Sun Oct 11 16:49:00 2009 From: stephanie at brainhygiene.com (Stephanie) Date: Sun, 11 Oct 2009 16:49:00 -0600 Subject: [Ailist] Is positive thinking dangerous? Did it cause the financial crisis? Message-ID: <4DA801E1-B74D-4801-9207-C2806767F346@brainhygiene.com> http://westallen.typepad.com/idealawg/2009/10/is-positive-thinking-dangerous.html Or http://snipurl.com/sghuv My best, Stephanie ???????????????????????????????????? Stephanie West Allen, JD http://www.brainsonpurpose.com http://www.idealawg.net Denver, CO USA From lionel.boxer at rmit.edu.au Sun Oct 11 17:29:19 2009 From: lionel.boxer at rmit.edu.au (Lionel Boxer) Date: Mon, 12 Oct 2009 10:29:19 +1100 Subject: [Ailist] Is positive thinking dangerous? Did it cause the financialcrisis? Message-ID: <4AD30500020000AF0003A1B5@its-gw-inet57.its.rmit.edu.au> Over the past 25 years I have noticed that some mediocre people became wrapped up in positive thinking cults, which led them to engage in somewhat imoral practices to satisfy their unbridled ambition. This is not the same thing as AI. For example, selling houses to people who could not afford them or other items to people who clearly did not need them. In the summer of 1981 I took a free sales training program with Filter Queen vacuum cleaners in exchange for working for them for a month. They would arrange for visits for us to conduct sales calls. We had a very high pressure sales program with a series of "closings" that escallated to the point that we were meant to feign crying and talk about our personal financial shortfalls. I watched a demonstration by a very rough looking man who showed up in a new mercedes wearing a lot of gold around his neck. He demonstrated his entire sales pitch and put on a terrific crying fit at the end of it as he slowly repacked the vacuum cleaner. After I sold several vacuum cleaners to people who clearly could not afford them or did not need them I resigned. I have read many positive thinking books and have a set of Anthony Robbins tapes, but have not attended one of his massive rallies. I think this positive thinking cult did cause the financial crisis. There are a lot of mediocre people with unbridled ambition to achieve more than they need to have. My impression is that it is preferable that we should be part of a happiness cult that teaches us to appreciate what God has provided us and realise that such gifts are all we need in life. My impression of AI is that it is about appreciating situations. In the military we have a Military Appreciation Process, which involves identifying all the factors and then appreciating what they mean. That is not positive thinking. Rather, it is the conscious process of thinking what factors mean and how they effect us as individuals and collectives. Lionel Boxer CD PhD MBA BTech(IndEng) - 0411267256 Associate of RMIT University - lionel.boxer at rmit.edu.au Graduate School of Business my "Assessment of Quality Systems with Positioning Theory" now in a googe book - see link at http://intergon.net >>> Stephanie 12/10/09 9:51 AM >>> http://westallen.typepad.com/idealawg/2009/10/is-positive-thinking-dangerous.html Or http://snipurl.com/sghuv My best, Stephanie ???????????????????????????????????? Stephanie West Allen, JD http://www.brainsonpurpose.com http://www.idealawg.net Denver, CO USA From lmliz0810 at cs.com Sun Oct 11 17:59:33 2009 From: lmliz0810 at cs.com (lmliz0810 at cs.com) Date: Sun, 11 Oct 2009 19:59:33 -0400 Subject: [Ailist] What are nonprofits really? In-Reply-To: <009801ca4a92$5dbb3130$19319390$@consulting@shaw.ca> References: <002801ca46f5$2c98e570$85cab050$@org><01a101ca478b$c11908b0$434b1a10$%consulting@shaw.ca><005c01ca4946$b4cea3a0$1e6beae0$@org><6F8D47CC-B522-4F81-AFD3-D896522E231D@opencirclecompany.com> <009801ca4a92$5dbb3130$19319390$@consulting@shaw.ca> Message-ID: <8CC18E603C8BBBD-474C-10B6E@webmail-d031.sysops.aol.com> This may seem like a cynical view, but I actually think it's pretty accurate ... Many years ago I was at a conference for non-profit HIV/AIDS organizations one of the presenters said that there are two types of organizations -- for-profit and for-surplus.? Non-profit organizations do need to retain funds or develop a surplus for the same reasons families and individuals need some savings -- to get them through tough financial times and emergency situations, they also need a surplus to fund organization growth. It seems that now the only distinction is how a group is organized, specifically which state, federal, and maybe most importantly IRS laws or codes it's organized under.? These can determin how an orgaization is governed and funded.??For-profit organizations have investors who expect some kind of financial return from the organization; for-surplus organizations generally have donors who do not expect a financial return from the organization? (I know some of these organizations get investments too).? Given out current political climate that is important?for people to know who the investors/donors are, though it's not always easy to find out. -Liz McGough -----Original Message----- From: Bill Scott To: 'Peggy Holman' ; 'Appreciative Inquiry List List' Sent: Sun, Oct 11, 2009 12:46 pm Subject: Re: [Ailist] What are nonprofits really? Hello all, My thanks to Peggy for providing the opportunity to expand on my earlier comment. I think this is an important discussion - particularly in these times when funding bodies debate how to "best save money" while "battling the recession." Unfortunately their "answer" is often to reduce funding to organizations that serve our most vulnerable fellow citizens. The term not-for-profit or non-profit simply states that the organization is not supposed to unnecessarily retain financial resources. It says nothing about what the organization ought to do. The reason I like the term social profit is because it speaks to what organizations do today. They create social profit (or "benefit" as one dictionary describes it) to communities; they provide benefits to individuals and groups within communities (however you choose to define a community) and in doing so, communities themselves benefit. I hold great hope that the world Sachin describes is just around the corner. In the meantime, I believe that there is a need to educate communities that social profits exist to benefit everyone because communities are made up of everyone. Thanks for listening. Best regards, Bill Surrey, B.C., Canada bill at elpisconsulting.com www.elpisconsulting.com 604-574-1856 -----Original Message----- From: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu [mailto:ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu] On Behalf Of Peggy Holman Sent: Saturday, October 10, 2009 5:27 PM To: Appreciative Inquiry List List Subject: [Ailist] What are nonprofits really? I want to pick up on the theme of a different name for nonprofits or NGOs. Both are definitions in terms of what they are not. Bill Scott suggested social profit Porcia mentioned Lynn Twist's variation: social prophet. I've begun using community sector because that's who is served. How are others looking at this? The more we can land on a common term and start using it, the more we can begin to replace the current non-term with something describing what they are. appreciatively, Peg gy ______________________________ Peggy Holman The Open Circle Company 15347 SE 49th Place Bellevue, WA 98006 425-746-6274 www.opencirclecompany.com www.journalismthatmatters.org For the new edition of The Change Handbook, go to: www.bkconnection.com/ChangeHandbook "An angel told me that the only way to step into the fire and not get burnt, is to become the fire". -- Drew Dellinger On Oct 9, 2009, at 6:11 PM, Porcia Silverberg wrote: > Hi Bill, > > Thanks for your suggestions. I, too, agree with you in regards to > using the > term nonprofit, which is constantly debated by my colleagues in the > sector. > I also like the term social profit (or social prophet as used by Lynne > Twist, author of The Soul of Money.) This is a whole other worthy > topic of > discussion because language is important. > > The meeting was a success. One of the outcomes of the meeting was a > stronger > sense of community for the EDs, desire for more gatherings and great > interest in creating a clear picture of how all these organizations > connect > behind the scenes. I will definitely keep the listserv posted on > future > development. We are exploring an annual report for the sector, > organizing > site visits to one another's agencies, a communications task force ... > amazing projects out of a 90 minute discussion with 20 passionate > community > leaders! > > I also appreciate your suggestion of "involving front line worker and > supervisors, managers, and clients in the process." I am definitely > considering for a subsequent meeting for them. You were absolutely > right > about developing trust for the executive directors/CEOs in the > group. We had > a full room of 20, two of whom were board members who weren't EDs. > Most of > them didn't know one another very well. I deliberately created a > diverse > group of EDs from diff. subsectors and budget size. > > I ended up asking them to include the following in their > introductions: > a. Name and organization mission & description > 2. Agency budget > 3. Length of time working as an ED/CEO and/or working in the sector > (the > agency that hosted the lunch came from corp. finance background and > has been > on the job for 2 months.) This lead into the next question perfectly. > 4. 'The one thing I enjoy about my work / the one reason I love my > work / > why I work in the sector' - this was the juicy AI question that really > opened people up. The room was buzzing with positive energy and > passion. > > Then I asked 2 AI questions which lead to a rich discussion, wonderful > sharing and productive conversations. > 1. What has been the most creative strategy or tactic you have > implemented > to make your organization more efficient in the past year? > > 2. During these times, we have increased demand and often less > resources, > tell us what you've been doing extra that has had positive results > for your > organization? > > Though it was hard to get away from their office or to commit to > attending > the luncheon initially, they were all glad to have made it after > all. They > admitted this was such a wonderful use of their time to spend with > their > colleagues and recharge. > > Thanks again! > > May a million things go smoothly in your world. > Porcia Chen Silverberg > Executive Director > porcia at thrivealliance.org > http://www.twitter.com/ThriveAlliance > http://www.linkedin.com/in/porcia > Because you care about San Mateo County, Become a Thrive Member Today! > > 650-766-1162 > Hours: 8:30 am - 6:30 pm M~Th > > > I think the key issue will be the development of trust. Often people > enter > discussion of this type with a zero sum game in mind - i.e. make > sure that > the recovery of the $25B shortfall is reflected in someone else's > budget, > not mine. > > A coordinating organization such as yours is the perfect entity to > bring the > front line service providers together. > > With respect to your inquiry, there are obviously a lot of > "standard" AI > questions that can apply. In addition to those, al low me to suggest > a couple > of others: > * Tell me about a time when you were forced to do more with less > and the > results exceeded your wildest expectations. Who was involved? How > were the > results achieved? What did each person specifically do or contribute? > * When you think of a time when you collaborated with another group > and > did so successfully, what comes to mind? What circumstances allowed > the > collaboration to occur? > * Think about a time when you felt incredibly well supported by > someone or > a group of people from another organization. Tell me about that time. > > As a consultant, I did some work similar to what you are proposing > with 6 > social profit organizations and a funding government department. We > also > started with the EDs. In my opinion, however, the momentum for > community > collaboration really didn't start to build until we involved front > line > worker and supervisors, managers, and clients in the process. I > suggest that > you give such a forum consideration for a subsequent meeting. > > I'd also suggest that you take a look at Jackie Stavros's work with > the > Quick SOAR methodology. I've been using it in my work and I think it > would > work very well in this situation. > > Finally, my colleague Cheri Torres (who is a regular contributor to > this > list) does remarkable work with community collaboration. I suggest > that you > check out her website at: http://www.collaborative-by-design.com/. > > Hope this helps. > > Best regards, > Bill Scott BSW, MBA > > Surrey, B.C., Canada > bill at elpisconsulting.com > www.elpisconsulting.com > 604-574-1856 > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu > [mailto:ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu] On Behalf Of Porcia > Silverberg > Sent: Tuesday, October 06, 2009 7:24 PM > To: ailist at lists.business.utah.edu > Subject: [Ailist] using AI for nonprofit leaders & coalition building > > > > The AI community is a wonderful resource for brilliant and cr eative > ideas. > Thank you in advance for helping me with the planning of a two hour > meeting > (plus 15 min. of networking & lunch at the beginning of the > meeting.) This > can potentially become a very depressing gathering, because of the > topic of > discussion - CA budget , which is why I am asking for your > suggestions to > "AI" the meeting. > > > > There will be approx. 20 executive directors/CEOs of diverse > nonprofits in > the San Francisco peninsula. The goals for this meeting are: 1) Deepen > relationships and trust betw. these leaders so ultimately we can > work closer > and collaborate together, especially during the current California > budget > shortfall of approx. $25 billion, 2) Find out how the state budget > cuts have > impacted each organization, 3) Identify successful strategies > they've used > or are exploring in riding through the economic storm, and finally > 4) How my > organization can support them. > > As the Alliance of Nonprofits for San Mateo County, Thrive is a > membership > organization that was founded in 2000 to promote collaboration, > unity and > resource sharing between nonprofits, government, business and civic > leaders. > We foster active connections and communication between nonprofits > and their > communities. Together, we work to enhance and sustain a thriving San > Mateo > County. Our vision: People who live and work in a prosperous San Mateo > County celebrating the vibrant contributions and partnership of the > nonprofit community, who shares their passion and commitment to the > common > good. > > May a million things go smoothly in your world. > > Porcia Chen Silverberg > > Executive Director > > porcia at thrivealliance.org > > http://www.twitter.com/ThriveAlliance > > http://www.linkedin.com/in/porcia > > > > Because you care about San Mateo County, Become a Thrive Member Today! > > > > 650-766-1162 > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > The Appreciative Inquiry Discussion List is hosted by the David Ec cles > 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 > > _______________________________________________ > 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 > _______________________________________________ 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 _______________________________________________ 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 From peggy at opencirclecompany.com Sun Oct 11 21:26:34 2009 From: peggy at opencirclecompany.com (Peggy Holman) Date: Sun, 11 Oct 2009 20:26:34 -0700 Subject: [Ailist] Fwd: What are nonprofits really? References: <22220225.1255310805139.JavaMail.root@mswamui-bichon.atl.sa.earthlink.net> Message-ID: I shared this question with my colleague, Tom Atlee. Thought you might find his thoughts a contribution to this conversation. Peggy Begin forwarded message: > From: cii at igc.org > Date: October 11, 2009 6:26:45 PM PDT > To: Peggy Holman , Stephen Silha > > Cc: cii at igc.org, jratlee at gmail.com > Subject: Re: Fwd: [Ailist] What are nonprofits really? > Reply-To: cii at igc.org > > Thinking systemically: It is a great term subject to great abuse as > it gains popularity. As any marketeer can tell you, ANY product or > service can be marketed as socially beneficial. I would feel more > comfortable with the term if we returned to the time when > corporations were not persons and a corporation operated on a > charter regarding its social benefit, which could be revoked at any > time by the community -- and/or the costs and benefits of every > product and service were embedded in its price and in the national > economic accounting. THEN I wouldn't worry about the abuse of the > term "social profit". As it is, the law states that a corporation > (at least a public corporation) MUST deliver financial benefit to > its shareholders. There is currently no comparable mandate for > social benefit. > > Perhaps this is a space for a new form of corporation, into which > groups from both for-profit and non-profit sectors can gravitate if > they fufill the qualifications.... > > Coheartedly, > Tom > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Peggy Holman > Sent: Oct 11, 2009 7:52 PM > To: Stephen Silha , Tom Atlee > Subject: Fwd: [Ailist] What are nonprofits really? > > What do you think of the term Social profit? > > Peggy > > > > Begin forwarded message: > >> From: "Christopher Szecsey" >> Date: October 11, 2009 3:12:17 PM PDT >> To: "'Bill Scott'" , "'Peggy Holman'" > >, "'Appreciative Inquiry List List'" >> >> Subject: RE: [Ailist] What are nonprofits really? >> >> As a social profit consultant and trainer, I very much endorse Bill's >> comments and have been using "social profit" for a few years now, >> both in >> the USA and internationally. Assuming we agree that words create >> reality and >> we strive to move in the direction of our images, then it is >> important, and >> overdue, to support new, more accurate terms and cease using >> archaic terms >> like "non-profit". >> >> In the last few months, I have led 3 workshops for local nonprofits >> in my >> area, reaching about 30 organizations. I always introduce the >> workshop with >> "social profits" as possibly a more accurate term. Local >> organizations love >> the term and resonate with it. >> >> From my experience, the stakeholders in this discussion, social >> profits, are >> ready for a new term that more accurately describes what they >> generate in >> this world and which compels us, the public, to support them. >> >> Thanks, Bill and Peggy. >> >> Christopher Szecsey >> Capacity Development Consultant, Trainer, & Facilitator >> cszecsey at sonic.net >> Northern CA, USA >> 707-874-2230 >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu >> [mailto:ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu] On Behalf Of Bill >> Scott >> Sent: Sunday, October 11, 2009 9:46 AM >> To: 'Peggy Holman'; 'Appreciative Inquiry List List' >> Subject: Re: [Ailist] What are nonprofits really? >> >> Hello all, >> >> My thanks to Peggy for providing the opportunity to expand on my >> earlier >> comment. I think this is an important discussion - particularly in >> these >> times when funding bodies debate how to "best save money" while >> "battling >> the recession." Unfortunately their "answer" is often to reduce >> funding to >> organizations that serve our most vulnerable fellow citizens. >> >> The term not-for-profit or non-profit simply states that the >> organization is >> not supposed to unnecessarily retain financial resources. It says >> nothing >> about what the organization ought to do. The reason I like the term >> social >> profit is because it speaks to what organizations do today. They >> create >> social profit (or "benefit" as one dictionary describes it) to >> communities; >> they provide benefits to individuals and groups within communities >> (however >> you choose to define a community) and in doing so, communities >> themselves >> benefit. >> >> I hold great hope that the world Sachin describes is just around >> the corner. >> In the meantime, I believe that there is a need to educate >> communities that >> social profits exist to benefit everyone because communities are >> made up of >> everyone. >> >> Thanks for listening. >> >> Best regards, >> Bill >> >> Surrey, B.C., Canada >> bill at elpisconsulting.com >> www.elpisconsulting.com >> >> 604-574-1856 >> >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu >> [mailto:ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu] On Behalf Of Peggy >> Holman >> Sent: Saturday, October 10, 2009 5:27 PM >> To: Appreciative Inquiry List List >> Subject: [Ailist] What are nonprofits really? >> >> I want to pick up on the theme of a different name for nonprofits or >> NGOs. Both are definitions in terms of what they are not. >> >> Bill Scott suggested social profit >> >> Porcia mentioned Lynn Twist's variation: social prophet. >> >> I've begun using community sector because that's who is served. >> >> How are others looking at this? >> >> The more we can land on a common term and start using it, the more we >> can begin to replace the current non-term with something describing >> what they are. >> >> appreciatively, >> Peggy >> >> >> >> ______________________________ >> Peggy Holman >> The Open Circle Company >> 15347 SE 49th Place >> Bellevue, WA 98006 >> 425-746-6274 >> www.opencirclecompany.com >> www.journalismthatmatters.org >> >> For the new edition of The Change Handbook, go to: >> www.bkconnection.com/ChangeHandbook >> >> "An angel told me that the only way to step into the fire and not get >> burnt, is to become >> the fire". >> -- Drew Dellinger >> >> >> >> >> >> >> On Oct 9, 2009, at 6:11 PM, Porcia Silverberg wrote: >> >>> Hi Bill, >>> >>> Thanks for your suggestions. I, too, agree with you in regards to >>> using the >>> term nonprofit, which is constantly debated by my colleagues in the >>> sector. >>> I also like the term social profit (or social prophet as used by >>> Lynne >>> Twist, author of The Soul of Money.) This is a whole other worthy >>> topic of >>> discussion because language is important. >>> >>> The meeting was a success. One of the outcomes of the meeting was a >>> stronger >>> sense of community for the EDs, desire for more gatherings and great >>> interest in creating a clear picture of how all these organizations >>> connect >>> behind the scenes. I will definitely keep the listserv posted on >>> future >>> development. We are exploring an annual report for the sector, >>> organizing >>> site visits to one another's agencies, a communications task >>> force ... >>> amazing projects out of a 90 minute discussion with 20 passionate >>> community >>> leaders! >>> >>> I also appreciate your suggestion of "involving front line worker >>> and >>> supervisors, managers, and clients in the process." I am definitely >>> considering for a subsequent meeting for them. You were absolutely >>> right >>> about developing trust for the executive directors/CEOs in the >>> group. We had >>> a full room of 20, two of whom were board members who weren't EDs. >>> Most of >>> them didn't know one another very well. I deliberately created a >>> diverse >>> group of EDs from diff. subsectors and budget size. >>> >>> I ended up asking them to include the following in their >>> introductions: >>> a. Name and organization mission & description >>> 2. Agency budget >>> 3. Length of time working as an ED/CEO and/or working in the sector >>> (the >>> agency that hosted the lunch came from corp. finance background and >>> has been >>> on the job for 2 months.) This lead into the next question >>> perfectly. >>> 4. 'The one thing I enjoy about my work / the one reason I love my >>> work / >>> why I work in the sector' - this was the juicy AI question that >>> really >>> opened people up. The room was buzzing with positive energy and >>> passion. >>> >>> Then I asked 2 AI questions which lead to a rich discussion, >>> wonderful >>> sharing and productive conversations. >>> 1. What has been the most creative strategy or tactic you have >>> implemented >>> to make your organization more efficient in the past year? >>> >>> 2. During these times, we have increased demand and often less >>> resources, >>> tell us what you've been doing extra that has had positive results >>> for your >>> organization? >>> >>> Though it was hard to get away from their office or to commit to >>> attending >>> the luncheon initially, they were all glad to have made it after >>> all. They >>> admitted this was such a wonderful use of their time to spend with >>> their >>> colleagues and recharge. >>> >>> Thanks again! >>> >>> May a million things go smoothly in your world. >>> Porcia Chen Silverberg >>> Executive Director >>> porcia at thrivealliance.org >>> http://www.twitter.com/ThriveAlliance >>> http://www.linkedin.com/in/porcia >>> Because you care about San Mateo County, Become a Thrive Member >>> Today! >>> >>> 650-766-1162 >>> Hours: 8:30 am - 6:30 pm M~Th >>> >>> >>> I think the key issue will be the development of trust. Often people >>> enter >>> discussion of this type with a zero sum game in mind - i.e. make >>> sure that >>> the recovery of the $25B shortfall is reflected in someone else's >>> budget, >>> not mine. >>> >>> A coordinating organization such as yours is the perfect entity to >>> bring the >>> front line service providers together. >>> >>> With respect to your inquiry, there are obviously a lot of >>> "standard" AI >>> questions that can apply. In addition to those, allow me to suggest >>> a couple >>> of others: >>> * Tell me about a time when you were forced to do more with less >>> and the >>> results exceeded your wildest expectations. Who was involved? How >>> were the >>> results achieved? What did each person specifically do or >>> contribute? >>> * When you think of a time when you collaborated with another group >>> and >>> did so successfully, what comes to mind? What circumstances allowed >>> the >>> collaboration to occur? >>> * Think about a time when you felt incredibly well supported by >>> someone or >>> a group of people from another organization. Tell me about that >>> time. >>> >>> As a consultant, I did some work similar to what you are proposing >>> with 6 >>> social profit organizations and a funding government department. We >>> also >>> started with the EDs. In my opinion, however, the momentum for >>> community >>> collaboration really didn't start to build until we involved front >>> line >>> worker and supervisors, managers, and clients in the process. I >>> suggest that >>> you give such a forum consideration for a subsequent meeting. >>> >>> I'd also suggest that you take a look at Jackie Stavros's work with >>> the >>> Quick SOAR methodology. I've been using it in my work and I think it >>> would >>> work very well in this situation. >>> >>> Finally, my colleague Cheri Torres (who is a regular contributor to >>> this >>> list) does remarkable work with community collaboration. I suggest >>> that you >>> check out her website at: http://www.collaborative-by-design.com/. >>> >>> Hope this helps. >>> >>> Best regards, >>> Bill Scott BSW, MBA >>> >>> Surrey, B.C., Canada >>> bill at elpisconsulting.com >>> www.elpisconsulting.com >>> 604-574-1856 >>> >>> >>> >>> -----Original Message----- >>> From: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu >>> [mailto:ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu] On Behalf Of Porcia >>> Silverberg >>> Sent: Tuesday, October 06, 2009 7:24 PM >>> To: ailist at lists.business.utah.edu >>> Subject: [Ailist] using AI for nonprofit leaders & coalition >>> building >>> >>> >>> >>> The AI community is a wonderful resource for brilliant and creative >>> ideas. >>> Thank you in advance for helping me with the planning of a two hour >>> meeting >>> (plus 15 min. of networking & lunch at the beginning of the >>> meeting.) This >>> can potentially become a very depressing gathering, because of the >>> topic of >>> discussion - CA budget , which is why I am asking for your >>> suggestions to >>> "AI" the meeting. >>> >>> >>> >>> There will be approx. 20 executive directors/CEOs of diverse >>> nonprofits in >>> the San Francisco peninsula. The goals for this meeting are: 1) >>> Deepen >>> relationships and trust betw. these leaders so ultimately we can >>> work closer >>> and collaborate together, especially during the current California >>> budget >>> shortfall of approx. $25 billion, 2) Find out how the state budget >>> cuts have >>> impacted each organization, 3) Identify successful strategies >>> they've used >>> or are exploring in riding through the economic storm, and finally >>> 4) How my >>> organization can support them. >>> >>> As the Alliance of Nonprofits for San Mateo County, Thrive is a >>> membership >>> organization that was founded in 2000 to promote collaboration, >>> unity and >>> resource sharing between nonprofits, government, business and civic >>> leaders. >>> We foster active connections and communication between nonprofits >>> and their >>> communities. Together, we work to enhance and sustain a thriving San >>> Mateo >>> County. Our vision: People who live and work in a prosperous San >>> Mateo >>> County celebrating the vibrant contributions and partnership of the >>> nonprofit community, who shares their passion and commitment to the >>> common >>> good. >>> >>> May a million things go smoothly in your world. >>> >>> Porcia Chen Silverberg >>> >>> Executive Director >>> >>> porcia at thrivealliance.org >>> >>> http://www.twitter.com/ThriveAlliance >>> >>> http://www.linkedin.com/in/porcia >>> >>> >>> >>> Because you care about San Mateo County, Become a Thrive Member >>> Today! >>> >>> >>> >>> 650-766-1162 >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> 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 >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> 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 >>> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> 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 >> >> _______________________________________________ >> 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 >> > > From Deantw at aol.com Sun Oct 11 23:01:26 2009 From: Deantw at aol.com (Deantw at aol.com) Date: Mon, 12 Oct 2009 01:01:26 EDT Subject: [Ailist] What are nonprofits really? Message-ID: Technically, the term "non-profit" as applied by the IRS means that the "profits" (surplus of income over expense in the operation of the entity) cannot be distributed to private individuals, but must be re-invested in the "tax-exempt" purpose (mission) of the organization. As such, the term "social profit" makes sense. There IS a profit, but it's dedicated to a social purpose. Dean Wight In a message dated 10/11/2009 1:57:08 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time, wjs.consulting at shaw.ca writes: Hello all, My thanks to Peggy for providing the opportunity to expand on my earlier comment. I think this is an important discussion - particularly in these times when funding bodies debate how to "best save money" while "battling the recession." Unfortunately their "answer" is often to reduce funding to organizations that serve our most vulnerable fellow citizens. The term not-for-profit or non-profit simply states that the organization is not supposed to unnecessarily retain financial resources. It says nothing about what the organization ought to do. The reason I like the term social profit is because it speaks to what organizations do today. They create social profit (or "benefit" as one dictionary describes it) to communities; they provide benefits to individuals and groups within communities (however you choose to define a community) and in doing so, communities themselves benefit. I hold great hope that the world Sachin describes is just around the corner. In the meantime, I believe that there is a need to educate communities that social profits exist to benefit everyone because communities are made up of everyone. Thanks for listening. Best regards, Bill Surrey, B.C., Canada bill at elpisconsulting.com www.elpisconsulting.com 604-574-1856 -----Original Message----- From: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu [mailto:ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu] On Behalf Of Peggy Holman Sent: Saturday, October 10, 2009 5:27 PM To: Appreciative Inquiry List List Subject: [Ailist] What are nonprofits really? I want to pick up on the theme of a different name for nonprofits or NGOs. Both are definitions in terms of what they are not. Bill Scott suggested social profit Porcia mentioned Lynn Twist's variation: social prophet. I've begun using community sector because that's who is served. How are others looking at this? The more we can land on a common term and start using it, the more we can begin to replace the current non-term with something describing what they are. appreciatively, Peggy ______________________________ Peggy Holman The Open Circle Company 15347 SE 49th Place Bellevue, WA 98006 425-746-6274 www.opencirclecompany.com www.journalismthatmatters.org For the new edition of The Change Handbook, go to: www.bkconnection.com/ChangeHandbook "An angel told me that the only way to step into the fire and not get burnt, is to become the fire". -- Drew Dellinger On Oct 9, 2009, at 6:11 PM, Porcia Silverberg wrote: > Hi Bill, > > Thanks for your suggestions. I, too, agree with you in regards to > using the > term nonprofit, which is constantly debated by my colleagues in the > sector. > I also like the term social profit (or social prophet as used by Lynne > Twist, author of The Soul of Money.) This is a whole other worthy > topic of > discussion because language is important. > > The meeting was a success. One of the outcomes of the meeting was a > stronger > sense of community for the EDs, desire for more gatherings and great > interest in creating a clear picture of how all these organizations > connect > behind the scenes. I will definitely keep the listserv posted on > future > development. We are exploring an annual report for the sector, > organizing > site visits to one another's agencies, a communications task force ... > amazing projects out of a 90 minute discussion with 20 passionate > community > leaders! > > I also appreciate your suggestion of "involving front line worker and > supervisors, managers, and clients in the process." I am definitely > considering for a subsequent meeting for them. You were absolutely > right > about developing trust for the executive directors/CEOs in the > group. We had > a full room of 20, two of whom were board members who weren't EDs. > Most of > them didn't know one another very well. I deliberately created a > diverse > group of EDs from diff. subsectors and budget size. > > I ended up asking them to include the following in their > introductions: > a. Name and organization mission & description > 2. Agency budget > 3. Length of time working as an ED/CEO and/or working in the sector > (the > agency that hosted the lunch came from corp. finance background and > has been > on the job for 2 months.) This lead into the next question perfectly. > 4. 'The one thing I enjoy about my work / the one reason I love my > work / > why I work in the sector' - this was the juicy AI question that really > opened people up. The room was buzzing with positive energy and > passion. > > Then I asked 2 AI questions which lead to a rich discussion, wonderful > sharing and productive conversations. > 1. What has been the most creative strategy or tactic you have > implemented > to make your organization more efficient in the past year? > > 2. During these times, we have increased demand and often less > resources, > tell us what you've been doing extra that has had positive results > for your > organization? > > Though it was hard to get away from their office or to commit to > attending > the luncheon initially, they were all glad to have made it after > all. They > admitted this was such a wonderful use of their time to spend with > their > colleagues and recharge. > > Thanks again! > > May a million things go smoothly in your world. > Porcia Chen Silverberg > Executive Director > porcia at thrivealliance.org > http://www.twitter.com/ThriveAlliance > http://www.linkedin.com/in/porcia > Because you care about San Mateo County, Become a Thrive Member Today! > > 650-766-1162 > Hours: 8:30 am - 6:30 pm M~Th > > > I think the key issue will be the development of trust. Often people > enter > discussion of this type with a zero sum game in mind - i.e. make > sure that > the recovery of the $25B shortfall is reflected in someone else's > budget, > not mine. > > A coordinating organization such as yours is the perfect entity to > bring the > front line service providers together. > > With respect to your inquiry, there are obviously a lot of > "standard" AI > questions that can apply. In addition to those, allow me to suggest > a couple > of others: > * Tell me about a time when you were forced to do more with less > and the > results exceeded your wildest expectations. Who was involved? How > were the > results achieved? What did each person specifically do or contribute? > * When you think of a time when you collaborated with another group > and > did so successfully, what comes to mind? What circumstances allowed > the > collaboration to occur? > * Think about a time when you felt incredibly well supported by > someone or > a group of people from another organization. Tell me about that time. > > As a consultant, I did some work similar to what you are proposing > with 6 > social profit organizations and a funding government department. We > also > started with the EDs. In my opinion, however, the momentum for > community > collaboration really didn't start to build until we involved front > line > worker and supervisors, managers, and clients in the process. I > suggest that > you give such a forum consideration for a subsequent meeting. > > I'd also suggest that you take a look at Jackie Stavros's work with > the > Quick SOAR methodology. I've been using it in my work and I think it > would > work very well in this situation. > > Finally, my colleague Cheri Torres (who is a regular contributor to > this > list) does remarkable work with community collaboration. I suggest > that you > check out her website at: http://www.collaborative-by-design.com/. > > Hope this helps. > > Best regards, > Bill Scott BSW, MBA > > Surrey, B.C., Canada > bill at elpisconsulting.com > www.elpisconsulting.com > 604-574-1856 > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu > [mailto:ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu] On Behalf Of Porcia > Silverberg > Sent: Tuesday, October 06, 2009 7:24 PM > To: ailist at lists.business.utah.edu > Subject: [Ailist] using AI for nonprofit leaders & coalition building > > > > The AI community is a wonderful resource for brilliant and creative > ideas. > Thank you in advance for helping me with the planning of a two hour > meeting > (plus 15 min. of networking & lunch at the beginning of the > meeting.) This > can potentially become a very depressing gathering, because of the > topic of > discussion - CA budget , which is why I am asking for your > suggestions to > "AI" the meeting. > > > > There will be approx. 20 executive directors/CEOs of diverse > nonprofits in > the San Francisco peninsula. The goals for this meeting are: 1) Deepen > relationships and trust betw. these leaders so ultimately we can > work closer > and collaborate together, especially during the current California > budget > shortfall of approx. $25 billion, 2) Find out how the state budget > cuts have > impacted each organization, 3) Identify successful strategies > they've used > or are exploring in riding through the economic storm, and finally > 4) How my > organization can support them. > > As the Alliance of Nonprofits for San Mateo County, Thrive is a > membership > organization that was founded in 2000 to promote collaboration, > unity and > resource sharing between nonprofits, government, business and civic > leaders. > We foster active connections and communication between nonprofits > and their > communities. Together, we work to enhance and sustain a thriving San > Mateo > County. Our vision: People who live and work in a prosperous San Mateo > County celebrating the vibrant contributions and partnership of the > nonprofit community, who shares their passion and commitment to the > common > good. > > May a million things go smoothly in your world. > > Porcia Chen Silverberg > > Executive Director > > porcia at thrivealliance.org > > http://www.twitter.com/ThriveAlliance > > http://www.linkedin.com/in/porcia > > > > Because you care about San Mateo County, Become a Thrive Member Today! > > > > 650-766-1162 > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > 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 > > _______________________________________________ > 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 > _______________________________________________ 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 _______________________________________________ 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 From mail at sachinchavan.com Sun Oct 11 23:41:28 2009 From: mail at sachinchavan.com (Sachin Chavan) Date: Mon, 12 Oct 2009 11:11:28 +0530 Subject: [Ailist] Is positive thinking dangerous? Did it cause the financialcrisis? In-Reply-To: <4DA801E1-B74D-4801-9207-C2806767F346@brainhygiene.com> Message-ID: <2E3004A752764125AFF6E57930EFE30F@SachinNotebook> Very relevant point, Stephanie. The question is what should positivity accentuate? Illusions or Discovery of truth? Does it take us closer to our core, or away from it? Pleasure or Happiness? Is pain seen as suffering or as an opportunity to decondition? Bigger question: Is positive (bright) the opposite of negative (dark)? If seen that way, then we risk getting caught in the illusions. The Yin-yang or Advaita rise above the duality. Regards, Sachin -----Original Message----- From: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu [mailto:ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu] On Behalf Of Stephanie Sent: 12 October 2009 04:19 AM To: AI list Subject: [Ailist] Is positive thinking dangerous? Did it cause the financialcrisis? http://westallen.typepad.com/idealawg/2009/10/is-positive-thinking-dangerous .html Or http://snipurl.com/sghuv My best, Stephanie .................................... Stephanie West Allen, JD http://www.brainsonpurpose.com http://www.idealawg.net Denver, CO USA _______________________________________________ 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 From cwhitneysanchez at gmail.com Mon Oct 12 00:10:58 2009 From: cwhitneysanchez at gmail.com (Christine Whitney Sanchez) Date: Sun, 11 Oct 2009 23:10:58 -0700 Subject: [Ailist] Free interactive phone session with David Cooperrider and other change leaders Message-ID: Dear AI Friends, You are cordially invited to experience a new way to access collective wisdom through interactive phone sessions with David Cooperrider, Harrison Owen, David Isaacs and me. http://tinyurl.com/yjgnxmv Amy Lenzo, Gabriel Shirley and I are hosting a free special series, called Beyond Facilitation: Accessing Collective Wisdom, as part of October's MaestroMonth, which launches MaestroConference, the company behind this revolutionary new phone-based interactive technology. Last Friday we hosted our first session call featuring Juanita Brown and Nicole Boyer. We're delighted with the heart and depth of the conversations and the simplicity of using the phone to break out into small groups with touch of a button and then come back to the large group to share the highlights of our conversations. To sign up just click on http://tinyurl.com/yjgnxmv. To see the whole series, scroll down to the bottom of the calendar. Here's the remaining schedule - all calls begin at 9:00am PDT, 10:00am MDT, 11:00am CDT, 12:00pm EDT, 21:00 UTC Wednesday, October 14 "Getting our Collective Act Together: Methods for Strategic Collaboration" with Christine Whitney Sanchez Friday, October 16 "The World Caf?: Conversational Leadership in Action" with David Isaacs Wednesday, October 28 "Wave Rider: Leadership for High Performance in a Self-Organizing World" with Harrison Owen Friday, October 30 "The AI Summit: How a Single Management Innovation Changes Everything" with David Cooperrider -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: 13.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 60743 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- Warm wishes from the cooling desert, -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: 14.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 17610 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- Christine Christine Whitney Sanchez Collaborative Wisdom & Strategy 480.759.0262 www.christinewhitneysanchez.com Skype: christinewhitneysanchez http://www.facebook.com/ChristineWhitneySanchez From tmcnichol at renassociates.com Mon Oct 12 06:42:47 2009 From: tmcnichol at renassociates.com (Terri McNichol) Date: Mon, 12 Oct 2009 12:42:47 +0000 Subject: [Ailist] What are nonprofits really? Message-ID: Hi all, I recall a paper I was working on a few years back on museums and I was reminded by the Robert Birmbaum that they like universities are a part of civil society. This is the quote he sent me: Why have institutions of higher education been established, and by whom? ?[C]ivil governments have created them for the good of the general community. They have not been founded for the sole or even the primary benefit of professors, students, trustees, or all of them taken together, but instead, for the benefit of society at large. Hence, in all countries civil government, the most inclusive agency of society, retains the right to set them in motion and, further, to require that their governing boards represent the public interest." University president W. H. Cowley Terri McNichol Ren Associates imaginement? grow imagination~drive appreciative change 707 Alexander Rd., Bldg. 2 Ste. 208 Princeton, NJ 08540 Telephone +1.609.371.5354 Fax +1-609-243-0045 Cell +1.609.638.5878 www.renassociates.com Blog: http://imaginement.wordpress.com/ My Appreciative Inquiry case study is included in the bestselling The Sustainable Enterprise Fieldbook. Greenleaf Publishing, UK, and AMACOM in North America. Jeana Wirtenberg et al, ed. http://bit.ly/IDzuh Presentation Available: "Art or Science: OD in China." with co-presenter Wei Huang, Ph.D. "Inverting Western business models: why museum practices are key to a new management paradigm." 2nd International Committee on Management of International Council of Museums (International Council of Museums standing committee on management. INTERCOM/ICOM) Meeting 2006 "New Roles and Missions of Museums" Taipei, Taiwan, November 2-4, 2006. "The Art of Leading the Museum: Managing for Wonder." 4th Annual Critical Management Studies Conference, Cambridge, UK, July 4-6, 2005. From rdavies at rtpcompany.com Mon Oct 12 07:08:19 2009 From: rdavies at rtpcompany.com (Roger Davies) Date: Mon, 12 Oct 2009 08:08:19 -0500 Subject: [Ailist] Is positive thinking dangerous? Did it cause the financialcrisis? In-Reply-To: <4DA801E1-B74D-4801-9207-C2806767F346@brainhygiene.com> References: <4DA801E1-B74D-4801-9207-C2806767F346@brainhygiene.com> Message-ID: <4474DA8619FC458AABE268C927600CBD@winona.rtpco.local> I think something similar to this thread went around before.(sorry about the lengthy e-mail) Undoubtedly there were many contributors to the financial crisis and positive thinking was probably one of them. So would have been greed, a belief in the entitlement to credit without the ability to repay, putting profit and shareholder benefit above the benefits of employing people, a complicit act of de-regulation or lack of enforcement of regulations and without doubt many, a materialistic culture and many, many more. I would rather frame a question around the backdrop - Financial crises' are an inescapable part of an economy based on financial consumer credit. Credit places those with capital in a position of power over those who wish to borrow it. Therefore creating a drive to amass or control wealth. When credit is made too easily available demand increases and the price of goods increases further tilting the scales until they periodically break (every 5 to 7 years it appears). Those with capital who do not want to see the value of their investments decrease will be tempted to guess on the exact time period between crashes and sell off shares at what they believe to be the optimum price. Of course this then forces the crash. The crash is one the one hand driven by over borrowing which may be in part caused by positive thinking but is also in part caused by highly critical thinking of those who control the capital. Put another way by someone called Karl Marx in 1867 'Owners of Capital will stimulate the working class to buy more and more expensive goods, houses and technology, until their debt becomes unbearable. The unpaid debt will lead to bankruptcy of the banks, which will have to be nationalized, and State will have to take the road that will eventually lead to communism'. The problem as I see it is that the tendency is to view this as an either/or question either capitalism or communism. In truth neither in its pure sense is workable. The question should be what are BOTH the best features of capitalism and the best features of communism AND how do we encompass the two to form a more stable economy? It needs to become a both/and question. By the way for anyone complaining about the national debt should remember that the bulk of it has been assumed on their behalf by the government. Regardless of who won the last election the situation would have been the same and it is the terrible result of capitalizing gains and communizing losses. Ironically this is actually combining the worst of both capitalism and communism. I do wish the current political sniping was replaced by a sensible, constructive and non-dogmatic conversation about what needs to be done to reduce the national debt and keep it low. This is very much everyone's problem but the poorer you are the more it will hurt. Roger -----Original Message----- From: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu [mailto:ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu] On Behalf Of Stephanie Sent: Sunday, October 11, 2009 5:49 PM To: AI list Subject: [Ailist] Is positive thinking dangerous? Did it cause the financialcrisis? http://westallen.typepad.com/idealawg/2009/10/is-positive-thinking-dangerous .html Or http://snipurl.com/sghuv My best, Stephanie .................................... Stephanie West Allen, JD http://www.brainsonpurpose.com http://www.idealawg.net Denver, CO USA _______________________________________________ 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 From cwhitneysanchez at gmail.com Mon Oct 12 22:21:49 2009 From: cwhitneysanchez at gmail.com (Christine Whitney Sanchez) Date: Mon, 12 Oct 2009 21:21:49 -0700 Subject: [Ailist] Getting Our Collective Act Together Message-ID: This coming Wednesday at 9:00am Pacific Time, you are all cordially invited to participate in a free interactive phone session on Maestro Conference, called ?Getting Our Collective Act Together: Methods for Strategic Collaboration?. It's part of a special series that I'm co-hosting with Amy Lenzo and Gabriel Shirley called ?Beyond Facilitation: Accessing Collective Wisdom? featuring interactive events with Juanita Brown & Nicole Boyer, David Isaacs, Christine Whitney Sanchez, Harrison Owen, and David Cooperrider. Last Friday, we hosted our first session with Juanita Brown and Nicole Boyer. We were delighted with the heart and depth of the conversations and the ability of participants to break out into small groups with touch of a button and then come back to the large group to share the highlights of the conversations. We hope that you will join us to demonstrate the power of dialogue as a container for social change. Register today! Warm wishes from Phoenix, Christine Christine Whitney Sanchez Collaborative Wisdom & Strategy 480.759.0262 www.christinewhitneysanchez.com Skype: christinewhitneysanchez http://www.facebook.com/ChristineWhitneySanchez From cwhitneysanchez at gmail.com Tue Oct 13 13:10:41 2009 From: cwhitneysanchez at gmail.com (Christine Whitney Sanchez) Date: Tue, 13 Oct 2009 12:10:41 -0700 Subject: [Ailist] Getting Our Collective Act Together In-Reply-To: <1fd7f64e0910122200p746e7596j89599d4bb64d0156@mail.gmail.com> References: <1fd7f64e0910122200p746e7596j89599d4bb64d0156@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <38B40A16-1675-4E45-AD0F-60D5B46E94E3@gmail.com> Hi Hartley, I apologize - the link I embedded did not come through. If you would would like to join the session, just click here http://tinyurl.com/yjgnxmv , and register at the top right of the page. To see the sessions with David Cooperrider, David Isaacs and Harrison Owen, scroll down to the bottom of the page to see the entire series called ?Beyond Facilitation: Accessing Collective Wisdom?. Hope to hear you on the call tomorrow! Christine Christine Whitney Sanchez Collaborative Wisdom & Strategy 480.759.0262 http://www.christinewhitneysanchez.com Skype: christinewhitneysanchez http://www.facebook.com/ChristineWhitneySanchez On Oct 12, 2009, at 10:00 PM, hartley goldstone wrote: Sounds wonderful. How do we participate? Hartley Goldstone On Mon, Oct 12, 2009 at 10:21 PM, Christine Whitney Sanchez wrote: This coming Wednesday at 9:00am Pacific Time, you are all cordially invited to participate in a free interactive phone session on Maestro Conference, called ?Getting Our Collective Act Together: Methods for Strategic Collaboration?. It's part of a special series that I'm co-hosting with Amy Lenzo and Gabriel Shirley called ?Beyond Facilitation: Accessing Collective Wisdom? featuring interactive events with Juanita Brown & Nicole Boyer, David Isaacs, Christine Whitney Sanchez, Harrison Owen, and David Cooperrider. Last Friday, we hosted our first session with Juanita Brown and Nicole Boyer. We were delighted with the heart and depth of the conversations and the ability of participants to break out into small groups with touch of a button and then come back to the large group to share the highlights of the conversations. We hope that you will join us to demonstrate the power of dialogue as a container for social change. Register today! Warm wishes from Phoenix, Christine Christine Whitney Sanchez Collaborative Wisdom & Strategy 480.759.0262 www.christinewhitneysanchez.com Skype: christinewhitneysanchez http://www.facebook.com/ChristineWhitneySanchez _______________________________________________ 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 From bruce at bruceelkin.com Tue Oct 13 15:07:58 2009 From: bruce at bruceelkin.com (Bruce Elkin) Date: Tue, 13 Oct 2009 14:07:58 -0700 Subject: [Ailist] Is positive thinking dangerous? Did it cause the financial crisis? In-Reply-To: <4DA801E1-B74D-4801-9207-C2806767F346@brainhygiene.com> Message-ID: Hi Stephanie, all? I think the review is a bit simplistic in that it makes out positive and negative to be either/or choices. Research from Martine Seligman and others in the Positive Psychology field shows that the optimum approach is realistic optimism. Optimism that is grounded in realism. Or vision grounded in current reality. We need both of them. Barbara Fredrickson, author of Positivity, warns us not to get rid of all negativity. Some negative emotions are necessary and helpful. Like those associated with sitting on hot stoves. And if your positivity ratio (positive thoughts vs. negative thoughts) gets up into the 12 to 13 to 1 area, you enter Pollyanna land and start ignoring reality as it is. Very dangerous. I think this notion of realistic optimism is very powerful. Both. Not either/or. Cheers! Bruce ********************************************************************* BRUCE ELKIN: Helping You Create What Matters Most? With Whatever Life Throws At You! 20+ Years - Clients on 6 Continents - Author of 3 Books & The Forthcoming Staying Up In Down Times E-Book ?Tell me, what will you do with your one wild and precious life?? - Mary Oliver Fr.ee e-Newsletter at: http://www.bruceelkin.com/newsletter.html Phone: 250.388.7210 Web: http://www.BruceElkin.com Blog: http://createwhatmattersmost.blogspot.com ******************************************************************* From motivate at frontiernet.net Tue Oct 13 17:11:00 2009 From: motivate at frontiernet.net (Julie Caldwell) Date: Tue, 13 Oct 2009 16:11:00 -0700 Subject: [Ailist] Is positive thinking dangerous? Did it cause the financial crisis? In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Great question Stephanie; and Bruce, you couldn't have given a better reply... > And if your positivity ratio > (positive thoughts vs. negative thoughts) gets up into the 12 to 13 > to 1 > area, you enter Pollyanna land and start ignoring reality as it is. > Very > dangerous. In fact, I've had a very difficult time coming to grips with "the line" of "balance". And, I've been studying, meditating and writing on this topic 24/7 for the last decade! I think the issue has to do with how one attaches to the meanings "positive" and "negative". I think the extremes of attachment (excitement) and non-attachment (lethargy) were the reasons for financial crisis. The antidote --- mindfulness! I have been a positive thinker all of my life. Yet, when researching my master's degree I learned that teaching self-assertiveness, a tool that I embraced as part of the self-esteem movement, could actually have a down side that promoted self-centeredness vs the aim, which was to express how one feels. Then during my studies of Buddhism, I came to learn the 3 causes of suffering: 1. The suffering of suffering 2. The suffering of change 3. The suffering of pervasive conditioning Most of us can identify with the Suffering of Suffering: "I hurt." The experience of emotional or physical pain, defined as suffering. The more I focus on suffering, suffering increases. What happens, if I don't define the experience of emotional or physical pain as suffering? To understand the Suffering of Change takes a bit more thought: You associate the pleasure of the moment as feeling "happy", as in not suffering. Let's say its a hot day and you found some shade to sit under. Then, the moment changes. You no longer experience what you associated as pleasure. The sun moved and where you sit is now hot, and you associate this change as unpleasant. This is the suffering of change. Being attached to what you associate as pleasurable or happy actually creates the causes to experience suffering, because everything changes over time. If the change doesn't meet your expectation of happy, now what? The antidote is non-attachment. His Holiness the Dalai Lama once asked a Christian monk coming out from a long retreat, how his retreat went. The Christian monk said, "Good is not so good. And, bad is not so bad." To which His Holiness replied, "I see we have the same practice." To understand the Suffering of Pervasive Conditioning requires mindfulness: Stephanie's question "Is positive thinking dangerous?" addresses the suffering of pervasive conditioning. Or, how we label things. Stephanie is the label her parents gave her when she was born. Since then, Stephanie has experienced countless moments where she has become the "positiveness" or the "negativeness" of her label. She is Stephanie, the sum of her parts. In reality these labels are not Stephanie. Yet, if Stephanie believes she is these labels, how will she react to someone who criticizes her work or her looks? Different from someone who offers some appreciative inquiry! In AI we often hear the saying, "Words create worlds." Pervasive conditioning relates to the layer upon layers of perception placed upon a single moment of first impression. The more we believe in certain labels, the stronger that world becomes. When we have a War between Worlds, in actuality we battle pervasive conditioning. It is for this reason, it takes a lot of on-going commitment to change an existing culture within a family, organization or country. The power of group AI has everything to do with uprooting our collective wisdom. It's the sum of what we collectively value (AI: DISCOVER). Energy follows thought, takes on a life of it's own, and begins to self-organize (AI: DREAM). If we attach positive or negative values to this self-organization, we create the cause of suffering! So, the antidote to this type of suffering is to identify the attachments (AI: DESIGN), and to take action in ways that decrease attachment and to increase action around the available choices (AI: DELIVER). Let's look at a more personal example of how causes and conditions create suffering or "pure" happiness, the happiness devoid of "unhealthy" attachment: For example, during the last presidential election... Some of my friends were attached (and still are) to "hating" President Bush. They would spend hours upon hours putting him down, and bending anyone's ear who would listen about his shortcomings. This is very different then being passionate about a cause, and to engage with "healthy" attachment. My friends who didn't like the results of President Bush's actions (different than hating the person), worked very hard to develop strategies that would overturn these actions. They would share information in ways that worked to support their strategies, but would not waste energy (attachment) in ways that did not support their strategies, for example, bad mouthing the person for the sake of being right. In my Buddhist practice Non-virtues --- such as harmful speech, includes lying, harsh speech, divisive speech and gossip (or iddle speech) --- which create causes similar to the action. For example, you have something good to say about someone and you only focus on the positive aspects, if sincere and done wisely, okay. But to promote the positive in a way that just fills up the airwaves can actually become a negative action. Which has a lot to do with the intention. ..... if you read this far....kudos....that's enough for now! Love, julie From stephanie at brainhygiene.com Tue Oct 13 17:31:48 2009 From: stephanie at brainhygiene.com (Stephanie) Date: Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:31:48 -0600 Subject: [Ailist] Is positive thinking dangerous? Did it cause the financial crisis? In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Hi, Bruce. Which review do you mean? I link to three. All of them? Thanks. Best, Stephanie ???????????????????????????????????? Stephanie West Allen, JD http://www.brainsonpurpose.com http://www.idealawg.net Denver, CO USA On Oct 13, 2009, at 3:07 PM, Bruce Elkin wrote: > Hi Stephanie, all? > I think the review is a bit simplistic in that it makes out positive > and negative to be either/or choices. > Research from Martine Seligman and others in the Positive Psychology > field shows that the optimum approach is realistic optimism. > Optimism that is grounded in realism. Or vision grounded in current > reality. We need both of them. > > Barbara Fredrickson, author of Positivity, warns us not to get rid > of all negativity. Some negative emotions are necessary and helpful. > Like those associated with sitting on hot stoves. And if your > positivity ratio (positive thoughts vs. negative thoughts) gets up > into the 12 to 13 to 1 area, you enter Pollyanna land and start > ignoring reality as it is. Very dangerous. > > I think this notion of realistic optimism is very powerful. Both. > Not either/or. > > Cheers! > Bruce > ********************************************************************* > BRUCE ELKIN: Helping You Create What Matters Most? > With Whatever Life Throws At You! > 20+ Years - Clients on 6 Continents - Author of 3 Books & > The Forthcoming Staying Up In Down Times E-Book > > ?Tell me, what will you do > with your one wild and precious life?? > - Mary Oliver > Fr.ee e-Newsletter at: > http://www.bruceelkin.com/newsletter.html > Phone: 250.388.7210 Web: http://www.BruceElkin.com > Blog: http://createwhatmattersmost.blogspot.com > ******************************************************************* > > > > From bruce at bruceelkin.com Tue Oct 13 17:35:33 2009 From: bruce at bruceelkin.com (Bruce Elkin) Date: Tue, 13 Oct 2009 16:35:33 -0700 Subject: [Ailist] Is positive thinking dangerous? Did it cause the financial crisis? In-Reply-To: Message-ID: > ..... if you read this far....kudos....that's enough for now! > > Love, > > julie Great stuff, Julie! Much appreciated! Bruce ********************************************************************* BRUCE ELKIN: Helping You Create What Matters Most? With Whatever Life Throws At You! 20+ Years - Clients on 6 Continents - Author of 3 Books & The Forthcoming Staying Up In Down Times E-Book ?Tell me, what will you do with your one wild and precious life?? - Mary Oliver Fr.ee e-Newsletter at: http://www.bruceelkin.com/newsletter.html Phone: 250.388.7210 Web: http://www.BruceElkin.com Blog: http://createwhatmattersmost.blogspot.com ******************************************************************* From jkaiser at caringmatters.com Wed Oct 14 08:29:19 2009 From: jkaiser at caringmatters.com (Jerry M. Kaiser) Date: Wed, 14 Oct 2009 07:29:19 -0700 Subject: [Ailist] Is positive thinking dangerous? Message-ID: Sure positive thinking is dangerous...if you think you can fly off a building. But that?s delusional. Hope is positive thinking, and there would be no success without hope: no invention, no motivational energy to meet a challenge. Hope is what helped Viktor Frankl live through the concentration camps; why dying grandparents miraculously hang on to see their grandchild married; and, according to Suzanne Kobasa?s research, why some managers thrive in difficult circumstances, while those who don?t have it wither. The absence of hope is despair, which is why, post WW II, the Soviet bloc countries had the highest suicide rates...and Hope is what made my grandparents leave their homeland with nothing to journey thousands of miles in a cramped ship to a place they?d never seen that spoke a different language...and where they knew that ?their kind? were still discriminated against. If that?s the ?danger? of positive thinking, let me have more! -- Jerry M. Kaiser CaringMatters 455 Huckleberry Lane, Boulder Creek, CA 95006 831-338-3165 http://www.caringmatters.com http://caringmatters.blogspot.com/ "He is the best physician who is the most ingenious inspirer of hope." Samuel Taylor Coleridge From mail at sachinchavan.com Tue Oct 13 22:36:32 2009 From: mail at sachinchavan.com (Sachin Chavan) Date: Wed, 14 Oct 2009 10:06:32 +0530 Subject: [Ailist] Is positive thinking dangerous? Did it cause thefinancial crisis? In-Reply-To: Message-ID: Thanks Julie for clarifying (the difference) between attached behaviour and equanimous appreciation. The entire teaching of Buddha are towards understanding suffering, the causes of suffering, the cessation of suffering and the path leading to the cessation of suffering. For a more detailed treatment of this topic and the path, read 'The Art of Living: Vipassana Meditation' by William Hart, based on the lectures, writings and interviews of SN Goenka, whose courses connected thousands across the world with the path of Buddha. Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Art-Living-Vipassana-Meditation/dp/0060637242/ref=sr_1 _2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1255494708&sr=8-2 If further interested in the technique itself, consider visiting http://www.dhamma.org/ Metta (love without attachment), Sachin -----Original Message----- From: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu [mailto:ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu] On Behalf Of Julie Caldwell Sent: 14 October 2009 04:41 AM To: Bruce Elkin Cc: ailist at lists.business.utah.edu; Stephanie Subject: Re: [Ailist] Is positive thinking dangerous? Did it cause thefinancial crisis? Great question Stephanie; and Bruce, you couldn't have given a better reply... > And if your positivity ratio > (positive thoughts vs. negative thoughts) gets up into the 12 to 13 to > 1 area, you enter Pollyanna land and start ignoring reality as it is. > Very > dangerous. In fact, I've had a very difficult time coming to grips with "the line" of "balance". And, I've been studying, meditating and writing on this topic 24/7 for the last decade! I think the issue has to do with how one attaches to the meanings "positive" and "negative". I think the extremes of attachment (excitement) and non-attachment (lethargy) were the reasons for financial crisis. The antidote --- mindfulness! I have been a positive thinker all of my life. Yet, when researching my master's degree I learned that teaching self-assertiveness, a tool that I embraced as part of the self-esteem movement, could actually have a down side that promoted self-centeredness vs the aim, which was to express how one feels. Then during my studies of Buddhism, I came to learn the 3 causes of suffering: 1. The suffering of suffering 2. The suffering of change 3. The suffering of pervasive conditioning Most of us can identify with the Suffering of Suffering: "I hurt." The experience of emotional or physical pain, defined as suffering. The more I focus on suffering, suffering increases. What happens, if I don't define the experience of emotional or physical pain as suffering? To understand the Suffering of Change takes a bit more thought: You associate the pleasure of the moment as feeling "happy", as in not suffering. Let's say its a hot day and you found some shade to sit under. Then, the moment changes. You no longer experience what you associated as pleasure. The sun moved and where you sit is now hot, and you associate this change as unpleasant. This is the suffering of change. Being attached to what you associate as pleasurable or happy actually creates the causes to experience suffering, because everything changes over time. If the change doesn't meet your expectation of happy, now what? The antidote is non-attachment. His Holiness the Dalai Lama once asked a Christian monk coming out from a long retreat, how his retreat went. The Christian monk said, "Good is not so good. And, bad is not so bad." To which His Holiness replied, "I see we have the same practice." To understand the Suffering of Pervasive Conditioning requires mindfulness: Stephanie's question "Is positive thinking dangerous?" addresses the suffering of pervasive conditioning. Or, how we label things. Stephanie is the label her parents gave her when she was born. Since then, Stephanie has experienced countless moments where she has become the "positiveness" or the "negativeness" of her label. She is Stephanie, the sum of her parts. In reality these labels are not Stephanie. Yet, if Stephanie believes she is these labels, how will she react to someone who criticizes her work or her looks? Different from someone who offers some appreciative inquiry! In AI we often hear the saying, "Words create worlds." Pervasive conditioning relates to the layer upon layers of perception placed upon a single moment of first impression. The more we believe in certain labels, the stronger that world becomes. When we have a War between Worlds, in actuality we battle pervasive conditioning. It is for this reason, it takes a lot of on-going commitment to change an existing culture within a family, organization or country. The power of group AI has everything to do with uprooting our collective wisdom. It's the sum of what we collectively value (AI: DISCOVER). Energy follows thought, takes on a life of it's own, and begins to self-organize (AI: DREAM). If we attach positive or negative values to this self-organization, we create the cause of suffering! So, the antidote to this type of suffering is to identify the attachments (AI: DESIGN), and to take action in ways that decrease attachment and to increase action around the available choices (AI: DELIVER). Let's look at a more personal example of how causes and conditions create suffering or "pure" happiness, the happiness devoid of "unhealthy" attachment: For example, during the last presidential election... Some of my friends were attached (and still are) to "hating" President Bush. They would spend hours upon hours putting him down, and bending anyone's ear who would listen about his shortcomings. This is very different then being passionate about a cause, and to engage with "healthy" attachment. My friends who didn't like the results of President Bush's actions (different than hating the person), worked very hard to develop strategies that would overturn these actions. They would share information in ways that worked to support their strategies, but would not waste energy (attachment) in ways that did not support their strategies, for example, bad mouthing the person for the sake of being right. In my Buddhist practice Non-virtues --- such as harmful speech, includes lying, harsh speech, divisive speech and gossip (or iddle speech) --- which create causes similar to the action. For example, you have something good to say about someone and you only focus on the positive aspects, if sincere and done wisely, okay. But to promote the positive in a way that just fills up the airwaves can actually become a negative action. Which has a lot to do with the intention. ..... if you read this far....kudos....that's enough for now! Love, julie _______________________________________________ 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 From lldonovan at earthlink.net Sat Oct 17 17:59:57 2009 From: lldonovan at earthlink.net (Loretta Donovan) Date: Sat, 17 Oct 2009 19:59:57 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [Ailist] AI Gathering at OD Network Conference in Seattle Message-ID: <10814045.1255823997627.JavaMail.root@mswamui-cedar.atl.sa.earthlink.net> OD Network Conference in Seattle Breakfast: Appreciative Inquiry + Positive Psychology We will meet from 7:30 to 9 am on Tuesday, October, 20 at Font? Coffee Roaster?s in the Four Seasons Hotel (on First Avenue across from the Seattle Art Museum). Come join us to gab about organizational growth and change through a generative lens. Please DM me to loretta.donovan at gmail.com by 9 am PST on Monday if you plan on attending so I can arrange for ample space. PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL SINCE I WILL NOT RECEIVE YOUR RESPONSE. See you there! http://www.fontecoffee.com/cafe_winebar.html -- Loretta L. Donovan President Worksmarts Group Strategic collaboration for business results Co-owner, AI Consulting www.aiconsulting.org From anne at aradford.co.uk Sun Oct 18 03:47:03 2009 From: anne at aradford.co.uk (Anne Radford) Date: Sun, 18 Oct 2009 10:47:03 +0100 Subject: [Ailist] Invitation to write for AIP February 2010 Message-ID: The February AIP 2010 Topic is: The Inside / Outside Worlds of an AI practitioner At a recent residential for experienced AI practitioners, we talked about two key aspects of our practice: o The outside world where we work as consultants, coaches, leaders, managers and internal change agents. o The internal world where we develop ourselves and seek to be the best practitioner we can be. The outside world consists of many different aspects of our practice: o Implementing new theories of managing change in complex situations or combining different strength-based approaches. o Using research on leadership, positive psychology and the value of positive emotions. o Finding and creating the right environment for each event and making an environment special for a group of people even when it seems anything but. o Experimenting with different tools and forms of generating dialogue, connection and ways for people to co-create their futures. The inside world is about our own development as a practitioner. It can include: o Learning about ourselves as we work in or with complex situations or come across new concepts such as facilitating from a position of ?not knowing?. o Where and how we give ourselves time for our own development. The forms or processes that support and stretch us to go deeper into the significance of our work. o How we look after ourselves. The practices that help us stay connected with the essence of who we are as well as explore new or unexpected situations. This is an AIP issue highlighting the essence of being an AI practitioner ? in its many forms. There is a very tight timetable: -- Pls send me an indication of your contribution by 23rd October. -- An outline is needed by 4th November -- Completed articles are needed by the end of November. For more information, please get in touch. Many thanks. Anne Radford editor at aipractitioner.com ? tel +44(0) 20 7633 9630 fax +44(0) 20 7633 9670 skype aipractitioner www.aradford.co.uk www.aipractitioner.com From mail at sachinchavan.com Sun Oct 18 11:55:32 2009 From: mail at sachinchavan.com (Sachin Chavan) Date: Sun, 18 Oct 2009 23:25:32 +0530 Subject: [Ailist] Invitation to write for AIP February 2010 In-Reply-To: Message-ID: Some random thoughts: - It was Carl Rogers who said, "Counselling is as effective as the counsellor is". - To what degree can the practice be separated from the practioner (by way of creating a standardised process out of it which anyone can employ)? - How crucial is the congruence between the practioner's inner world and what he/she says and does in the outside world of his/her practice? - What's the cause-effect relationship between the inner purpose (self-actualisation?) and outer purpose (objectives of the pratice) for the practioner? Which is the cause and which the effect? Is it possible to delineate or it's a self-reinforcing loop? - Where does 'effortless effort' or 'Nishkaam karma' (ie selfless action) fit into all this? Or is it the central tenet? - Does it effectively boil down to 'mindfulness of the present moment'? Regards Sachin -----Original Message----- From: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu [mailto:ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu] On Behalf Of Anne Radford Sent: 18 October 2009 03:17 PM To: AI Listserve; aicowner: aiconsulting.org Subject: [Ailist] Invitation to write for AIP February 2010 The February AIP 2010 Topic is: The Inside / Outside Worlds of an AI practitioner At a recent residential for experienced AI practitioners, we talked about two key aspects of our practice: o The outside world where we work as consultants, coaches, leaders, managers and internal change agents. o The internal world where we develop ourselves and seek to be the best practitioner we can be. The outside world consists of many different aspects of our practice: o Implementing new theories of managing change in complex situations or combining different strength-based approaches. o Using research on leadership, positive psychology and the value of positive emotions. o Finding and creating the right environment for each event and making an environment special for a group of people even when it seems anything but. o Experimenting with different tools and forms of generating dialogue, connection and ways for people to co-create their futures. The inside world is about our own development as a practitioner. It can include: o Learning about ourselves as we work in or with complex situations or come across new concepts such as facilitating from a position of 'not knowing'. o Where and how we give ourselves time for our own development. The forms or processes that support and stretch us to go deeper into the significance of our work. o How we look after ourselves. The practices that help us stay connected with the essence of who we are as well as explore new or unexpected situations. This is an AIP issue highlighting the essence of being an AI practitioner - in its many forms. There is a very tight timetable: -- Pls send me an indication of your contribution by 23rd October. -- An outline is needed by 4th November -- Completed articles are needed by the end of November. For more information, please get in touch. Many thanks. Anne Radford editor at aipractitioner.com tel +44(0) 20 7633 9630 fax +44(0) 20 7633 9670 skype aipractitioner www.aradford.co.uk www.aipractitioner.com _______________________________________________ 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 From fergiej at northrock.bm Sun Oct 18 22:36:16 2009 From: fergiej at northrock.bm (Janet Ferguson) Date: Mon, 19 Oct 2009 05:36:16 +0100 Subject: [Ailist] DRAFT INVITATION TO STAKEHOLDER DIALOGUE SESSIONS (18.11.09) Message-ID: <008801ca5075$ba6a6110$3e29f9d8@jferguson> Dear All, Re the Pre- Conference Stakeholder Dialogues - Cal Ming, Sheridan Scotton and Charles Brown have agreed to meet at the Court Services Office at 9.30 a.m. on Monday morning to: * Review invitee lists * Review and edit the invitation * Confirm circulation of invitations * Review communication strategy (see below) * Agree on next steps Suggested Drafts for Invitation The 8th Transformative Learning Conference, hosted by Columbia University and the Bermuda College is on Wednesday 18th November through to Friday 20th November, 2009. You are invited to join a cross section community leaders and practitioners in the exploration and definition of innovative and transformative approaches to mapping a progressive future for Bermuda. As a significant stakeholder, please join us at the Bermuda College for a series of special pre-conference Stakeholder Dialogue Sessions on 18th November, 2009, 10.00 a.m. to 2.00 p.m. The conference theme is: Reframing Social Sustainability in a Multi-cultural World The Wednesday 18th November, Stakeholder Dialogue Sessions are designed to facilitate the emergence of a distinctly Bermudian perspective on the value and significance of Transformative Learning. The three key areas of focus are: Environmental Sustainability; Restorative Justice and Social Sustainability Environmental Sustainability Restorative Justice * What is transformative challenge of restorative justice? * Why is the significance for Bermuda and what will it take? * What are the practical steps for the way forward? Social Sustainability * What are the practical implications of Transformative Learning for Social Service Provision? * How might practitioners and services providers work differently with clients and what might be the impact? * What is the smallest transformative shift that can make the greatest difference? The Transformative Learning Conference - An International Event Over 140 thought-leaders, academics, adult education practitioners and organizational development specialist in the area of Transformative Learning will be coming together in Bermuda to explore key questions: * What is important to us? * What are the consequences of our actions? * What is sustainable development? * What is truly sustainable leadership? * What is the role and value of transformative learning and what might it mean across various cultural, social and political setting? How can current thinking in transformative learning influence how we "operate a business, a community, a government , a world in the context of social sustainability? What is true sustainable leadership? Professor Marsick of Columbia University, the Master Coach for the Bermuda Government Leadership by Design, will be back in Bermuda, her sustained interest in the island and her recognition of our capacity to illustrate and demonstrate the value and significance of Social Sustainability influenced the decision to hold the conference in Bermuda. The Ministry of Social Rehabilitation has generously provided support for this conference, please join us for the pre-conference Stakeholder Sessions. Please contact, Mr. Cal Ming of Court Services TRANSFORMATIVE LEARNING CONFERENCE, 2009 The web site is: http://transformativelearningbermuda.com/ TRANSFORMATIVE LEARNING At its' core transformative learning theory is elegantly simple. Through some event which could be as traumatic as losing a job or as ordinary as an unexpected question, an individual becomes aware of holding a limiting or distorted view. If the individual critically examines this view, opens herself to alternatives, and consequently changes the way she sees things, she has transformed some part of how she makes meaning out of the world. Jack Mezirow (1991, 1997, 2000) developed the theory of transformative learning through a careful integration of theories, models, and ideas from a wide variety of sources. The theory continues to evolve through the inclusion of new perspectives on adult learning and development. Professor Patricia Cranton HAM_logo.gif Host Hotel for the Transformative Learning Conference 2009 (76 Pitts Bay Road, Hamilton, Bermuda) Comprehensible examples of liquid learning experiences. Each presentation, generates new ripples into the classic philosophical simile concerning water: "Be like water! Water conforms to the shape of its container; constantly re-inventing itself; adjusting to all environments." Discover new patterns of thinking from some of the world's finest minds. Tickets are now available for: November 19th and November 20th. Please contact event coordinators via e-mail: marsick at exchange.tc.columbia.edu or (while visiting Bermuda) you may call: (441) 295-3000. Communications & Marketing - suggestions for promoting the conference * 30 second spots on Magic Radio * Articles in the Living Section of Bermuda Royal Gazette * Spot on David Lopes Show * ZBM Public Service Announcements * e-moo (3 sentence banner ad for &40.00) (www.e-moo.com ) * Interviews with early arrivals -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: image/jpeg Size: 7031 bytes Desc: not available URL: From lindzgodwin at hotmail.com Mon Oct 19 09:55:20 2009 From: lindzgodwin at hotmail.com (Lindsey Godwin) Date: Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:55:20 -0400 Subject: [Ailist] 2009 World AI Conference Update -- still time to join in person or online! Message-ID: In little more than a month we will be celebrating the opening of the exciting World AI Conference in Kathmandu Nepal! We and would like to take the opportunity to update you with the latest news and invite you to join us --either in person or Online! www.2009worldaiconference.org We have a YouTube invitation posted at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHxxX0xrVWI We greatly appreciate your help spreading the word! Read down for all the latest developments then please consider inviting even more of your friends and colleagues. The more the merrier! Some of the good news to share: We have over 260 registrations right now, with more joining every day! It promises to become a truly interactive and intimate conference, with participation from over 33 countries, covering the entire globe. Our keynote list is simply thrilling. World experts in their field. Review their names and convince yourself and other to meet and discuss with them live. To inform yourself, you could either ?youtube? or ?google? their names. Be prepared to be inspired. Justice Albie Sachs from South Africa is just one of them.There will be the opportunity to participate in some field visits immediately after the conference. We will visit WORTH projects in the area of Chitwan, while enjoying the beautiful jungle environment. See our website for more information; contact Tashi at STS for details and reservations tashi at sts.com.np For those who do not make it to attend the live conference in Nepal, they should not miss it, since there will be an on line conference in parallel. Please visit our website for details and registration at: http://www.2009worldaiconference.org/online/ We will discuss co-creating the birth of an ?AI university? !!We will meet the people who are engaged in peace process and who are currently writing the new Constitution of Nepal. You would be proud to be expressing solidarity and support in Nepal?s peace process and constitution making. A wide variety of adventure, spiritual and/or leisure activities can be organized for you. Contact YETI or STS travel for more information. Contact details are on our website As you can read, there are more than enough reasons to prepare yourself for this ?once-in-life-time,? truly promising conference! We also have a special discount for groups: 5 people can register for the price of 4! For any information, do not hesitate to contact us at info at 2009worldaiconference.org We hope to welcome you in Nepal or online soon! On behalf of the conference planning team From Capela2 at aol.com Mon Oct 19 18:32:10 2009 From: Capela2 at aol.com (Capela2 at aol.com) Date: Mon, 19 Oct 2009 20:32:10 EDT Subject: [Ailist] appreciative inquiry and families Message-ID: To All: Any ideas on how to use AI with families. Specifically how to help families use AI to plot and plan how to make their aspirations real. I am not looking for family therapy but how families might us it to help them realize their aspirations. Any books, articles, powerpoints would be appreciated. As always I appreciate all the help I have received in the past and really like this approach. Stan Capela From coopdole at windstream.net Tue Oct 20 08:08:38 2009 From: coopdole at windstream.net (Dawn Dole) Date: Tue, 20 Oct 2009 9:08:38 -0500 Subject: [Ailist] appreciative inquiry and families In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <20091020090838.M03C7.245372.root@ispmxfep10-z01> HI Stan, The book Positive Family Dynamics is full of appreciative inquiry questions dealing with every stage of family life. The book walks families through how to have an appreciative conversation and how to create their own questions using the model for any topic which they want to explore. http://www.taosinstitute.net/positive-family-dynamics Order the book at the above link and let us know how it goes with the family you are referring to. -- Dawn Dole coopdole at windstream.net ---- Capela2 at aol.com wrote: ============= To All: Any ideas on how to use AI with families. Specifically how to help families use AI to plot and plan how to make their aspirations real. I am not looking for family therapy but how families might us it to help them realize their aspirations. Any books, articles, powerpoints would be appreciated. As always I appreciate all the help I have received in the past and really like this approach. Stan Capela _______________________________________________ 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 From cheri.torres at gmail.com Tue Oct 20 09:12:29 2009 From: cheri.torres at gmail.com (Cheri Torres) Date: Tue, 20 Oct 2009 11:12:29 -0400 Subject: [Ailist] appreciative inquiry and families In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <4499E2BE-3472-4735-A57E-404C0C02AEA5@gmail.com> Stan, If you've not read it, the book that Jackie and I wrote Dynamic Relationships: Unleashing the Power of AI in Daily Living has information that can help you work with families to create their most desired futures together. I think one of the most powerful things families can do is to focus on the way they relate with one another--how much compassion and love is generated on an on-going basis in their verbal and nonverbal language, in their thoughts around the family and in their visions for the future. Cheri Cheri B. Torres, Ph.D. Collaborative by Design 135 Westwood Place Asheville, NC 28806 828-225-5088 On Oct 19, 2009, at 8:32 PM, Capela2 at aol.com wrote: > To All: > > Any ideas on how to use AI with families. > Specifically how to help families use AI to plot and plan how to > make their > aspirations real. > > I am not looking for family therapy but how families might us it to > help > them realize their aspirations. > > Any books, articles, powerpoints would be appreciated. > > As always I appreciate all the help I have received in the past and > really > like this approach. > > Stan Capela > _______________________________________________ > 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 From anne at aradford.co.uk Tue Oct 20 10:45:46 2009 From: anne at aradford.co.uk (Anne Radford) Date: Tue, 20 Oct 2009 17:45:46 +0100 Subject: [Ailist] appreciative inquiry and families In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <01998C55-BFA2-4FFC-9FAA-5A28532EA348@aradford.co.uk> Stan, Here are some articles people have written about AI and families which have been published in the AI Practitioner: Collaborative Conversations: Creating Positive Family Dynamics by Dawn Dole, Ada Jo Mann and Jen Silbert (May 2009) From ?Child Abuse Prevention? to ?Helping Families Put Together What?s Best for their Children? by Liz Kinley and Tau Huirama (Nov 2008) Appreciative Parenting: Immediate Impact and Long-term Intent of an Appreciative Conversation with a Child by Dawn Dole (Feb 2006) Being a New Mother as my Metaphor for Nurturing Lifegiving Forces in my Work by Morgan Zantua (Feb 2006) Can I ?Be? AI and Still Feel Pain? by Joan Colleran Hoxsey (Feb 2006) Strengthening Boundaries And Connections As A Parent Of Teenagers by Ilene Wasserman (Feb 2006) Individual articles can be purchased at http://www.aipractitioner.com/ Pagefiles/articles_0602.htm AIP issues can be purchased at http://www.aipractitioner.com/NewSHop/ aipracbackiss.htm I hope these are helpful to you, Anne On 20 Oct 2009, at 01:32, Capela2 at aol.com wrote: > To All: > > Any ideas on how to use AI with families. > Specifically how to help families use AI to plot and plan how to > make their > aspirations real. > > I am not looking for family therapy but how families might us it to > help > them realize their aspirations. > > Any books, articles, powerpoints would be appreciated. > > As always I appreciate all the help I have received in the past and > really > like this approach. > > Stan Capela > _______________________________________________ > 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 ? tel +44(0) 20 7633 9630 fax +44(0) 20 7633 9670 skype aipractitioner www.aradford.co.uk www.aipractitioner.com From stephanie at brainhygiene.com Tue Oct 20 14:44:00 2009 From: stephanie at brainhygiene.com (Stephanie) Date: Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:44:00 -0600 Subject: [Ailist] Watch mindful kids and hear their parents: These videos are great Message-ID: These programs were developed by a lawyer in her life after law: http://westallen.typepad.com/idealawg/2009/10/watch-mindful-kids-these-videos-are-great.html Stephanie ???????????????????????????????????? Stephanie West Allen, JD http://www.brainsonpurpose.com http://www.idealawg.net Denver, CO USA From porcia at thrivealliance.org Tue Oct 20 19:12:20 2009 From: porcia at thrivealliance.org (Porcia Silverberg) Date: Tue, 20 Oct 2009 18:12:20 -0700 Subject: [Ailist] Watch mindful kids and hear their parents: These videos are great In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <009701ca51eb$93209170$b961b450$@org> Wow Stephanie, Thank you for sharing these powerful videos. May a million things go smoothly in your world. Porcia Chen Silverberg Executive Director porcia at thrivealliance.org?? http://www.twitter.com/ThriveAlliance http://www.linkedin.com/in/porcia Because you care about San Mateo County, Become a Thrive Member Today! 650-766-1162 -----Original Message----- From: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu [mailto:ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu] On Behalf Of Stephanie Sent: Tuesday, October 20, 2009 1:44 PM To: AI list Subject: [Ailist] Watch mindful kids and hear their parents: These videos are great These programs were developed by a lawyer in her life after law: http://westallen.typepad.com/idealawg/2009/10/watch-mindful-kids-these-video s-are-great.html Stephanie ???????????????????????????????????? Stephanie West Allen, JD http://www.brainsonpurpose.com http://www.idealawg.net Denver, CO USA _______________________________________________ The Appreciative Inquiry Discussion List is hosted by the David Eccles School of Business at the University of Utah. Jack Brittain is the list administrator. For subscription information, go to: http://mailman.business.utah.edu:8080/mailman/listinfo/ailist From adajo at innovationpartners.com Mon Oct 19 21:23:54 2009 From: adajo at innovationpartners.com (Ada Jo Mann) Date: Mon, 19 Oct 2009 23:23:54 -0400 Subject: [Ailist] appreciative inquiry and families In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <025601ca5134$c22da140$4688e3c0$@com> Stan, Please check out our book "Positive Family Dynamics:AI Questions to Bring Out the Best in Families" which is available through the Taos Institute at http://www.taosinstitute.net/publishing/taos_tempo_series.html We wrote it to encourage families to have meaningful conversations at all stages of life from dating to end of life. Enjoy and let us know what you think, Ada Jo Mann Partner Innovation Partners International 5411 41st Street NW Washington, DC 20015 202 363-9292 202 363-0038 fax Come join me at the 2009 World Appreciative Inquiry Conference For more info and to register, please visit www.2009worldaiconference.org -----Original Message----- From: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu [mailto:ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu] On Behalf Of Capela2 at aol.com Sent: Monday, October 19, 2009 8:32 PM To: ailist at lists.business.utah.edu Subject: [Ailist] appreciative inquiry and families To All: Any ideas on how to use AI with families. Specifically how to help families use AI to plot and plan how to make their aspirations real. I am not looking for family therapy but how families might us it to help them realize their aspirations. Any books, articles, powerpoints would be appreciated. As always I appreciate all the help I have received in the past and really like this approach. Stan Capela _______________________________________________ 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 From ken7zm at yahoo.com Thu Oct 22 10:00:22 2009 From: ken7zm at yahoo.com (Kenneth Mwale) Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2009 09:00:22 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [Ailist] AI Mentor Message-ID: <673283.74075.qm@web54007.mail.re2.yahoo.com> Hello AI Practitioners, I haven't sent a message for a long time but I have sure been encouraged and enriched by the conversations going on. I am a new comer to AI but would really love to learn more?and I want a mentor who can help me and guide me, and how I can get certification in AI here in South Africa. I have a Masters degree in Leadership and want to go into consultation work in the corporate. Having been in the non for profit for all my life I need some guidance on what to look out for as I do leadership development to corporations with an AI perspective. If there is someone out there willing to help!! I will appreciate. Ken South Africa +27 72 423 6990 From kim at inquiryinstitute.com Thu Oct 22 11:04:02 2009 From: kim at inquiryinstitute.com (Kim Aubry) Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:04:02 -0400 Subject: [Ailist] Questions, Innovation and Breakthroughs Message-ID: <64d4be770910221004g756720daq8c87fdc7470a4d1f@mail.gmail.com> Hello Everyone, There are two events coming up, one a 4 session Tele-Seminar called *Q-Storming Basics*, and *Change Your Questions, Change Your Results* one day workshop. Both are led by Marilee Adams, Ph.D. best-selling author of *Change Your Questions, Change Your Life.* Both Q-Storming Basics which introduces the mechanics to leading an effective Q-Storming session (a systematic way to generate extraordinary breakthrough questions around a particular goal) and the one day workshop provides you tools to developing innovative, productive, collaborative questions reliably. See links below for more information and descriptions of both courses. *Q-Storming Basics Tele-Seminar* - Begins November 9 Q-Storming? is a collaborative thinking and creativity process, akin to brainstorming, that stimulates the discovery of new questions and new possibilities. It can be invaluable for individuals in contexts such as coaching, management, leadership and sales as well as with teams and groups. Q-Storming? is often more powerful than brainstorming because great results begin with great questions. http://qsbasics-october09.eventbrite.com/ *Change Your Questions, Change Your Results* - November 12 in Fairfax VA http://cyqcyr-nov2009.eventbrite.com/ Skills and tools taught in the workshop include how to think with questions, called Question Thinking (QT), the Choice Map, Learner and Judger mindsets, and Q-Storming?, a QT practice that often produces breakthroughs in possibilities and results. You'll discover how to transform limiting, "troublemaker" questions into positive, productive ones as well as how the QT work strengthens emotional intelligence. Most importantly, you'll be able to *apply* what you learn to make an *immediate* and positive difference in getting the results you want. If you have any questions please let me know and also thank you for passing this along. Thank you. Kim -- Kim Aubry Inquiry Institute Executive Director 609-499-3158 office 609-841-8965 cell www.InquiryInstitute.com From adajo at innovationpartners.com Thu Oct 22 11:16:15 2009 From: adajo at innovationpartners.com (Adajoipi) Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:16:15 -0400 Subject: [Ailist] AI Mentor In-Reply-To: <673283.74075.qm@web54007.mail.re2.yahoo.com> References: <673283.74075.qm@web54007.mail.re2.yahoo.com> Message-ID: Hi Ken, One of the best AI practitioners in the world is right on your doorstep. Her name is Anastasia Bukashe and I have copied her above. Enjoy, Ada Jo Mann www.innovationpartners.com . Sent from my iPhone Ada Jo Mann Innovation Partners International Cell 202 256-5802 Land 202 363-9292 On Oct 22, 2009, at 12:00 PM, Kenneth Mwale wrote: > Hello AI Practitioners, > > I haven't sent a message for a long time but I have sure been > encouraged and enriched by the conversations going on. I am a new > comer to AI but would really love to learn more and I want a mentor > who can help me and guide me, and how I can get certification in AI > here in South Africa. I have a Masters degree in Leadership and want > to go into consultation work in the corporate. Having been in the > non for profit for all my life I need some guidance on what to look > out for as I do leadership development to corporations with an AI > perspective. If there is someone out there willing to help!! I will > appreciate. > > Ken > South Africa > +27 72 423 6990 > > > > _______________________________________________ > 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 > From jcockell at ns.sympatico.ca Thu Oct 22 11:30:47 2009 From: jcockell at ns.sympatico.ca (Jeanie Cockell) Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:30:47 -0300 Subject: [Ailist] appreciative inquiry and families In-Reply-To: <4499E2BE-3472-4735-A57E-404C0C02AEA5@gmail.com> References: <4499E2BE-3472-4735-A57E-404C0C02AEA5@gmail.com> Message-ID: <002601ca533d$64bd04a0$2e370de0$@sympatico.ca> Stan, I highly recommend Cheri and Jackie's book. I use it for teaching leadership courses and the feedback I get is that the students are using it in multiple ways including in their families. Cheers, Jeanie www.jeaniecockell.com -----Original Message----- From: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu [mailto:ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu] On Behalf Of Cheri Torres Sent: October-20-09 12:12 PM To: Capela2 at aol.com Cc: AI Listserve Subject: Re: [Ailist] appreciative inquiry and families Stan, If you've not read it, the book that Jackie and I wrote Dynamic Relationships: Unleashing the Power of AI in Daily Living has information that can help you work with families to create their most desired futures together. I think one of the most powerful things families can do is to focus on the way they relate with one another--how much compassion and love is generated on an on-going basis in their verbal and nonverbal language, in their thoughts around the family and in their visions for the future. Cheri Cheri B. Torres, Ph.D. Collaborative by Design 135 Westwood Place Asheville, NC 28806 828-225-5088 On Oct 19, 2009, at 8:32 PM, Capela2 at aol.com wrote: > To All: > > Any ideas on how to use AI with families. > Specifically how to help families use AI to plot and plan how to > make their > aspirations real. > > I am not looking for family therapy but how families might us it to > help > them realize their aspirations. > > Any books, articles, powerpoints would be appreciated. > > As always I appreciate all the help I have received in the past and > really > like this approach. > > Stan Capela > _______________________________________________ > 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 _______________________________________________ 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 From robyn at positivematrix.com Sat Oct 24 14:50:16 2009 From: robyn at positivematrix.com (Robyn Stratton-Berkessel) Date: Sat, 24 Oct 2009 16:50:16 -0400 Subject: [Ailist] The Negative Influence of Positive Thinking- The Gurus, Coaches, and Consultants. References: <200910241900.n9OJ0Nq6022105@mail09.syd.optusnet.com.au> Message-ID: <0337B8DA-A782-48D4-A608-C74FE9F0098B@positivematrix.com> FYI: Excerpted from the following article whose URL is pasted below.: ......"Believe it or not, there is another group, an offshoot of these positive/happiness/evangelical/Right-wing/Randians. This is a growing group of so-called organizational development consultants who preach a model of consulting based on positive thinking. They call it ?appreciative inquiry? or ?AI?. Following the positive thinkers their approach focuses on what works, rather than trying to fix what doesn't work. It is the opposite of problem solving or critical thinking and rejects diagnosis. Narcissistic CEO's and bankers love ?AI? because it never considers inadequacies, blame, or the need for remedial skills or practice. They preach a ?you can do it if you just believe you can? attitude that claims if one builds on successes, strengths, and focuses on how to create more exceptional performance than one need not understand what is ?broken? or dysfunctional.. " http://www.opednews.com/articles/2/The-Negative-Influence-of-by-william-czander-091020-724.html Kind regards, Robyn. Robyn Stratton-Berkessel Creator, www.positivematrix.com +1 732 291 0462 +1 732 939 8239 (mobile) Skype: robynsb From mail at sachinchavan.com Sat Oct 24 22:32:38 2009 From: mail at sachinchavan.com (Sachin Chavan) Date: Sun, 25 Oct 2009 10:02:38 +0530 Subject: [Ailist] The Negative Influence of Positive Thinking- The Gurus, Coaches, and Consultants. In-Reply-To: <0337B8DA-A782-48D4-A608-C74FE9F0098B@positivematrix.com> Message-ID: <82B2325DCA2E4343BFB0A3C23C38AA41@SachinNotebook> AI is a tool. No tool in itself is a solution... Or the problem. What do you apply the tool on? And who applies it... what consciousness? That matters! Call it spirituality or systems thinking... Broadening your idea of Self, to make it more encompassing... Expanding the boundaries, thinking of global optimisation instead of local... Not just in terms of space (company ->city ->country ->planet) but also in terms of time (my lifespan -> all future generations)... All of this needs to accompany AI. In short, AI with a limited purpose could spell doom. AI is only as effective as the purpose which it serves. Sustainable strategies are the ones that are harmonious with the larger universe. Limiting our universe to a smaller idea of self and then applying AI... Is not what AI is supposed to be. To that extent, Greenspan and his 40 years ignored holism, and hence cannot be named as AI. A mother seeing pampering her child irrespective of his foolhardiness is not an AI practitioner! Regards, Sachin www.sachinchavan.com -----Original Message----- From: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu [mailto:ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu] On Behalf Of Robyn Stratton-Berkessel Sent: 25 October 2009 02:20 AM To: Ailist Inquiry Subject: [Ailist] The Negative Influence of Positive Thinking- The Gurus,Coaches, and Consultants. FYI: Excerpted from the following article whose URL is pasted below.: ......"Believe it or not, there is another group, an offshoot of these positive/happiness/evangelical/Right-wing/Randians. This is a growing group of so-called organizational development consultants who preach a model of consulting based on positive thinking. They call it "appreciative inquiry" or "AI". Following the positive thinkers their approach focuses on what works, rather than trying to fix what doesn't work. It is the opposite of problem solving or critical thinking and rejects diagnosis. Narcissistic CEO's and bankers love "AI" because it never considers inadequacies, blame, or the need for remedial skills or practice. They preach a "you can do it if you just believe you can" attitude that claims if one builds on successes, strengths, and focuses on how to create more exceptional performance than one need not understand what is "broken" or dysfunctional.. " http://www.opednews.com/articles/2/The-Negative-Influence-of-by-william-czan der-091020-724.html Kind regards, Robyn. Robyn Stratton-Berkessel Creator, www.positivematrix.com +1 732 291 0462 +1 732 939 8239 (mobile) Skype: robynsb _______________________________________________ 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 From jscopelleti at hotmail.com Sat Oct 24 23:48:57 2009 From: jscopelleti at hotmail.com (judy scopelleti) Date: Sat, 24 Oct 2009 22:48:57 -0700 Subject: [Ailist] The Negative Influence of Positive Thinking- The Gurus, Coaches, and Consultants. In-Reply-To: <0337B8DA-A782-48D4-A608-C74FE9F0098B@positivematrix.com> References: <200910241900.n9OJ0Nq6022105@mail09.syd.optusnet.com.au> Message-ID: It is interesting that the author, William Czander wants the article to be rated but only with "positive" options... Just goes to show.. even he believes.. judy scopelleti jscopelleti at hotmail.com judy.scopelleti at bcliquorstores.com "People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did.. but people will never forget how you made them feel." (Maya Angelou) > From: robyn at positivematrix.com > Date: Sat, 24 Oct 2009 16:50:16 -0400 > To: ailist at lists.business.utah.edu > Subject: [Ailist] The Negative Influence of Positive Thinking- The Gurus, Coaches, and Consultants. > > FYI: Excerpted from the following article whose URL is pasted below.: > > ......"Believe it or not, there is another group, an offshoot of these > positive/happiness/evangelical/Right-wing/Randians. This is a growing > group of so-called organizational development consultants who preach a > model of consulting based on positive thinking. They call it > ?appreciative inquiry? or ?AI?. Following the positive thinkers their > approach focuses on what works, rather than trying to fix what doesn't > work. It is the opposite of problem solving or critical thinking and > rejects diagnosis. Narcissistic CEO's and bankers love ?AI? because it > never considers inadequacies, blame, or the need for remedial skills > or practice. They preach a ?you can do it if you just believe you can? > attitude that claims if one builds on successes, strengths, and > focuses on how to create more exceptional performance than one need > not understand what is ?broken? or dysfunctional.. " > > http://www.opednews.com/articles/2/The-Negative-Influence-of-by-william-czander-091020-724.html > > Kind regards, > Robyn. > > Robyn Stratton-Berkessel > Creator, www.positivematrix.com > +1 732 291 0462 > +1 732 939 8239 (mobile) > Skype: robynsb > > _______________________________________________ > 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 _________________________________________________________________ Save up to 84% on Windows 7 until Jan 3?eligible CDN College & University students only. Hurry?buy it now for $39.99! http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9691635 From motivate at frontiernet.net Sun Oct 25 00:33:30 2009 From: motivate at frontiernet.net (Julie Caldwell) Date: Sat, 24 Oct 2009 23:33:30 -0700 Subject: [Ailist] The Negative Influence of Positive Thinking- The Gurus, Coaches, and Consultants. In-Reply-To: <82B2325DCA2E4343BFB0A3C23C38AA41@SachinNotebook> References: <82B2325DCA2E4343BFB0A3C23C38AA41@SachinNotebook> Message-ID: <6A8C1F9C-D83C-49DF-B5FF-32AA1235BF15@frontiernet.net> Sachin makes very clear and appropriate points --- with one correction, the AI community does not see AI as a tool. The leaders of AI, at any rate, Jane Watkins (who trained me in AI) sees AI as a way of being. And, speaks to Sachin's point about how AI, when applied as a tool, can be misused. AI as a state of being, can be used well with the small or the large. For example, AI parenting, might explore what works on a good parenting day and compare this exploration with the results that go along with pampering a child irrespective of his foolhardiness. I do not believe that human beings are broken, nor do human beings or the process of self-organizing need to be fixed. In fact, the self- organizing process delivers AI on the universal scale... and even the pampering of a child irrespective of his foolhardiness, contributes to the universal result... likewise, cast systems that discriminate based on sex, color or creed === as does the impact of inner city gangs === or terrorists that bomb train stations and twin towers === or the poor communications within one's marriage.... none of this is broken, it is the reality of what is, and now what? Being AI allows us to be human and learn to build on our strengths, as we face our weakness'. Our self-organizing system, in executing the positive core of the whole, delivers equality. AI as a way of being can creates the cause for individuals to nurture the child we call humanity to be it's best, in ways that facilitates our own deliver of equality (happiness for self and others; v.s. happiness of one, over others). AI used as a tool, can be mis-applied, as Sachin cautions, which runs risk of divisiveness within the whole. This is a very different intention than creating united action and building on strengths, based in the reality of what is. Individually, it's important to be kind to ourselves, as we grow into the light of this process, which is very different that how we have been raised in the west. Thank you for reading my thoughts, Julie On Oct 24, 2009, at 9:32 PM, Sachin Chavan wrote: > AI is a tool. No tool in itself is a solution... Or the problem. > What do you > apply the tool on? And who applies it... what consciousness? That > matters! > > Call it spirituality or systems thinking... Broadening your idea of > Self, to > make it more encompassing... Expanding the boundaries, thinking of > global > optimisation instead of local... Not just in terms of space (company > ->city > ->country ->planet) but also in terms of time (my lifespan -> all > future > generations)... All of this needs to accompany AI. > > In short, AI with a limited purpose could spell doom. AI is only as > effective as the purpose which it serves. Sustainable strategies are > the > ones that are harmonious with the larger universe. Limiting our > universe to > a smaller idea of self and then applying AI... Is not what AI is > supposed to > be. To that extent, Greenspan and his 40 years ignored holism, and > hence > cannot be named as AI. A mother seeing pampering her child > irrespective of > his foolhardiness is not an AI practitioner! > > Regards, > Sachin > www.sachinchavan.com > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu > [mailto:ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu] On Behalf Of Robyn > Stratton-Berkessel > Sent: 25 October 2009 02:20 AM > To: Ailist Inquiry > Subject: [Ailist] The Negative Influence of Positive Thinking- The > Gurus,Coaches, and Consultants. > > FYI: Excerpted from the following article whose URL is pasted below.: > > ......"Believe it or not, there is another group, an offshoot of these > positive/happiness/evangelical/Right-wing/Randians. This is a > growing group > of so-called organizational development consultants who preach a > model of > consulting based on positive thinking. They call it "appreciative > inquiry" > or "AI". Following the positive thinkers their approach focuses on > what > works, rather than trying to fix what doesn't work. It is the > opposite of > problem solving or critical thinking and rejects diagnosis. > Narcissistic > CEO's and bankers love "AI" because it never considers inadequacies, > blame, > or the need for remedial skills or practice. They preach a "you can > do it if > you just believe you can" > attitude that claims if one builds on successes, strengths, and > focuses on > how to create more exceptional performance than one need not > understand what > is "broken" or dysfunctional.. " > > http://www.opednews.com/articles/2/The-Negative-Influence-of-by-william-czan > der-091020-724.html > > Kind regards, > Robyn. > > Robyn Stratton-Berkessel > Creator, www.positivematrix.com > +1 732 291 0462 > +1 732 939 8239 (mobile) > Skype: robynsb > > _______________________________________________ > 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 > > > _______________________________________________ > 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 From lionel.boxer at rmit.edu.au Sun Oct 25 17:16:25 2009 From: lionel.boxer at rmit.edu.au (Lionel Boxer) Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2009 10:16:25 +1100 Subject: [Ailist] The Negative Influence of Positive Thinking- The Gurus, Coaches, and Consultants. Message-ID: <4AE576FB020000AF0003A8C6@its-gw-inet57.its.rmit.edu.au> When great ways of being once popularised become tools in the hands of the medocre. Consider the book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, which contained the seeds of TQM (apologies to Deming and Juran and others). Quality became popularised and it is a tool. Consider Ergonomics - that great way of being is now a marketing tool for chairs (even uncomfortable and dysfunctional chairs) ... so much so that I used it in my business name intergon (which someone else copied). Lionel Boxer CD PhD MBA BTech(IndEng) - 0411267256 Associate of RMIT University - lionel.boxer at rmit.edu.au Graduate School of Business my "Assessment of Quality Systems with Positioning Theory" now in a googe book - see link at http://intergon.net >>> Julie Caldwell 26/10/09 8:37 AM >>> Sachin makes very clear and appropriate points --- with one correction, the AI community does not see AI as a tool. The leaders of AI, at any rate, Jane Watkins (who trained me in AI) sees AI as a way of being. And, speaks to Sachin's point about how AI, when applied as a tool, can be misused. AI as a state of being, can be used well with the small or the large. For example, AI parenting, might explore what works on a good parenting day and compare this exploration with the results that go along with pampering a child irrespective of his foolhardiness. I do not believe that human beings are broken, nor do human beings or the process of self-organizing need to be fixed. In fact, the self- organizing process delivers AI on the universal scale... and even the pampering of a child irrespective of his foolhardiness, contributes to the universal result... likewise, cast systems that discriminate based on sex, color or creed === as does the impact of inner city gangs === or terrorists that bomb train stations and twin towers === or the poor communications within one's marriage.... none of this is broken, it is the reality of what is, and now what? Being AI allows us to be human and learn to build on our strengths, as we face our weakness'. Our self-organizing system, in executing the positive core of the whole, delivers equality. AI as a way of being can creates the cause for individuals to nurture the child we call humanity to be it's best, in ways that facilitates our own deliver of equality (happiness for self and others; v.s. happiness of one, over others). AI used as a tool, can be mis-applied, as Sachin cautions, which runs risk of divisiveness within the whole. This is a very different intention than creating united action and building on strengths, based in the reality of what is. Individually, it's important to be kind to ourselves, as we grow into the light of this process, which is very different that how we have been raised in the west. Thank you for reading my thoughts, Julie On Oct 24, 2009, at 9:32 PM, Sachin Chavan wrote: > AI is a tool. No tool in itself is a solution... Or the problem. > What do you > apply the tool on? And who applies it... what consciousness? That > matters! > > Call it spirituality or systems thinking... Broadening your idea of > Self, to > make it more encompassing... Expanding the boundaries, thinking of > global > optimisation instead of local... Not just in terms of space (company > ->city > ->country ->planet) but also in terms of time (my lifespan -> all > future > generations)... All of this needs to accompany AI. > > In short, AI with a limited purpose could spell doom. AI is only as > effective as the purpose which it serves. Sustainable strategies are > the > ones that are harmonious with the larger universe. Limiting our > universe to > a smaller idea of self and then applying AI... Is not what AI is > supposed to > be. To that extent, Greenspan and his 40 years ignored holism, and > hence > cannot be named as AI. A mother seeing pampering her child > irrespective of > his foolhardiness is not an AI practitioner! > > Regards, > Sachin > www.sachinchavan.com > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu > [mailto:ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu] On Behalf Of Robyn > Stratton-Berkessel > Sent: 25 October 2009 02:20 AM > To: Ailist Inquiry > Subject: [Ailist] The Negative Influence of Positive Thinking- The > Gurus,Coaches, and Consultants. > > FYI: Excerpted from the following article whose URL is pasted below.: > > ......"Believe it or not, there is another group, an offshoot of these > positive/happiness/evangelical/Right-wing/Randians. This is a > growing group > of so-called organizational development consultants who preach a > model of > consulting based on positive thinking. They call it "appreciative > inquiry" > or "AI". Following the positive thinkers their approach focuses on > what > works, rather than trying to fix what doesn't work. It is the > opposite of > problem solving or critical thinking and rejects diagnosis. > Narcissistic > CEO's and bankers love "AI" because it never considers inadequacies, > blame, > or the need for remedial skills or practice. They preach a "you can > do it if > you just believe you can" > attitude that claims if one builds on successes, strengths, and > focuses on > how to create more exceptional performance than one need not > understand what > is "broken" or dysfunctional.. " > > http://www.opednews.com/articles/2/The-Negative-Influence-of-by-william-czan > der-091020-724.html > > Kind regards, > Robyn. > > Robyn Stratton-Berkessel > Creator, www.positivematrix.com > +1 732 291 0462 > +1 732 939 8239 (mobile) > Skype: robynsb > > _______________________________________________ > 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 > > > _______________________________________________ > 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 _______________________________________________ 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 From crmiller at sonic.net Sun Oct 25 20:30:27 2009 From: crmiller at sonic.net (Charles Miller) Date: Sun, 25 Oct 2009 19:30:27 -0700 Subject: [Ailist] The Negative Influence of Positive Thinking- The Gurus, Coaches, and Consultants. In-Reply-To: <0337B8DA-A782-48D4-A608-C74FE9F0098B@positivematrix.com> References: <200910241900.n9OJ0Nq6022105@mail09.syd.optusnet.com.au> <0337B8DA-A782-48D4-A608-C74FE9F0098B@positivematrix.com> Message-ID: Hi Robyn, Not sure of your intent - there are always Wackos of every stripe - just another one. Too many people are simplistic and guilty of self aggrandizement. See Gervase Bushe's piece - "AI is not (just) about the Positive." for balance. http://www.gervasebushe.ca/ http://www.gervasebushe.ca/AI_pos.pdf Best wishes, Charles >FYI: Excerpted from the following article whose URL is pasted below.: > >......"Believe it or not, there is another group, an offshoot of >these positive/happiness/evangelical/Right-wing/Randians. This is a >growing group of so-called organizational development consultants >who preach a model of consulting based on positive thinking. They >call it "appreciative inquiry" or "AI". Following the positive >thinkers their approach focuses on what works, rather than trying to >fix what doesn't work. It is the opposite of problem solving or >critical thinking and rejects diagnosis. Narcissistic CEO's and >bankers love "AI" because it never considers inadequacies, blame, or >the need for remedial skills or practice. They preach a "you can do >it if you just believe you can" attitude that claims if one builds >on successes, strengths, and focuses on how to create more >exceptional performance than one need not understand what is >"broken" or dysfunctional.. " > >http://www.opednews.com/articles/2/The-Negative-Influence-of-by-william-czander-091020-724.html > >Kind regards, >Robyn. > >Robyn Stratton-Berkessel >Creator, www.positivematrix.com >+1 732 291 0462 >+1 732 939 8239 (mobile) >Skype: robynsb > >_______________________________________________ >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 -- Charles R. Miller Consultant, Facilitator, Trainer 9308 Champs de Elysees Forestville, CA 95436 Phone - 707-887-0811 Cell - 707-540-2672 From zebwats at gmail.com Sun Oct 25 20:38:19 2009 From: zebwats at gmail.com (Dr. Zeb Waturuocha) Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2009 08:08:19 +0530 Subject: [Ailist] The Negative Influence of Positive Thinking- The Gurus, Coaches, and Consultants. In-Reply-To: <6A8C1F9C-D83C-49DF-B5FF-32AA1235BF15@frontiernet.net> References: <82B2325DCA2E4343BFB0A3C23C38AA41@SachinNotebook> <6A8C1F9C-D83C-49DF-B5FF-32AA1235BF15@frontiernet.net> Message-ID: <4baf1bd10910251938q4bd859e4jba411fd7ae589a52@mail.gmail.com> I very much agree wih Julie when she says that AI is a way of Being. There is another way of Being also which I usually call Negative Inquiry (NI). One of the interesting things about AI or Positive Psychology is that there is strong belief in th existence of positive and negative in every scenario (human or natural). It all depends on what you are looking for in the scenario and you have a choice but what you look for is what you will find. I do not see AI as a denial of the existence of negative situations nor as a replacement of the problem solving methodology but a state of mind where one can be to look at the negative side of things. I remember having used a story in one of my workshops and the participants were pissed off with me for such a disgusting story. The same story was also told in the context of AI and there were acknowledgments and praise for the characters inthe story. It therefore depends on your focus rather than denial of the existence of the other, after all, nature has given everything in pairs and balance - in and out, up and down, man and woman, go and come, rich and poor, positive and negative, give and take, ...if you remove one the other will not stand as they complement each other. Zeb On Sun, Oct 25, 2009 at 12:03 PM, Julie Caldwell wrote: > Sachin makes very clear and appropriate points --- with one correction, the > AI community does not see AI as a tool. The leaders of AI, at any rate, > Jane Watkins (who trained me in AI) sees AI as a way of being. And, speaks > to Sachin's point about how AI, when applied as a tool, can be misused. > > AI as a state of being, can be used well with the small or the large. For > example, AI parenting, might explore what works on a good parenting day and > compare this exploration with the results that go along with pampering a > child irrespective of his foolhardiness. > > I do not believe that human beings are broken, nor do human beings or the > process of self-organizing need to be fixed. In fact, the self-organizing > process delivers AI on the universal scale... and even the pampering of a > child irrespective of his foolhardiness, contributes to the universal > result... likewise, cast systems that discriminate based on sex, color or > creed === as does the impact of inner city gangs === or terrorists that bomb > train stations and twin towers === or the poor communications within one's > marriage.... none of this is broken, it is the reality of what is, and now > what? Being AI allows us to be human and learn to build on our strengths, > as we face our weakness'. > > Our self-organizing system, in executing the positive core of the whole, > delivers equality. AI as a way of being can creates the cause for > individuals to nurture the child we call humanity to be it's best, in ways > that facilitates our own deliver of equality (happiness for self and others; > v.s. happiness of one, over others). > > AI used as a tool, can be mis-applied, as Sachin cautions, which runs risk > of divisiveness within the whole. This is a very different intention than > creating united action and building on strengths, based in the reality of > what is. > > Individually, it's important to be kind to ourselves, as we grow into the > light of this process, which is very different that how we have been raised > in the west. > > Thank you for reading my thoughts, > > Julie > > > > > > > > > > On Oct 24, 2009, at 9:32 PM, Sachin Chavan wrote: > > AI is a tool. No tool in itself is a solution... Or the problem. What do >> you >> apply the tool on? And who applies it... what consciousness? That matters! >> >> Call it spirituality or systems thinking... Broadening your idea of Self, >> to >> make it more encompassing... Expanding the boundaries, thinking of global >> optimisation instead of local... Not just in terms of space (company >> ->city >> ->country ->planet) but also in terms of time (my lifespan -> all future >> generations)... All of this needs to accompany AI. >> >> In short, AI with a limited purpose could spell doom. AI is only as >> effective as the purpose which it serves. Sustainable strategies are the >> ones that are harmonious with the larger universe. Limiting our universe >> to >> a smaller idea of self and then applying AI... Is not what AI is supposed >> to >> be. To that extent, Greenspan and his 40 years ignored holism, and hence >> cannot be named as AI. A mother seeing pampering her child irrespective of >> his foolhardiness is not an AI practitioner! >> >> Regards, >> Sachin >> www.sachinchavan.com >> >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu >> [mailto:ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu] On Behalf Of Robyn >> Stratton-Berkessel >> Sent: 25 October 2009 02:20 AM >> To: Ailist Inquiry >> Subject: [Ailist] The Negative Influence of Positive Thinking- The >> Gurus,Coaches, and Consultants. >> >> FYI: Excerpted from the following article whose URL is pasted below.: >> >> ......"Believe it or not, there is another group, an offshoot of these >> positive/happiness/evangelical/Right-wing/Randians. This is a growing >> group >> of so-called organizational development consultants who preach a model of >> consulting based on positive thinking. They call it "appreciative inquiry" >> or "AI". Following the positive thinkers their approach focuses on what >> works, rather than trying to fix what doesn't work. It is the opposite of >> problem solving or critical thinking and rejects diagnosis. Narcissistic >> CEO's and bankers love "AI" because it never considers inadequacies, >> blame, >> or the need for remedial skills or practice. They preach a "you can do it >> if >> you just believe you can" >> attitude that claims if one builds on successes, strengths, and focuses on >> how to create more exceptional performance than one need not understand >> what >> is "broken" or dysfunctional.. " >> >> >> http://www.opednews.com/articles/2/The-Negative-Influence-of-by-william-czan >> der-091020-724.html >> >> Kind regards, >> Robyn. >> >> Robyn Stratton-Berkessel >> Creator, www.positivematrix.com >> +1 732 291 0462 >> +1 732 939 8239 (mobile) >> Skype: robynsb >> >> _______________________________________________ >> 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 >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> 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 >> > > _______________________________________________ > 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 > -- Love will go away if we stop talking to each other Bonn in Dialogue From robyn at positivematrix.com Sun Oct 25 21:55:13 2009 From: robyn at positivematrix.com (Robyn Stratton-Berkessel) Date: Sun, 25 Oct 2009 23:55:13 -0400 Subject: [Ailist] The Negative Influence of Positive Thinking- The Gurus, Coaches, and Consultants. In-Reply-To: References: <200910241900.n9OJ0Nq6022105@mail09.syd.optusnet.com.au> <0337B8DA-A782-48D4-A608-C74FE9F0098B@positivematrix.com> Message-ID: <59F3C3E4-0544-4284-B11F-703BC93CBAD3@positivematrix.com> Hi Charles, To clarify my intent, it is to share what I find that may be on interest and value to our AI community. I think it's important to be open to all perspectives. There will be some who read this article and find it supports their world view and others who will be concerned that it is far to generalized and puts a lot of stuff into the same pot and it's not so palatable. It's how you see the world and what you focus on. Gervase's article you refer to is one of my favorite AI articles. I quote from it in my book to be published by Pfeiffer March 1, 2010, "Appreciative Inquiry for Collaborative Solutions: 21 Strength-based Workshops". Like you, I recommend it to colleagues and clients. One of my all time favorite AI articles is Cooperrider, D. L. (2000). Positive Image, Positive Action: The Affirmative Basis of Organizing. Appreciative Inquiry: Rethinking Human Organization Toward a Positive Theory of Change. 29 - 53 http://www.stipes.com/aichap2.htm. I can read and reread that article. It is so inspiring to me. It offers a very different perspective of AI in the field of OD from the paragraph I quoted in my original post by William Czander. Thanks for your post.. Kind regards, Robyn. On Oct 25, 2009, at 10:30 PM, Charles Miller wrote: > Hi Robyn, > > Not sure of your intent - there are always Wackos of every stripe - > just another one. > > Too many people are simplistic and guilty of self aggrandizement. > > See Gervase Bushe's piece - "AI is not (just) about the Positive." > for balance. > http://www.gervasebushe.ca/ > http://www.gervasebushe.ca/AI_pos.pdf > > Best wishes, > > Charles > >> FYI: Excerpted from the following article whose URL is pasted >> below.: >> >> ......"Believe it or not, there is another group, an offshoot of >> these positive/happiness/evangelical/Right-wing/Randians. This is a >> growing group of so-called organizational development consultants >> who preach a model of consulting based on positive thinking. They >> call it "appreciative inquiry" or "AI". Following the positive >> thinkers their approach focuses on what works, rather than trying >> to fix what doesn't work. It is the opposite of problem solving or >> critical thinking and rejects diagnosis. Narcissistic CEO's and >> bankers love "AI" because it never considers inadequacies, blame, >> or the need for remedial skills or practice. They preach a "you can >> do it if you just believe you can" attitude that claims if one >> builds on successes, strengths, and focuses on how to create more >> exceptional performance than one need not understand what is >> "broken" or dysfunctional.. " >> >> http://www.opednews.com/articles/2/The-Negative-Influence-of-by-william-czander-091020-724.html >> >> Kind regards, >> Robyn. >> >> Robyn Stratton-Berkessel >> Creator, www.positivematrix.com >> +1 732 291 0462 >> +1 732 939 8239 (mobile) >> Skype: robynsb >> >> _______________________________________________ >> 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 > > > -- > Charles R. Miller > Consultant, Facilitator, Trainer > 9308 Champs de Elysees > Forestville, CA 95436 > > Phone - 707-887-0811 > Cell - 707-540-2672 > > _______________________________________________ > 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 From mail at sachinchavan.com Sun Oct 25 22:52:32 2009 From: mail at sachinchavan.com (Sachin Chavan) Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2009 10:22:32 +0530 Subject: [Ailist] The Negative Influence of Positive Thinking- The Gurus, Coaches, and Consultants. In-Reply-To: <4baf1bd10910251938q4bd859e4jba411fd7ae589a52@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <352F92ED539D41DFBF3FFBA7C624559C@SachinNotebook> Probably we are getting enmeshed in a self-created tangle of terms. Being is being... how can it be positive or negative? Even 'Appreciative Inquiry' is a similar catch. Inquiry in itself is 'search for truth' or 'closer examination'. If its done without any prejudices, that's enough. But then, 'without prejudices' is surely getting closer to our Being... and that's probably what Julie means when she says 'AI is a state of being'. The core of our being can neither be positive or negative... it only 'is'. Instead, we are stuck with 'becoming' or 'being this or that'. Even our signatures at the end of our posts stress 'we are this or that' (including our name, that is!). Reaching a stage of 'no prejudices' however takes effort. The old conditioning of years (or ages) has to be extinguished. Till then, we can speak of 'Being' (just like I am doing now)... but remain in the state of 'being this or that'. Regards, Sachin _____ From: Dr. Zeb Waturuocha [mailto:zebwats at gmail.com] Sent: 26 October 2009 08:08 AM To: Julie Caldwell Cc: mail at sachinchavan.com; Ailist Inquiry; Robyn Stratton-Berkessel Subject: Re: [Ailist] The Negative Influence of Positive Thinking- The Gurus, Coaches, and Consultants. I very much agree wih Julie when she says that AI is a way of Being. There is another way of Being also which I usually call Negative Inquiry (NI). One of the interesting things about AI or Positive Psychology is that there is strong belief in th existence of positive and negative in every scenario (human or natural). It all depends on what you are looking for in the scenario and you have a choice but what you look for is what you will find. I do not see AI as a denial of the existence of negative situations nor as a replacement of the problem solving methodology but a state of mind where one can be to look at the negative side of things. I remember having used a story in one of my workshops and the participants were pissed off with me for such a disgusting story. The same story was also told in the context of AI and there were acknowledgments and praise for the characters inthe story. It therefore depends on your focus rather than denial of the existence of the other, after all, nature has given everything in pairs and balance - in and out, up and down, man and woman, go and come, rich and poor, positive and negative, give and take, ...if you remove one the other will not stand as they complement each other. Zeb On Sun, Oct 25, 2009 at 12:03 PM, Julie Caldwell wrote: Sachin makes very clear and appropriate points --- with one correction, the AI community does not see AI as a tool. The leaders of AI, at any rate, Jane Watkins (who trained me in AI) sees AI as a way of being. And, speaks to Sachin's point about how AI, when applied as a tool, can be misused. AI as a state of being, can be used well with the small or the large. For example, AI parenting, might explore what works on a good parenting day and compare this exploration with the results that go along with pampering a child irrespective of his foolhardiness. I do not believe that human beings are broken, nor do human beings or the process of self-organizing need to be fixed. In fact, the self-organizing process delivers AI on the universal scale... and even the pampering of a child irrespective of his foolhardiness, contributes to the universal result... likewise, cast systems that discriminate based on sex, color or creed === as does the impact of inner city gangs === or terrorists that bomb train stations and twin towers === or the poor communications within one's marriage.... none of this is broken, it is the reality of what is, and now what? Being AI allows us to be human and learn to build on our strengths, as we face our weakness'. Our self-organizing system, in executing the positive core of the whole, delivers equality. AI as a way of being can creates the cause for individuals to nurture the child we call humanity to be it's best, in ways that facilitates our own deliver of equality (happiness for self and others; v.s. happiness of one, over others). AI used as a tool, can be mis-applied, as Sachin cautions, which runs risk of divisiveness within the whole. This is a very different intention than creating united action and building on strengths, based in the reality of what is. Individually, it's important to be kind to ourselves, as we grow into the light of this process, which is very different that how we have been raised in the west. Thank you for reading my thoughts, Julie On Oct 24, 2009, at 9:32 PM, Sachin Chavan wrote: AI is a tool. No tool in itself is a solution... Or the problem. What do you apply the tool on? And who applies it... what consciousness? That matters! Call it spirituality or systems thinking... Broadening your idea of Self, to make it more encompassing... Expanding the boundaries, thinking of global optimisation instead of local... Not just in terms of space (company ->city ->country ->planet) but also in terms of time (my lifespan -> all future generations)... All of this needs to accompany AI. In short, AI with a limited purpose could spell doom. AI is only as effective as the purpose which it serves. Sustainable strategies are the ones that are harmonious with the larger universe. Limiting our universe to a smaller idea of self and then applying AI... Is not what AI is supposed to be. To that extent, Greenspan and his 40 years ignored holism, and hence cannot be named as AI. A mother seeing pampering her child irrespective of his foolhardiness is not an AI practitioner! Regards, Sachin www.sachinchavan.com -----Original Message----- From: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu [mailto:ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu] On Behalf Of Robyn Stratton-Berkessel Sent: 25 October 2009 02:20 AM To: Ailist Inquiry Subject: [Ailist] The Negative Influence of Positive Thinking- The Gurus,Coaches, and Consultants. FYI: Excerpted from the following article whose URL is pasted below.: ......"Believe it or not, there is another group, an offshoot of these positive/happiness/evangelical/Right-wing/Randians. This is a growing group of so-called organizational development consultants who preach a model of consulting based on positive thinking. They call it "appreciative inquiry" or "AI". Following the positive thinkers their approach focuses on what works, rather than trying to fix what doesn't work. It is the opposite of problem solving or critical thinking and rejects diagnosis. Narcissistic CEO's and bankers love "AI" because it never considers inadequacies, blame, or the need for remedial skills or practice. They preach a "you can do it if you just believe you can" attitude that claims if one builds on successes, strengths, and focuses on how to create more exceptional performance than one need not understand what is "broken" or dysfunctional.. " http://www.opednews.com/articles/2/The-Negative-Influence-of-by-william-czan der-091020-724.html Kind regards, Robyn. Robyn Stratton-Berkessel Creator, www.positivematrix.com +1 732 291 0462 +1 732 939 8239 (mobile) Skype: robynsb _______________________________________________ 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 _______________________________________________ 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 _______________________________________________ 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 -- Love will go away if we stop talking to each other Bonn in Dialogue From fairgo at ozemail.com.au Sun Oct 25 23:06:00 2009 From: fairgo at ozemail.com.au (John Loty) Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:06:00 +1100 Subject: [Ailist] Special event - David Cooperrider first visit to "downunder", Appreciative Inquiry in Australia In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <00aa01ca55fa$034d4120$09e7c360$@com.au> Hello fellow ailist members, We (down under) here in Australia are very excited that David Cooperrider is coming here after the AI World Conference in Nepal. Would you please let your contacts in Australia know that we (and maybe, they) are going to get an unique opportunity to either breakfast with or workshop with David on 25th to 27th November. Details and registration links at the newly re-constructed Australian Appreciative Inquiry Network site www.appreciativeinquiry.net.au This is David's first visit to Australia and as things worked out there are only a few weeks to get the message 'out there' - so I would really appreciate it if you "spread the word" about these AI happenings in Melbourne and Sydney. Of course there is nothing like a personal recommendation - so (assuming you are willing) if you have a friend (or have a friend who you know has a friend) in Australia that you think may be interested just go to the website www.appreciativeinquiry.net.au and find the "Send to a Friend" tab -- which is on the left- under the "David Cooperrider Events" heading and then add your friend's email address and send. You can send this recommendation to 4 friends at the one time. Your assistance will be greatly appreciated. Thanks John?Loty Appreciative Inquiry?Advocate, Facilitator and Consultant 360 Facilitated? Accredited Facilitator ?? "What we focus on - grows." ? PO Box 217 Bexley South 2207 50 Glenfarne St., Bexley NSW 2207 Map showing Bexley location Tel 61 2 9588 5228 Fax 61 2 9587 9996 Mobile 0411 809 404 ? ? Visit www.appreciativeinquiry.net.au From drneenaverma at gmail.com Sun Oct 25 23:45:07 2009 From: drneenaverma at gmail.com (Neena Verma) Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:15:07 +0530 Subject: [Ailist] The Negative Influence of Positive Thinking- The Gurus, Coaches, and Consultants. In-Reply-To: <6A8C1F9C-D83C-49DF-B5FF-32AA1235BF15@frontiernet.net> References: <82B2325DCA2E4343BFB0A3C23C38AA41@SachinNotebook> <6A8C1F9C-D83C-49DF-B5FF-32AA1235BF15@frontiernet.net> Message-ID: Dear Julie & friends I have been with this thread of discussion with curiosity and appreciation. Thanks for setting this myth to rest that "AI is a tool" I completely echo your words that - AI is a way of life - Once lived as a philosophy, it does not even have to be used consciously, its contagiously positive energy starts filling all aspects of life. Lived as a philosophy of life, AI makes it effortlessly possible for us to perceive "a child's so called foolhardiness" in a reframed context and seek deeper holistic transformation rather than symptomatic & reactive mending, which may not last. The best for me is AI's respectful and transformative work with shadow aspects of human life. And this becomes possible only when we recognize AI as a consciousness, not a tool. more as emerges warmly neena On Sun, Oct 25, 2009 at 12:03 PM, Julie Caldwell wrote: > Sachin makes very clear and appropriate points --- with one correction, the > AI community does not see AI as a tool. The leaders of AI, at any rate, > Jane Watkins (who trained me in AI) sees AI as a way of being. And, speaks > to Sachin's point about how AI, when applied as a tool, can be misused. > > AI as a state of being, can be used well with the small or the large. For > example, AI parenting, might explore what works on a good parenting day and > compare this exploration with the results that go along with pampering a > child irrespective of his foolhardiness. > > I do not believe that human beings are broken, nor do human beings or the > process of self-organizing need to be fixed. In fact, the self-organizing > process delivers AI on the universal scale... and even the pampering of a > child irrespective of his foolhardiness, contributes to the universal > result... likewise, cast systems that discriminate based on sex, color or > creed === as does the impact of inner city gangs === or terrorists that bomb > train stations and twin towers === or the poor communications within one's > marriage.... none of this is broken, it is the reality of what is, and now > what? Being AI allows us to be human and learn to build on our strengths, > as we face our weakness'. > > Our self-organizing system, in executing the positive core of the whole, > delivers equality. AI as a way of being can creates the cause for > individuals to nurture the child we call humanity to be it's best, in ways > that facilitates our own deliver of equality (happiness for self and others; > v.s. happiness of one, over others). > > AI used as a tool, can be mis-applied, as Sachin cautions, which runs risk > of divisiveness within the whole. This is a very different intention than > creating united action and building on strengths, based in the reality of > what is. > > Individually, it's important to be kind to ourselves, as we grow into the > light of this process, which is very different that how we have been raised > in the west. > > Thank you for reading my thoughts, > > Julie > > > > > > > > > > On Oct 24, 2009, at 9:32 PM, Sachin Chavan wrote: > > AI is a tool. No tool in itself is a solution... Or the problem. What do >> you >> apply the tool on? And who applies it... what consciousness? That matters! >> >> Call it spirituality or systems thinking... Broadening your idea of Self, >> to >> make it more encompassing... Expanding the boundaries, thinking of global >> optimisation instead of local... Not just in terms of space (company >> ->city >> ->country ->planet) but also in terms of time (my lifespan -> all future >> generations)... All of this needs to accompany AI. >> >> In short, AI with a limited purpose could spell doom. AI is only as >> effective as the purpose which it serves. Sustainable strategies are the >> ones that are harmonious with the larger universe. Limiting our universe >> to >> a smaller idea of self and then applying AI... Is not what AI is supposed >> to >> be. To that extent, Greenspan and his 40 years ignored holism, and hence >> cannot be named as AI. A mother seeing pampering her child irrespective of >> his foolhardiness is not an AI practitioner! >> >> Regards, >> Sachin >> www.sachinchavan.com >> >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu >> [mailto:ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu] On Behalf Of Robyn >> Stratton-Berkessel >> Sent: 25 October 2009 02:20 AM >> To: Ailist Inquiry >> Subject: [Ailist] The Negative Influence of Positive Thinking- The >> Gurus,Coaches, and Consultants. >> >> FYI: Excerpted from the following article whose URL is pasted below.: >> >> ......"Believe it or not, there is another group, an offshoot of these >> positive/happiness/evangelical/Right-wing/Randians. This is a growing >> group >> of so-called organizational development consultants who preach a model of >> consulting based on positive thinking. They call it "appreciative inquiry" >> or "AI". Following the positive thinkers their approach focuses on what >> works, rather than trying to fix what doesn't work. It is the opposite of >> problem solving or critical thinking and rejects diagnosis. Narcissistic >> CEO's and bankers love "AI" because it never considers inadequacies, >> blame, >> or the need for remedial skills or practice. They preach a "you can do it >> if >> you just believe you can" >> attitude that claims if one builds on successes, strengths, and focuses on >> how to create more exceptional performance than one need not understand >> what >> is "broken" or dysfunctional.. " >> >> >> http://www.opednews.com/articles/2/The-Negative-Influence-of-by-william-czan >> der-091020-724.html >> >> Kind regards, >> Robyn. >> >> Robyn Stratton-Berkessel >> Creator, www.positivematrix.com >> +1 732 291 0462 >> +1 732 939 8239 (mobile) >> Skype: robynsb >> >> _______________________________________________ >> 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 >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> 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 >> > > _______________________________________________ > 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 > From mail at sachinchavan.com Mon Oct 26 07:22:32 2009 From: mail at sachinchavan.com (Sachin Chavan) Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2009 18:52:32 +0530 Subject: [Ailist] Persons have a basically positive direction - Carl Rogers Message-ID: In the background of the latest discussion on positive thinking, financial crisis etc, here's a passage from Carl Rogers' 'On Becoming a Person': 'There is one deep learning which is perhaps basic to all of the things I have said thus far. It has been forced upon me by more than twenty-five years of trying to be helpful to individuals in personal stress. It is simply this. It has been my experience that persons have a basically positive direction. In my deepest contact with individuals in therapy, even those whose troubles are most disturbing, whose behaviour has been most anti-social, whose feelings seem most abnormal, I find this to e true. When I can sensitively understand the feelings which they are expressing, when I am able to accept them as separate persons in their own right, then I find that they tend to move in certain directions. And what are these directions in which they tend to move? The words which I believe are most truly descriptive, are words such as positive, constructive, moving toward self-actualisation, growing toward maturity, growing toward socialisation, I have come to feel that the more fully the individual is understood and accepted, the more he tends to drop the false fronts with which he has been meeting life, and the more he tends to move in a direction which is forward. I would not want to be misunderstood on this. I do not have a Pollyanna view of human nature. I am quite aware that out of defensiveness and inner far individuals can do behave in ways which are incredibly cruel, horribly destructive, immature, regressive, anti-social, hurtful. Yet one of the most refreshing and invigorating parts of my experience is to work with such individuals and to discover the strongly positive directional tendencies which exist in them, as in all of us, at the deepest levels.' Chapter 1 "This is me". 'On Becoming a Person" - Carl Rogers, 1961. Regards Sachin From leif.josefsson at gmail.com Mon Oct 26 02:45:40 2009 From: leif.josefsson at gmail.com (Leif Josefsson) Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2009 08:45:40 +0000 Subject: [Ailist] The Negative Influence of Positive Thinking- The Gurus, Coaches, and Consultants. Message-ID: <4ae561c4.0d135e0a.7e5a.ffff8bfb@mx.google.com> I have become very excited about this thread. Finally some criticism which makes it possible to inquire into the ideas of AI from other perspecitves. And really interesting that AI can be perceived as right wing ideology. That I could not have imagined. But that also leads to a question of direction. One direction is emphasis from "appreciative" to" positive" to "happines = success" Another direction is more focused on the inquiry, appreciating different perspectives in looking for what works, also acknowliging difficulties and times where not everything is on top. As for myself I am not sure if I WANT to be happy all the time or that my personal goal is financial success. But the ideas of appreciative inquiry has helped me to appreciate some periods of hard times. And finally.... To me the idea of AI is so far from the American Conservative Rightwing ideology you could get. But maybe it is time for a dialogue around this. I mean, we have the tools to listen to and respect any diversity in this potential controversial discussion. With appreciation from a bus in Sweden Leif Josefsson LeanderLeander AB ?landsgatan 48 116 63 Stockholm +46 707730054 - created using the tiny keyboard of my phone - -----Original Message----- From: Robyn Stratton-Berkessel Sent: 26/10/2009 04:55:13 To: Charles Miller Cc: ailist at lists.business.utah.edu Subject: Re: [Ailist] The Negative Influence of Positive Thinking- The Gurus, Coaches, and Consultants. Hi Charles, To clarify my intent, it is to share what I find that may be on interest and value to our AI community. I think it's important to be open to all perspectives. There will be some who read this article and find it supports their world view and others who will be concerned that it is far to generalized and puts a lot of stuff into the same pot and it's not so palatable. It's how you see the world and what you focus on. Gervase's article you refer to is one of my favorite AI articles. I quote from it in my book to be published by Pfeiffer March 1, 2010, "Appreciative Inquiry for Collaborative Solutions: 21 Strength-based Workshops". Like you, I recommend it to colleagues and clients. One of my all time favorite AI articles is Cooperrider, D. L. (2000). Positive Image, Positive Action: The Affirmative Basis of Organizing. Appreciative Inquiry: Rethinking Human Organization Toward a Positive Theory of Change. 29 - 53 http://www.stipes.com/aichap2.htm. I can read and reread that article. It is so inspiring to me. It offers a very different perspective of AI in the field of OD from the paragraph I quoted in my original post by William Czander. Thanks for your post.. Kind regards, Robyn. On Oct 25, 2009, at 10:30 PM, Charles Miller wrote: > Hi Robyn, > > Not sure of your intent - there are always Wackos of every stripe - > just another one. > > Too many people are simplistic and guilty of self aggrandizement. > > See Gervase Bushe's piece - "AI is not (just) about the Positive." > for balance. > http://www.gervasebushe.ca/ > http://www.gervasebushe.ca/AI_pos.pdf > > Best wishes, > > Charles > >> FYI: Excerpted from the following article whose URL is pasted >> below.: >> >> ......"Believe it or not, there is another group, an offshoot of >> these positive/happiness/evangelical/Right-wing/Randians. This is a >> growing group of so-called organizational development consultants >> who preach a model of consulting based on positive thinking. They >> call it "appreciative inquiry" or "AI". Following the positive >> thinkers their approach focuses on what works, rather than trying >> to fix what doesn't work. It is the opposite of problem solving or >> critical thinking and rejects diagnosis. Narcissistic CEO's and >> bankers love "AI" because it never considers inadequacies, blame, >> or the need for remedial skills or practice. They preach a "you can >> do it if you just believe you can" attitude that claims if one >> builds on successes, strengths, and focuses on how to create more >> exceptional performance than one need not understand what is >> "broken" or dysfunctional.. " >> >> http://www.opednews.com/articles/2/The-Negative-Influence-of-by-william-czander-091020-724.html >> >> Kind regards, >> Robyn. >> >> Robyn Stratton-Berkessel >> Creator, www.positivematrix.com >> +1 732 291 0462 >> +1 732 939 8239 (mobile) >> Skype: robynsb >> >> _______________________________________________ >> 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 > > > -- > Charles R. Miller > Consultant, Facilitator, Trainer > 9308 Champs de Elysees > Forestville, CA 95436 > > Phone - 707-887-0811 > Cell - 707-540-2672 > > _______________________________________________ > 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 _______________________________________________ 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 From rdavies at rtpcompany.com Mon Oct 26 07:54:56 2009 From: rdavies at rtpcompany.com (Roger Davies) Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2009 08:54:56 -0500 Subject: [Ailist] The Negative Influence of Positive Thinking- The Gurus, Coaches, and Consultants. In-Reply-To: <0337B8DA-A782-48D4-A608-C74FE9F0098B@positivematrix.com> References: <200910241900.n9OJ0Nq6022105@mail09.syd.optusnet.com.au> <0337B8DA-A782-48D4-A608-C74FE9F0098B@positivematrix.com> Message-ID: <418D8BBBA2EF4638AB127F3411EE4EF7@winona.rtpco.local> I think that there is a lot of validity in the argument. However, regardless of the particular branch of either constructive or destructive thinking I think the author misses the point. It is not necessarily the approach that is the problem. It is the interpretation and internalization of it's content by the individual or group that is at issue. If one believes solely in one approach to the exclusion of all else one is likely to have a very biased view of what is possible, what needs to be done and an ignorance of the possible negative impacts. An exclusion of a critical appreciation of different points of view is the antithesis of successful progress. A critical appreciation of multiple points of view is precisely what Ai is. The sentence 'Narcissistic CEO's and bankers love "AI" because it never considers inadequacies, blame, or the need for remedial skills or practice'. Unfortunately shows the author's lack of understanding of what Ai actually is. I therefore have to conclude that the article is not yet a thoroughly developed line of thought and really it should be reserved as a point for academic discussion rather than published. To Lionel's point, when one approach becomes your only tool you're in trouble (try drilling a hole with a hammer). Even if one knows which tool should be used, putting quality tools in the hands of unskilled artisan's is not likely to generate a high quality outcome. I don't know a skilled artisan that is 1) not heavily critical of their work and 2) not inspired by the positive concept of perfection that actually produces work of a high standard. Roger -----Original Message----- From: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu [mailto:ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu] On Behalf Of Robyn Stratton-Berkessel Sent: Saturday, October 24, 2009 3:50 PM To: Ailist Inquiry Subject: [Ailist] The Negative Influence of Positive Thinking- The Gurus,Coaches, and Consultants. FYI: Excerpted from the following article whose URL is pasted below.: ......"Believe it or not, there is another group, an offshoot of these positive/happiness/evangelical/Right-wing/Randians. This is a growing group of so-called organizational development consultants who preach a model of consulting based on positive thinking. They call it "appreciative inquiry" or "AI". Following the positive thinkers their approach focuses on what works, rather than trying to fix what doesn't work. It is the opposite of problem solving or critical thinking and rejects diagnosis. Narcissistic CEO's and bankers love "AI" because it never considers inadequacies, blame, or the need for remedial skills or practice. They preach a "you can do it if you just believe you can" attitude that claims if one builds on successes, strengths, and focuses on how to create more exceptional performance than one need not understand what is "broken" or dysfunctional.. " http://www.opednews.com/articles/2/The-Negative-Influence-of-by-william-czan der-091020-724.html Kind regards, Robyn. Robyn Stratton-Berkessel Creator, www.positivematrix.com +1 732 291 0462 +1 732 939 8239 (mobile) Skype: robynsb _______________________________________________ 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 From crmiller at sonic.net Mon Oct 26 10:19:15 2009 From: crmiller at sonic.net (Charles Miller) Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2009 09:19:15 -0700 Subject: [Ailist] The Negative Influence of Positive Thinking- The Gurus, Coaches, and Consultants. In-Reply-To: References: <200910241900.n9OJ0Nq6022105@mail09.syd.optusnet.com.au> <0337B8DA-A782-48D4-A608-C74FE9F0098B@positivematrix.com> Message-ID: Hi Robyn, Thanks very much for your thoughtful response. You are more generous in regard to William Czander than I would be. I find his bio piece, cited below from his web site, somewhat telling. Best wishes, Charles William Czander has taught in MBA programs for 33 years and is a member of a unique group of scholars and practioners called organizational psychoanalysts. He has consulted to organizations and treated executives since 1980. In 2002 he left teaching to join Home Depot and spent almost 4 years in what he discovered was the absurdity of corporate life. He witnessed first hand how the corporation destroys commitment, how the life of becoming and then being an executive places an enormous psychological burden and often leads to decision making that to an outsider appears irrational but inside the executive constellation is normal and right. His years in business schools has given him insight into how they train young managers and how they collude in creating the "bottom line" executive, where responsibility and empathy is replaced with entitlement and greed. He gives an example of how an executive is driven to destroy a company while enriching himself. He maintains that the enactment of laws, blaming, and yelling will not stop this executive behavior. At the rate they are going these executives will kill Corporate America unless we engage in a radical transformation in how we select, govern, educate, and train our corporate leaders. He is retired and occasionally teaches. He serves on the faculty at the following institutions: Pace University Lubin School of Business, Fordham University Graduate School of Business, LIM College MBA Program, St. Thomas Aquinas Graduate School of Business, and St. Mary's University College at the Mountbatten Institute. >Hi Charles, > >To clarify my intent, it is to share what I find that may be on >interest and value to our AI community. I think it's important to >be open to all perspectives. There will be some who read this >article and find it supports their world view and others who will be >concerned that it is far to generalized and puts a lot of stuff into >the same pot and it's not so palatable. It's how you see the world >and what you focus on. > >Gervase's article you refer to is one of my favorite AI articles. I >quote from it in my book to be published by Pfeiffer March 1, 2010, > "Appreciative Inquiry for Collaborative Solutions: 21 >Strength-based Workshops". Like you, I recommend it to colleagues >and clients. > >One of my all time favorite AI articles is Cooperrider, D. L. >(2000). Positive Image, Positive Action: The Affirmative Basis of >Organizing. Appreciative Inquiry: Rethinking Human Organization >Toward a Positive Theory of Change. 29 - 53 > http://www.stipes.com/aichap2.htm. > I can read and reread that article. It is so inspiring to me. > >It offers a very different perspective of AI in the field of OD from >the paragraph I quoted in my original post by William Czander. > >Thanks for your post.. > >Kind regards, > >Robyn. > > >On Oct 25, 2009, at 10:30 PM, Charles Miller wrote: > >>Hi Robyn, >> >>Not sure of your intent - there are always Wackos of every stripe - >>just another one. >> >>Too many people are simplistic and guilty of self aggrandizement. >> >>See Gervase Bushe's piece - "AI is not (just) about the Positive." >>for balance. >>http://www.gervasebushe.ca/ >>http://www.gervasebushe.ca/AI_pos.pdf >> >>Best wishes, >> >>Charles >> >>>FYI: Excerpted from the following article whose URL is pasted below.: >>> >>> >>>......"Believe it or not, there is another group, an offshoot of >>>these positive/happiness/evangelical/Right-wing/Randians. This is >>>a growing group of so-called organizational development >>>consultants who preach a model of consulting based on positive >>>thinking. They call it "appreciative inquiry" or "AI". Following >>>the positive thinkers their approach focuses on what works, rather >>>than trying to fix what doesn't work. It is the opposite of >>>problem solving or critical thinking and rejects diagnosis. >>>Narcissistic CEO's and bankers love "AI" because it never >>>considers inadequacies, blame, or the need for remedial skills or >>>practice. They preach a "you can do it if you just believe you >>>can" attitude that claims if one builds on successes, strengths, >>>and focuses on how to create more exceptional performance than one >>>need not understand what is "broken" or dysfunctional.. " >>> >>> >>>http://www.opednews.com/articles/2/The-Negative-Influence-of-by-william-czander-091020-724.html >>> >>> >>>Kind regards, >>> >>>Robyn. >>> >>> >>>Robyn Stratton-Berkessel >>> >>>Creator, www.positivematrix.com >>> >>>+1 732 291 0462 >>> >>>+1 732 939 8239 (mobile) >>> >>>Skype: robynsb >>> >>> >>>_______________________________________________ >>> >>>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 >>> >> >> >>-- >>Charles R. Miller >>Consultant, Facilitator, Trainer >>9308 Champs de Elysees >>Forestville, CA 95436 >> >>Phone - 707-887-0811 >>Cell - 707-540-2672 -- Charles R. Miller Consultant, Facilitator, Trainer 9308 Champs de Elysees Forestville, CA 95436 Phone - 707-887-0811 Cell - 707-540-2672 From discuss at rds-net.com Mon Oct 26 10:38:35 2009 From: discuss at rds-net.com (Gary Lear) Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:38:35 -0400 Subject: [Ailist] The Negative Influence of Positive Thinking- The Gurus, Coaches, and Consultants. In-Reply-To: References: <200910241900.n9OJ0Nq6022105@mail09.syd.optusnet.com.au><0337B8DA-A782-48D4-A608-C74FE9F0098B@positivematrix.com> Message-ID: <825CD7EFA06E4336B6CD1A26152D0460@DHVG3VB1> Charles, Can you elaborate to the list about what you find "telling" about Czander's bio? Make a Great Day! Gary Lear, President & CEO Author of Leadership Lessons From the Medicine Wheel: The Seven Elements of High Performance Resource Development Systems LLC Managing the Human Side of Business (sm) gelear at rds-net.com www.ResourceDevelopmentSystems.com (c) 2009 permission denied to use this post in any other forum or in any way other than on the discussion list that it was originally posted. From crmiller at sonic.net Mon Oct 26 11:15:42 2009 From: crmiller at sonic.net (Charles Miller) Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2009 10:15:42 -0700 Subject: [Ailist] The Negative Influence of Positive Thinking- The Gurus, Coaches, and Consultants. In-Reply-To: <825CD7EFA06E4336B6CD1A26152D0460@DHVG3VB1> References: <200910241900.n9OJ0Nq6022105@mail09.syd.optusnet.com.au><0337B8DA-A782-48D 4-A608-C74FE9F0098B@positivematrix.com> <825CD7EFA06E4336B6CD1A26152D0460@DHVG3VB1> Message-ID: Hi Gary, I find Czander's wholesale indictment of American corporate life to be out of sync with my own experience. What about corporations that are employee owned? What about those that have pioneered the use of AI? etc., etc. As he indicates that he is "a member of a unique group of scholars and practioners (sic) called organizational psychoanalysts," I would suggest that he is espousing a rather one sided world view. I have found that world view not particularly helpful if one is locked in to it as the only way of understanding reality. I think it is important to work with the Shadow - personally and organizationally, but to see the world as only inhabited by Shadows is limiting at best. I rather liked the response that Roger Davies posted. Best wishes, Charles >Charles, > >Can you elaborate to the list about what you find "telling" about >Czander's bio? > >Make a Great Day! > >Gary Lear, President & CEO >Author of Leadership Lessons From the Medicine Wheel: The Seven >Elements of High >Performance > >Resource Development Systems LLC >Managing the Human Side of Business (sm) > >gelear at rds-net.com www.ResourceDevelopmentSystems.com > >(c) 2009 permission denied to use this post in any other forum or in any way >other than on the discussion list that it was originally posted. -- Charles R. Miller Consultant, Facilitator, Trainer 9308 Champs de Elysees Forestville, CA 95436 Phone - 707-887-0811 Cell - 707-540-2672 From rdavies at rtpcompany.com Mon Oct 26 11:38:05 2009 From: rdavies at rtpcompany.com (Roger Davies) Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:38:05 -0500 Subject: [Ailist] The Negative Influence of Positive Thinking- The Gurus, Coaches, and Consultants. In-Reply-To: <825CD7EFA06E4336B6CD1A26152D0460@DHVG3VB1> References: <200910241900.n9OJ0Nq6022105@mail09.syd.optusnet.com.au><0337B8DA-A782-48D4-A608-C74FE9F0098B@positivematrix.com> <825CD7EFA06E4336B6CD1A26152D0460@DHVG3VB1> Message-ID: Dear All, The article aside I think there is much truth to what he says in his bio. Corporate America is dogged by problems but it would be unfair to lay the responsibility directly upon its CEO's as they are as much victims as criminals. The root cause is a 'profit based economy'. A public company has to do better than it forecasts for its share price to rise and its investors to remain happy. When one corporation attributes success to a particular program there follows a call from investors to do the same at other corporations. The cult of Six Sigma and extent of questionable mortgage lending practices are fine examples. Of course this all leads to a few phenomena: 1) A fixation with bottom line profits 2) A mistaken belief that value and cost are opposite properties (a dehumanizing of the workforce) 3) A herd mentality that gives the illusion of rapid growth but catastrophic consequences of failure(boom & bust cycles) 4) An almost paranoid control mentality (stimulating standardization but crippling innovation) 4) A need to protect oneself against the effects of failure (large bonuses etc) The problems are exacerbated a few layers down where the golden parachutes don't exist. Of course this is where the future CEO's are groomed! It's equally unfair to blame positive thinking without blaming every new idea pointed at increasing corporate profits. There is a fundamental skeleton in the closet of the 'for profit' model of the developed world's economic model and it's putting on a gorilla suit. It would have been nice to see a piece from the author about how we might challenge and redefine our economy. Roger -----Original Message----- From: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu [mailto:ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu] On Behalf Of Gary Lear Sent: Monday, October 26, 2009 11:39 AM To: 'Charles Miller' Cc: ailist at lists.business.utah.edu Subject: Re: [Ailist] The Negative Influence of Positive Thinking- The Gurus,Coaches, and Consultants. Charles, Can you elaborate to the list about what you find "telling" about Czander's bio? Make a Great Day! Gary Lear, President & CEO Author of Leadership Lessons From the Medicine Wheel: The Seven Elements of High Performance Resource Development Systems LLC Managing the Human Side of Business (sm) gelear at rds-net.com www.ResourceDevelopmentSystems.com (c) 2009 permission denied to use this post in any other forum or in any way other than on the discussion list that it was originally posted. _______________________________________________ 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 From cheri.torres at gmail.com Mon Oct 26 11:51:35 2009 From: cheri.torres at gmail.com (Cheri Torres) Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2009 13:51:35 -0400 Subject: [Ailist] The Negative Influence of Positive Thinking- The Gurus, Coaches, and Consultants. In-Reply-To: <352F92ED539D41DFBF3FFBA7C624559C@SachinNotebook> References: <352F92ED539D41DFBF3FFBA7C624559C@SachinNotebook> Message-ID: At the risk of stirring the pot, there is significant research that we cannot avoid having an influence on "what happens"--every action, every question moves both the asker and the respondent (nothing is or can be without influence, bias or prejudice--a quantum physics rule, I believe). Taking this into account, AI is about inquiring in ways that will add value, move towards, and increase value. It is not about the object, but the way in which we inquire into the object of our attention. When it comes to problem-solving, AI asks us to be aware of more than just the thing or issue that needs resolving. It invites us to step back and take into consideration the larger context--what are we trying to do, how are we trying to do it, how does it fit in with broader goals, etc. I tend to think of AI as a practice that allows me to be more conscious than I typically am in my day to day living. Cheri Cheri B. Torres, Ph.D. Collaborative by Design 135 Westwood Place Asheville, NC 28806 828-225-5088 On Oct 26, 2009, at 12:52 AM, Sachin Chavan wrote: > Probably we are getting enmeshed in a self-created tangle of terms. > > Being is being... how can it be positive or negative? > > Even 'Appreciative Inquiry' is a similar catch. Inquiry in itself is > 'search > for truth' or 'closer examination'. If its done without any > prejudices, > that's enough. But then, 'without prejudices' is surely getting > closer to > our Being... and that's probably what Julie means when she says 'AI > is a > state of being'. The core of our being can neither be positive or > negative... it only 'is'. Instead, we are stuck with 'becoming' or > 'being > this or that'. Even our signatures at the end of our posts stress > 'we are > this or that' (including our name, that is!). > > Reaching a stage of 'no prejudices' however takes effort. The old > conditioning of years (or ages) has to be extinguished. Till then, > we can > speak of 'Being' (just like I am doing now)... but remain in the > state of > 'being this or that'. > > Regards, > Sachin > > > > _____ > > From: Dr. Zeb Waturuocha [mailto:zebwats at gmail.com] > Sent: 26 October 2009 08:08 AM > To: Julie Caldwell > Cc: mail at sachinchavan.com; Ailist Inquiry; Robyn Stratton-Berkessel > Subject: Re: [Ailist] The Negative Influence of Positive Thinking- The > Gurus, Coaches, and Consultants. > > > I very much agree wih Julie when she says that AI is a way of > Being. There > is another way of Being also which I usually call Negative Inquiry > (NI). > One of the interesting things about AI or Positive Psychology is > that there > is strong belief in th existence of positive and negative in every > scenario > (human or natural). It all depends on what you are looking for in the > scenario and you have a choice but what you look for is what you > will find. > I do not see AI as a denial of the existence of negative situations > nor as a > replacement of the problem solving methodology but a state of mind > where one > can be to look at the negative side of things. I remember having > used a > story in one of my workshops and the participants were pissed off > with me > for such a disgusting story. The same story was also told in the > context of > AI and there were acknowledgments and praise for the characters > inthe story. > It therefore depends on your focus rather than denial of the > existence of > the other, after all, nature has given everything in pairs and > balance - in > and out, up and down, man and woman, go and come, rich and poor, > positive > and negative, give and take, ...if you remove one the other will not > stand > as they complement each other. > > Zeb > > > On Sun, Oct 25, 2009 at 12:03 PM, Julie Caldwell > > wrote: > > > Sachin makes very clear and appropriate points --- with one > correction, the > AI community does not see AI as a tool. The leaders of AI, at any > rate, > Jane Watkins (who trained me in AI) sees AI as a way of being. And, > speaks > to Sachin's point about how AI, when applied as a tool, can be > misused. > > AI as a state of being, can be used well with the small or the > large. For > example, AI parenting, might explore what works on a good parenting > day and > compare this exploration with the results that go along with > pampering a > child irrespective of his foolhardiness. > > I do not believe that human beings are broken, nor do human beings > or the > process of self-organizing need to be fixed. In fact, the self- > organizing > process delivers AI on the universal scale... and even the pampering > of a > child irrespective of his foolhardiness, contributes to the universal > result... likewise, cast systems that discriminate based on sex, > color or > creed === as does the impact of inner city gangs === or terrorists > that bomb > train stations and twin towers === or the poor communications within > one's > marriage.... none of this is broken, it is the reality of what is, > and now > what? Being AI allows us to be human and learn to build on our > strengths, > as we face our weakness'. > > Our self-organizing system, in executing the positive core of the > whole, > delivers equality. AI as a way of being can creates the cause for > individuals to nurture the child we call humanity to be it's best, > in ways > that facilitates our own deliver of equality (happiness for self and > others; > v.s. happiness of one, over others). > > AI used as a tool, can be mis-applied, as Sachin cautions, which > runs risk > of divisiveness within the whole. This is a very different > intention than > creating united action and building on strengths, based in the > reality of > what is. > > Individually, it's important to be kind to ourselves, as we grow > into the > light of this process, which is very different that how we have been > raised > in the west. > > Thank you for reading my thoughts, > > Julie > > > > > > > > > > On Oct 24, 2009, at 9:32 PM, Sachin Chavan wrote: > > > > AI is a tool. No tool in itself is a solution... Or the problem. > What do you > apply the tool on? And who applies it... what consciousness? That > matters! > > Call it spirituality or systems thinking... Broadening your idea of > Self, to > make it more encompassing... Expanding the boundaries, thinking of > global > optimisation instead of local... Not just in terms of space (company > ->city > ->country ->planet) but also in terms of time (my lifespan -> all > future > generations)... All of this needs to accompany AI. > > In short, AI with a limited purpose could spell doom. AI is only as > effective as the purpose which it serves. Sustainable strategies are > the > ones that are harmonious with the larger universe. Limiting our > universe to > a smaller idea of self and then applying AI... Is not what AI is > supposed to > be. To that extent, Greenspan and his 40 years ignored holism, and > hence > cannot be named as AI. A mother seeing pampering her child > irrespective of > his foolhardiness is not an AI practitioner! > > Regards, > Sachin > www.sachinchavan.com > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu > [mailto:ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu] On Behalf Of Robyn > Stratton-Berkessel > Sent: 25 October 2009 02:20 AM > To: Ailist Inquiry > Subject: [Ailist] The Negative Influence of Positive Thinking- The > Gurus,Coaches, and Consultants. > > FYI: Excerpted from the following article whose URL is pasted below.: > > ......"Believe it or not, there is another group, an offshoot of these > positive/happiness/evangelical/Right-wing/Randians. This is a > growing group > of so-called organizational development consultants who preach a > model of > consulting based on positive thinking. They call it "appreciative > inquiry" > or "AI". Following the positive thinkers their approach focuses on > what > works, rather than trying to fix what doesn't work. It is the > opposite of > problem solving or critical thinking and rejects diagnosis. > Narcissistic > CEO's and bankers love "AI" because it never considers inadequacies, > blame, > or the need for remedial skills or practice. They preach a "you can > do it if > you just believe you can" > attitude that claims if one builds on successes, strengths, and > focuses on > how to create more exceptional performance than one need not > understand what > is "broken" or dysfunctional.. " > > http://www.opednews.com/articles/2/The-Negative-Influence-of-by-william-czan > der-091020-724.html > > Kind regards, > Robyn. > > Robyn Stratton-Berkessel > Creator, www.positivematrix.com > +1 732 291 0462 > +1 732 939 8239 (mobile) > Skype: robynsb > > _______________________________________________ > 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 > > > _______________________________________________ > 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 > > > > _______________________________________________ > 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 > > > > > > -- > Love will go away if we stop talking to each other > Bonn in Dialogue > > > _______________________________________________ > 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 From marysue at earthlink.net Mon Oct 26 12:22:13 2009 From: marysue at earthlink.net (MarySue Foster) Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2009 13:22:13 -0500 Subject: [Ailist] The Negative Influence of Positive Thinking- The Gurus, Coaches, and Consultants. In-Reply-To: Message-ID: The piece I find the most "telling" about this bio is the either/or-ness of it. There are so many positive things about corporations and not-corporations. This man appears to have just one view. Not a person I would want training/consulting with a group I was working with, frankly. MarySue Foster On 10/26/09 11:19 AM, "Charles Miller" wrote: > Hi Robyn, > > Thanks very much for your thoughtful response. You are more generous > in regard to William Czander than I would be. I find his bio piece, > cited below from his web site, somewhat telling. > > Best wishes, > > Charles > > > William Czander has taught in MBA programs for 33 years and is a > member of a unique group of scholars and practioners called > organizational psychoanalysts. He has consulted to organizations and > treated executives since 1980. In 2002 he left teaching to join Home > Depot and spent almost 4 years in what he discovered was the > absurdity of corporate life. He witnessed first hand how the > corporation destroys commitment, how the life of becoming and then > being an executive places an enormous psychological burden and often > leads to decision making that to an outsider appears irrational but > inside the executive constellation is normal and right. His years in > business schools has given him insight into how they train young > managers and how they collude in creating the "bottom line" > executive, where responsibility and empathy is replaced with > entitlement and greed. He gives an example of how an executive is > driven to destroy a company while enriching himself. > He maintains that the enactment of laws, blaming, and yelling will > not stop this executive behavior. At the rate they are going these > executives will kill Corporate America unless we engage in a radical > transformation in how we select, govern, educate, and train our > corporate > leaders. > He is retired and occasionally teaches. He serves on the faculty at > the following institutions: Pace University Lubin School of Business, > Fordham University Graduate School of Business, LIM College MBA > Program, St. Thomas Aquinas Graduate School of Business, and St. > Mary's University College at the Mountbatten Institute. > > > >> Hi Charles, >> >> To clarify my intent, it is to share what I find that may be on >> interest and value to our AI community. I think it's important to >> be open to all perspectives. There will be some who read this >> article and find it supports their world view and others who will be >> concerned that it is far to generalized and puts a lot of stuff into >> the same pot and it's not so palatable. It's how you see the world >> and what you focus on. >> >> Gervase's article you refer to is one of my favorite AI articles. I >> quote from it in my book to be published by Pfeiffer March 1, 2010, >> "Appreciative Inquiry for Collaborative Solutions: 21 >> Strength-based Workshops". Like you, I recommend it to colleagues >> and clients. >> >> One of my all time favorite AI articles is Cooperrider, D. L. >> (2000). Positive Image, Positive Action: The Affirmative Basis of >> Organizing. Appreciative Inquiry: Rethinking Human Organization >> Toward a Positive Theory of Change. 29 - 53 >> http://www.stipes.com/aichap2.htm. >> I can read and reread that article. It is so inspiring to me. >> >> It offers a very different perspective of AI in the field of OD from >> the paragraph I quoted in my original post by William Czander. >> >> Thanks for your post.. >> >> Kind regards, >> >> Robyn. >> >> >> On Oct 25, 2009, at 10:30 PM, Charles Miller wrote: >> >>> Hi Robyn, >>> >>> Not sure of your intent - there are always Wackos of every stripe - >>> just another one. >>> >>> Too many people are simplistic and guilty of self aggrandizement. >>> >>> See Gervase Bushe's piece - "AI is not (just) about the Positive." >>> for balance. >>> http://www.gervasebushe.ca/ >>> http://www.gervasebushe.ca/AI_pos.pdf >>> >>> Best wishes, >>> >>> Charles >>> >>>> FYI: Excerpted from the following article whose URL is pasted below.: >>>> >>>> >>>> ......"Believe it or not, there is another group, an offshoot of >>>> these positive/happiness/evangelical/Right-wing/Randians. This is >>>> a growing group of so-called organizational development >>>> consultants who preach a model of consulting based on positive >>>> thinking. They call it "appreciative inquiry" or "AI". Following >>>> the positive thinkers their approach focuses on what works, rather >>>> than trying to fix what doesn't work. It is the opposite of >>>> problem solving or critical thinking and rejects diagnosis. >>>> Narcissistic CEO's and bankers love "AI" because it never >>>> considers inadequacies, blame, or the need for remedial skills or >>>> practice. They preach a "you can do it if you just believe you >>>> can" attitude that claims if one builds on successes, strengths, >>>> and focuses on how to create more exceptional performance than one >>>> need not understand what is "broken" or dysfunctional.. " >>>> >>>> >>>> http://www.opednews.com/articles/2/The-Negative-Influence-of-by-william-cza >>>> nder-091020-724.html >>>> >>>> >>>> Kind regards, >>>> >>>> Robyn. >>>> >>>> >>>> Robyn Stratton-Berkessel >>>> >>>> Creator, www.positivematrix.com >>>> >>>> +1 732 291 0462 >>>> >>>> +1 732 939 8239 (mobile) >>>> >>>> Skype: robynsb >>>> >>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> >>>> 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 >>>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> Charles R. Miller >>> Consultant, Facilitator, Trainer >>> 9308 Champs de Elysees >>> Forestville, CA 95436 >>> >>> Phone - 707-887-0811 >>> Cell - 707-540-2672 > From discuss at rds-net.com Mon Oct 26 13:56:17 2009 From: discuss at rds-net.com (Gary Lear) Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:56:17 -0400 Subject: [Ailist] The Negative Influence of Positive Thinking- The Gurus, Coaches, and Consultants. In-Reply-To: References: <200910241900.n9OJ0Nq6022105@mail09.syd.optusnet.com.au><0337B8DA-A782-48D 4-A608-C74FE9F0098B@positivematrix.com> <825CD7EFA06E4336B6CD1A26152D0460@DHVG3VB1> Message-ID: <72CDCAFEA7E24C908D82FA6DA9477585@DHVG3VB1> Charles, What about corporations that are employee owned? Let's talk about United Airlines. Is that a great corporation because it is employee owned? (United Breaks Guitars is just the most recent "in your face" yet humorous example of really lousy service; and employee relations there are often questionable). Unfortunately those corporations that are exemplary are in the minority. In my extensive research on what drives exceptional organizational performance, the characterization that Czander espouses in his bio of corporate America isn't all that far off for most organizations. Corporations do exhibit behaviors that destroy commitment (hence, the fact that after a decade of being aware of employee engagement and its positive impact on organizational performance, the levels of employee engagement still haven't improved). We do have executive decision making that from the outside does seem questionable (just look at the past few years). Many of these questionable decisions often resulted in financial losses for investors, stockholders, and employees, while executives still made substantial financial gains, leading many to question their ethics and their greed. We do have some issues with what is being taught in most business schools and the utter focus on "the bottom line." This leads to short-sighted decisions that impact the numbers for the quarter, but can destroy the organization over the next quarter of a century (my article in Sept/Oct issue of Management World Magazine talked about this). And we do have a huge issue with the systems that most publicly traded organizations have to operate within. Roger Davies does a good job of pointing out some of these shortcomings in his recent post. Whether we need the wholesale "radical transformation" that Czander is calling for is another story. BTW, Roger, I didn't see anywhere in his bio where he blames CEO's. If anything, my take is that he blames the systems within which "executives" are taught, trained, developed, promoted, and have to operate. He often uses the word "executives" but in that bio he never used the term "CEO." Finally, given that most of his criticism of corporate life comes after it is mentioned that he worked for Home Depot from 2002 to 2006, we could surmise that these comments are directly referenced to this experience. After all, these were the Nardeli years at Home Depot, a time when he brought much needed modernization to the organization, but almost destroyed the friendly, helpful culture (perhaps another example of corporate American destroying commitment). Now, I don't necessarily support what he shares in the previous article that has been discussed on here (actually, I found the article a bit of a rant, rather unfocused and unsubstantiated, and a little politically biased; although I'm sure that there were nuggets of truth here and there as there usually is in anything), but I don't see a whole lot to take exception with in his bio. Those statements appear to be accurate, and I don't think that the bio reveals much about his motivations for his article. What I find rather telling, or at least interesting, is the fact that this person of questionable influence has been given so much time and attention, and why so many have chosen to take a defensive position in regard to his statements. Make a Great Day! Gary Lear, President & CEO Author of Leadership Lessons From the Medicine Wheel: The Seven Elements of High Performance Resource Development Systems LLC Managing the Human Side of Business (sm) gelear at rds-net.com www.ResourceDevelopmentSystems.com (c) 2009 permission denied to use this post in any other forum or in any way other than on the discussion list that it was originally posted. From discuss at rds-net.com Mon Oct 26 18:35:36 2009 From: discuss at rds-net.com (Gary Lear) Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2009 20:35:36 -0400 Subject: [Ailist] The Negative Influence of Positive Thinking- The Gurus, Coaches, and Consultants. In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: MarySue, Sure there are many positive things about all sorts of organizations, even the mediocre and the horrible. But does that mean that the negative issues that are pointed out in Czander's bio don't exist or don't need to be dealt with? One thing to consider is the impact that these negative issues have on the work environment for most organizations. Bob Sutton, a renowned researcher, professor, author, and one of the founders of evidence-based management, shared in an article that there are huge impacts from the negative, and to totally ignore those negative things is a huge mistake. (He referenced this article which is worth reading: http://www.csom.umn.edu/Assets/71516.pdf.) So, taking a more balanced view (rather than one-sided from either side), perhaps we do have to deal with those negative issues that are going to get in the way of our ability to move forward in a more positive fashion. I proffer that in some cases we will have to eliminate those negative things first before we do move forward in that positive fashion, as the negative impacts will prohibit our ability to make any progress otherwise. While taking a more positive approach is usually preferable, to ignore the severely negative would be folly, in my opinion. Make a Great Day! Gary Lear, President & CEO Author of Leadership Lessons From the Medicine Wheel: The Seven Elements of High Performance Resource Development Systems LLC Managing the Human Side of Business (sm) gelear at rds-net.com www.ResourceDevelopmentSystems.com (c) 2009 permission denied to use this post in any other forum or in any way other than on the discussion list that it was originally posted. From lionel.boxer at rmit.edu.au Mon Oct 26 20:57:23 2009 From: lionel.boxer at rmit.edu.au (Lionel Boxer) Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:57:23 +1100 Subject: [Ailist] The Negative Influence of Positive Thinking- The Gurus, Coaches, and Consultants. Message-ID: <4AE6FC43020000AF0003A993@its-gw-inet57.its.rmit.edu.au> I agree with Cheri. I have used an AI approach in strategic planning. While we dealt with negative issues, we avoided being negative and focused our energy on Appreciating the situation. I harnessed the message behind the contrast between SWOT and SOAR. At the end of the session participants commented on the way we redirected ourselves from being negative to Appreciating the situation. In the end, we identified strengths and strategies to capitalise on those strengths as well as strategies to enable strengths to be created out of the rest (perhaps weaknesses, perhaps negative issues, but not referred to as such). The point is that we were Appreciative or everything ranging from mediocrity to excellence. Lionel Boxer CD PhD MBA BTech(IndEng) - 0411267256 Associate of RMIT University - lionel.boxer at rmit.edu.au Graduate School of Business my "Assessment of Quality Systems with Positioning Theory" now in a googe book - see link at http://intergon.net >>> Cheri Torres 27/10/09 5:51 AM >>> At the risk of stirring the pot, there is significant research that we cannot avoid having an influence on "what happens"--every action, every question moves both the asker and the respondent (nothing is or can be without influence, bias or prejudice--a quantum physics rule, I believe). Taking this into account, AI is about inquiring in ways that will add value, move towards, and increase value. It is not about the object, but the way in which we inquire into the object of our attention. When it comes to problem-solving, AI asks us to be aware of more than just the thing or issue that needs resolving. It invites us to step back and take into consideration the larger context--what are we trying to do, how are we trying to do it, how does it fit in with broader goals, etc. I tend to think of AI as a practice that allows me to be more conscious than I typically am in my day to day living. Cheri Cheri B. Torres, Ph.D. Collaborative by Design 135 Westwood Place Asheville, NC 28806 828-225-5088 On Oct 26, 2009, at 12:52 AM, Sachin Chavan wrote: > Probably we are getting enmeshed in a self-created tangle of terms. > > Being is being... how can it be positive or negative? > > Even 'Appreciative Inquiry' is a similar catch. Inquiry in itself is > 'search > for truth' or 'closer examination'. If its done without any > prejudices, > that's enough. But then, 'without prejudices' is surely getting > closer to > our Being... and that's probably what Julie means when she says 'AI > is a > state of being'. The core of our being can neither be positive or > negative... it only 'is'. Instead, we are stuck with 'becoming' or > 'being > this or that'. Even our signatures at the end of our posts stress > 'we are > this or that' (including our name, that is!). > > Reaching a stage of 'no prejudices' however takes effort. The old > conditioning of years (or ages) has to be extinguished. Till then, > we can > speak of 'Being' (just like I am doing now)... but remain in the > state of > 'being this or that'. > > Regards, > Sachin > > > > _____ > > From: Dr. Zeb Waturuocha [mailto:zebwats at gmail.com] > Sent: 26 October 2009 08:08 AM > To: Julie Caldwell > Cc: mail at sachinchavan.com; Ailist Inquiry; Robyn Stratton-Berkessel > Subject: Re: [Ailist] The Negative Influence of Positive Thinking- The > Gurus, Coaches, and Consultants. > > > I very much agree wih Julie when she says that AI is a way of > Being. There > is another way of Being also which I usually call Negative Inquiry > (NI). > One of the interesting things about AI or Positive Psychology is > that there > is strong belief in th existence of positive and negative in every > scenario > (human or natural). It all depends on what you are looking for in the > scenario and you have a choice but what you look for is what you > will find. > I do not see AI as a denial of the existence of negative situations > nor as a > replacement of the problem solving methodology but a state of mind > where one > can be to look at the negative side of things. I remember having > used a > story in one of my workshops and the participants were pissed off > with me > for such a disgusting story. The same story was also told in the > context of > AI and there were acknowledgments and praise for the characters > inthe story. > It therefore depends on your focus rather than denial of the > existence of > the other, after all, nature has given everything in pairs and > balance - in > and out, up and down, man and woman, go and come, rich and poor, > positive > and negative, give and take, ...if you remove one the other will not > stand > as they complement each other. > > Zeb > > > On Sun, Oct 25, 2009 at 12:03 PM, Julie Caldwell > > wrote: > > > Sachin makes very clear and appropriate points --- with one > correction, the > AI community does not see AI as a tool. The leaders of AI, at any > rate, > Jane Watkins (who trained me in AI) sees AI as a way of being. And, > speaks > to Sachin's point about how AI, when applied as a tool, can be > misused. > > AI as a state of being, can be used well with the small or the > large. For > example, AI parenting, might explore what works on a good parenting > day and > compare this exploration with the results that go along with > pampering a > child irrespective of his foolhardiness. > > I do not believe that human beings are broken, nor do human beings > or the > process of self-organizing need to be fixed. In fact, the self- > organizing > process delivers AI on the universal scale... and even the pampering > of a > child irrespective of his foolhardiness, contributes to the universal > result... likewise, cast systems that discriminate based on sex, > color or > creed === as does the impact of inner city gangs === or terrorists > that bomb > train stations and twin towers === or the poor communications within > one's > marriage.... none of this is broken, it is the reality of what is, > and now > what? Being AI allows us to be human and learn to build on our > strengths, > as we face our weakness'. > > Our self-organizing system, in executing the positive core of the > whole, > delivers equality. AI as a way of being can creates the cause for > individuals to nurture the child we call humanity to be it's best, > in ways > that facilitates our own deliver of equality (happiness for self and > others; > v.s. happiness of one, over others). > > AI used as a tool, can be mis-applied, as Sachin cautions, which > runs risk > of divisiveness within the whole. This is a very different > intention than > creating united action and building on strengths, based in the > reality of > what is. > > Individually, it's important to be kind to ourselves, as we grow > into the > light of this process, which is very different that how we have been > raised > in the west. > > Thank you for reading my thoughts, > > Julie > > > > > > > > > > On Oct 24, 2009, at 9:32 PM, Sachin Chavan wrote: > > > > AI is a tool. No tool in itself is a solution... Or the problem. > What do you > apply the tool on? And who applies it... what consciousness? That > matters! > > Call it spirituality or systems thinking... Broadening your idea of > Self, to > make it more encompassing... Expanding the boundaries, thinking of > global > optimisation instead of local... Not just in terms of space (company > ->city > ->country ->planet) but also in terms of time (my lifespan -> all > future > generations)... All of this needs to accompany AI. > > In short, AI with a limited purpose could spell doom. AI is only as > effective as the purpose which it serves. Sustainable strategies are > the > ones that are harmonious with the larger universe. Limiting our > universe to > a smaller idea of self and then applying AI... Is not what AI is > supposed to > be. To that extent, Greenspan and his 40 years ignored holism, and > hence > cannot be named as AI. A mother seeing pampering her child > irrespective of > his foolhardiness is not an AI practitioner! > > Regards, > Sachin > www.sachinchavan.com > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu > [mailto:ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu] On Behalf Of Robyn > Stratton-Berkessel > Sent: 25 October 2009 02:20 AM > To: Ailist Inquiry > Subject: [Ailist] The Negative Influence of Positive Thinking- The > Gurus,Coaches, and Consultants. > > FYI: Excerpted from the following article whose URL is pasted below.: > > ......"Believe it or not, there is another group, an offshoot of these > positive/happiness/evangelical/Right-wing/Randians. This is a > growing group > of so-called organizational development consultants who preach a > model of > consulting based on positive thinking. They call it "appreciative > inquiry" > or "AI". Following the positive thinkers their approach focuses on > what > works, rather than trying to fix what doesn't work. It is the > opposite of > problem solving or critical thinking and rejects diagnosis. > Narcissistic > CEO's and bankers love "AI" because it never considers inadequacies, > blame, > or the need for remedial skills or practice. They preach a "you can > do it if > you just believe you can" > attitude that claims if one builds on successes, strengths, and > focuses on > how to create more exceptional performance than one need not > understand what > is "broken" or dysfunctional.. " > > http://www.opednews.com/articles/2/The-Negative-Influence-of-by-william-czan > der-091020-724.html > > Kind regards, > Robyn. > > Robyn Stratton-Berkessel > Creator, www.positivematrix.com > +1 732 291 0462 > +1 732 939 8239 (mobile) > Skype: robynsb > > _______________________________________________ > 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 > > > _______________________________________________ > 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 > > > > _______________________________________________ > 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 > > > > > > -- > Love will go away if we stop talking to each other > Bonn in Dialogue > > > _______________________________________________ > 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 _______________________________________________ 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 From lionel.boxer at rmit.edu.au Mon Oct 26 21:08:08 2009 From: lionel.boxer at rmit.edu.au (Lionel Boxer) Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:08:08 +1100 Subject: [Ailist] The Negative Influence of Positive Thinking- The Gurus, Coaches, and Consultants. Message-ID: <4AE6FEC9020000AF0003A99B@its-gw-inet57.its.rmit.edu.au> Having grown up in Canada I think many of the problems we face today have to do with how people in other parts of the world are reacting to the attached image. It is indeed an artifact that has arisen from the community (I am unsure of its source). It should be reflected on in appreciative way. Lionel Boxer CD PhD MBA BTech(IndEng) - 0411267256 Associate of RMIT University - lionel.boxer at rmit.edu.au Graduate School of Business my "Assessment of Quality Systems with Positioning Theory" now in a googe book - see link at http://intergon.net >>> "Roger Davies" 27/10/09 5:50 AM >>> Dear All, The article aside I think there is much truth to what he says in his bio. Corporate America is dogged by problems but it would be unfair to lay the responsibility directly upon its CEO's as they are as much victims as criminals. The root cause is a 'profit based economy'. A public company has to do better than it forecasts for its share price to rise and its investors to remain happy. When one corporation attributes success to a particular program there follows a call from investors to do the same at other corporations. The cult of Six Sigma and extent of questionable mortgage lending practices are fine examples. Of course this all leads to a few phenomena: 1) A fixation with bottom line profits 2) A mistaken belief that value and cost are opposite properties (a dehumanizing of the workforce) 3) A herd mentality that gives the illusion of rapid growth but catastrophic consequences of failure(boom & bust cycles) 4) An almost paranoid control mentality (stimulating standardization but crippling innovation) 4) A need to protect oneself against the effects of failure (large bonuses etc) The problems are exacerbated a few layers down where the golden parachutes don't exist. Of course this is where the future CEO's are groomed! It's equally unfair to blame positive thinking without blaming every new idea pointed at increasing corporate profits. There is a fundamental skeleton in the closet of the 'for profit' model of the developed world's economic model and it's putting on a gorilla suit. It would have been nice to see a piece from the author about how we might challenge and redefine our economy. Roger -----Original Message----- From: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu [mailto:ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu] On Behalf Of Gary Lear Sent: Monday, October 26, 2009 11:39 AM To: 'Charles Miller' Cc: ailist at lists.business.utah.edu Subject: Re: [Ailist] The Negative Influence of Positive Thinking- The Gurus,Coaches, and Consultants. Charles, Can you elaborate to the list about what you find "telling" about Czander's bio? Make a Great Day! Gary Lear, President & CEO Author of Leadership Lessons From the Medicine Wheel: The Seven Elements of High Performance Resource Development Systems LLC Managing the Human Side of Business (sm) gelear at rds-net.com www.ResourceDevelopmentSystems.com (c) 2009 permission denied to use this post in any other forum or in any way other than on the discussion list that it was originally posted. _______________________________________________ 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 _______________________________________________ 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 -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: americans.bmp Type: image/bmp Size: 1426794 bytes Desc: Windows bitmap URL: From lionel.boxer at rmit.edu.au Mon Oct 26 22:47:33 2009 From: lionel.boxer at rmit.edu.au (Lionel Boxer) Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:47:33 +1100 Subject: [Ailist] Persons have a basically positive direction - Carl Rogers Message-ID: <4AE71615020000AF0003A9BC@its-gw-inet57.its.rmit.edu.au> Yes. But what are they positive about and is their personal direction aligned with the organisation? That alignment is the issue. People are positive about their personal goals. So, incentives offered to employees by an organisation need to be crafted with that in mind as well as an employee's ability to manipulate the incentive system to reward themself and potentially harm the organisation or even break laws. Lionel Boxer CD PhD MBA BTech(IndEng) - 0411267256 Associate of RMIT University - lionel.boxer at rmit.edu.au Graduate School of Business my "Assessment of Quality Systems with Positioning Theory" now in a googe book - see link at http://intergon.net >>> "Sachin Chavan" 27/10/09 1:40 AM >>> In the background of the latest discussion on positive thinking, financial crisis etc, here's a passage from Carl Rogers' 'On Becoming a Person': 'There is one deep learning which is perhaps basic to all of the things I have said thus far. It has been forced upon me by more than twenty-five years of trying to be helpful to individuals in personal stress. It is simply this. It has been my experience that persons have a basically positive direction. In my deepest contact with individuals in therapy, even those whose troubles are most disturbing, whose behaviour has been most anti-social, whose feelings seem most abnormal, I find this to e true. When I can sensitively understand the feelings which they are expressing, when I am able to accept them as separate persons in their own right, then I find that they tend to move in certain directions. And what are these directions in which they tend to move? The words which I believe are most truly descriptive, are words such as positive, constructive, moving toward self-actualisation, growing toward maturity, growing toward socialisation, I have come to feel that the more fully the individual is understood and accepted, the more he tends to drop the false fronts with which he has been meeting life, and the more he tends to move in a direction which is forward. I would not want to be misunderstood on this. I do not have a Pollyanna view of human nature. I am quite aware that out of defensiveness and inner far individuals can do behave in ways which are incredibly cruel, horribly destructive, immature, regressive, anti-social, hurtful. Yet one of the most refreshing and invigorating parts of my experience is to work with such individuals and to discover the strongly positive directional tendencies which exist in them, as in all of us, at the deepest levels.' Chapter 1 "This is me". 'On Becoming a Person" - Carl Rogers, 1961. Regards Sachin _______________________________________________ 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 From crmiller at sonic.net Mon Oct 26 22:59:16 2009 From: crmiller at sonic.net (Charles Miller) Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2009 21:59:16 -0700 Subject: [Ailist] Your response Re: The Negative Influence of Positive Thinking- The Gurus, Coaches, and Consultants. In-Reply-To: <72CDCAFEA7E24C908D82FA6DA9477585@DHVG3VB1> References: <200910241900.n9OJ0Nq6022105@mail09.syd.optusnet.com.au><0337B8DA-A782-48D 4-A608-C74FE9F0098B@positivematrix.com> <825CD7EFA06E4336B6CD1A26152D0460@DHVG3VB1> <72CDCAFEA7E24C908D82FA6DA9477585@DHVG3VB1> Message-ID: Hi Gary, My original note was a response to the post that Robyn made. She is the one who quoted William Czander's article, "Self-interest/selfishness is good" with the snippet below, where he clearly attacks AI (loved by narcissistic CEO's and bankers). I agree with much of your criticism of what goes down in this country regarding corporate dysfunction and the challenges of our form of capitalism. I would even agree with his attack on positive thinking being used as a smoke screen for corporate misdeeds. I do object to his specific attack on Appreciative Inquiry and lumping it in with all the dross he covers. Please note the text of her original post. Best wishes, Charles FYI: Excerpted from the following article whose URL is pasted below.: ......"Believe it or not, there is another group, an offshoot of these positive/happiness/evangelical/Right-wing/Randians. This is a growing group of so-called organizational development consultants who preach a model of consulting based on positive thinking. They call it "appreciative inquiry" or "AI". Following the positive thinkers their approach focuses on what works, rather than trying to fix what doesn't work. It is the opposite of problem solving or critical thinking and rejects diagnosis. Narcissistic CEO's and bankers love "AI" because it never considers inadequacies, blame, or the need for remedial skills or practice. They preach a "you can do it if you just believe you can" attitude that claims if one builds on successes, strengths, and focuses on how to create more exceptional performance than one need not understand what is "broken" or dysfunctional.. " http://www.opednews.com/articles/2/The-Negative-Influence-of-by-william-czander-091020-724.html Kind regards, Robyn. >Charles, > >What about corporations that are employee owned? Let's talk about United >Airlines. Is that a great corporation because it is employee owned? (United >Breaks Guitars is just the most recent "in your face" yet humorous example of >really lousy service; and employee relations there are often questionable). > >Unfortunately those corporations that are exemplary are in the minority. In my >extensive research on what drives exceptional organizational performance, the >characterization that Czander espouses in his bio of corporate >America isn't all >that far off for most organizations. > >Corporations do exhibit behaviors that destroy commitment (hence, >the fact that >after a decade of being aware of employee engagement and its >positive impact on >organizational performance, the levels of employee engagement still haven't >improved). > >We do have executive decision making that from the outside does seem >questionable (just look at the past few years). Many of these questionable >decisions often resulted in financial losses for investors, stockholders, and >employees, while executives still made substantial financial gains, >leading many >to question their ethics and their greed. > >We do have some issues with what is being taught in most business schools and >the utter focus on "the bottom line." This leads to short-sighted decisions >that impact the numbers for the quarter, but can destroy the organization over >the next quarter of a century (my article in Sept/Oct issue of >Management World >Magazine talked about this). > >And we do have a huge issue with the systems that most publicly traded >organizations have to operate within. Roger Davies does a good job >of pointing >out some of these shortcomings in his recent post. Whether we need the >wholesale "radical transformation" that Czander is calling for is >another story. > > >BTW, Roger, I didn't see anywhere in his bio where he blames CEO's. If >anything, my take is that he blames the systems within which "executives" are >taught, trained, developed, promoted, and have to operate. He often uses the >word "executives" but in that bio he never used the term "CEO." > >Finally, given that most of his criticism of corporate life comes after it is >mentioned that he worked for Home Depot from 2002 to 2006, we could >surmise that >these comments are directly referenced to this experience. After all, these >were the Nardeli years at Home Depot, a time when he brought much needed >modernization to the organization, but almost destroyed the friendly, helpful >culture (perhaps another example of corporate American destroying commitment). > > >Now, I don't necessarily support what he shares in the previous >article that has >been discussed on here (actually, I found the article a bit of a rant, rather >unfocused and unsubstantiated, and a little politically biased; although I'm >sure that there were nuggets of truth here and there as there usually is in >anything), but I don't see a whole lot to take exception with in his >bio. Those >statements appear to be accurate, and I don't think that the bio reveals much >about his motivations for his article. > >What I find rather telling, or at least interesting, is the fact that this >person of questionable influence has been given so much time and >attention, and >why so many have chosen to take a defensive position in regard to his >statements. > >Make a Great Day! > >Gary Lear, President & CEO >Author of Leadership Lessons From the Medicine Wheel: The Seven >Elements of High >Performance > >Resource Development Systems LLC >Managing the Human Side of Business (sm) > >gelear at rds-net.com www.ResourceDevelopmentSystems.com > >(c) 2009 permission denied to use this post in any other forum or in any way >other than on the discussion list that it was originally posted. -- Charles R. Miller Consultant, Facilitator, Trainer 9308 Champs de Elysees Forestville, CA 95436 Phone - 707-887-0811 Cell - 707-540-2672 From mail at sachinchavan.com Mon Oct 26 23:39:21 2009 From: mail at sachinchavan.com (Sachin Chavan) Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2009 11:09:21 +0530 Subject: [Ailist] Persons have a basically positive direction -Carl Rogers - The Role of Confrontation In-Reply-To: <4AE71615020000AF0003A9BC@its-gw-inet57.its.rmit.edu.au> Message-ID: <9D19971B5E864CD6BB25A5387D9DBFC0@SachinNotebook> Lionel, the Personal Counselling approach expanded by Robert Carkhuff, from the Rogerian base has 'Confrontation' as one of the key attitudes of a counsellor. It is applicable to any helping relationships. When you see 'incongruence' in the counsellee (which can be anyone, if you are an OD consultant, it could even be the CEO of the client organisation), you bring it to her awareness... That is the definition of confrontation here. The incongruence (discrepancy) can be in many areas of the person (or the organisation): - Discrepancy between the person's insight and her behaviour - Discrepancy between what she is and what she wants to be - Discrepancy between her experience of herself and the way you (the counsellor/consultant) experiences her The purpose of confrontation is to reduce the ambiguity and incongruities in the person (or organisation). It aims at motivating growth by bringing her in touch with her real self, so gives up her illusions and commits herself to using her (inner) resources constructively. However, it is also important WHEN to use confrontation. It has to be used only after the counsellor has made the counsellee feel fully understood, respected and cared for, and after gauging her readiness to receive confrontation constructively. You function high in empathy, genuineness and respect as you use confrontation. I do not think the proponents of AI meant to ignore the discrepancies/incongruencies in the person/organisation... and not confront. For further interest, refer to Robert Carkhuff (Human Generativitist)'s 'Helping and Human Relations' and 'Science in the service of humankind'. Regards, Sachin -----Original Message----- From: Lionel Boxer [mailto:lionel.boxer at rmit.edu.au] Sent: 27 October 2009 10:18 AM To: ailist at lists.business.utah.edu; mail at sachinchavan.com Subject: Re: [Ailist] Persons have a basically positive direction -Carl Rogers Yes. But what are they positive about and is their personal direction aligned with the organisation? That alignment is the issue. People are positive about their personal goals. So, incentives offered to employees by an organisation need to be crafted with that in mind as well as an employee's ability to manipulate the incentive system to reward themself and potentially harm the organisation or even break laws. Lionel Boxer CD PhD MBA BTech(IndEng) - 0411267256 Associate of RMIT University - lionel.boxer at rmit.edu.au Graduate School of Business my "Assessment of Quality Systems with Positioning Theory" now in a googe book - see link at http://intergon.net >>> "Sachin Chavan" 27/10/09 1:40 AM >>> In the background of the latest discussion on positive thinking, financial crisis etc, here's a passage from Carl Rogers' 'On Becoming a Person': 'There is one deep learning which is perhaps basic to all of the things I have said thus far. It has been forced upon me by more than twenty-five years of trying to be helpful to individuals in personal stress. It is simply this. It has been my experience that persons have a basically positive direction. In my deepest contact with individuals in therapy, even those whose troubles are most disturbing, whose behaviour has been most anti-social, whose feelings seem most abnormal, I find this to e true. When I can sensitively understand the feelings which they are expressing, when I am able to accept them as separate persons in their own right, then I find that they tend to move in certain directions. And what are these directions in which they tend to move? The words which I believe are most truly descriptive, are words such as positive, constructive, moving toward self-actualisation, growing toward maturity, growing toward socialisation, I have come to feel that the more fully the individual is understood and accepted, the more he tends to drop the false fronts with which he has been meeting life, and the more he tends to move in a direction which is forward. I would not want to be misunderstood on this. I do not have a Pollyanna view of human nature. I am quite aware that out of defensiveness and inner far individuals can do behave in ways which are incredibly cruel, horribly destructive, immature, regressive, anti-social, hurtful. Yet one of the most refreshing and invigorating parts of my experience is to work with such individuals and to discover the strongly positive directional tendencies which exist in them, as in all of us, at the deepest levels.' Chapter 1 "This is me". 'On Becoming a Person" - Carl Rogers, 1961. Regards Sachin _______________________________________________ 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 From mail at sachinchavan.com Mon Oct 26 23:54:02 2009 From: mail at sachinchavan.com (Sachin Chavan) Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2009 11:24:02 +0530 Subject: [Ailist] The Negative Influence of Positive Thinking- The Gurus, Coaches, and Consultants. In-Reply-To: <4AE6FEC9020000AF0003A99B@its-gw-inet57.its.rmit.edu.au> Message-ID: <9F9DD8CE2BA54F08991F144CCFF3891D@SachinNotebook> The image reminded me of this TED video. In an much more empathetic way, African author sensation Chimamanda Achibie talks about 'The Dangers of a Single Story'... a topic all on this list would appreciate. http://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story.htm l Regards, Sachin Sachin Chavan 91-22-25308355 91-9820316390 www.sachinchavan.com -----Original Message----- From: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu [mailto:ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu] On Behalf Of Lionel Boxer Sent: 27 October 2009 08:38 AM To: discuss at rds-net.com; rdavies at rtpcompany.com; crmiller at sonic.net Cc: ailist at lists.business.utah.edu Subject: Re: [Ailist] The Negative Influence of Positive Thinking- The Gurus,Coaches, and Consultants. Having grown up in Canada I think many of the problems we face today have to do with how people in other parts of the world are reacting to the attached image. It is indeed an artifact that has arisen from the community (I am unsure of its source). It should be reflected on in appreciative way. Lionel Boxer CD PhD MBA BTech(IndEng) - 0411267256 Associate of RMIT University - lionel.boxer at rmit.edu.au Graduate School of Business my "Assessment of Quality Systems with Positioning Theory" now in a googe book - see link at http://intergon.net >>> "Roger Davies" 27/10/09 5:50 AM >>> Dear All, The article aside I think there is much truth to what he says in his bio. Corporate America is dogged by problems but it would be unfair to lay the responsibility directly upon its CEO's as they are as much victims as criminals. The root cause is a 'profit based economy'. A public company has to do better than it forecasts for its share price to rise and its investors to remain happy. When one corporation attributes success to a particular program there follows a call from investors to do the same at other corporations. The cult of Six Sigma and extent of questionable mortgage lending practices are fine examples. Of course this all leads to a few phenomena: 1) A fixation with bottom line profits 2) A mistaken belief that value and cost are opposite properties (a dehumanizing of the workforce) 3) A herd mentality that gives the illusion of rapid growth but catastrophic consequences of failure(boom & bust cycles) 4) An almost paranoid control mentality (stimulating standardization but crippling innovation) 4) A need to protect oneself against the effects of failure (large bonuses etc) The problems are exacerbated a few layers down where the golden parachutes don't exist. Of course this is where the future CEO's are groomed! It's equally unfair to blame positive thinking without blaming every new idea pointed at increasing corporate profits. There is a fundamental skeleton in the closet of the 'for profit' model of the developed world's economic model and it's putting on a gorilla suit. It would have been nice to see a piece from the author about how we might challenge and redefine our economy. Roger -----Original Message----- From: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu [mailto:ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu] On Behalf Of Gary Lear Sent: Monday, October 26, 2009 11:39 AM To: 'Charles Miller' Cc: ailist at lists.business.utah.edu Subject: Re: [Ailist] The Negative Influence of Positive Thinking- The Gurus,Coaches, and Consultants. Charles, Can you elaborate to the list about what you find "telling" about Czander's bio? Make a Great Day! Gary Lear, President & CEO Author of Leadership Lessons From the Medicine Wheel: The Seven Elements of High Performance Resource Development Systems LLC Managing the Human Side of Business (sm) gelear at rds-net.com www.ResourceDevelopmentSystems.com (c) 2009 permission denied to use this post in any other forum or in any way other than on the discussion list that it was originally posted. _______________________________________________ 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 _______________________________________________ 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 From marysue at earthlink.net Tue Oct 27 05:39:32 2009 From: marysue at earthlink.net (MarySue Foster) Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2009 06:39:32 -0500 Subject: [Ailist] Coming to Melbourne, AUS for Parliament of World's Religions. Will you be there? Message-ID: Hello, all. I will be in Melbourne, AUS for three weeks, beginning November 21, to attend the Parliament of World?s Religions which starts on December 9. Anyone from this list going? If so, I?d love to meet face to face. And, if you are familiar with Melbourne, I?d love to correspond off list about places to stay, places to see, etc. I?m going on a seminary student budget, so will be looking for a taste of Australia that won?t break the bank! MarySue Foster Founder Imagine-Nation Conference Imagine a world where every voice is heard . . . From rdavies at rtpcompany.com Tue Oct 27 07:22:21 2009 From: rdavies at rtpcompany.com (Roger Davies) Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2009 08:22:21 -0500 Subject: [Ailist] Persons have a basically positive direction - CarlRogers In-Reply-To: <4AE71615020000AF0003A9BC@its-gw-inet57.its.rmit.edu.au> References: <4AE71615020000AF0003A9BC@its-gw-inet57.its.rmit.edu.au> Message-ID: <41C6B1C6BF7B4A3AB18ED254BFFBCCCD@winona.rtpco.local> Hi Lionel, Maybe a little 'off topic' but after 15 years of management in industry I have a very strong feeling about incentives. They are a bad idea and insidiously undermine employee commitment and alignment. Why? Because they provide the temptation for one to make a morally incorrect choice for the benefit of individual gain (or realize individual gain from a choice they should have made anyway such as an 'attendance bonus'). There is a difference between incentive and reward. Rewards are good because they come after the act attracting them has been performed and the person receiving them was not aware that they would get a reward for acting the way that they did. Of course in all cases one must be consistent in their application. Ai is the perfect tool to generate alignment within an organization because alignment stems from compassion. If all members of the organization care about the work that they do and the well being of each other their performance, in any way that one cares to measure it, is exemplary. I have had the benefit of experiencing this and also the unfortunate of experience of seeing it significantly diminished by the application of the 'one size fits all' standardization so prevalent in public corporations. What baffles me is that those very organizations that spend extraordinary efforts on limiting individuality also desire innovation and wonder why it's so difficult to realize from their employees. Innovation requires freedom to think and act outside of the norm. Roger -----Original Message----- From: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu [mailto:ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu] On Behalf Of Lionel Boxer Sent: Monday, October 26, 2009 11:48 PM To: ailist at lists.business.utah.edu; mail at sachinchavan.com Subject: Re: [Ailist] Persons have a basically positive direction - CarlRogers Yes. But what are they positive about and is their personal direction aligned with the organisation? That alignment is the issue. People are positive about their personal goals. So, incentives offered to employees by an organisation need to be crafted with that in mind as well as an employee's ability to manipulate the incentive system to reward themself and potentially harm the organisation or even break laws. Lionel Boxer CD PhD MBA BTech(IndEng) - 0411267256 Associate of RMIT University - lionel.boxer at rmit.edu.au Graduate School of Business my "Assessment of Quality Systems with Positioning Theory" now in a googe book - see link at http://intergon.net >>> "Sachin Chavan" 27/10/09 1:40 AM >>> In the background of the latest discussion on positive thinking, financial crisis etc, here's a passage from Carl Rogers' 'On Becoming a Person': 'There is one deep learning which is perhaps basic to all of the things I have said thus far. It has been forced upon me by more than twenty-five years of trying to be helpful to individuals in personal stress. It is simply this. It has been my experience that persons have a basically positive direction. In my deepest contact with individuals in therapy, even those whose troubles are most disturbing, whose behaviour has been most anti-social, whose feelings seem most abnormal, I find this to e true. When I can sensitively understand the feelings which they are expressing, when I am able to accept them as separate persons in their own right, then I find that they tend to move in certain directions. And what are these directions in which they tend to move? The words which I believe are most truly descriptive, are words such as positive, constructive, moving toward self-actualisation, growing toward maturity, growing toward socialisation, I have come to feel that the more fully the individual is understood and accepted, the more he tends to drop the false fronts with which he has been meeting life, and the more he tends to move in a direction which is forward. I would not want to be misunderstood on this. I do not have a Pollyanna view of human nature. I am quite aware that out of defensiveness and inner far individuals can do behave in ways which are incredibly cruel, horribly destructive, immature, regressive, anti-social, hurtful. Yet one of the most refreshing and invigorating parts of my experience is to work with such individuals and to discover the strongly positive directional tendencies which exist in them, as in all of us, at the deepest levels.' Chapter 1 "This is me". 'On Becoming a Person" - Carl Rogers, 1961. Regards Sachin _______________________________________________ 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 _______________________________________________ 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 From rdavies at rtpcompany.com Tue Oct 27 07:37:41 2009 From: rdavies at rtpcompany.com (Roger Davies) Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2009 08:37:41 -0500 Subject: [Ailist] The Negative Influence of Positive Thinking- The Gurus, Coaches, and Consultants. In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <5B5411F4EF3A43DD800D348881330A49@winona.rtpco.local> We should also look upon (and hopefully do so) the fact that a limited number of negative issues is a healthy and therefore in itself a positive thing. Something that is also supported by research. They give us the opportunity to demonstrate that we can react to them in a constructive way. It is not the presence of the negative that holds us back. It is how we deal with it. How often does an organization implement a policy that is detrimental to everyone due to the actions of a few instead of just dealing with the few? Negative items dealt with constructively are an essential part of life and create an even greater bond between members of an organization. 'Fair seas never made good sailors' is a phrase that comes to mind. In that respect, despite the many flaws in Czander's article the basic truth that it is folly to ignore the negative or deal with it in a perfunctory manner is correct. But I think that just about every reader of this list already knows that. Roger -----Original Message----- From: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu [mailto:ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu] On Behalf Of Gary Lear Sent: Monday, October 26, 2009 7:36 PM To: 'MarySue Foster'; 'AIList' Subject: Re: [Ailist] The Negative Influence of Positive Thinking- The Gurus,Coaches, and Consultants. MarySue, Sure there are many positive things about all sorts of organizations, even the mediocre and the horrible. But does that mean that the negative issues that are pointed out in Czander's bio don't exist or don't need to be dealt with? One thing to consider is the impact that these negative issues have on the work environment for most organizations. Bob Sutton, a renowned researcher, professor, author, and one of the founders of evidence-based management, shared in an article that there are huge impacts from the negative, and to totally ignore those negative things is a huge mistake. (He referenced this article which is worth reading: http://www.csom.umn.edu/Assets/71516.pdf.) So, taking a more balanced view (rather than one-sided from either side), perhaps we do have to deal with those negative issues that are going to get in the way of our ability to move forward in a more positive fashion. I proffer that in some cases we will have to eliminate those negative things first before we do move forward in that positive fashion, as the negative impacts will prohibit our ability to make any progress otherwise. While taking a more positive approach is usually preferable, to ignore the severely negative would be folly, in my opinion. Make a Great Day! Gary Lear, President & CEO Author of Leadership Lessons From the Medicine Wheel: The Seven Elements of High Performance Resource Development Systems LLC Managing the Human Side of Business (sm) gelear at rds-net.com www.ResourceDevelopmentSystems.com (c) 2009 permission denied to use this post in any other forum or in any way other than on the discussion list that it was originally posted. _______________________________________________ The Appreciative Inquiry Discussion List is hosted by the David Eccles School of Business at the University of