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National Smart Start Conference 2013

National Smart Start Conference 2013. Diana Whitney PhD Appreciative Leadership: Focus on What Works to Build a Thriving Organization. “Every generation needs a new revolution.”. Thomas Jefferson “Every organization needs a positive revolution.” .

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National Smart Start Conference 2013

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  1. National Smart Start Conference 2013 Diana Whitney PhD Appreciative Leadership: Focus on What Works to Build a Thriving Organization

  2. “Every generation needs a new revolution.” Thomas Jefferson “Every organization needs a positive revolution.” Diana Whitney www.positivechange.org

  3. Leadership at the Nexus of Three Innovative Fields Diana Whitney www.positivechange.org

  4. What is Appreciative Inquiry (AI)? Diana Whitney www.positivechange.org

  5. The Case of PROCARE 79% Customer Satisfaction • Desire to improve. • Focus groups with dissatisfied customers – only. • Shared the information/results. • The bottom drops out. • Employee Satisfaction declined • Quality dropped • Customer Satisfaction declined Diana Whitney www.positivechange.org

  6. Appreciative Inquiry Approach Inquiry into “Root Cause of Success” Outstanding Customer Service • Interviews with satisfied and dissatisfied customers. • “Best in Class” benchmarking. • Shared information/results. • 8 months • 95% Customer Satisfaction • Employee Satisfaction increased as did quality Diana Whitney www.positivechange.org

  7. Appreciative Inquiry is... • A philosophy of human organization and change. • A high engagement process for positive change. • A positive, strengths based approach to leadership. The study of what gives life to people, teams and organizations when they are at their best. Diana Whitney www.positivechange.org

  8. Inquiry is the Intervention • The questions we ask are fateful. • They determine what we find. • They create the world as we know it. Diana Whitney www.positivechange.org

  9. Stress in the Workplace Joyful Productivity Words Create Worlds Diana Whitney www.positivechange.org

  10. Appreciative Inquiry 4-D Process Discovery Study the best of what is. Select Your Affirmative Topic Strategic focus Destiny Organize for action. Dream Envision what might be. Positive Core Design Decide what will be. Diana Whitney www.positivechange.org

  11. Examples: Appreciative Inquiry in Action • United Religions Initiative • GTE/Verizon • Hunter Douglas Window Fashions Division • British Airways • US Navy • Sisters of Good Shepherd • Lovelace Health System • UVA Health System • Global Interfaith Organization • Union Management Relations • Culture Transformation & Strategic Planning • Customer Satisfaction • Leadership Development • LT Planning & Direction Setting • Nurse Morale and Retention • Inter-professional Collaboration Diana Whitney www.positivechange.org

  12. Leaders of Successful Appreciative Inquiry Initiatives Willing to dialogue with other members of their organization or community to create a better way. Care about people. Often describe the work of their business as helping people learn, grow, and have a better life. Truly believe in the power of the positive: attitudes, emotions, recognition, intention and strengths. Willing to learn and change in the process. Diana Whitney www.positivechange.org

  13. Appreciative Leadership Appreciative Leadership is the relational capacity to mobilize creative potential and turn it into positive power. It sets in motion ripples of confidence, energy, enthusiasm and performance – that make a positive difference in the world. Diana Whitney www.positivechange.org

  14. Five Strategies to Focus on What Works Diana Whitney www.positivechange.org

  15. 1 - The Wisdom of Inquiry Leadership by Asking Positively Powerful Questions “Tell me about the river that connects you.” Diana Whitney www.positivechange.org

  16. Positively Powerful Questions Focus upon what you VALUE… And what you WANT MORE OF… Diana Whitney www.positivechange.org

  17. We want more: Collaboration Across Sectors • Select a partner. • Ask: • Recall an experience of Successful Collaboration Across Sectors. It may have been among policy makers and service providers, parents and teachers, within your agency, one school or a whole community. • What was the situation? Tell me about it. • Who was involved and how did they contribute to the success of this collaboration across sectors? • What are all the things that made collaboration across sectors work well in this situation? • Change roles and repeat. • Time: 4 minutes each x2 = 8 minutes total. Diana Whitney www.positivechange.org

  18. 2 - The Genius of Inclusion Leadership by Engaging With People “Don’t talk about me without me.” Diana Whitney www.positivechange.org

  19. All the People Who’s Future it is. • Idaho State Department of Education • AI Summit – 250 People • Focus: Educational Services for Students who are Deaf and Blind • Sub-Text: Should we close the school? • Who would you invite? Diana Whitney www.positivechange.org

  20. Who Would You Invite? • Teachers • School Administrators • Students – Blind and Deaf • Adults – Blind and Deaf • Governor’s Office • Advocacy Groups • Educators at all Levels • Other States FacingSimilar Issues • Parents • Family Members • Community Members • Local Board of Education • State Dept. of Education • State Legislators • Sign Interpreters • Guide Dogs • The Public • Others? Diana Whitney www.positivechange.org

  21. High Engagement AI Summit Diana Whitney www.positivechange.org

  22. Outcomes Consensus Decision to Keep the School Set of Agreed Upon Recommendations to the State Department of Education Acceptance and Budgeting of the Recommendations by the State Legislature Significantly Strengthened Relationships Greater Parental Involvement Improved Services Diana Whitney www.positivechange.org

  23. 3 - The Art of Illumination Leadership by Bringing Out the Best of People and Situations. We are made and imagined in the eyes of each other. Diana Whitney www.positivechange.org

  24. Peter Drucker, Management Guru “The task of leadership is to create an alignment of strengths, toward a goal, in such a way that weaknesses become irrelevant.” Diana Whitney www.positivechange.org

  25. Strengths “Near perfect performance in an activity.” • Feel easy. • Increase excellence, success, productivity. • Provide a sense of joy, flow, energy, and fulfillment.  Now, Discover Your Strengths Buckingham and Clifton Diana Whitney www.positivechange.org

  26. Excellent Performers Diana Whitney www.positivechange.org • Are rarely well-rounded. • They capitalize on their strengths. • They minimize their weaknesses. • Only 20% of people say they get to use their strengths on a daily basis. • Each person’s greatest room for growth is in his or her areas of greatest strengths. Now, Discover Your Strengths Buckingham and Clifton

  27. Strengths Spotting Diana Whitney www.positivechange.org

  28. Strengths Spotting Questions • Tell me about a recent success, something you’ve done in the past few weeks or months that gave you great satisfaction and pride. • What did you do? • What else did you do? • What gave you the idea to do this? • Who else was involved and how did you relate to them? • Tell me more about what you did to make this a success. • Based upon your story, I sense that some of your strengths are… Diana Whitney www.positivechange.org

  29. Strengths Spotting – Try it Now Select a partner – “ an improbable partner.” Ask your partner to tell you a success story. Listen to discover your partner’s strengths. Reflect 4 - 6 strengths you hear back to your partner. Reverse Roles Time: 4 minutes each x 2 = 8 minutes total Diana Whitney www.positivechange.org

  30. 4 - The Courage of Inspiration Leadership by Awakening the Creative Spirit People flourish in the presence of positivity. Diana Whitney www.positivechange.org

  31. The Birth of Positive Psychology • Prof. M. Seligman, President, APA, 1996 • Author: Learned Optimism;Authentic Happiness: Flourish • He asked a provocative question: • What has the field of psychology studied? • Findings for 30 years of research: • 45,000 studies on depression, illness • 300 studies on joy, hope, happiness Diana Whitney www.positivechange.org

  32. Research into Positive Emotions • Dr. Barbara Fredrickson • Author: Positivity and Love 2.0 • University of North Carolina • “Broaden and Build Theory” • Broaden Attention and Thinking • Undo Lingering Negative Emotional Arousal • Build Resiliency for Change. Diana Whitney www.positivechange.org

  33. More of Fredrickson’s ResearchPositive Emotions & Performance Joy……….……...play, imagination, experimentation Innovation Interest…...involvement, investigate, explore New Knowledge Optimism.....opportunity, confidence, persevere Achievement Contentment...savor, integrate complex ideas Deeper Insight Love……………..….……….………………connect, relate Cooperation Diana Whitney www.positivechange.org

  34. Positivity Ratio Diana Whitney www.positivechange.org “People flourish in the presence of positive emotions and positive communication.” The Healthy Range is 4+ : 1- ------------- 11+ : 1- MarcialLosada, Chile Successful Teams 5+:1- John and Julie Gottman, Seattle, WA Long Term Successful Marriages 5+:1-

  35. A Tale of Two Wolves Diana Whitney www.positivechange.org

  36. Try this experiment:Appreciation Buddies • Select a Buddy. • Short weekly call. • One purpose: To give specific appreciation to each other. • Commit to 4 - 6 weeks. • Email Diana what happens after 4 weeks! Diana Whitney www.positivechange.org

  37. 5 - The Path of Integrity Diana Whitney www.positivechange.org Leadership by Making Choices for the Good of the Whole Integrity = Integral = Wholeness = Healing = Holy = Sacred

  38. Leadership as a Sacred Trust “To be on the Path of Integrity is to be moving, growing and evolving toward wholeness; and to be supporting and enabling others to do the same.” Diana Whitney www.positivechange.org

  39. Diana Whitney www.positivechange.org “Make a career of humanity…You will make a greater person of yourself, a greater nation of your country, and a finer world to live in.” Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

  40. Remember: One Guiding Principle “Take care of yourself, so you can take care of others.” Diana Whitney www.positivechange.org

  41. Five Strategies to Focus on What Works Diana Whitney www.positivechange.org Inquiry: Ask Positively Powerful Questions. Inclusion: Invite Improbable Participation. Illumination: Be a Strengths Spotter. Inspiration: Maintain a 5/1 Positivity Ratio. Integrity: Attend to Wholeness – Your Own and Others’.

  42. For More Information Diana Whitney, Ph.D. diana@positivechange.org Corporation for Positive Change www.positivechange.org Appreciative Inquiry Consulting Workshops/Training Appreciative Leadership Development Keynote Speaking Coaching Diana Whitney www.positivechange.org

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