Opening New Possibilities
February 21, 2007 at 9:13 pm (activism, appreciative Inquiry, communication, community, creative visualisation, creativity, education, inspiration, inspirational, leadership, life coaching, spiritual, spiritual journey, spirituality, transformation)
I heard this last night in my book club discussion of the Left Hand of God. We were discussing hope vs fear. “When I look at changing the world in any meaningful way, like reducing carbon emissions or impacting corporate greed, I don’t see how I can change it.” And then this occurred to me. You can’t change it. But we can. The problems we face at this time are too large for individual thoughts, plans, or actions to make a difference. It will take large groups of us moving in alignment. Buying and living and voting in alignment.
With Appreciative Inquiry, a plan of action emerges from a large group. This is unique, in that most action plans are the result of leaders, managers, or prominent people deciding on a plan and then trying to persuade or force others to comply. Appreciative Inquiry create a synergy- the combined thoughts and experiences and energies of many people that are greater than each individual.
Here is a great articulation of this difference:
“AI is intentional inquiry and directed conversation and story-telling that leads to a place of possibility. Possibility is fresh, new, and sacred. The story is the genesis of all that is human. Societies are stories, as are companies, schools, cities, families and individuals. There are bricks and mortar and flesh and bones, but all of it comes from a story. Even the flesh and bones of one person comes from a story of two people uniting to form another.
I can think of a many moments where groups reached a profound spot with AI and touched a sense of freedom. Usually one person would say something like, “From what we heard in these stories, we could_…” and there follows a collective deep breath and then silence as people consider the new “we could”. Possibility sits in the room as a space of silence and then thought fills the space. Where does the thought that enters at that time, which has a feeling of vitality and newness, come from?
It does not come from the person who spoke because that person would not have developed that thought without the conversations that led to synapses firing in a certain way. The thought is not merely a product of the collective because an individual must form the thought. The thought comes out of relationship, conversation, and newly created images. This “thing called AI” is one of the finest ways to experience the power of language and to hone our skills with words, ideas, and stories. There are times when the possibility is so stunning the group has to sit in silence if just for a couple ticks before saying, “well, yes, maybe, why not, let’s do it.” There must be a gap that arises in the field of the known to entertain the unbridled possibility of novelty. There is a break in the routine story and supporting conversations so something new can creep in. This is the opening where novelty can arise. With no gap, we only have the billiard ball predictability of continuity. The openness to new ideas is not coerced. People don’t have to force each other to listen to other’s ideas and possibilities: minds are opened because the nature of the stories are so compelling and energetic.”
Steinbach, John. Contribution to the AI Listserve, July 2005
Do you see how action plans that emerge from a whole group have unique possibilities?
whig said,
February 21, 2007 at 11:26 pm
Yes, you have it precisely, and presented it far more beautifully than I could have. Indeed, it is as if we share a mind, for we do
Thanks. It is an awesome process.
in2l said,
February 21, 2007 at 11:28 pm
This is my experience as well. Call it what you will (from my realm of existence), “visioning”, “strategic planning”, “change management”, “business process improvement” - the most enjoyable, most effective, real results generating efforts have been in large groups of diverse people with little or no pre-concieved notion of what is the “right answer”. Kick out the bosses, or the leader and let the doers dream a bit and you get fantastic, unexpected results!
And the wonderful thing is that these people (the participants/doers) who are expected to execute the vision already own the vision, have passion for it, and want it to work!
Yeah, that is the beauty of it! We will work full out when the dream is our own.
whig said,
February 21, 2007 at 11:30 pm
Have you made much bread?
Actually, I know in2l in real life. He is in corporate management and gets paid really well. But he isn’t very skilled in making bread…that takes a culinary fanatic like myself!
Greenwoman said,
February 22, 2007 at 4:05 am
NH, What a lovely post! Everything about it struck me. The collective memories I have of experiencing this process in action in a community setting and watching the miracles unfold as it impacted us so beautifully….the imagery you choose, effecting my emotions…I really do enjoy your blog…and you are right. This post and mine seen to merge in a way that makes sense. I’m glad that you chose to also join your prayers with mine. I hope you’ll stop by again. *smiles* I certainly will!
I just added you to my blogroll. Maybe you can post about your experience with AI- I would enjoy that. The magic of blogland is how all of us who have similar desires, and small local interest gruops, can now hook up. It’s an exhilarating feeling to realise that a caring, compassionate, and earthcentric consciousness is popping up around the globe.
whig said,
February 22, 2007 at 6:36 am
Actually, I was addressing my question to you, not in2l. I expected it could be interpreted several ways, and am glad to know you have done some baking. Did you find your own leaven?
Oh, sorry! No- do you find your own leaven? I’ve never explored that before. Would like to know more.
knightofswords said,
February 22, 2007 at 11:44 pm
Some people feel hopeless when they read headlines about the world’s current issues whether it’s global warming or even the poverty in their own hometown. Yet, staring at lists of global issues is just as self-defeating as staring as lists of personal issues and runs completely counter to the intent of AI. For a group to find success in creating a positive impact, they must consider what’s right with the world instead of making lists of what’s wrong with the world. As long as people think there’s more wrong than right, they will be forever lost in self-fulfilling prophecy.
It is true that seeing only the negativity in life is defeating. But so is seeing only the positive. An interesting study presented in my AI group was on the ratio of positive to negative comments made. A 4 positive to 1 negative ratio is a healthy dynamic. If it gets as low as 1 to 1, the group is in trouble. A marriage with this ratio is in peril of divorce. But if the ratio gets up to 11 to 1, the group or marriage is also dangerously unhealthy, and in jeapardy of divorce or dissolution. Because if you get too airy, nothing can function. So, it is healthy to be mostly positive but you have to keep it real, too.
whig said,
February 23, 2007 at 12:15 am
Yes, thousands of years ago before we had microscopes to look at yeast, it must have seemed miraculous to set out little pots of flour and water and find them bubbling with life in the morning, like manna from heaven.
Cool!
Grace said,
February 23, 2007 at 12:21 am
The thing I love about large action groups is that they usually begin with a single person who’s heart intention and passion is to make a positive difference. That one person is linked to another, and then another and another - like chains….or stitches, maybe!
I just thought of one of Dragonmommie’s creations where the ‘whole’ is the sum of each part. We can be so much more effective when joined together. Thank you for the wonderful encouragement!
Thank you for your interest and what you bring to the conversation.
in2l said,
February 23, 2007 at 4:20 am
When this conversation started I began to realize how much negative input I was receiving from the media each and every day. Granted it was self-inflicted - I could always turn it off.
So I thought to look up sources of positive news and found like only a few online “good” news sources. Even those have to rely on not-negative but not necessarily positive news to fill up that day’s page. These sites cull news stories from the main stream media sources, so of course they have little to choose from.
I think this will be limited until someone invests in a news gathering organization whose task is to go and report on good things happening in the world. We could call it the A.I. Times Picayune or some such!
In the mean time, I think one of the best places for more positive input are blogs like this one and some of the others I have been visiting from NH’s blogroll! It feeds the soul some healthier fare!
rosalynclare said,
March 6, 2007 at 4:50 am
I LOVE the photos, real serene feel about them all.
Antonios said,
May 5, 2007 at 4:32 pm
Cool!
Rudi Cahyono said,
May 8, 2007 at 9:45 pm
the great lunch for realizing my dream is when it is done with lovely parters, sweety boy/girl friends. but sometimes, we don’t get friend/partner like what ia want
Rudi Cahyono said,
May 8, 2007 at 9:55 pm
do something that take you to your dream! Do it here, now, and little bigining.
Panagiotis said,
May 17, 2007 at 5:52 pm
Nice
Nic Paton said,
May 29, 2007 at 1:21 pm
NH
I’m intruiged/concerned by the silence. For one so full of ideas, it is really loud.
Hope you are well…
Cosmo said,
June 8, 2007 at 2:06 pm
Cool!
Dionysios said,
June 10, 2007 at 3:06 pm
Cool…
Paulos said,
June 11, 2007 at 4:49 pm
Nice…
Periklis said,
June 15, 2007 at 7:32 am
Nice
Moris said,
July 9, 2007 at 5:41 pm
Cool!
Othon said,
July 9, 2007 at 6:12 pm
Nice…
Leontios said,
July 10, 2007 at 3:28 pm
Nice
Dino said,
July 16, 2007 at 8:57 pm
Nice!
Iason said,
January 12, 2008 at 12:21 am
Nice…
Efstathios said,
January 22, 2008 at 5:35 am
Nice
Ignatios said,
January 22, 2008 at 3:14 pm
Nice
Georghios said,
January 22, 2008 at 11:52 pm
Nice!
Myron said,
January 27, 2008 at 5:29 am
Cool.