developing high performance teams through appreciative ......developing high performance teams nics...

Developing High Performance Teams

Through Appreciative Inquiry:

A Strength-Based Approach to Change

Sarah Malone, PhD

The AldonMalone Group Ltd

Carman Weathington, MS

LEARN Charter Schools Network

NICS Statewide Charter School Conference, May 2011

Today’s Objectives

Introduce you to Appreciative Inquiry (AI) a strength-based

approach to change

– Basic assumptions and key concepts

– Framework shift from problem solving to appreciative

solutions

Apply the AI methodology to developing high performance

teams

Developing High Performance Teams


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Appreciative Inquiry

Definitions:

Ap-pre’ci-ate, v., 1) Valuing – recognizing the best in the people

and the world around us 2) Affirming – acknowledging past and

present strengths, successes, potentials 3) Perceiving – being

aware of those things that give life to living systems.

In-quire, v., 1) The act of exploration and discovery. 2) To ask

questions, and, 3) To be open to seeing new potentials and

possibilities.

NICS Statewide Charter School Conference, May 2011 3

APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY

What is it? Strength-based approach to performance, learning and change

– a powerful process of engagement, collaborative discovery &

co-creation that ignites positive energy for change.

AI is frame of mind —a philosophy grounded in recognizing &

building upon the best in & what ―gives life‖ to organizations,

communities, teams and individuals when they are most alive,

most effective & most constructively capable.



Guiding Principles

Constructionist Principle: We construct reality in the direction of images we

create. We see the world we describe.

Anticipatory Principle: Our image of the future determines what we will find.

Helotropic Principle: We seek out and embrace the life-giving forces in

ourselves, organizations and communities.

Positive Principle: Positive questions move us toward more powerful and

deeper change.

Simultaneity Principle: Asking the question begins the change process.

Poetic Principle: There are no boundaries to what we can inquire, imagine,

learn; there are many understandings and conclusions.



Key Assumptions In every society, organization, group, something works.

We must seek positive, life-giving force in ourselves and our

organizations. What we focus on becomes our reality.

People have more confidence to journey to the future when they carry

forward the best parts of the past.

The language we use creates our reality. There are multiple realities.

Asking the question begins the change process.


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5-D Model

Design

Determine “what

should be” The ideal

Co-constructing

Define

&

Plan


HIGH PERFORMANCE TEAM

Dream

Imagine “what could be”

Our vision of the future

Results

Deliver

“Create what will be”

Empower, learn, improvise

Renew

Discover

What gives Life-best

of past & present

Appreciating

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Conversation with Partner

Remember a situation you participated in where

the team was working as a high performance

team.

– What is it about this experience that caused you to define the

team as a high performance team? What made this level of

team performance possible (characteristics, skills,

attributes, talents, assets, strengths)?

Turn to the person next to you. Share your story

with your partner...tell your story.


Two Approaches to Change

Problem Solving Approach

• Asks: “What are the problems here?” • Focuses on: Root cause of the problems,

deficiencies, what’s (who’s) wrong, what’s broken, what (who) isn’t working. Seeks “fixes” to problems (people). A traditional approach to initiating and managing change.

Appreciative Approach

• Asks: “What works well here?” What is this

organization like when it is at its best?” “What are we like when we are at our best?”

• Focuses on: Root cause of successes, peak

experiences, best practices, life giving/life enriching forces.



The Art of the Question

Problem Solving (Deficit-Based)

Appreciative Inquiry (Strength-Based)

What is your problem?

What are the possibilities that

we may not have considered?

Why don’t they take care of this?

What small change can I make to

bring about a bigger impact?

Where do we feel stuck?

What is our intent? What is the

impact / benefit of co-creating

the desired future?



The Art of the Question

Problem Solving (Deficit-Based)

Appreciative Inquiry (Strength-Based)

What’s effective?

What’s exceptional /

extraordinary?

What’s wrong with us?

Who are we when we are at

our best?

How do I prove I’m right?

What are my assumptions? What

are other ways to think about this?

NICS Statewide Charter School 2011 Conference 11

Words Create Worlds

“. . . it is through language that we create the world,

because it’s nothing until we describe it. And when we

describe it, we create distinctions that govern our

actions.

To put it another way, we do not describe the world we

see, but we see the world we describe.”

- Joseph Jaworski



Conversation with Small Group

Form a group with another pair. Share and discuss your partner’s examples with your group.

―Focus on and identify the core factor common

themes (characteristics, skills, attributes,

talents, assets, strengths).



The Positive

Core



Conversation with Small Group

Imagine you wake up tomorrow and the team was

working together as a high performance team—

working at its inspired best. How would you know?

What would you see, hear, feel?

―Share your vision of this high performance team

with your group.

―What are the common themes?


Appreciative Inquiry Creating High Performance Teams

What needs to be in place

to make your vision of a high

performance team a reality

all of the time?


Characteristics of

High Performance Teams


Shared Purpose Shared Vision & Values

Reflection

Norms

Empowering

Continuous Learning

& Shared

Renewal

Leadership

Change

Clear

Orientation

Shared Goals

Systems

Clear Roles

Thinking

Responsibilities

Authentic

Supportive

Elevating

Transcends Differences

Empowering

Communication

Relationships

Processes

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Which Path?


Developing

High

Performance

Teams


• Organizational change

• Culture transformation

• Performance management

• Leadership development

• Strategic planning

• New product development

• Coaching

• Customer / partner relationships

• Staff development

• Labor-management relations

• High performance teams

• Program evaluation

• Counseling

• Managing Differences

• Board Development

• Curriculum Design

• Mergers / Acquisitions

• Community capacity building

Application

Application



Benefits Creates shared vision and co-creates reality

Builds and strengthens relationships

Uncovers common ground

Energizes inspired action

Moves from visonless to visionful voice

Fosters collaboration

Awakens creativity, energy & positivity

Generates renewed commitment and ownership

Engages heads, hands and hearts

Is iterative


High Performance Teams

“The future is not some place

we are going to, but one we

are creating. The paths to it

are not found but made.”

~John Schaar


REFLECTION

◊ What inspired you?

◊ What surprised you?

◊ How would AI benefit your school / your team?

NICS Statewide Charter School 2011 Conference

Thank You Sarah and Carman

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Contact

The AldonMalone Group, Ltd.

Sarah Malone, President

5250 N. Broadway, #143

Chicago, IL 60640

(773) 334-3456

[email protected]

http://katz-ims.com/team/AMG.html

23 NICS Statewide Charter School 2011 Conference

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