Just before the 2012 World Appreciative Inquiry Conference (WAIC) in Ghent, Belgium, co-organizer Philippe Belien mentioned he believed the gathering would generate “a lot and enough.” During the event, Dr. Ron Fry and Dr. Gervase Bushe delivered a provocative presentation on moving beyond positivity. One of their key points was that Appreciative Inquiry always sets people in motion, generating new, voluntary activity. So what’s emerging as a result of and through the connections made during WAIC? We’d love to hear; please share via Twitter, Facebook or e-mail. And we’ll spread the word even further.

We received this e-mail from Joeri Kabalt, presenter at the conference. She provided us a beautiful list of interesting literature around the different keynotes we couldn’t keep a secret for you.

“Dear Colleagues,

What a great conference! During the conference and especially during and after the keynotes, I have talked with some of you about articles written or mentioned by the keynotes. And promised to send some of them to you. 

So for those of you who are inspired by the conference and interested in doing some extra reading, I have some reading suggestions. I have enclosed several of my favourite articles. Most of them are articles from scientific journals, so it’s ‘academic stuff’… AI & Social Constructionism:

• This is quite a nice little article from the AI practitioner, ‘back to basics’ by Dian Marie Hosking and Sheila McNamee, which describes the basic assumptions of Social Constructionism and how these inform AI theory and AI practices (http://www.relational-constructionism.org/media/back%20to%20basics.pdf). 

Keynote David Cooperrider:

• You’re probably familiar with David Cooperrider’s more practical work (AI Handbook and such). I find it helpful to look at his early work as well; this is a chapter from 1990 where he talks in depth about positive imagery (http://appreciativeinquiry.case.edu/intro/classicsDetail.cfm?coid=647).
• If you really want to go back to basics, take a look at this chapter by David Cooperrider and Suresh Srivasta from 1987 introducing AI as a new form of action research. Note that ‘appreciation’ is only one of the four original principles of AI. (http://www.margiehartley.com/home/wp-content/uploads/file/APPRECIATIVE_INQUIRY_IN_Orgnizational_life.pdf).
• This is a chapter by David Cooperrider, James Ludema & Frank Barrett from the Handbook of Action Research that I use quite often. It is a case description of a project they did with an international NGO and mainly focuses on how AI can help to move from deficit vocabularies to vocabularies of hope and opportunities. Download Here.

Keynote Diana Whitney:

• Her book ‘The Power of Appreciative Inquiry’ is quite helpful, pretty practical as well.

Keynote Ken Gergen:

• As was mentioned several times during the conference, Ken Gergen has written so many books and articles, it’s hard to choose from them. If you’re interested in Social constructionism, you couldread ‘An invitation to social construction’ by Ken Gergen. Quite readable if you’re not into philosophy of science as well . 
• Another nice article is: ‘Toward a vocabulary of transformative dialogue’ by Ken Gergen, Sheila McNamee & Frank Barrett. I really like this article, because the authors attempt to translate the philosophical ideas of social constructionism to a set of practices an end with AI as a promising way to put these to work. Download Here.

Keynote Gervase Bushe & Ron Fry:

• A meta-case analysis by Gervase Bushe that shows when AI is in fact as transformational as it is promised to be. (http://appreciativeinquiry.case.edu/intro/classicsDetail.cfm?coid=5218).
• An article by Gervase bushe ‘AI is not (just) about the positive’ that puts forward his notion of AI as a generative process (http://media.angelfire.lycos.com/3050014/1612291.pdf).
• ‘Appreciative Inquiry as a shadow process’ by Fitzgerald et al. mentioned by Gervase Bushe and Ron Fry in their keynote. Download Here.
• They mentioned Frank Barrett’s work on the improvisational aspect of change processes as well. He makes an interestingcomparison with jazz improvisation. (http://www.taosinstitute.net/Websites/taos/Images/ResourcesManuscripts/Barrett2.pdf.)

A website where you can find loads of articles, but also tools, movies etc is the AI commons site (http://appreciativeinquiry.case.edu/). On the website of the Taos Institute (http://www.taosinstitute.net/) you can find more information and books and articles of scholars that work with AI and Social Constructionism (almost all the authors mentioned above are founders, board members or otherwise connected to the Taos Institute). 

Hope there’s one or two of them in there that are interesting for you!”

Via the #2012waic app:

1. Open your app
2. Go to ‘My Waic’ screen and press ‘refresh’ button in upper right corner
3. Go back to the main menu
4. Open the session you would like to see the slides via the ‘program’ menu
5. In the upper right corner you’ll see the ‘Documents’ button (see also image)
6. Click on the button to go to the available documents.

Via your Webbrowser:

1. Open your Webbrowser
2. Surf to http://www.slideshare.net/2012waic
3. Find the powerpoint you need to view it
4. If you like to download it (only in pdf), click the download button

About Generative Power, Listening and Status

But the work isn’t done.That same strength of respecting the voice of the people “as the voice of God” that has brought about change in the past must be reconsidered to find a new way forward yet again.

Deliberative democracy may be part of the answer. E-democracy is a likely part of the ecology. Local communities are one of the core strengths to be turned to in creating new paradigms of freedom.

The political sphere is filled with the dialogue of gridlock. Communities are crying foul. Jigging voter systems is an increasing trend.

Given these realities, David Cooperrider, Case Western Reserve University’s internationally renowned organizational behaviour professor and founding thought leader of the Appreciative Inquiry (AI) movement, suggests we need new imaginations around the next phase of democracy.

He proposes the strengths-based, AI approach might offer some clues to a way forward.

“From our small experiments with whole cities, what have we learned that might help give birth to something beyond deliberative democracy or dialogical democracy?”

What about what might be called “design democracy?”

“Our experience with AI and strengths based approaches is that the very best in human experiences doesn’t come out in the discovery stage of dialogue but in the stage of collective making or designing,” David tells Axiom News.

“As people build artifacts, as they build the new conception of the city, re-design building structures, that’s when the very best comes out.”

Look at when the greatest in our communities emerged in the U.S. in the early days, not in conversations, but in the community barn-buildings, in the designing and building of artifacts.

“Can you imagine our politicians designing the next smart grid systems together with citizens, collectively designing?” says David.

There was a recent U.K. case where an attacked politician was responding to the disgruntled community with the defense, “but I held dialogue for six months before we put in the new highway, I followed all the protocol, I ticked in the bureaucratic checklist.”

Imagine if he, and the community, had sat at the design table together, creating a new transportation system together.

David is currently exploring further the generativity that comes out in this design phase of AI, and the implications of this for the broader political sphere.

He chuckles a little as he shares what would be a definite overstatement of the opportunities, a bumper sticker that reads, “Down with dialogue, up with design.”

Feel free to comment below, or e-mail michelle(at)axiomnews.ca

Feelings are running high that a betrayal is happening, says resident Anastasia Bukashe.For herself and many others, there’s a recognition that it is time to honour and then build on this anger to create something new for the country.

At the core of this new conversation: South Africa’s identity in the larger context of the continent, which is a front and centre concern today, prompted by undercurrents in the country linked to the xenophobic attacks several years ago and increased refugee and immigrant populations.

While some are saying South Africa was supported by the continent during its own struggle, and that needs to be honoured now, others are angry about the opportunities “being stolen by these people coming in.”

“We need to have a different conversation about what it means to be in Africa, and what it means to be South African in Africa,” says Anastasia.

“What is the world calling for Africa to be, what are we calling for each other to be, and what are we witnessing in each other that makes that possible?”

She has been working for more than a year to bring these questions to groups of citizens and civil leaders.

It’s been incredibly slow work, she says, with a few significant shifts here and there, as when she convened a group of key civil leaders for such a conversation.

People were determined to talk about their anger and what they saw not working in the country. The undercurrents were strengthening, building up a moment when some sort of transposition was inevitable, which did come, in the form of a question from one of those gathered, “When are we going to be angry enough to say enough?”

“That was a key moment in the meeting, where it really shifted the conversation out of that frustrated space to an energized space of saying ‘Yes, we say enough,’ ” says Anastasia.

“At that point it became possible to ask the question, if it’s enough, what do we want?”

For her the highest possibility in this new conversation is around the relatedness of the whole continent, how “we all face very similar challenges, have lots to learn from each other and, particularly, what are the possibilities in growing wealth at the local level.”

Anastasia presented at the 2012 World Appreciative Inquiry Conference in Ghent, Belgium April 25-28.

She says a presentation from Dr. Kenneth Gergen and Dr. Danielle Zandee on micro and macro practices around social constructionism created what she calls a synapse fire for her that she hopes to follow.

She feels an image concept they put forward of flow and energy and that we are all part of something that is “so much older and richer and deeper than we can even conceive, and has impact so much further than we can even imagine,” is especially important for the work of the global community going forward.

It was also announced at the gathering that Anastasia will be involved in hosting the sixth WAIC in South Africa in 2015, a connection that fits very well with her current larger mission.

Feel free to comment below, or e-mail michelle(at)axiomnews.ca

Peace through Music
The subtitle of the documentary is ‘Peace through Music’. Mark deliberately visited different parts of the world – also nations with tense mutual relations, or a history of (civil) war – and investigated the power of music in bringing people together and inspiring positive change.

The project was a huge success – especially the music clips spread very fast on the Internet, and got millions of ‘hits’ on Youtube and Vimeo. Mark kept on traveling, shooting new videos, and the group of musicians grew steadily. They were invited to perform on ever more events and went on tour.

Building music schools
In 2007, they decided to take it a step further and started the Playing for Change Foundation. An organisation that builds music schools and invests in music education for children in areas where schools are otherwise scarce. Francois Viguie is involved in building music schools in Ghana and Mali and tells about that passionately: “’In music education we do so much more than teach music and arts. Music is a tool for positive change because it is about creating. Children also build a sense of self when they learn to express themselves through music.’ Moreover, whole communities are involved in building the school, and these buildings then often become meeting places, where knowledge is being shared. And music made.

Generative connections, dreams, stories & songs
All in all, it is a story that fits the basic spirit of Appreciative Inquiry very well… The power of this initiative lies in a strong dream, and the generative connections that these musicians make. Stories (and songs) are shared, people join, get into action, and the whole project grows in a ‘building the bridge as you walk it’ -way, improvising next steps as new challenges and opportunities arise, involving and activating more people every step along the way.

In order to make us feel what it is about, Francois brought some musicians with him, amongst which Clarence (Netherlands), Tula (Israel), Hugo Chavez (Angola) and Roberto Luti (Italy). They delivered a very special musical ending to an inspiring conference.

• More on the Playing for Change Foundation can be found here.
• Playing for Change music clips can be found on their site.
• The film ‘Playing for Change: Peace through Music’ was one of the ‘Disruptive Innovation Awards’ honorees of 2012 Tribeca Film Festival.

Saskia Tjepkema
stjepkema@kessels-smit.com

Forest orienteering and AI
“In 2006 – I was working for an NGO back then – I was given the ‘Thin Book of Appreciative Inquiry” by my manager. He asked me to study it and see if it was anything we could use. I was so surprised when I read it. Because it gave words to a mindset that I already knew…”

“In my spare time, I do orienteering in the Swedish forests. A solo sport, where you have to find your way in the woods with just very little tools. You have a compass, and coordinates marking the point where you have to go. Your mind is constantly on that goal, the finish. Whenever you encounter a mountain, or a big lake, or some other insurmountable obstacle, you don’t focus on that. You are only thinking of the way around it. Towards your end point. How can I get there? And how do I use what I’ve got? These are your basic questions. I find that very much in tune with what AI is about. The question itself is more or less the method.”

A community
“Discovering that it was a way to look, gave me language, a lot more tools, and – very important – a community. With other people who are in this field. In orienteering, you are always on your own. So you don’t talk with other people about what you see, or the choices you make. You don’t get help or tips. That is why it is also so wonderful to be here, in a place with so many enthousiastic, positive people. To learn.”

New experiences
Daniel is sure that the conference will bring him things that he can use in his daily work. ‘But don’t ask them what they are right now!’ He laughs. And then explains how he sees the benefit of hearing all other practitioners’ stories. “By listening to the stories of others, I have experienced these events a little bit myself. The mirror neurons in my brain were triggered, so it is almost as if I were there. I almost feel like I did it myself. So I will use parts of those experiences with me. I am curious to see how that will turn out! What I will do in class, questions I will ask. After ‘experiencing’ an AI summit in Brazil with thousands of people – which was one of the stories I enjoyed – working with my small class will be a piece of cake … “ Smiling, he is off to the next workshop.

By Saskia Tjepkema

This is the fourth and last in a small series of participant’s portraits. Just to give a glimpse of the great diversity of people who attended and their range of stories. Other portraits are of Rafael, Grace, Jean & Perla and Shelagh.

Happier societies don’t just ‘happen’
Leo: “It is such an important issue. There is so much trouble and pain in the world, that we need to actively practice our optimism. To improve things. We are richer now than we ever were before, but we are not happier. So it doesn’t just happen by itself.’ He is dedicated to making a positive change, and to engage more and more people actively in creating happier societies and increase wellbeing. Because: “everyone can contribute.”

The paper wolf
Leo: ‘Engaging people in positive action doesn’t happen if you push them, or if you beg and plea… It requires a SWITCH. Make your message and your process Strong, Warm, Interactive, Transparent, Creative and use Hope and Humour…” Especially the latter is very important to him: “Media talk a lot about things that scare us. Feeding our fear. They are like a paper wolf, and we run like scared sheep. That really doesn’t help. We should also talk about what gives hope. And what makes us smile. And about what we CAN do. To breed our optimism.”

DO worry, be happy
To Bormans, optimism is a state of mind that we can, and should, deliberately practice. “Because it gives us energy and ideas to make changes in society for the better. I hate the phrase: ‘don’t worry, be happy’. It should be: ‘DO worry, be happy!’”

Megaphone or telescope
It turns out that, in order to practice our own optimism and engage more people in a positive change, we do not need a megaphone… Leo: “Of course we can scale up. I plan to open the first Embassy of Happiness and Quality of Life in Belgium, and I am happy that Herman van Rompuy gave the World Book of Happiness to all world leaders. That is great!”

But the impact that we ourselves can have by choosing how to focus our personal conversations is just as important, he stresses. “Maybe you do not need a megaphone, but a telescope. A telescope allows you to switch perspectives. From what scares us to what gives us hope. And it allows us to focus, on either the macro or the micro: the big picture or the small actions that we ourselves can do.” Every time we shift conversations, the optimism-virus spreads. Leo, with a big smile: “Optimism and enthousiasm are very contagious.”

Saskia Tjepkema
stjepkema@kessels-smit.com

• More on Leo Bormans and his movement for optimism on the Action for Happiness site.
• Or look at the World Book of Happiness.

It was only when he could bridge these opposites that he could return the king and finally ask the critical question — What is it that bothers you? — that he could step in as new leader of the kingdom.

Conference co-organizer and participant Luc Verheijen reflects the passion the audience obviously felt about the place of core values in our world today as the starting point for generating the kind of society we want to live into.

Highlighting how we all seem guided by a common set of ways of being, Luc tells of talking to his children during the last Belgian elections about what they thought should be top of mind for the new ministers. Both responded in the same way, showing, says Luc, when you ask a child what matters, they think first of others and the environment.

Luc suggests this current gathering and Appreciative Inquiry (AI) in general are important for sparking the innovations and breakthroughs we need because AI connects people, first around strengths and aspirations, but also, deep beneath that, values.
“When we succeed in creating a collective connection and awareness of what we all value the most, this will be the most generative and fertile soil for creating new stories about our world,” says Luc.

Michelle Strutzenberger