Building on your strengths, wisdom Building on your strengths, wisdom and aspirations to construct a and aspirations to construct a

new social realitynew social reality

An introduction toAn introduction toAppreciative InquiryAppreciative Inquiry

Ravi PradhanRavi PradhanKaruna ManagementKaruna Management

rp3899gmail.comrp3899gmail.com1

Inquiry into peak experienceInquiry into peak experience

Select a partner, someone you normally don’t interact on a day to day basis. Senior pick more junior staff.

Each person’s role is to learn about the other person (10 mins max time). So, you, as the interviewer, have to listen to understand the thinking, feeling/emotions, and logic of the other person.

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IInquiry/research into peak experiencenquiry/research into peak experience

In your professional life, what represents your peak experience, the most successful, the proudest achievement, or solution or innovation or problem resolved? No matter how small it may seem to you.

When, where and how did you achieve it? What were the key factors and person/s who were

critical to this achievement. What are your three top ideas to strengthen the

vitality, the life force of NARC?

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Stories have wings, and the message is Stories have wings, and the message is carried far and wide.carried far and wide.

In groups of 4, introduce your partner and share the success story and how it was achieved.

Share your impression of your partner and what strength s/he was demonstrated then?

Total of 3 mins each.After listening to all stories, select the best

one. Then the person shares with all.4

Insanity is doing the same things over and over expecting a different result.

Rita Mae Brown

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Gender inequality in an organizationGender inequality in an organization

How would you begin?

Analyze extent of gender inequality and its problems and root causes?

Or

Identify exemplary cases of cross-gender relationships and root causes of success?

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Maternal Mortality & MorbidityMaternal Mortality & Morbidityin Hospitalsin Hospitals

How would you begin your study?

Do you analyze why the rate is so high and where the problems and weaknesses lie?

ORDo you study best examples of exceptional

service, team work and leadership?

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Corporation with 64,000 employeesCorporation with 64,000 employees

Employee morale and commitment

– Do you probe into low morale and its causes?

Or– Do you study experiences of peak

motivation and commitment?

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InsanityInsanity

Insanity is doing the same things over and over expecting a different result.

Sufi Story about keys.

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Root cause of failure or problem vs root Root cause of failure or problem vs root cause of success and solutionscause of success and solutions

As professionals, the conventional wisdom seems to focus brain power and money on what is not working, problems, what is missing, etc?

However, in order to co-construct a different future and social reality, it is more effective to start with this approach: what is working and how can we use our strengths, expertise, and successes to amplify more/better successes or a different reality.

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Identify problems or what is not working

Root cause analysisIdentify solutions Develop action

plan

Discover what gives life and strengths

Envision what is possible

Design what should be

Create what will be

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Problem solving Appreciative Inquiry

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Appreciative Inquiry: The “4-D” Cycle

Discovery“What gives life?”(The best of what is)

Discovery“What gives life?”(The best of what is)

Dream“What might be?”

(What is the world calling for)

Dream“What might be?”

(What is the world calling for)

Design“What should be--the ideal?”

Organizational social architecture

Design“What should be--the ideal?”

Organizational social architecture

Destiny“How to empower, learn,and adjust/improvise?”

Destiny“How to empower, learn,and adjust/improvise?”

AffirmativeTopic Choice

Current patterns, trends,Challenges, opportunities

Forecast vs foresight

THE AIM OF

APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY

IS TO CO-CONSTRUCT

A BETTER FUTURE

OR A DIFFERENT

S0CIAL REALITY

Through a collaborative inquiry and dialogue.

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The Principles of AIThe Principles of AI

Human beings have enormous capacity to imagine and co-construct new social realities.

Human systems are complex adaptive social systems. Interdependent relationships is fundamental to co-construction.

Inquiry and change are simultaneous.Language/images creates social reality.Human systems move in the direction of what they

study. Positive images & emotions lead to positive actionStories of peak moments are inspiring, transfer

know-how and lessons. 14

Positive to Negative Ratio of Positive to Negative Ratio of conversationsconversations

Successful companies studied in the US– 2.9:1 or higher ratio were successful. Below this

ratio, less successful, lower profits, lower morale, etc. (Barbara Fredrickson)

Successful relationships/marriage in the US- 3:1 ratio. For real thriving/flourishing marriages

5:1 (John Gottman) Also for modern Nepali couples in the West.

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Why Appreciative Inquiry Works?Why Appreciative Inquiry Works?

Taps into the wisdom, know-how, hopes, aspirations and emotional energy of individuals, their relationships, and their institutions.

Or it taps into:

Prana

Shakti

Buddhi

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Embodied Cognition & Know-howEmbodied Cognition & Know-how

DataInformationKnowledgeKnow-howWisdom

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What is the process toMove to next level?

every one wants to change the world but no one wants to change himself/herself.

Leo Tolstoy

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Embodied Know-how or cognitionEmbodied Know-how or cognition

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Applications

Performance e-valuation and developmentProject e-valuation and transfer of know-howTeam work, LeadershipCustomer relationship and satisfactionAlliances, joint ventures, mergersStrategic visioning, planning and implementationMulti-stakeholder collaborationIntroducing new technology or IT solutionsGender equality, diversityCulture change, whole systems change

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Organizations are not like machines. Why.. without human beings it would not exist.

However, science which studies physical or material world does not role of consciousness. Just only recently emotional skills are being taught.

AI and human systems.

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Affirmative TopicAffirmative Topic

Pick 4-5 problems, difficulties, weaknessesYou see in NARC.4 persons for each topic.Turn problems into affirmative topic: what

you wish to see happen or a new future?In pair, conduct an inquiry.

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Inquiry processInquiry process

In pairs, total time 15 minsA asks B to get their best experiences and

ideas.In pairs summarize key ideas and

suggestions?

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ReflectionsReflections

What struck you the most? Did it challenge your way of thinking? If

so, how?Does it make sense to apply in NARC?

Why or why not?

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