TOWARD AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE PRACTICES OF AN APPRECIATIVE LEADER Dr. Anne Kohnke, Dr. Jackie Stavros, & Dr. Marjorie Schiller 9 January 2015 The Qualitative Report, 6 th Annual Conference Ft. Lauderdale, FL

Our Agenda Overview of the Project – 1 st book, scope – Themes New Book, Research Questions Literature Review Methodology – Conducted 55 qualitative interviews – Coding Chapter Outline of the Book Q&A 2

Appreciative Leadership Schiller, Holland, & Riley, 2001 “ “ “Appreciative leadership enlarges everyone’s knowledge and vision of the appreciable world – all the strengths, capacities, and potentials - not by having solid answers but by expansive questions. It is precisely through inquiry itself that the appreciative leader realizes and unleashes, not only their own, but other people’s genius. The art of appreciative leadership lies in the art of the positive question” 3

Appreciative Leaders in the Eye of the Beholder The idea The purpose Two assumptions – Everyone is a leader – Leadership is in the eye of the beholder 4

Based on 110 interviews, the following themes emerged from the data: – Create a safe community to create innovations and take risks – Recognize the power of the positive – Develop the best in people, including themselves – Find inspiration and knowledge from what has worked – Particularly open to people – Strongly values driven – Authentic – walk their talk – Live their spirituality In the Eye of the Beholder Appreciative Leadership 5

Findings: Model of Appreciative Leadership WORLDVIEW Day-to-Day Behaviors What People Do Self Conscious Envision Inspire Holistic Envision Inspire Holistic Challenges Encourages Enables Coaches Inquires Dialogues Challenges Encourages Enables Coaches Inquires Dialogues Genuine Credible Respectful Genuine Credible Respectful Relational Catalyst PRACTICESVALUES Conceptual Frame Operating Philosophy Embedded Values and Beliefs Self Awareness Source: Appreciative Leaders in The Eye of the Beholder (2001) by Marge Schiller, Bea Mah Holland, and Deanne Riley, Publisher: Taos Institute, p

New Appreciative Leadership Study: Research Questions What is an appreciative leader? What are the practices of appreciative leadership? How do appreciative leaders create generative connections with their followers? 7

o Appreciative leadership: the relational capacity to mobilize creative potential and turn it into positive power (Whitney, Trosten-Bloom, & Rader 2010) o Mindful leadership: helps in cultivating focus, clarity, creativity, and compassion in the service of others (Vogus & Sutcliffe, 2012) o Positive leadership: supports people and elevates them in becoming a positive, forward moving, effective leader (Cameron & Caza, 2004) o Humble leadership: fosters learning-oriented teams, engage employees and also optimize job satisfaction and employee retention (Owens & Hekman, 2010) Literature Review 8

o Transformational leadership - enhances the motivation, morale, and performance of followers through a variety of mechanisms (Bass, 2003) o Resonant leadership: powerful collective energy that reverberates among people and supports higher productivity, creativity, a sense of unity, a sense of purpose, and results (Boyatzis & McKee, 2006) o Relational leadership: relational process of people where they are together attempting to accomplish change or make a difference to benefit the common good (Uhl-Bien, 2006) o Strategic leadership: provides the vision, mission, and strategy for the growth and success of an organization (Summer, 1980) 9

Interview Topics 1.Values 2.Bringing out the best in ourselves, others and the organization 3.Appreciative relationships 4.Positive images and positive actions 5.The spirit of inquiry with appreciative intent: SOAR 6.The role of positive affect in bringing out the best Interview Guide: 20 questions 10

Methodology: Qualitative Design o Purposeful sample o Leaders profiled are varied and diverse o Qualitative research design o 55 semi-structured interviews over a 2.5 year period o Thematic analysis o NVIVO Software to be used for coding 11

Characteristics of Sample Appreciative Interviews: 55 participants Gender: 27 Male and 28 Female Multiple Sectors: Government, Education, Private Industry, Public Organizations, Non-Profit Organizations Other: Rich Diversity, Leadership Positions 12

Illustration of Data Analysis 13

Illustration of Data Analysis 14

Illustration of Data Analysis 15

Tentative Outline Introduction Chapter 1: Define Appreciative Leader/Leadership (Q1 & Q2, Complete Data Analysis) Chapter 2: Values of Appreciative Leader (Q3-Q4) Chapter 3: Bringing out the Best (Q5-Q7) Chapter 4: Appreciative Relationships (Q8-Q10) Chapter 5: Positivity (thinking, actions, vision) (Q11-Q12) Chapter 6: Spirit of Inquiry (Q14) & SOAR-based Questions (Q15-Q16) Chapter 7: Positive Affect (Q17-Q19) Chapter 8: Being Appreciative Leader/Practicing Appreciative Leadership (Framework & Propositions) Chapter 9: Appreciative Wisdom – Reflections, Present & Future (Q20-21) 16

Q & A FOR FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS OR INFORMATION CONTACT US AT: Anne Kohnke: Jacqueline (Jackie) Stavros: or Marge Schiller: 17

Next Steps It started with a coding plan: Level of Coding: Open, Axial, and Selective Q.What is our type of qualitative analysis? 18