Theory Ai Exploring the Power of the Upward Spiral in Corporate Performance, Change, and Contribution to Society David L. Cooperrider Case Western Reserve University

An Open Moment… We Are “In It.” Story With 1000 CEOs at Ground Zero. Story With 1000 CEOs at Ground Zero. Creative Spirit/Energy in OD’s Early Days. Creative Spirit/Energy in OD’s Early Days. Its Time to Re-think - wholeness/connectivity - exciting new research - positive revolution Its Time to Re-think - wholeness/connectivity - exciting new research - positive revolution

An Interactive Session With Vivid Stories & Images Opening “mini” Ai inquiry & Overview Opening “mini” Ai inquiry & Overview Stories, video clips, illustrations of Ai in action at places like Roadway Express, US Navy, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, EPA/ORD Stories, video clips, illustrations of Ai in action at places like Roadway Express, US Navy, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, EPA/ORD Ai in New Research Context: e.g. work at Univ. of Michigan, Case Western Reserve University, University of Virginia. Ai in New Research Context: e.g. work at Univ. of Michigan, Case Western Reserve University, University of Virginia.

Opening Inquiry Questions for Discovery—individual reflection first Questions for Discovery—individual reflection first Conversation (pairs) Conversation (pairs)

1. Exploring the affective side of a memorable change initiative … Ralph Waldo Emerson spoke frequently about the magic and power of things like hope, inspiration, joy. He said, for example, “ nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm”—that it spells the difference between mediocrity and accomplishment and that it lights up our own and the lives of those around us. You, as well as everyone here, have been part of many transformational initiatives—in corporations, in communities, etc. Certainly there have been ups and downs, peaks and valleys, high points and low points. As you do a quick scan of moments of in your life or career where you joined with others to create change or innovation, I would like you to reflect on one transformational initiative that stands out as a high point for you in terms of experiences or qualities like inspiration, hope, energy, enthusiasm, joy?

Exploring the High Point Change Initiative in More Depth: Share the story with your partner: what happened, where, when? Share the story with your partner: what happened, where, when? Describe the feelings, and explore: what role did the experiences of inspiration, hope, enthusiasm, or joy play? For you and your leadership? Impact on the relationships, or group? Describe the feelings, and explore: what role did the experiences of inspiration, hope, enthusiasm, or joy play? For you and your leadership? Impact on the relationships, or group? How were the feelings catalyzed or cultivated? How were the feelings catalyzed or cultivated? What was it about you that made the effort emerge as a high point—name the 3 best qualities you bring to change leadership? What was it about you that made the effort emerge as a high point—name the 3 best qualities you bring to change leadership? What were the corporate or community results? What were the corporate or community results?

Starting Ai Interview (dialogue in pairs) Starting Ai Interview (dialogue in pairs) A-->B (5-6 minutes) A-->B (5-6 minutes) B-->A (5-6 minutes) B-->A (5-6 minutes) Spirit of discovery Spirit of discovery Brief notes Brief notes At the end.. summary & thanks At the end.. summary & thanks

Exciting Positive Change Research: Patterns Across Disciplines What Good Are Positive Emotions? Broaden-and-Build Theory The Emotion of Elevation Upward Spiral as Change Model Words Create Worlds Inner Dialogue Research Media Studies/ Social Construction Affirmative Capacity and Leadership Implications for Organizations? Positive Image-  Positive Action Positive Health Studies Pygmalion in Education Rise and Fall of Cultures

Positive Emotions Broaden Thought-Action Repertoires Joy…………………………...play, innovate Interest……………………..expansive, explore Contentment……………...savor, integrate Love…………………………..connect, relate

Empirical Support for “Broaden and Build” Theory of Change Three “Revolutionary” Contributions: 1. Broaden Attention and Thinking (Fredrickson & Branigan, 2002; Waugh & Fredrickson, in prep) 2. Undo Lingering Negative Emotional Arousal (Fredrickson & Levenson, 1998; Fredrickson, Mancuso, Branigan & Tugade, 2000) 3. Fuel Resilient Coping, Like Immune System (Fredrickson, Tugade, Waugh & Larkin, 2002; Tugade & Fredrickson, 2002)

Empirical Support Over time, Positive Emotions: Prevent depression (Fredrickson, Tugade, Waugh, & Larkin, 2002) Build optimism, and resilience, and elevated relationships of benefit (Fredrickson, Tugade, Waugh, & Larkin, 2002; Haight 2003) Trigger Upward Spirals to Increase Well-being (Fredrickson & Joiner, 2002; Tugade & Fredrickson, 2002)

What Does All This Mean for Our Work With Organizational Change? What Good Are Positive Emotions? Broaden-and-Build Theory The Emotion of Elevation Upward Spiral as Change Model Words Create Worlds Inner Dialogue Research Media Studies/ Social Construction Affirmative Capacity and Leadership Implications for Organizations? Positive Image-  Positive Action Positive Health Studies Pygmalion in Education Rise and Fall of Cultures

For Us It Began to Raise New Awareness the Deficit Theory of Change…And How Pervasive. Identify problem Identify problem Conduct root cause analysis Conduct root cause analysis Brainstorm solutions and analyze Brainstorm solutions and analyze Develop action plans/intervention Develop action plans/intervention “The signal accomplishment of the industrial age was the notion of continuous improvement. It remains the secular religion of most managers… has reached the point of diminishing returns in incremental improvement programs.” – Gary Hamel Leading The Revolution “The signal accomplishment of the industrial age was the notion of continuous improvement. It remains the secular religion of most managers… has reached the point of diminishing returns in incremental improvement programs.” – Gary Hamel Leading The Revolution Metaphor: Organizations are problems to be solved

Cultural Consequences of Deficit Discourse Fragmentation Fragmentation Few New Images of Possibility Few New Images of Possibility “The Experts Must Know”…Dependence and Hierarchy “The Experts Must Know”…Dependence and Hierarchy Spirals in Deficit Vocabularies Spirals in Deficit Vocabularies Breakdown Relations/Closed Door Planning Breakdown Relations/Closed Door Planning Note: For More see Ken Gergen Realities and Relationships Harvard University Press. Note: For More see Ken Gergen Realities and Relationships Harvard University Press.

Ai Involves a Shift: Organizations Are Centers of Human Relatedness, Alive With Infinite Capacity, Strength, Possibility “ No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it. We must learn to see the world anew.” “ No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it. We must learn to see the world anew.” “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” – Albert Einstein

New “Life Centric” Questions—Inquiry is Change Be patient … and try to love the questions themselves. Live the questions now. Perhaps you will then gradually, without noticing it, live along some distant day into the answer. – Rainer Maria Rilke

What would you call it? (all these things taken together) Achievements Achievements Strategic opportunities Strategic opportunities Technical assets Technical assets Innovations Innovations Elevated thoughts Elevated thoughts Best practices Best practices Positive emotions Positive emotions Financial assets Financial assets Tacit Wisdom Tacit Wisdom Core competency Core competency Visions of possibility Visions of possibility Vital traditions Vital traditions Positive macrotrends Positive macrotrends Social capital Social capital Strengths: Business ecosystem e.g. strengths suppliers, partners, customers Strengths: Business ecosystem e.g. strengths suppliers, partners, customers

The “Positive Core” Ai systematically and collaboratively creates a knowledge link between the entire enterprise and the life-generating core of past, present, and future capacities…and this ignites change

Discovery “What gives life?” (The best of what is) Appreciating Discovery “What gives life?” (The best of what is) Appreciating Dream “What might be?” (What is the world calling for) Envisioning Results Dream “What might be?” (What is the world calling for) Envisioning Results Design “What should be--the ideal?” Co-constructing Design “What should be--the ideal?” Co-constructing Destiny “How to empower, learn, and adjust/improvise?” Sustaining Destiny “How to empower, learn, and adjust/improvise?” Sustaining Appreciative Inquiry “4-D” Cycle Affirmative Topic Choice

Two Stories, Real Illustrations Roadway Express—inquiry into total engagement Roadway Express—inquiry into total engagement United States Navy—leadership at every level. United States Navy—leadership at every level. How Inquiry Itself Intervenes—Notice the energy, the breaking down of barriers, and the power of wholeness to ignite the upward spiral of positive change and results. How Inquiry Itself Intervenes—Notice the energy, the breaking down of barriers, and the power of wholeness to ignite the upward spiral of positive change and results.

Whole Organization Connection to the “Positive Core” Elevates: positive emotions of hope, inspiration, confidence, joy; raises intelligence; expands the language of life (internal dialogue); increases in appreciative interchange and mutually elevating relationships; higher creativity, better decision making, increased collective capacity. Elevates: positive emotions of hope, inspiration, confidence, joy; raises intelligence; expands the language of life (internal dialogue); increases in appreciative interchange and mutually elevating relationships; higher creativity, better decision making, increased collective capacity. “Undo” Negative Patterns: letting go, makes irrelevant, finishes the residual of negative past. “Undo” Negative Patterns: letting go, makes irrelevant, finishes the residual of negative past. Protection in Future: Increases health- ability; resilience; accumulation of power; like an increase in immune system functioning. Protection in Future: Increases health- ability; resilience; accumulation of power; like an increase in immune system functioning.

What is Unfolding at Roadway Express Recently Featured in Fast Company. Forbes. Recently Featured in Fast Company. Forbes. Leaders Developing Leaders at Every Level Leaders Developing Leaders at Every Level Line of Site Innovations: “$ 10 mill metal stick story” Line of Site Innovations: “$ 10 mill metal stick story” Powerful Learning Partnerships: Alcoa, Boeing, Cisco, Harley-Davidson, US Navy. Powerful Learning Partnerships: Alcoa, Boeing, Cisco, Harley-Davidson, US Navy. Last Quarter’s Results W&I—Top 5 Terminals Leading the Company in $17 million improvement in profit margin—All OE Sites, 3 with Ai Summits Last Quarter’s Results W&I—Top 5 Terminals Leading the Company in $17 million improvement in profit margin—All OE Sites, 3 with Ai Summits

The Surprise of Friendship! One could say a key task in life is to discover and define our life purpose, and then accomplish it to the best of our ability. One could say a key task in life is to discover and define our life purpose, and then accomplish it to the best of our ability. Can you share a story of a moment, or the period of time, where clarity about life purpose emerged for you. For example, a moment where your calling happened, where there was an important awakening or teaching, where there was a special experience or event, or where you received some guiding vision? Can you share a story of a moment, or the period of time, where clarity about life purpose emerged for you. For example, a moment where your calling happened, where there was an important awakening or teaching, where there was a special experience or event, or where you received some guiding vision?

Elevating of Inquiry into The Appreciable World Advancing Extension of Relatedness & Universal Capacity High Initiating Lo w Ai Theory of Positive Organizational Change Elevation and Extension of Inquiry Fusion of Strength Activation of Energy

We Are Born To Appreciate: Three Facts About All Human Beings Exceptionality Exceptionality Essentiality Essentiality Equality/Voice and Vision Equality/Voice and Vision

Website For Sharing AI Tools “Appreciative Inquiry Commons” Bibliographies, Tools, Articles For Ai Certificate Case Western Reserve University