Presentation used at the #2012waic Conference - Ghent, Belgium

1. Towards a generative
process consultation:
process facilitation
enriched by
Appreciative Inquiry
René Bouwen
Johan Hovelynck
Ludo Keunen
Hilda Martens
Lieve Wens
WAIC, Gent, April, 26th 2012

2. Agenda
 Exploring what Appreciative Inquiry brings to
learning in and about
 group development
 organizational development
 community / multi-actor development
 personal development
 In the context of the CIGO training program on
process facilitation in groups and organizations

3. Context: ‘Consulting In Groups & Organizations’
René Bouwen
 Experiencing &  Experiencing &  Exploring  ‘Owning up’
understanding understanding large-group & personal
group process relational multi-party dynamics that
dynamics of processes… shape
 Developing an
organizing  Consulting / relational
experiential
facilitation processes in
learning group 1st exchange project groups &
with MPOD organizations
2nd exchange
with MPOD
Introduction of AI

4. Process consultation enriched by AI
&
AI enriched by process consultation
 CIGO is a PC and OD-based advanced professional
consultation program (18 months):
 group processes
 organizational understanding
 multi-actor contexts
 personal professional integration
 Key words: intensive group learning, relational
organizing, high quality relational practices,
generative / appreciative focus.

5. Relational Organizing
 From ‘organization’
as an instrument to be studied and restructured…
 Towards ‘organizing’
as generative conversation:
a systems, sense-making, relational, social
construction perspective.

6. Rebirth of ‘genuine’ action research
 From OD practice as analytical, ‘objective’,
problem-solving research…
 Towards generative relational practices among
all relevant stakeholders: relational and practice
turn.
 Emphasis on both
 sense-making ‘content’
 co-membership ‘relation’

7. 1. Appreciating & Inquiring in group development
 Experiencing
 Exploring  ‘Owning up’
&  Experiencing & large-group & personal
understanding understanding multi-party dynamics that
group relational processes… shape
process dynamics of relational
organizing  Consulting /
processes in
 Developing facilitation
groups &
a learning project
organizations
group
Johan Hovelynck

8. Propositions – food for thought?
 Learning about group dynamics
requires ‘process conversation’
 Appreciative Inquiry creates
a space for process conversation
and provides a specific path towards it
 Becoming a process facilitator benefits from
experiencing a range of process conversations
and different development paths

9. Process facilitation framework
task ‘theory-in-use’
product process
technique behavior
context
structure roles
procedure
rules

10. Learning in and about group dynamics
 Understanding group process
hinges on ‘knowledge from within’
 open conversation about here-and-now experience
 exploration of how we co-create the dynamics
that we ‘observe’: experiencing as ‘mee-maken’
 Giving and receiving feedback as prime sources
about relational dynamics in groups,
organizations, …

11. Method: appreciative inquiry or T-group
 Appreciative inquiry  T-group
 Focused question  Intangible topic
 Past events & experience  Here-and-now experience
 Highly structured  Basic program structure
 …  …
Discovery Concrete
Appreciating Experience
Destiny Affirmative Dream Active Reflective
Sustaining Topic Envisioning Experimentation Observation
Design Abstract
Co-constructing Conceptualization
“appreciative dynamics” wider range of processes

12. Method and process:
the role of ‘appreciating and inquiring’
 T-group
 Search for topic clarification
 Self-structuring, search for modes of decision-making
 ‘Circle talk’
 … ... all about inquiry
 Appreciating & inquiring’
 T-groups include traditions of reifying interpretation
and / or confrontational feedback by facilitators
 A more appreciative stance supports
ease of participation and quality of inquiry…

13. Thoughts on appreciative inquiry
& (training for) process facilitation
 Appreciative inquiry as a ‘process accelerator’
in developing ‘high quality relational practices’
 T-group as a ‘process magnifier’ in a wider range
of dynamics / processes in group development
 An appreciative stance facilitates participation
and adds to quality of inquiry in T-groups
 Experience with a wider range of processes
supports facilitation of Appreciative Inquiry,
especially in the later stages of the 4D-cycle

14. 2. The generative potential of ‘us & them’
 Experiencing &  Exploring  ‘Owning up’
Experiencing
understanding large-group & personal
& multi-party dynamics that
group process
understanding processes… shape
 Developing an relational relational
experiential  Consulting /
dynamics of processes in
learning group facilitation
groups &
organizing project
organizations
Ludo Keunen

15. Objective of this presentation
Explore the boundary spanning approach as
enactment of the appreciative inquiry principles:
 Starting from a real-life intervention in a context
of strong stakeholder polarization (“us and them”)
 Reflecting on the generative potential of
boundary spanning vs conflict management

16. Context – Air Traffic Control
ENGINEERING
OPERATIONS
(“OPS Room”)

17. Context: setting the scene
 Air Traffic Control (Airspace Europe): close interdependency
between Operations Room and Engineering Division
OPS Room: home-grown professionals, highly focused, short
response times, quick decisions, stress-proof, very well paid
(internal reputation of “prima donna’s”)
ENGINEERING: engineering education, solution providers based
on incident reporting (‘change management’), focus on robust
and reliable systems an zero error tolerance
(internal reputation of “risk aversive nerds”)
Key question: European consolidation in Air Traffic Management
 how to collaborate and overcome “US  THEM” attitude?

18. Client workshop objectives
1.Better understand and accommodate individual
differences in personal styles and work preferences
2.Create a setting to explore mutual perceptions between
OPS and ENG to foster mutual respect
3.Span boundaries between ENG and OPS by addressing
areas for improvement through specific project
opportunities

19. Research on Boundary Spanning
2 Key
Questions:
How important
is it for you to
collaborate
effectively
across
boundaries?
&
How effective
are you?
© 2010 Center for Creative Leadership. All rights reserved.

20. Boundary Spanning Approach
Conflict handling Boundary Spanning
 Identify key issues  Define boundaries & own identity
(“buffering”: create safe space)
 Look for common ground
 Understand boundaries: mirroring
(“reflecting”: mutual perceptions)
 Build mutual
understanding  Suspend boundaries
(“connecting”: third space)
 Agree on joint actions  Actionable ideas
Focus on overcoming issues Focus on generative connections

21. 6 Boundary Spanning Practices
BUFFERING CONNECTING WEAVING
REFLECTING MOBILIZING TRANSFORMING
©2010 Center for Creative Leadership. All Rights Reserved.

22. Appreciative Inquiry – basic beliefs
If you accept what is, things can change. Focusing on
the best of what is already present, generates a belief in
what is possible in the future. Not the past is guiding the
present, but the (collective image of) the future.
Appreciative inquiry is more about inquiry than about
being ‘positive’ – the act of co-inquiry changes the
relationships between people and allows for common
ground.
Appreciative inquiry makes sense when people have a
voice in co-designing their future. It does not work as a
trick to make people feel good about something which is
harmful to them.

23. Outcomes – Actionable ideas
 Cross-divisional participation in existing meetings
 E.g. ENG representation in bi-monthly AOP progress review
 E.g. OPS representation in ENG project mgt Board
 E.g. Revive MPMB
 Process-driven collaboration
 Cross-divisional projects with formal authority (benefit owners)
 Joint ownership (teams) for key themes
 Issue-driven taskforces (ENG + OPS)
 Dedicated project leads for key projects (LINK+, FABEC, SESAR,
Business Commercialisation, …)
 Need to move from rigid hierarchical structure to fluid, dynamic,
flexible structure
 Approve the Center’s priority list
 Internal mobility: position swaps?
 What makes division more / less attractive (for internal mobility)?

24. Action Planning
What & how? Owner? Milestones? Target?
Key theme 1: Set up cross-divisional implementation teams (onging processes)
• OPS Concept Novac
• Safety Nick
• Quality Wadhar
• Change Management Robin
• Problem & Occurrence Management Flemming
•V&V Maurice
• Requirements management Ralph
• Organisation Development Heinrich
Key theme 2: Set up cross-divisional Taskforces (temporary)
E.g. Systm recovery Novac
E.g. OLDI Novac
E.g. FABEC/SESAR/COMMERCIALISATION Gary / Patricia/ Robin
E.g. VOICE Philippe
Key theme 3: Follow-up meeting OMT/EMT + ASD/SDM in 3 months
Novac

25. Boundary Spanning Impact

26. 3. AI in developing age-friendly HRM
 Exploring  ‘Owning up’
 Experiencing & personal
understanding  Experiencing & diversity in
multi-actor dynamics that
group process understanding
shape
relational processes &
 Developing an dynamics of
relational
experiential community / processes in
organizing
learning group society groups &
development organizations
Hilda Martens

27. Purpose of this presentation
&
Objective of the project
Illustration of combining
appreciative inquiry principles
and confronting facts and figures
in order to develop tailor-made
age-conscious HRM in organizations

28. The Belgian context and
the necessity to work longer
 Legal retirement age in Belgium: 65
 Factual retirement age: 59
 Belgian retirement system is a ‘repartition’ system:
the active population pays for the retirement fees
of retired people
 In 2050, 250 people will depend on / be financed
by 100 working citizens
 Ageing of the population forces us to work longer

29. The Belgian context and
the necessity to work longer
1950 2009
Entry labor market +/- 16 +/- 21 (-5)
Legal retirement age 65 65
Factual retirement age 64 59 (-5)
Life expectancy 68 79 (+11)
Working career 48 38 (-10)
Proportion retired/working 4 / 48 20 / 38
Proportion active/not active 48 / 20 38 / 41

30. The Belgian context and
the necessity to work longer
The low activity rate of 55+ is created a.o. by:
- the government early retirement programs
since 1970 (in favor of
youth employment)
- the employers use early retirement
programs for company
restructuring
- the unions early retirement as an
‘obtained privilege’
- the employees early retirement as an
‘obtained privilege’

31. The aim of an appreciative inquiry
in age-friendly HR-projects
 Big difference if introduced with
 “we want you to work longer”
compared to
 “we engage in an appreciative inquiry about
conditions in which all members of the organization
can experience work pleasure and possibilities for
personal growth until the end of a longer career.”
 If we inquire together the confronting facts and figures
about age management in our country…?
 If we imagine a tailor-made process and product in this
organization?

32. Introduction of appreciative inquiry
in focus groups on all levels
 to raise awareness and to create support for a tailor-
made process to create conditions that stimulate work
pleasure and professional growth during the whole
career
 to develop a tailor-made change process with all
actors towards new age-friendly viewpoints, customs
and HR-practices
 to implement organizational development towards age
conscious HRM

33. Different ‘appreciative formats’ were used…
 To make an inventory for each organization of
 facilitating and hindering factors, and
 content and process suggestions
 in order to enjoy working longer, more
enthusiastically, effectively and efficiently
 to optimize or implement an age-conscious HR
management.

34. AI as an added value
in consulting projects for age-friendly HRM
 Appreciative inquiry and
the inquiry of confronting facts and figures
stimulate the acceptance of responsibility
by different stakeholders in the organization.
 The appreciative principles stimulate
the involvement in a tailor-made process
towards tailor-made solutions
in each organization

35. Context: ‘Consulting In Groups & Organizations’
 ‘Owning up’
 Experiencing &  Exploring personal
understanding  Experiencing & large-group &
multi-party
dynamics that
group process understanding
relational processes… shape
 Developing an dynamics of relational
experiential  Consulting /
organizing facilitation processes in
learning group
project groups &
organizations
Lieve Wens

36. Professional craftmanship :
Humble inquiry
 developing relational competencies
and a helping attitude
 developing process expertise in
building and maintaining
the helping relationship
 modeling high quality and learning
relations

37. Professional craftmanship :
Humble inquiry
(helping attitude and behavior):
 Attentive presence,
 observing,
 genuine open empathic questioning,
 carefull listening and self-inquiry,
 suspending any judgment or assumptions
in order to develop mutual understanding and reframing.
Accessing one’s ignorance to make the empowerment of
the other possible !

38. Professional craftmanship
Cfr the necessary and sufficient conditions of therapeutic
personality change by Carl Rogers
Basic therapeutic attitude :
1. Unconditional Positive Regard
2. Genuineness in the relationship
3. Empathy

39. YOU are the instrument of change
 The focus on personal development is important:
 Who am I as a person?
 What are my qualities and talents as a person?
 What are my strengths in relational processes?
 What are my pitfalls and how can I learn to work them through?
 …
 In working on the development of others / systems, get and stay in
contact with your own development!
 Being a conversational partner
= being aware of the quality of your ‘presence’ in the here-and-now
= being aware of your own share in shaping this relationship

40. Appreciative inquiry as an added value
in personal development
 Strength-based approach: strengthening the talents you
become increasingly aware of
 Valuing and accepting who you are is an important condition
for development and growth
 In the self-reflective and appreciative inquiry within the
learning group is the co-creation of change and development:
‘Personal development is created in the interaction’
 Creating a desired future for your personal way for being and
professional functioning helps to move into that direction:
personal development plan

41. Diversity of coaching methods
 RET (Rational Emotive Therapy)
being aware of your (ir)rational cognitions that influence your
emotions and behavior – in accepting them we can change
them – readiness to work on your ‘mindset’
 Biographies
inquiring and valueing who you are thanks to your history –
what are the unique (helping / hindering) patterns you have
deeply learned and are still dominant – how to work on them?
 Voice dialogue
diversity of inner voices or sub-personalities – specific
qualities and dynamics?
 Insights Discovery Profile
 …

42. Concluding thoughts or questions
on the contribution of AI in facilitating…
 group process  organizational  large-group &  personal
dynamics multi-party development
collaboration

43. René, Johan, Ludo, Hilda, Lieve