The Macon Miracle initiative to be shared during global AI conference
Participants at the World Appreciative Inquiry Conference (WAIC) will have the opportunity to learn about the largest known face-to-face Appreciative Inquiry summit held in a school district in Macon, Georgia.
Called the Macon Miracle, the Bibb County School District used Appreciative Inquiry (AI) to bring together 4,300 people in creating its strategic plan.
Dr. Romain Dallemand, superintendent of the district, championed the effort. He was hired in February, 2011, and wanted to design a new educational system with the community’s collaborative efforts.
The strategic plan was intended to guide change and improvements for the next five years. These changes are centred on ensuring all children receive high-quality education to prepare them to be competitive and successful in a global economy.
Judy Godfrey, Bibb County School District director of professional learning, was involved with the whole process and says she was “totally” new to AI.
The first thing she noticed about the strengths-based approach to organizational development was how it helped ensure communication was thorough and timely, she says, which is an important part of any change initiative. Read Full Article>>
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| Stories of Positive Change in the Community College: Appreciative Inquiry in Action |
| Author: Nancy Stetson |
ISBN: 0615237932 |
| Community colleges face an unknown future, one that seems to promise continuous, deep, rapid and often turbulent change. Appreciative Inquiry is a powerful approach for nourishing creative and innovative change to meet these times. |
Price: $4.99 USD (for electronic version of book)
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Leading the change from the top is essential to the success of the any organizational Culture Transformation; in fact it is essential. Culture change is possible only when senior leadership is fully on board, modeling the new culture and holding everyone accountable to new ways of being and doing. Our program for executive leaderships is customized to fit an organization or individual’s needs, goals and visions.
Designed to build Executive Leadership understanding of the practice of generative engagement in the workplace and expand their capacity to lead a strength-based organization. This program includes Executive Coaching, Leadership action plan (professional and personal), skill building through daily practice as well as networking with other Executive Leaders.
Our world is increasingly subject to failures that require systems-level and cross-systems-level thinking and approaches. The consequences of any decision can ripple with unprecedented speed across business ecosystems the way the recent economic crisis has impacted nearly every market (IBM CEO Report of 2010).
Contact us at the office at (702) 228-4699 or email Kathy at Kathy@CompanyofExperts.net today for an initial FREE consultation to discover how we can help you design a customizable Executive Leadership Development program for your organization.
Webinar Overview:
This one-hour webinar introduces the practice of Appreciative Inquiry as fundamental to collaborative learning and innovation. You will expand your understanding of the integral nature of systems, people, and outcomes and learn how inquiry aligns all three with organizational success. You will also learn how to build your own capacity to influence learning and innovation by practicing AI within the context of the META capacities (Multiple ways of knowing, Engagement and accountability, Thinking together, and Acting together).
Designed For:
Senior and mid-level managers, anyone interested in developing learning within an organization.
Learning Outcomes:
- Learn how to access Multiple Ways of Knowing in order to improve decision-making, planning and learning practices that will increase engagement and accountability.
- Identify, recognize, and utilize tools and practices that support thinking together.
- Understand how cycles of action and reflection can build the capacity for acting collaboratively.
- Understand the integral nature of systems, people, and outcomes and how inquiry aligns all three with learning and innovation.
| Duration: 1 Hour |
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| Price: $9.99 USD (for webinar recording only) |
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Presenter:
Dr. Cheri Torres has more than 30 years experience helping people and organizations expand their capacity for collaboration and excellence. She has worked in the public and private sectors in the US and around the world training trainers and facilitators, facilitating small and large groups, and providing professional development and organizational design consultation.
Cheri’s professional focus is grounded in the field of personal/ collaborative learning. Cheri helps people and organizations shift their workplace practices and design their systems for evolving sustainability. She believes that in today’s world, excellence is a function of learning and innovation and that these are natural outcomes for an appreciative inquiry-based, outcomes-focused organization. She partners with schools and organizations to expand their capacity for multiple ways of knowing, engagement and accountability, thinking together, and acting collaboratively. As a result people change they way they work together and how the organization is designed: a collaborative learning community evolves marked by open and positive relationships and the alignment of social and technical systems.
Webinar Overview:
There are certain conversations we all dread, such as delivering bad news, discussing sensitive subjects, confronting unprofessional behavior, or revealing unfavorable performance reviews. Regardless of the topic, difficult conversations occur at all levels of an organization. While it may be tempting to ignore the problems or delay the conversation, disregarding critical issues only creates additional problems and conflict – often resulting in a loss of productivity and engagement. Working in today’s competitive, fast-paced environment requires a broad foundation of leadership, communication, and people skills. The ability to engage in and facilitate difficult conversations effectively is one of the many challenges faced by many workers today.
This webinar offers a participative environment to demonstrate how practicing Appreciative Inquiry can help you solve problems, address issues, and engage in the important, crucial discussions we try so hard to avoid. Register today for this webinar and learn how to turn challenging conversations with difficult people into a foundation for improved relationships, enhanced morale, and increased productivity.
Designed For:
Individuals in all levels of an organization who wish to take a leadership role in creating and facilitating positive organizational culture and effective relationships are invited to join this webinar.
Learning Outcomes:
- More mindful of daily conversations that create/maintain organization or community culture.
- Reflect on the value of intentional conversation.
- Identify what creates a culture of welcome that supports learning, innovation, and collaboration.
- Identify types of conversations, including the important difficult conversations that are often avoided.
- Address difficult conversations using Appreciative Inquiry and reflective practice.
- Handle conflict and feedback in constructive and generative ways.
| Duration: Approximately 1 Hour |
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| Price: $9.99 USD (for webinar recording only) |
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Presenter:
Cheri Torres, PhD, has more than 30 years experience helping people and organizations expand their capacity for collaboration and excellence. She has worked in the public and private sectors in the US and around the world training trainers and facilitators, facilitating small and large groups, and providing professional development and organizational design consultation.
Cheri’s professional focus is grounded in the field of personal/ collaborative learning. Cheri helps people and organizations shift their workplace practices and design their systems for evolving sustainability. She believes that in today’s world, excellence is a function of learning and innovation and that these are natural outcomes for an appreciative inquiry-based, outcomes-focused organization. She partners with schools and organizations to expand their capacity for multiple ways of knowing, engagement and accountability, thinking together, and acting collaboratively. As a result people change they way they work together and how the organization is designed: a collaborative learning community evolves marked by open and positive relationships and the alignment of social and technical systems.
Heather Henson (left) and Melissa Robaina (right) are all smiles as they partake in a local cleanup in celebration of Earth Day
On April 22, 1970 over 20 million Americans rallied in the streets, parks, schools, and auditoriums to demonstrate for a healthy, sustainable environment. According to earthday.net, “Groups that had been fighting against oil spills, polluting factories and power plants, raw sewage, toxic dumps, pesticides, freeways, the loss of wilderness, and the extinction of wildlife suddenly realized they shared common values”. That day in 1970 is one to remember. As a result of everyone’s efforts, Congress enacted the United States Environmental Protection Agency in addition to passing the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species acts.
Company of Experts got down and dirty in celebration of Earth Day. The Company’s Social Marketing Director, Melissa Robaina, along with their student intern, Heather Henson, joined Get Outdoors Nevada – an interagency volunteer program – in its fight to preserve the desert ecosystem. Together they spent hours picking up trash in a remote area east of the Las Vegas strip that is often used for illegal dumping. More than thirty volunteers from around the Las Vegas area joined the cleanup efforts in order to restore the desert landscape to its beautiful, well-kept state.
When asked to reflect about the cleanup event Melissa replied, “This experience has been humbling and has ignited my desire to find additional ways to ‘go green’. I am very thankful to work for the Company of Experts’ whose principles not only value the people we serve, but the world for which sustains us all.” Heather’s response was brief and to the point, “Life is a garden, dig it.”
This is one of those warm and fuzzy stories of success that we just love to share. For those of you in higher education and/or if you have participated in our Appreciative Inquiry Facilitator Training, you may know Lane Glenn. Lane has been an Expert of Call and AIFT Trainer/Facilitator for years. He is one of those people that truly stands out in a crowd. He is fun, energetic, optimistic and cares about people and helping them find the best in themselves. The kind of person you know will do terrific work in whatever he does and where ever he goes.
With pleasure, we send this public congratulations to Dr. Lane Glenn as the new president of Northern Essex Community College. Lane will be serving NECC after the long tenure of a fine college president David Hartleb, who will retire this coming June.
We welcome you to sign Lane’s virtual “Congratulations Card” via the discussion threads found on the Company of Experts’ Facebook or LinkedIn pages.
Appreciative coaching is different than other coaching and mentoring offerings. Appreciative coaching is deeply rooted in the principles of Appreciative Inquiry. It focuses on what has and is working in your professional and personal lives and is designed to capitalize on an individual, group, or organization’s strengths – generating positive changes in performance, professional development, and organizational leadership.
During appreciative coaching sessions, problems are acknowledged, but are used only as tools for learning. Appreciative coaching takes the best and helps make it better by expanding people’s capacity to perform and by channeling their abilities for the greatest impact. This approach to coaching will take the client from good to great because it fosters personal transformation through innate talent and inherent strength, increasing the likelihood of producing longer lasting results quickly.
Appreciative coaching is a shared experience between the coach and the client. Together, the coach and the client collaborate to build a design for the future, develop strategies, and construct supporting actions for success. The relationship formed between the coach and the client is one of discovery. By intensely listening, asking unconditionally positive questions, and offering sincere encouragement, the coach facilitates the process for the client to unearth their own answers and to take responsibility for acting on them. By increasing the client’s self-awareness, they will understand how to better employ their strengths. Appreciative Coaching is the truest form of empowerment.
Appreciative Coaching is useful for: Leaders in business and corporations, community development, educational organizations, governmental agencies, and non-profit organizations.
Interested in receiving Appreciative Coaching?
Please fill out the information below and we will contact you to schedule your Appreciative Coaching session.
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