Appreciative Inquiry

Tell a story about a specific moment when you experienced a participative leader who helped a group create and achieve something exceptional? Who was there? What were you doing? What was happening?

My experience with a participative leader was in a church, working together to organize a community fundraiser project. This was a team of more than ten members with just one leader. We met twice every week and discussed issues related to the project, such as the right venue, the activities to attract community members, and the location for the fundraiser project. This group was very participative, with the leader giving every person a chance to make a contribution. The participative leadership style allows all people to participate in the decision-making process. This was the main way that we, as group members, interacted in the team.

Describe the things you most valued about:

The leader

I valued the very open communication demonstrated by the leader of this team. Whenever there was an issue, she consulted with the team members before deciding what to do. I also valued the respect that the leader showed all the team members. Every person’s contribution was taken into consideration in the decision-making. All team members would collaborate in deciding which of the suggestions was best.

The nature of the work.

What I valued most about the nature of the work we did was the cohesion. Our responsibilities as team members were achieved better when we collaborated and shared information openly in every meeting we had. The work was also dependent on great interpersonal skills, which complemented the team’s cohesion.

The organization’s culture or values.

The values of honesty and integrity played an important role in the team’s success. Effective participation required sharing duties among the team members. The system’s success was based on the culture of honesty and integrity, which made people fulfill the promises they had made to the team and ensure that they played their part in the achievement of the team’s success.

What do you consider the core factor that gives life to this leadership interaction?

The core factor that gives life to this leadership interaction is communication. It is because of effective communication that people are able to collaborate in a manner such as this. The leader was always open to issues that affected the team. For instance, when there was a misunderstanding, people would communicate the issues. Through communication, people would also share their feelings and opinions on a given situation, thus, making it easier to solve the issue. Effective communication is essential to team collaboration (Kim, 2002). This team demonstrated how it contributes to success in collaborative teams.

Using what you have described, what 3 wishes would you make to heighten the vitality and health of your own leadership behavior in the future?

One of the wishes I want to make to improve my leadership behaviors is to develop my interpersonal skills. It is important that I develop my interactions with people to become better at collaborating in different environments. Secondly, I would like to improve my ability to involve people in my decision-making. Instead of always thinking about the solutions on my own, I will follow the example of the leader in the team described above and consult people in vital decision-making. Lastly, I wish to be better at conflict management. The team described above worked because of the ability to compromise and solve conflicts. I would like to maintain the same kind of energy in my teams.

References

Kim, S. (2002). Participative management and job satisfaction: Lessons for management leadership. Public administration review, 62(2), 231-241.

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Unit 7 Discussion 1 – Appreciative Inquiry

Using an Appreciative Inquiry, write about your responses to the four questions below. Think about leaders who used participation to help a group see the potential and create that reality. Although this is not an interview, how might you use this to support your work in the group project?

Appreciative Inquiry

1. Tell a story about a specific moment when you experienced a participative leader who helped a group create and achieve something exceptional? Who was there? What were you doing? What was happening?
2. Describe the things you most valued about:

• the leader
• the nature of the work
• the organization’s culture or values
• What do you consider the core factor that gives life to this leadership interaction?
• Using what you have described, what 3 wishes would you make to heighten the vitality and health of your own leadership behavior in the future?

Read at least one classmate’s Appreciative Inquiry. Comment on what most impresses you and is most memorable for you. Look for repeating patterns that may overlap more than one story about what gives life. How do these stories demonstrate or refute the importance of a leader discussing, modeling, embodying values and direction, or demonstrating how communities shape their reality? Describe the importance of participation in ownership.

Resources

• Discussion Participation Scoring Guide.