Appreciative Inquiry Newsletter Issue 5, May 1999

From Anne Radford (editor@aipractitioner.com)

Welcome to new readers from Hong Kong, India, England, Scotland, Malaysia, Germany, Denmark, Austria, the United States and Sweden. Welcome to those people who have got in touch from facilitation and Deming Listservs.

This issue focuses on AI and interfaith activities. Charles Gibbs gives us a picture of the role that AI played in the United Religions Initiative. Sister Jayanti talks about her experience in the Religious Leaders’ Forum in Washington DC last November. Dale White from South Africa tells about the 100 days of goodwill leading up to the next election. Paul Chaffee calls on his extensive knowledge of congregations and his recommendations for introducing AI into congregations.

There are AI events in Europe and the USA, including a new date for Frank Barrett’s seminar in London. I have included the therapy workshops being run by Harlene Anderson because others, like me, may enjoy and benefit from the messages in her book.

I hope you enjoy the articles and examples.

Best regards,



CONTENTS OF THE NEWSLETTER
1. ARTICLES
1.1 AI and the URI by The Revd. Cn Charles Gibbs, Executive Director, URI
—What has AI brought into the mix?
—"A practice of sacred listening"
—"Working together to make the world we all want"
1.2 Interview with Sister Jayanti, European Director, Brahma Kumaris and BK representative to the UN, Geneva on her participation in the Religious Leaders’ Forum

2. INTERFAITH EXAMPLES:
2.1 South Africa: 100 Days of Goodwill—Building a Better Nation Revd. Dale White
2.2 USA: First Gleanings from the Vineyard Paul Chaffee

3. INTERFAITH EVENTS:
3.1 European URI conference in Hungary, March 2000
3.2 UK URI Launch in London, October 1999
3.3 Peace conference in The Hague, May 1999
3.4 World—wide The 72 hour project: Acts of Peace building for the 21st Century

4. OTHER EVENTS
4.1 EUROPE Belgium, Norway, Hungary, Denmark and Sweden Seminars by Harlene Anderson, Houston Galveston Institute
4.2 EUROPE England
4.2.1 Frank Barrett Seminar *NEW DATE* September 17, 1999 ’The Aesthetics of Organizing: AI, Jazz and Improvisation’
4.2.2 Institute of Management ’Manager as an Effective Coach’
4.3 AI Training in USA
4.3.1 The Leading Clinic
4.3.2 The Taos Institute
4.3.3 NTL
4.3.4 UT Dallas OD and Change Management Program and Thin Book Publishing Co.

5. PUBLICATIONS
5.1 ARTICLE: Laverne Webb on AI with the developmentally disabled
5.2 EZZAY: Sue Hammond and Cathy Royal
5.3 BOOK: Suresh Srivastva and David Cooperrider 1990 book "Appreciative Management and Leadership" revised and reissued.

6. WEB SITES
6.1 Imagine Chicago new web page
6.2 AI newsletter on AMED web page

7. AI in DIFFERENT LANGUAGES
7.1 AI in German
7.2 AI in Greek
7.3 AI Thin Book in French
7.4 AI report on Swedish Schools in Swedish (and English)

8. CALL FOR AI EXAMPLES for book
9. NEXT ISSUE— THE CLIENT’S VOICE
10. FUTURE ISSUES What would you like to contribute?
11. COUNTRY CONTACTS Do you want to be a country contact?


1. ARTICLES
1.1 AI and the URI by The Rev. Cn. Charles P. Gibbs, Executive Director, URI
We, people of many faiths, called by our traditions to compassion in response to the suffering of humanity and the crises which endanger our Earth community, wish to create a permanent forum where we gather in mutual respect, dialogue, and cooperative action to foster peace and the flourishing of all life.
Preamble, Benchmark Draft Charter of United Religions, June 1998

The United Religions Initiative began as a seed planted in the soul of the Episcopal Bishop of San Francisco, William E. Swing, in the winter of 1993 when he was invited by the UN to host an interfaith service commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the UN Charter signing. Today, the URI is a growing global movement that involves thousands of people from dozens of religious, spiritual, and cultural traditions in over 40 countries around the world. Its goal is to establish a global United Religions in June 2000. At the heart of the URI’s growth from a tiny seed to a global reality is a life—giving relationship with Appreciative Inquiry.

After a period of incubation, which included a conference for 200 young people from over 30 different religious traditions and the UN 50th service, the URI began in earnest in early 1996 when Bishop Swing embarked on a three—month pilgrimage around the world to share the URI vision with a wide range of religious leaders, scholars and diplomats. As the Bishop travelled, a San Francisco Host Committee, led by Charles Gibbs, the URI’s current Executive Director, was planning for the URI’s first global summit, to take place in June 1996. At the same time, Dr. David Cooperrider read an article about the URI in the Cleveland Plain Dealer and wrote to offer his assistance, and a rich, cooperative effort between the URI and AI was born.

It is undeniable that religion has caused or exacerbated much of violent conflict that has plagued humanity. The URI is based on a premise that this does not have to be so, and a belief that if people from various faiths can come together in mutual respect and dialogue it will lead to cooperative action for the good of all people. But the challenge is how to bring people, who often view each other with distrust, fear or even hatred, together in a positive way.

What has AI brought into the mix?
First, it has brought a context of deeply respectful mutual listening and valuing. Our conferences (by now, three global summits, five regional conferences, and countless less formal meetings) begin with appreciative interviews that help dissolve the walls of stereotyping and blaming to reveal human beings with shared passions and commitments.

"A practice of sacred listening"
A typical example came at an April 1998 conference in Caracas, Venezuela, attended by 60 people from 18 countries and 17 faith traditions. The group gathered as a collection of strangers, hopeful but cautious, uncertain about engaging people from such a wide array of faiths and about the URI. After a brief introduction, people began their interviews, and then introductions in table groups. The results, noted in a journal kept during the conference, were stunning: "Once again, appreciative interviews worked their magic, helping to ground us in a practice of sacred listening, and to form an energized community ready to move into the next three days."

"Working together to make the world we all want"
Out of these gatherings a global movement has emerged. It is motivated by a belief that, together, we can create the better world we want to live in, the world we would like to see children grow up in and people grow old in. It is fueled by the knowledge that we cannot build this world in isolation but must work cooperatively, and the undeniable experience that working together is not only a possibility, but a life—giving experience. As several people attending a URI conference in East Africa commented, "I was afraid to come here because as a Christian (or Muslim) I didn’t think I could sit down and talk with a Muslim (or Christian). But now I’m so glad I came because I have made so many Muslim (or Christian) friends. I know we can work together to make the world we all want."

That is the gift of AI to the URI. It is a gift that is helping to grow a global movement that will change the world.

For more information contact the URI website http://www.united—religions.org or email office@united—religions.org

1.2 Interview with Sister Jayanti, European Director, Brahma Kumaris and BK representative to the UN, Geneva, about the meeting on 9 November 1998 in Washington DC of 20 of the world’s religious leaders. The meeting moderator was David Cooperrider.

Anne: What attracted you to the idea of the Forum?
Sister Jayanti: The idea that if there is friendship amongst leaders of religions there is a way for peace among religions. This is something I hold very dear in my own heart.

A: What was a high point for you?
SJ: A conversation I had with a person who may not have spoken before to someone from an Eastern spiritual background. We started at different ends of the spectrum.

We had a fantastic understanding and rapport. It was a deep, intimate conversation where we shared our stories. We were not trying to convince each other but to see each other in a very respectful way, to recognise and acknowledge the goodness in each other. It felt as though something very beautiful had been created.

A: Were you aware of being the only woman religious spiritual leader there?
SJ: Yes, I was. I am sure that the person I spoke about had not had that kind of conversation on an equal basis with a woman spiritual leader before. Because we were both aware there could be many sticky patches, we were both very gentle in the conversation. It went so smoothly.

A. Thinking 5 or 10 years from now, what will have made this worthwhile for you?
SJ: The leaders of religions will be trusting each other and encouraging their organisations to function from a position of peace and friendship not from competition, mistrust or conversion. There will be a recognition that each person is on the path that is right for them. There will be appreciation for their path and way of thinking. My belief is that friendship is really the foundation for that.

My other belief is that the core values of every human soul are the same which ever tradition they have been brought up in. As soul, I am peaceful in my original state. Even if I have moved away from that state, when I am reminded of it I can come back to it. When people have peace as a priority, they can see the peace in others.

A: What would be your blessing or meditation for the Inter—religious Forum?
SJ: There is the recognition for the One Supreme, the One Divine and through that the recognition of the value of brotherhood, and the relationship of love and friendship amongst all people. There is recognition that we are all part of the same creation as one family. There is recognition of ourselves and our own spiritual identity so that we can move away from the identification or the over identification with all the external difficult factors such as gender, age, nationality, and colour.

So, my hope is that people of faith will share that understanding of spiritual identity and spread that understanding of spiritual identity.

A: Thank you so much.
SJ: Lovely to connect with you.


2. INTERFAITH EXAMPLES
2.1 SOUTH AFRICA—100 Days of Goodwill—Building a Better Nation
Revd. Dale White at the Wilgespruit Fellowship Centre, established in 1948. (letsema@wfc.org.za)

Prior to the elections in 1994 on 27 April there was a great deal of street fighting and deadly conflict where houses were gutted, whole families killed, many people maimed, and workers abducted and found dead. The next election is on 2 June. It has to be different this time.

As an initiative with the largest black daily Sowetan Newspaper and Channel 2 of SABCTV, on 26 March South Africa’s Human Rights Day, the Wilgespruit Fellowship Centre launched a 100 days of Goodwill season until July 28 1999. During this period there are many national days including 5 April Family day, 27 April Freedom Day, 1 May Workers Day, 2 June Election Day and 16 June Youth Day and the inauguration of the first State President to be elected.

Rather than focus on non—violence and non—prejudice, the 100 days’ season focuses on the positive of Goodwill, and recognises what people have done to heal and forgive the scars and damage of their past. People turn from See No Evil, Hear No Evil and Speak No Evil to See, Hear and Speak Goodwill, to have a goodwill School, a goodwill and peaceful Church, and a goodwill place of work.

After the first 50 days on 8 May, 50 community based organisations with loyalties to both the IFP and the ANC joined with churches and other faith groups to have a celebratory rally. There was healing and tolerance.

Please hold us in your prayers, keep us in the positive light of our destiny and hold the fragile circle of goodwill. This will help us stay in touch with the positive good, true and beautiful life—giving forces.

2.2 USA First Gleanings From The Vineyard by Paul Chaffee
(PJCHAFFEE@aol.com) Paul Chaffee has been involved in inter—faith work for a number of years, has served many United Church of Christ parishes and spent about half the past 15 years writing about the church.

As a long—term inquirer into congregational life, I was quickly convinced that Ai needs to be shared with congregations across the land. Since my own discovery of AI, I’ve worked to learn about the discipline and apply it in as many different contexts as possible such as ’global summits’, as an editor of a religious newspaper and using Ai as an alternative to traditional conflict resolution measures. I offer the following recommendations for introducing AI into congregations:
* Ground your subject biblically and theologically to generate serious interest.
* Find pockets of appreciation and examples of creative, asset—based engagement in the congregation.
* Use appreciative principles and ask appreciative questions as an entrŽe into the subject. AI’s initial defenders find their numbers growing as soon some trust is generated.
* Reread your favorite scripture from an appreciative point of view:
—Jesus’ ’mission’ statement in the gospel of John — "I came that they may have life, and have it more abundantly" — summarizes an element of what I think would be crucial in any AI credo, if such a document were ever written.
—Consider Jesus’ feeding the 5,000 as a refusal to look into the faces of hungry people and see a deficit situation.
—Or consider the parable of the Good Samaritan as the study of a man able to create an appreciative, creative, life—saving relationship with a stranger in an otherwise deadly cultural milieu. Consider writing a provocative proposition focused on the origin of the Good Samaritan’s graciousness.

3. INTERFAITH EVENTS
3.1 URI EUROPE CONFERENCE March 2000 in Budapest, Hungary.
Josef Boehle, European Co—ordinator (jboehle@compuserve.com)

The conference is an important step towards establishing a permanent forum where:
* the European development of the URI can be advanced
* the questions and challenges of this development can be discussed
* consensus can be reached and strategic actions can be taken in co—operation with the global, regional or national URI efforts.

We hope that people from many different European countries and faith traditions will be attracted to the conference in Budapest.

CHARITABLE STATUS: URI Europe will register as an international charity in Europe.This will help it raise funds for URI Europe and connect more formally with religious institutions and the many international organisations in Europe.

3.2 URI UK Launch at St. George’s House, Windsor in October with representatives of the religions in the UK. Malcolm Stonestreet in the Acting Chairman of URI—UK.

3.3 THE HAGUE APPEAL FOR PEACE CONFERENCE Date:11—15 May 1999. The URI will have a good presence there. Participants and organisations will develop an agenda for a more just, peaceful and sustainable Earth community in the 21st century.

3.4 WORLD—WIDE 72 hour project: Acts of Peace building for the 21st Century
"Imagine that it is December 31, 1999, and all over the world at this millennial moment a miracle is taking shape. In extraordinary numbers, people of diverse faiths have decided that during the next 72 hours they are going to act together from the very deepest and best in themselves....."

For the rest of the sentence in the URI Materials ’Using AI interviews to Build the United Religions’ contact Sally Ackerly at sally@united—religions.org or the URI website. For more information on the 72 hour project, contact Paul Andrews at Paul@United—Religions.org or the URI website.


4. OTHER EVENTS
4.1 EUROPE—Belgium, Norway, Hungary, Denmark and Sweden
Harlene Anderson, author of "Conversation, Language and Possibilities: A Post Modern Approach to Therapy." BasicBooks (HarperCollins) is offering the following events in Europe. (Harlene@compuserve.com)

Belgium May 21: Antwerp. Sponsor Feelings & Context. Workshop on the philosophy and practice of a collaborative approach to therapy. Contact Peter Rober peter.rober@skynet.be.**** Norway June 14—16. Bodo. North Norwegian Conference: Work with Children and Youth from postmodern perspectives. Contact Inger Simonsen, fax 47—75—50—1234. **** Hungary August 12—13. Budapest. Sponsor League for Family Support Education. Contact Csaba Ratay, phone/fax 36—1—215—9768.**** Denmark September 30 & October 1st. Copenhagen, Denmark. Sponsor—Danish Association for Systemic Therapy and Consultation. Contact Susanne Kjoller fax 45—43—223—3973.**** Sweden September. Sponsor Swedish Family Therapy Association. Contact Elizabeth Larsen, phone 46—8—672 4545, fax 46—8—672—4948.

4.2 EUROPE—England
4.2.1 Seminar with Frank Barrett on ’’The Aesthetics of Organizing: AI, Jazz and Improvisation’ ****NEW DATE****
Great seminar for anyone dealing with change in organisations. Frank Barrett is author of many articles (including one in the relaunched 1990 Srivastva and Cooperrider book—see below) as well as a jazz pianist who toured with the Tommy Dorsey band. He will lead us through a discussion, activities and demonstration on organizing and organisational improvisation. He is a professor at the Naval Postgraduate School in California and is on sabbatical in Europe.
Date: Friday, 17 September 1999. ***NEW DATE*** Time 10.30am to 4.00pm
Location: Groucho Club + a piano, in the heart of London’s jazz land
Send your cheque for 50 pounds sterling payable to ’Anne Radford’ to 303 Bankside Lofts, 65 Hopton St., London SE1 9JL or contact Anne Radford (editor@aipractitioner.com)

4.2.2 Institute of Management Topic: Manager as an Effective Coach The AI approach to highlighting effective coaching skills, and developing ways to sustain them.
Course Leader: Anne Radford Dates: One day workshop on 21 June and 6 October Location: London Contact IM booking line 01536—207373 or fax 01536 207384.

4.3 AI TRAINING IN USA
4.3.1 The Leading Clinic. State of Washington contact Sherene Zolnor (Coachpb@worldnet.att.net)
4.3.2 The Taos Institute, Taos, New Mexico contact Dawn Dole at coopdole@modex.com or see the Taos Institute Website: www.serve.com/taos/
The Taos Institute course in Washington DC, info from RalphKellyO@compuserve.com
4.3.3 NTL AI Courses—Bethel, Maine and Washington DC
For registration, call NTL at 703—548—8840 or 1—800—777—5227
4.3.4 UT Dallas OD and Change Mgt Program, and Thin Book Publishing Co AI workshop in Dallas. Contact Martha Overton maroverton@aol.com or Suehammond@aol.com


5. PUBLICATIONS
5.1 ARTICLE: Laverne Webb’s (LaverneW@aol.com)article "Appreciative Inquiry as a Way to Jump Start Change," in At Work Magazine (March—April) provides a good description of how the AI process can be applied in programs for the developmentally disabled. Order a free copy of this issue at www.atworkonline.com

5.2 EZZAY: Jane Seiling writes "Tom Brown had a great ’ezzay’ on AI on the Management General site >>www.mgeneral.com<< written by Cathy Royal and Sue Hammond. Each ezzay is put in archives for visiting at any time."

5.3 BOOK: A revised edition of the 1990 book "Appreciative Management and Leadership" by Suresh Srivastva & David L. Cooperrider is out. Available through the Thin Book Publishing website, www.thinbook.com. Website description of the book on http://www.willese—press.com/wcpcatalog/srivastva.htm


6. WEB SITES
6.1 IMAGINE CHICAGO now has an active web site with information on projects done over its 7 year history. Web address is : www.imaginechicago.org
6.2 AI newsletter is on AMED’s website in England. Many thanks to David Shephard for doing this, and for the support from Julian Glover and Helen Trussler. www.management.org.uk/amed/MembersSpace/AINewsletters/News1Contents.htm


7. AI in DIFFERENT LANGUAGES
7.1 AI materials in German: Contact Walter Bruck (Walter.Bruck@usa.net)
7.2 AI in Greek and AI work in Greece: Contact Marge Schiller (mrsentp@aol.com)
7.3 AI in French: For information on the Thin Book in French, contact Jean Fuller based in Montreal, Canada (JeanFuller@compuserve.com)
7.4 AI material in Swedish: Robert Klavus (email Helena.Klavus@telia.com) has a report on a successful school project linked to city—centre regeneration work. They have just been awarded the second prize from the National Academy of Education.


8. CALL FOR AI EXAMPLES
Patricia Lustig, LASA Development UK, is asking for AI examples for the book she is writing for Kogan—Page ’Implementing the Learning Organisation’. (Tricia@LASA.demon.co.uk) Tricia says "I’m looking for stories about how AI was used, what was exciting about it, or stood out in the example." She will acknowledge the contributor and include a brief bio.


9. THE NEXT ISSUE (August 1999/Issue 6)—THE CLIENT VOICE
"Application of the Appreciative Inquiry method within our Division has led to some remarkable improvement in morale, communication, and leadership development. The Community Builders Committee has taken the lead in keeping us focused on our Vision, Values and Leadership Philosophy and the recognition that we all have a responsibility for creating and maintaining the kind of workplace and work environment that reflect those values. In short, it works!"

These are the words of Dr. Anne Sassaman, Director of DERT. DERT is the Division of Extramural Research and Training, a division of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) which is a component of the National Institutes of Health within the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).

More about DERT’s experience in the next newsletter in the lead article. Many thanks to Marge Schiller, who has been working with DERT, for encouraging them to express their views about AI. Thanks to her also for encouraging us to have the client presence in the newsletter.

If more clients would like to offer their views in future issues on the meaning or significance of AI for them please contact one of the country co—ordinators. We have a mini protocol to assist you.


10. FUTURE ISSUES—POSSIBLE TOPICS:
Topics for future issues include:
* Ai with groups of women (prompted by a discussion with Laverne Webb)
* Ai with groups of men (prompted by the postings on the listserv)
* Power of intergenerational AI inquiries
* Resolving conflicts in communities and the workplace
* Spirituality in the workplace (November 1999)
* Value of Language
In November, let’s look at Spirituality in the workplace. It seems fitting as we think about our hopes and dreams for the year 2000.

11. COUNTRY CONTACTS Do you want to be a country contact?
Please send any examples or information for future issues to one of the following:
COUNTRY CONTACTS/CO—ORDINATORS
Walter Bruck/Germany Walter.Bruck@usa.net
Gervase Bushe/Canada gervase@cheerful.com
Steve Cato/USA West Coast scato@worldnet.att.net
Bart Cox /South Africa stazia@wfc.org.za
Joep de Jong/The Netherlands joep.dejong@syntegra.nl
Muriel Finegold/USA East Coast Marafine@aol.com
Mette Jacobsgaard/Denmark 101572.622@compuserve.com
Bill Kinsey/Zimbabwe bkinsey@econ.vu.nl
Liz Mellish/Australia info@mellish.com.au
Ravi Pradhan/Nepal ravip@mos.com.np
Hamdi Qenawi/Egypt hamdiq@iiedt2.gega.net
Anne Radford/England + Newsletter Co—ordinator editor@aipractitioner.com
Marge Schiller/USA East Coast MRSENTP@aol.com
Magdalena Steinmeyer/Mexico hgstein@ibm.net
Laverne Dees Webb/USA Iowa LaverneW@aol.com
Margaret Wright/Scotland 100067.2577@compuserve.com

If you want to SUBSCRIBE or UNSUBSCRIBE to the newsletter, write to me (editor@aipractitioner.com). There is no charge for the newsletter.

I hope you have enjoyed this issue. Do let me have your feedback and comments,. Issue 6 will be out in August 1999 before we get eclipsed!

Anne Radford
Management consultant and business coach

Do forward the whole newsletter to as many people as you like.