Appreciate Christmas

Thinking about the Christmas Season, I challenge you to apply Appreciative Inquiry for reflection and appreciation with your family and friends.  Ask yourself and others to think about a joyful Christmas and to describe what made it so special. Ask the year, the location, who participated and what happened in that Christmas celebration (colorful descriptions are welcome). Then ask everyone to dream about next year’s Christmas event – where it will take place, with whom and what will be happening (again, ask for colorful descriptions and details). I can also provide you with a detailed Appreciative Inquiry script for Christmas; just write to me with your email address.

Me and AI - part 4

After moving to Geneva 5 years ago, I delivered an introductory 2-hour workshop on Appreciative Inquiry to HP colleagues in the local HP office, and during the session I kept getting questions from an experienced Project Manager who seemed very skeptical about the usability and effectiveness of AI.  The day we had a full AI workshop in the site with a concrete theme that mattered to the group, that colleague joined and, again, kept asking questions and making comments. This time, however, the tone was much more positive. And a year later, when I returned to work from maternity leave, that same colleague invited me to introduce AI to his peers in the PMI (Project Management Institute) Swiss Chapter. I felt very happy and honored by the invitation. Unfortunately at the time I had to decline due to conflicts with work and family commitments, and recommended him an external AI consultant who I had met in a networking event.

The more I apply AI, the more I am convinced that this methodology really works. And it works on a personal level too!  A few years ago, my husband and his best friends were in a cross-road with regards to their jobs and their professional objectives, and they wanted to reflect and decide about potential career moves. So we organized a 2-day workshop in Paris, where most of those friends live, with the objective of sharing about everyone0s ambitions and brainstorming about next steps which potentially included starting a company together. The first part of the workshop was based on AI and aimed at discovering the group’s positive core. We all answered questions about the most positive experiences, strengths and dreams, and several commonalities were found that inspired the group until the workshop ended. Everyone enjoyed the process and affirmed that AI had a very positive influence on the outcome. Following this workshop, my husband completed his MBA, is currently in pursuing a PhD and starting a company. One of our friends changed job twice since then, and feels much happier and motivated today.

After being trained as Appreciative Inquiry Facilitator, I have been carrying AI in my mind and heart. I am not fanatic, enforcing AI to every situation but I am an Ambassador of this methodology to drive and manage positive change and apply it wisely when most appropriate. Thanks to AI, to discovering my positive core and that of several teams, organizations and groups I am or have been part of, I am more open to new possibilities, to embracing change, to focusing on strengths, and to promoting improvements in me, in my family and in my environment.

Lately I have been thinking about how AI could be used to support parents and children in discovering their positive core, focusing on their best family moments and experiences, and in improving family relationships. I did some research on parenting coaching and bought a book about Positive Family Dynamics. I am considering the possibility of one day, eventually when my current career no longer fulfils me or I am compelled to changing course for some reason, becoming a parenting coach using Appreciative Inquiry and the Discovery of the Positive Core methodology.

If I have to give an image of myself before and after learning and applying Appreciative Inquiry methodology, it would be that of a smiley, dreamy young woman, full of energy and optimism, that grew into a smiley, dreamy wife and mother, very appreciative of what life offers and confident about a bright future.

Me and AI - Part 3

I just realized it has been a while since I shared with you about my engagement with Appreciative Inquiry methodology. And there is still so much to be told! So here are a few more details and I hope you enjoy reading them.

 

During the Culture Transformation summits I developed friendships with colleagues who were like me passionate about the leadership theme. These growing friendship and common passion were nurtured throughout the facilitator training events in which most of us participated. We created a community of practice in HP named “Leadership at All Levels” and in our work we used AI continually as we revisited our goals and plans, and interviewed several people in our company to share inspiring leadership stories.

I had become a fan of AI and proactively shared my experience in the IPG summits and the training with colleagues, friends and family.

One of the missions given to employees trained in AI and the Discovery of the Positive Core was to organize introductory sessions to AI and full 4-D cycle workshops with as many employees as possible in our teams and geographies, so that the power of the desired transformation towards a Culture of High Performance could be spread and results achieved as fast as possible. So I worked with my leadership team and took them through a short AI workshop aiming at discovering the Positive Core of our organization in Iberia (Spain and Portugal). The outcome was above my expectations – we defined together the core elements of the organization and agreed to do a workshop with the Portuguese team and to leverage AI to the business workshops planned for the new fiscal year kick-off event with the whole Iberia organization.

Another interesting experience was my contribution to the planning of HP’s Women Summit in EMEA. I didn’t attend the event nor was a member of the planning team. Instead I was interviewed to support the discovery of the Positive Core of HP women and 70% of the questions were AI-driven and focused on excitement, success, hope and action. Reading through my answers to that interview I can’t help smiling - what I mentioned then about my experiences and the changes needed still stands true today!

In HP I have promoted Appreciative Inquiry and facilitated team building and business focused workshops. I believe I have “converted” other colleagues to the power and effectiveness of AI to drive change no matter what the focus theme might be. And it was not easy task! It took me a lot of persistence, solid arguments and proof points to convince team leaders of the benefits they would get from using AI. Initially it was my reputation and the trust the management team had in me that helped getting a “go” for the AI workshops.

I will never forget that I had the pleasure to co-facilitate an AI Introductory Workshop to the IPG EMEA Leadership team with Anita Sanchez, the AI consultant and trainer hired by HP and other 4 HP colleagues. In this occasion, Anita ensured a good preparation with the group and used the opportunity to follow up on our individual activities, successes, challenges with AI, and provided very useful advice and guidance. This check-point motivated me to reinforce the AI message in the region and to further work with some of the leaders that participated in the event and were motivated to leverage AI to achieve better business results.

Following this Leadership meeting, a colleague and I delivered a workshop for the IPG team in the Netherlands, including the definition of the team’s Positive Core and a customized AI interview guide. The event had very good outcomes with concrete actions with owners assigned, that were later actively followed by the management team. It was again a great personal and professional experience. Anita offered her support and consultancy during the whole process which built our confidence and influenced the event’s success.

How about your own stories with change management, Appreciative Inquiry or other methodology?  I would love to learn about them.

PS. My next post on AI is coming very soon, so stay tuned!

How resilient are you?

How resilient am I? Good question... I had never thought about this until I participated in a women’s event where the Resilience Institute program was presented. But what does it mean to be resilient? On the web we can find several definitions that resume into the capability “to recover from or adjust easily to change” or “to bounce back to an original state”.

With an increasing curiosity on the topic, this week I followed a full day Practical Resilience workshop from the Resilience Institute consisting of understanding what resiliency is, knowing my personal resiliency ratio today, learning the techniques to become more resilient, and defining a priority list and an action plan to take me there.

It was a day well spent for the learning, the experience and the exchange with the coaches and the other participants. The approach was very pragmatic with relaxation exercises and short group assignments.

I learned that with small changes in our daily routines and habits we can easily improve our physical, mental and spiritual condition. For example, exercising daily or at least stretching 5 minutes per day; waking up early and at the same time every day including on weekends (of course, with time we will eventually also start going to bed early); eating balanced and healthy foods that energize without surcharging the digestive system; and allowing the body and the mind to recover through short breaks for good breathing throughout the day. To summarize, I learned that I can increase my resiliency through sleep, nutrition, exercise and relaxation.

You may be thinking – so what? Nothing new… Indeed, it seems only good common sense that helps us live healthier and happier. So why are most of us not doing all of this already? Or why are we only covering one piece of the puzzle? Are we lazy or undisciplined? I admit sometimes I am both…

In the company I work I hear more and more news of colleagues who reached the burnout state which lies at the bottom of the lower part of the Resilience spiral. It is by recognizing the risks and the signals early enough, and knowing when and how to “bounce back” that we can prevent the negative effects of stress and ultimately avoid a burnout.

Another key contributor to resilience is emotional intelligence, the way we manage our emotions. Many years ago we were hearing only of the IQ (intellectual quotient). Some decades ago we started hearing about the EQ (emotional quotient), particularly relevant to leadership positions. Understanding, being aware and managing one’s emotions is extremely important to establish and maintain personal and professional relationships, and therefore contributes to higher resiliency.

I am now convinced that resiliency training and practice can do wonders to everyone, especially in the most developed countries where the negative effects of today’s overloaded, stressful life, filled with unhealthy habits and routines are most prominent. Resilience knowledge and practice is not only valuable for own individual good, but also to support those who manage and lead other people in being alert and acting on time to prevent disengagement, lower performance and burnout and, gradually, increase engagement and performance.

The Resilience Institute workshop I attended took place in a wonderful, charming hotel in front of Lake Geneva, in Switzerland. The room was big with big windows offering natural light and a view to the lake. The coffee breaks were very well served with healthy snacks, fruit juice, coffee and tea. The meal served at lunch was balanced, well prepared and presented, and offered a great opportunity for networking with my peers and coaches.

First thing the coaches asked participants to do in the morning was to note down our individual intentions (not the expectations) for the day, and to keep the paper in the pocket. I wrote that I wanted to learn how to be more resilient, to relax, to have a good time, and to return home with a big smile. At the end of the workshop, when I unfolded my paper I realized I had actually achieved my list of intentions. What a great day!

Acting on my sleep, namely waking up every day at 7:00 was part of my priority actions towards higher resiliency over time. It’s hard to keep this routine on weekends, but I’m trying hard not to deviate (much) and today I woke up at 7:30. So far the day has been very productive for the family. We already accomplished many things and I am particularly happy for having had the time to write this text.

PS. If you are following my story about Appreciative Inquiry, it is not over yet – I will post on the subject again soon.

Me and AI - Part 2

Let me continue sharing about my experience with Appreciative Inquiry. Following the Culture Transformation summits, I was offered the possibility to become a certified AI facilitator. The first training was the Foundation and consisted in understanding more about AI by experiencing the methodology going through the 4-D cycle, doing team assignments, and sharing learning and best practices. There are a few things I keep fresh in my memory from the AI Foundation training, beyond the AI theory and the 4-D cycle practice;

•             The breathing exercises we did in the morning, evening, and every time the group needed an energy boost;

•             The inspiring stories and examples of AI applied in several other organizations and “living systems” shared by Anita Sanchez and Kit Tennis;

•             The comparison between AI and Problem Solving that was beautifully illustrated by a colleague Engineer with the Accelerating Time to Resolution process used by his team;

•             The hints on how to be a good facilitator and the success factors for AI events in organizations (e.g. senior sponsorship and pre-work).

A second training event followed a few months later - the Advanced AI for organizations. This time we spent more time learning, practicing and reflecting about how to choose an affirmative topic, how to build an AI interview guide, how to plan and facilitate an AI workshop or summit, how to tailor our work, and how to analyze results and follow through.

Once more our trainers, Anita and Kit, ensured a great balance between theory and practice, connecting individually with each trainee, capturing what mattered most to each person, and understanding the cultural specifics of our origins and work geographies. What seemed to be a standard training was in reality very customized.

The Appreciative Inquiry Foundation and Advanced Facilitator training delivered by Anita and Kit enabled me to apply AI in several occasions in the past 6 years both at professional and personal levels.  Their experience and teaching methodology made the learning process very effective.

There is much more to tell and I will leave that to my next post. Meanwhile, I would love to learn how Appreciative Inquiry, or other change management methodology/approach, has supported you throughout your life.

Me and AI - Part 1

What do you think AI stands for? Take 30 seconds and note down what comes to your mind. Now let’s see if your guess was right.

AI is the acronym for Appreciate Inquiry and it designates a methodology to drive positive change in any living system such as organizations.

My first contact with Appreciative Inquiry happened during a Culture Transformation summit organized in Barcelona, early February 2006 by the Global Business Unit I worked in. Until then I had never heard of AI. I was impressed by the positive energy in the room that increased during the day and as we were moving along a 4-D cycle - Discovery, Dream, Design, Destiny. What really had a WOW effect in me was the fact that my colleagues and I were having loads of fun! I had never thought I would be drawing, doing collages, singing and role playing for work…

I was fortunate to continue that transformation journey towards a High Performance Culture and fly to my company’s site in San Diego, United States for an integration summit with participants coming from all over the world and including the Business Unit Executive VP and his staff. Once more we had much fun while keeping the focus on the purpose of the event, and we were constantly reminded of the wise words of Mahatma Gandhi “be the change you want to be”.

The summits were facilitated by employees, mostly HR professionals that had been trained by Sanchez & Tennis Associates, the consulting firm who worked with our business unit senior management in understanding the need for change to drive higher performance, innovation and business growth, and in designing the transformation summits. Anita Sanchez and Kit Tennis and the business unit’s top management team went through the discovery of the Positive Core – the key qualities and strengths of our organization - prior to the series of summits.

The experience and outcome of the summits was so good, that our leaders decided to train 100 AI Facilitators in all geographies and called in Anita and Kit to train the group. It was only when I on boarded this other great journey of that Culture Transformation that I met Anita and Kit.

I am curious to learn if you already knew or used Appreciate Inquiry? In my next post I will share more about how AI evolved in my professional and personal life.

Let's Be Fruit Friends

Wow, I just realized many months have passed since my last post… and during this period my stomach and I have been happy, and I have exercised leadership in many ways at work and at home (especially at home with my 13-month old daughter). My apologies!

I want to share about the Wellness Days my employer is offering in Switzerland as part of a corporate Wellness program. When I joined the company in my home country almost 13 years ago we were offered fruits and sandwiches every day – we didn’t need to eat breakfast at home, we could have a healthy and balanced breakfast in the office. How convenient! This lasted a few years, then the first cost cuts came in and the fruits and sandwiches were replaced by vending machines that also included these plus yogurts, cookies and other less healthy snacks. We were entitled to an item at choice per day and the rest we would have to pay – fair enough, and still very convenient.

Then when I relocated to Geneva and here I found again fruit baskets distributed in the office every day. I really felt good about having fruit for free again because it meant my employer cared for its employees. Some years ago the cost reduction measures also hit Switzerland and that was the end of the daily free fruits. Later the company launched a global program aiming at promoting wellness to the employees and the Swiss directors decided to launch the program in the form of Wellness Days. The big launch was celebrated with free healthy breakfast composed of free fruits, freshly squeezed juices, cereals and yogurts, many workshops and awareness sessions during the day and free healthy desert at lunch. What a nice initiative!

I became fan of the Wellness Days. They happen now once a month in all company offices in the country, are announced through emails entitled “Let’s be Fruit Friends” and are celebrated with free fruit baskets. I am not always in the office, but I try to be on the Wellness Days, not so much for the gratuity of fruits but for what it means – the company cares for its employees and wants them to be well and healthy. And healthy employees tend to be happier and more loyal employees, so the Wellness program and days are definitely a great leadership initiative!

I am curious to learn if there are other organizations focused on employees’ well-being, running any sort of wellness program and offering free healthy snacks. You tell me, dear reader…