‘RL-UK is a not-for-profit social enterprise working to improve lives
and livelihoods'
Appreciative Intervention Work
by
Professor (dr.) Tony Ghaye
Director of Reflective Learning – UK
Visiting Professor at Luleå Tekniska Universitet – Sweden
‘RL-UK is a not-for-profit social enterprise working to improve lives
and livelihoods'
Improving work and workplaces
We can improve things
this way !
Or we can improve them
this way !
‘RL-UK is a not-for-profit social enterprise working to improve lives
and livelihoods'
Do you need people who are good at ‘fixing’ problems?
‘RL-UK is a not-for-profit social enterprise working to improve lives
and livelihoods'
How do you gather and use ‘information’ about how to improve your work and workplace?
What do you mean …“then something bad happened?”
‘RL-UK is a not-for-profit social enterprise working to improve lives
and livelihoods'
Metaphor: Organization as a machine
Hierarchical command and control style
Search for “the one best way”
Deficit discourses based on fixing what’s wrong
Frederick Winslow Taylor(1856-1915)
So what kind of organizational culture
are you working in?
‘RL-UK is a not-for-profit social enterprise working to improve lives
and livelihoods'
• There is no ‘one way’
• Need to be constantly responsive and agile
• Raising one child gives no assurance of success with the next
• Expertise in relationships is fundamental
• Important to learn as you go along
• Uncertainty of outcome always remains
Like raising a Child?
• Finding the ‘right’ recipe is essential
• Recipes mean that later efforts can be repeated
• Expertise in following the recipe increases success
• Recipes produce standard products
• Certainty of same results every time
By following a Recipe?
Improving
work and
workplaces
‘RL-UK is a not-for-profit social enterprise working to improve lives
and livelihoods'
What single thing, were it to happen again, and more often, would make a significant and positive difference to
your work?
‘RL-UK is a not-for-profit social enterprise working to improve lives
and livelihoods'
Please tick ONE box for each statement
1I feel I can trust the people I work with.
3 I feel I know what’s going on.
18 I feel rushed off my feet.
22 I feel part of a close-knit team.
24 I feel valued and respected.
34 I feel I am bullied at work.
35 I feel supported by my colleagues.
49Creative ideas are encouraged here.
Always TRUE
Always FALSE
‘RL-UK is a not-for-profit social enterprise working to improve lives
and livelihoods'
Please tell us what you think
My idea for an even better workplace is …....
(Please write in this box)
‘RL-UK is a not-for-profit social enterprise working to improve lives
and livelihoods'
CREATIVE METRICS
RELATIONSHIP METRICS
IMPROVEMENT METRICS
= STAFF METRIC = DIVERSITY within staff group.
DIVERSITY BAR FALLS
WITHIN THIS AREA
STAFF METRIC
falls within this area
TR = Trust How far you trust others and feel they are open and honest with you.
TC = Team CohesionC = CommunicationR = RespectFS = Feeling Supported
L = LeadershipDM = Decision MakingCW = Coping with Work
Inn = InnovationI = Influence
‘RL-UK is a not-for-profit social enterprise working to improve lives
and livelihoods'
The “islands of improvement effect” (lack of spread/dissemination)
The “improvement evaporation effect” (lack of sustainability)
Some improvement frustrations
‘RL-UK is a not-for-profit social enterprise working to improve lives
and livelihoods'
Building creative workplace cultures
INFLUENCEINNOVATION
DECISION MAKING
COPING WITH
WORK
LEADERSHIPTRUST COMMUNICATION FEELING SUPPORTED
RESPECTTEAM COHESION
RelationshipMetrics
Staff becoming more emotionally
literate
DevelopingEMOTIONAL LITERACY
Creative Metrics
Staff thinking and acting differently
Using APPRECIATIVE INTELLIGENCE
Improvement Metrics
Staff working from the positive
present
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
‘RL-UK is a not-for-profit social enterprise working to improve lives
and livelihoods'
Thank you for listening
www.reflectivepractices.co.uk
