Burke – CIMBA AI Proposal
Appreciative Leadership:
Applying Appreciative Inquiry And Theory With CIMBA Students At
Lawrence Technological University
(A Proposal)
Robert M Burke
Student ID: 85943
LTU CIMBA – Module 6
07-09-2001
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Burke – CIMBA AI Proposal
Table of Contents
/Page Number(s)
Executive Summary / 3Introduction / 4 - 5
Statement of Purpose / 5
Background of CIMBA / 5 - 6
What is Appreciative Inquiry / 6 - 7
Principles of Appreciative Inquiry
/ 7 - 8The Appreciative Inquiry 4D Model / 8 - 9
What Can Appreciative Inquiry Theory And Application Offer To CIMBA Students? / 9 - 10
What Can Appreciative Inquiry offer CIMBA?
/ 10 - 11Suggested Plan For Incorporating The Application Of Appreciative Inquire Into CIMBA? / 11 - 14
Conclusion / 14 - 15
References / 15
Appendix A – Sample Interview Protocol / 16 - 17
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Burke – CIMBA AI Proposal
Executive Summary
In September 1999, Lawrence Technological University launched an innovative new MBA program designed for students currently employed within the business community. The idea was to offer a non-traditional MBA program providing a unique learning experience for the MBA student. The name of the program reflects the intent: Career Integrated MBA (CIMBA). As the first class of students journeyed through the two-year program, the teaching and executive staff of CIMBA gained much insight into its structural integrity. Areas of concern that surfaced include: the students understanding of the interlocking relationship of each of the six modules to complete and the student’s ability to retain the knowledge of the material and experience gained. In addition to these goals, one special desire was readily sought after: to develop a program with an edge…. something extra students can take away from the program that was not found in the traditional MBA experience and to have developed exceptional business leaders in the process.
The proposal that follows is an invitation to the teaching and executive staff of CIMBA to blend into the CIMBA curriculum a revolutionary theory and methodology for bringing about positive change within any organizational setting while developing Appreciative Leaders; and that is Appreciative Inquiry. Through the application of Appreciative Inquiry, CIMBA students will collaboratively co-construct a vision for their group (or cohort) of what the ultimate business leader personifies. This vision will find its roots in the student’s own past and present experiences. From this vision the students determine what action steps are needed during the course of their two-year journey that will enable them to personify and exemplify their vision on graduation day.
Appreciative Inquiry as an process for organizational development was developed during the 1980’s by Dr. David Cooperrider of Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland OH. Appreciative Inquiry is a scientific process rooted in scientific research - and its much more. Appreciative Inquiry is a pragmatic process of uncovering the strengths and life giving forces of the group or organization and constructing a vision of desired change. The 4D Model of Appreciative Inquiry consists of four phases:
Discovery:Uncovering and valuing the best of “What Is.”
Dream: Envisioning “What Might Be.”
Design:Determining “What Should Be.”
Destiny:Growing “What Will Be.”
It is my belief that incorporating Appreciative Inquiry into the student’s two-year developmental journey into business leaders will only strengthen the CIMBA program as the students work towards bringing their vision to life. A vision with buy-in power created through a process, which seeks to build upon “what works” and one that will set the stage for the student’s career experience beyond graduation and leave a legacy of business leaders for Lawrence Technological University unparalleled in the MBA industry. Leaders for the 21st century!
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Burke – CIMBA AI Proposal
Introduction:
As you know, Appreciative Inquiry is the theme of my project work for Module 6, which is the last leg of a two-year journey in obtaining my Career Integrated MBA (CIMBA) at Lawrence Technological University (LTU). As part of my project work for Module 6, I initially had intended to complete a small Appreciative Inquiry within my current business unit at AAA Michigan. I had written a proposal and secured permission from my manager. Then circumstances entered the timeframe, which seriously delayed the start of this case study. First, my manager unexpectedly announced she was leaving AAA Michigan after 26 years and moving to Arizona within the month. This of course changed the priority and time availability within the unit since there is still no immediate attention by upper management in filling her position in the near future. Second, I came down with a respiratory virus that literally stopped me dead in my tracks. I had to take a few days off work and could do nothing but stair at the ceiling.
The information above is not intended to solicit sympathy or submit excuse for what follows. The purpose of my sharing of these experiences is to provide you with a glimpse into the fascinating way ideas emerge from the circumstances of life that connect each of us together through our thoughts and deeds.
Feeling the pressure of deadlines approaching, I was in a mental quagmire of what to do for my case study since I was unsuccessful in coordinating time with my business unit. Then on 06-15-2001, after the wonderful presentation provided by the guest speaker, Gus Martinez of DBM, the seed of an idea was planted within me. Not from Mr. Martinez, but from a sincere and deeply heartfelt and brief discussion between Laura Majewski, the Director of the fledgling CIMBA program, and the class. I sensed Laura’s deep desire to create a CIMBA program that was truly unique and which provided the student with something more than the traditional MBA program could provide. Concern was expressed about delivering to the student a two-year program that would solidify the interlocking relationship of each module; encourage retention of the material and experience gained; and lay the foundation for the development of the student into the professional business leader envisioned by Lawrence Technological University; a business leader who exemplifies, knowledge, wisdom, integrity, and a heart for people - a business leader for the 21st century. What follows is my proposal for introducing into the CIMBA program an Appreciative Inquiry experience that would facilitate the goals for CIMBA that were previously mentioned.
Statement of Purpose:
The purpose of this proposal is to introduce to the executive staff for CIMBA a plan for incorporating the theory and application of Appreciative Inquiry into the two-year CIMBA program with the expressed goal of facilitating the development of the CIMBA student in understanding the interlocking relationship of each module; retaining the material introduced in the program; and to lay the foundation for the development of the student into the professional business leader envisioned by Lawrence Technological University.
Background of CIMBA:
CIMBA is the innovative and refreshingly new MBA program designed to meet the needs of those students who currently are employed in the business community. The acronym stands for Career Integrated Masters of Business Administration. CIMBA is a two-year academic journey in which the material and experience of an MBA curriculum is presented in six modules. Students are accepted into CIMBA through a review process similar to that used by potential employers. The student submits a resume describing his or her career and academic achievements to date and is then interviewed by a committee of CIMBA representatives. Unlike the traditional MBA program, CIMBA is a “cohort” program. The students beginning Module 1 will progress through each subsequent module together. (Needless to say, there is a fair degree of bonding that can occur between people who share in any journey for any length of time; although the degree and strength of the bond depends on the many factors of the group’s evolvement through the time provided.) The inaugural class for CIMBA began their journey in September 1999 and will be graduating in July 2001. Through the experience of this first class of students, the executive and teaching staff gained much insight into developing the most effective and rewarding program possible.
It was during Module 4 for this inaugural class that Dr. Jacqueline Stavros (an esteemed member of the CIMBA teaching and executive staff) first introduced Appreciative Inquiry as a revolutionary new approach to organizational development and change.
What is Appreciative Inquiry?
In the 1980’s Dr. David L. Cooperrider (professor of Management at Case Western Reserve University) first introduced his vision for a shift in the traditional “problem solving” paradigm, which became deeply entrenched in the culture and mindset of the business community over years. The answer to the question, “What is Appreciative Inquiry?” can be found in many Appreciative Inquiry publications. Claudia J. Liebler (1997) provides one answer:
“Appreciative Inquiry (AI) is a capacity-building process that begins by valuing the organization and the culture in which it is embedded; by learning about the organization, its relationships, and its environment; and by identifying and building on existing strengths rather than examining in detail problems and deficiencies. Appreciative Inquiry puts organizations back in touch with their "deepest living values." And it can help an organization create its niche by identifying its collective hopes and dreams and then designing a process for realizing them.
Over time, Appreciative Inquiry develops four important competencies that support the unfolding of an on-going appreciative learning culture: affirmative competence - the capacity to focus on what the organization has done well in the past and is doing well in the present; generative competence - a capacity to allow members to experience the impact of their contribution toward a higher purpose; expansive competence - the ability to go beyond familiar ways of thinking; and collaborative competence - the power of dialogue to transform systems. (These ideas are from Creating Appreciative Learning Cultures by Frank J. Barrett.)
The initial Appreciative Inquiry change intervention that we most frequently use guides participants through activities that follow the 4-D model (discovery, dream, design, and delivery), and takes place in a retreat setting over the course of three to six days. Appreciative Inquiry is based on the premise that many participate in the process and that, by their doing so, commitment to the organization is deepened and members are actively helping to create it's future. The process can be a helpful approach in any planning effort requiring strategic vision, collective action, multiple parties, and an empowering context for innovation and development.”
Though Ms. Liebler’s answer is targeted for an audience of people working with or on behalf of Non-Governmental Organizations, her message applies to any organization that wants or needs to evolve into their very best.
What’s important to note at this point is that Appreciative Inquiry is not a pie-in-the-sky ideal or methodology. Appreciative Inquiry (AI) is practical and pragmatic because the vision of the organizations future-state grows out of its past real-life experiences. The best of the past is brought forward, amplified, and grown into the organizations vision of the future.
The Principles of Appreciative Inquiry:
There are five Principles of Appreciative Inquiry that must be regarded as essential for the application of AI to be truly effective. According to Cooperrider and Whitney (1999) these five Principles are as follows:
The Constructionist Principle: Human knowledge and organizational destiny are interwoven. To be effective, we must understand organizations as living, human constructions.
The Principle of Simultaneity: Inquiry and change are not separate moments but are simultaneous.
The Poetic Principle: Human organizations are like open books. The story of the system is constantly being co-authored, and it is open to infinite interpretations.
The Anticipatory Principle: Our positive images of the future lead our positive actions-this is the increasingly energizing basis and presumption of Appreciative Inquiry.
Positive Principle: Our experience is that building and sustaining momentum for change requires large amounts of positive outlook and social bonding-things like hope, excitement, inspiration, caring, camaraderie, sense of urgent purpose, and sheer joy in creating something meaningful together. We find that the more positive the question we ask, the more long-lasting and successful the change effort.
The Appreciative Inquiry 4D Model:
Dr. Cooperrider, as a way to introduce a framework for the Appreciative Inquiry to be completed, first introduced a 3D Model in 1990 while consulting on Appreciative Inquiry in Romania, which later in the year was developed into the following 4D Model through the GEM initiative (Global Excellence in Management). (Watkins & Mohr, 2001). An outline of the 4D Model follows:
Initial Step: Determine an Appreciative Topic around which the Inquiry will be focused. This is the most critical part of the AI process because of the understanding that the topic choice is “fateful.”
Discovery: Uncovering and valuing the best of “What Is.” This is where information is generated through energizing Appreciative Interviews conducted with the people within the organization as well as any other stakeholders deemed important for a successful Inquiry. The main focus of the interview is the Appreciative Topic.
Dream: Envisioning “What Might Be.” All participants in the inquiry uncover themes that were discovered from the interview process and envision the possibilities.
Design: Determining “What Should Be.” All participants begin to zero in on a vision that is pragmatic, rooted in the strengths uncovered, and is achievable. This is where “provocative propositions” are created which form a living document representing the consensual and co-created vision for the organization.
Destiny: Growing “What Will Be.” Now the member’s of the organization begin the planning and implementation process to bring their vision to life. Members are committed to do what is needed and plan accordingly.
This model is only a simple framework for conducting a very deep and moving Appreciative Inquiry. There are many variations and timetables in the application of AI. Appreciative Inquiry is by fundamental nature a generative process and thus will also evolve to what the scenario calls for. Depending on the scale of the organizational change, application of AI can be accomplished in a day or require multiple-day summits or retreats. The AI process does not end when Destiny begins. By nature it should begin rooting itself into the culture of the organization and perpetuate further change around other Appreciative Topics the organization desires to move towards.
What Can Appreciative Inquiry Theory And Application Offer To CIMBA Students?
By involving Appreciative Inquiry in the student’s development through CIMBA, students will, in my opinion, experience the following benefits:
Students will understand the depth and importance of their role and responsibility in the organizations they serve as business leaders in this increasingly global and diverse world society.
Students develop into effective business leaders during their time in CIMBA by developing the understanding that organizations are “mysteries to be embraced” instead of “problems to be solved.”
Students will develop into the Appreciative Leaders needed in today’s world
Students build upon their own strengths as they collectively collaborate on creating a vision of what the “ultimate” business leader should be like.
The process of co-creation into the vision suggested above should inadvertently strengthen the retention of the material learned through CIMBA since the material will support the vision.
The ensuing commitment that the students will develop to reach their “Destiny” will help facilitate the integration of each module in CIMBA since each module’s role is to create a sound foundation of theory and practice in business and leadership.
By going through a real Appreciative Inquiry, students will have a deep understanding of what Appreciative Inquiry can do for them when they enter the business community as leaders. It will become a memorable tool in their toolbox.
What Can Appreciative Inquiry Offer CIMBA?
A unique selling position to market against other similar MBA programs.
A legacy of developing business leaders who are mentally positioned and ready to lead in this fast and diverse century as they go out into the business community with the mindset that organizations are “mysteries to be embraced.”
Documented stories of high points and strengths that are accumulated through the Appreciative Interviews conducted within each cohort. These stories can be published and used to strengthen the image and caliber of Lawrence Technological University and the CIMBA program.
Each cohort develops his or her co-created vision of the “ultimate” business leader. These visions can be fed back into the CIMBA program to strengthen each module for future cohorts.
Suggested Plan For Incorporating The Application Of Appreciative Inquiry Into CIMBA: