SOAR with Jaqui Stavros - AI in July
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Thursday, 6 May 2010 |
Been through SWOT [that's Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats]? Do you know why that process, used so much by organisations, gets bogged down and (usually) goes nowhere with no end in sight? It's this:
Because the human brain has evolved to concentrate on the Ws and Ts first(and there's no end to Ws and Ts). If you want something to happen, you have to work on the positives - the Strengths - this is the philosophy of Appreciative Inquiry (AI). And it works! Jackie Stavros, PhD created another approach, the AI approach: SOAR
Strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations and Results
- Strengths: what do we do well and love doing well?
- Opportunities: where can we take this with our Strengths?
- Aspirations: what is our preferred future, where do we want to be?
- Results: how will we know when we get there? What will have changed?
Notice the link to Mega Planning - our preferred future in not far from our Vision of the Future. In the end, we go where we want to go - and enjoy the route! PS: Oh, and if you're still worried about the Ws and Ts - you'll be amazed at how they get taken care of. They don't take as much energy as you thought. PPS: Just one more thing - following on the trail of David Cooperrider (co-originator of AI) she's coming to Australia in July - Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. Be there! Details soon. [ more] Labels: 360 Facilitated, 360 feedback, Appreciative Inquiry, Mega Planning |
posted by Dr Ron @ 6:52 PM
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Sorry!
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Saturday, 1 May 2010 |
Sorry to have had this blog off the air for the only time in 3 years. This is a reminder to watch out for the ISP you choose. I only wanted to transfer this domain to a more convenient ISP, and then I discovered that the old one stated clearly and in plain view on its website that it does not offer customer support for transferring out! Transferring out is a crime, do you understand! Don't do it, we won't help you! And I did need help.
Things were busy, I didn't get the tech help I needed in time, everyone was busy with development of all the new features on 360 Facilitated® profiles that we have been generating this year. The domain expired... Oh dear!
At last we have everything hosted with GoDaddy. It makes things easier - and GoDaddy has the best customer support I've come across. And they DO help you transfer out - if you should be silly enough to want to leave! This note is by way of thanks.
By the way, we will have our new website up soon. I know, I've made that claim before - just you wait - soon, I said!
[more]Labels: 360 Facilitated |
| posted by Dr Ron @ 11:05 PM
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Care to...
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Sunday, 14 March 2010 |
Care 2 look?
Ever noticed the increasing number of websites with emails that dedicate themselves to real issues otherwise neglected? Like the crims selling whale meat in Japan from 'scientific' whale slaughter? Or the plan to sell ivory stockpiles and put the poachers back in business? And lots more. Just have a look at the Care2 website, they provide a substratum of news that hardly hits the 'usual' media because there's no money in it.
Of course, there is money in it, that's why this stuff goes on. It helps to be aware of it, notice who shows political interest, and delve in the pocket when it moves you. Clearly, Mega Planning is directly aimed at a better society for all, worldwide. When organisations start working this way, there will be less need for people to live from corruption, and news will be more freely distributed - with more good news than bad!
[more]Labels: Mega Planning, Sustainability, Vision |
| posted by Dr Ron @ 12:17 PM
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360 Facilitated® Accreditation for Health
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Wednesday, 24 February 2010 |
Good for your health? I certainly hope so! 360 Facilitated® is the means to openness and reliability in any organisation - and where is that more urgent than in health? Our Accreditation program is running once more, in Sydney, for the NSW Area Health Services. This will impact a new wave of managers, for their professional development, their improved teamwork, and the highest standards in the Health Service.
If you're one of them, see you there!
Best to everyone
[more]Labels: 360 feedback, Health, Health Services |
| posted by Dr Ron @ 4:35 PM
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Appreciative Inquiry (AI) online
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Wednesday, 13 January 2010 |
If you missed the workshop:
David Cooperrider's Australian workshop on Appreciative Inquiry (AI) is now available online on the SABA Centra system. If you would like to listen to the whole day, unedited, email us and we will provide details of access (no fee). It does require downloading the Centra system, which is quite easy if you follow the instructions!
Email us: admin@leaderskill.com.au
It does make great listening, even if the sound is a little rough at times.
[more]Labels: Appreciative Inquiry, Collaboration, Vision |
| posted by Dr Ron @ 9:49 PM
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Customising questionnaires?
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Saturday, 28 November 2009 |
Someone left a comment on my Best Practice postings that it was better if you could customise the questionnaire. Well, All our questionnaires are customisable but people who have worked with the Leader/Manager Model usually love it as is. Mind you, sometimes you have to make changes to meet org defined competencies and local language (which can mean technical or geographical) and that's fine. We are happy to advise on the changes and ensure you have a good questionnaire at the end of the day. It doesn't cost any more.
The writer suggested that it was better to select from a group of questions. That sounds nice and easy but... Are you sure you selected the ones that will cover all the issues for all the teams and managers in your organisation? That's the reason we (and our clients) love the holistic Leader/Manager Model and it's neat structure, easily understood.
But we're flexible!
And thanks, anon, for the question.
[more]Labels: Custom hosted |
| posted by Dr Ron @ 7:36 AM
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Cooperrider fills up
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Thursday, 12 November 2009 |
 Under pressure I caved in, gave way and joined Twitter (as DrRons). Well, it was a chance to mention Cooperrider. So I sent off all these twits about him - sorry, tweets. His visit (first to Australia) could well go down as a historic event: the date when Australians started to understand how great we are, how much greater we can all be, leaving behind a lot of pessimism, hopelessness and argument over trivialities, and how we can grow on the positive route together.
If that sounds exaggerated, please understand that I don't do exaggeration. It's for real. Check out Cooperrider's track record at the Appreciative Inquiry Network website and sign up - the workshops are now filling up. You can also get an overview at the 360 Facilitated website. Labels: Appreciative Inquiry, Morale, Vision |
| posted by Dr Ron @ 8:22 PM
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David Cooperrider in Melbourne and Sydney!
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Thursday, 8 October 2009 |
 Weds 25 and Thurs 26 November, Melbourne and Sydney - Book it in your planner! David Cooperrider, founder of Appreciate Inquiry will run his first live Australian Worshops. His work has created a quiet worldwide revolution in how change happens, working with the United Nations, the BBC, the US Navy... An AI program was used by ANZ Bank.
University of Michigan Professor Robert Quinn, in his acclaimed book Change the World writes: "Appreciative Inquiry is currently revolutionizing the field of organizational development."
Be in at the start of a program that will succeed perhaps better in Australia that in any other country. Come along and see why.
[ More details soon: watch this space!]
Note: the 2009 World Appreciative Inquiry Conference, will be held November 16-19, 2009 in Kathmandu, Nepal. Labels: Appreciative Inquiry |
| posted by Dr Ron @ 10:17 PM
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Vaccination with mercury
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Wednesday, 7 October 2009 |
 Hard to believe that we have been vaccinating babies and foetuses (via pregnant women) with mercury compounds (thimerosal) for many years while the pharmaceutical companies explained away the explosion of autism as 'better reporting' (i.e. better diagnosis).
But now, we at last have experimental evidence of the effect, shortly to be published in the International Journal Neurotoxicology [preview posted at Thoughtful House] in which baby macaque monkeys experienced, " significant neurological impairment" with just one injection of Hepatitis B vaccine. "Adjusting for weight, these primates received only 2mcg - the new Swine Flu vaccine contains 24.5mcg or 49 times the FDA allowable daily limit for an adult".  Given that the Australian government with the best intentions has bought 20 million doses of the untested vaccine to run a national campaign beginning with pregnant women, we have every reason to be concerned. And this for an influenza that turns out to be weaker than the seasonal 'flu! What can the government do now? Destroy its dangerous and not very helpful stockpile? Unlikely.
Remember that children are now receiving over thirty vaccines by school age. One problem with mercury is that its effects may take years to show up. Many of these vaccines also contain aluminium, which is synergistic with mercury in the brain to cause impairment. There is also a link between elderly people receiving 'flu injections, and Alzheimers.
Vaccination is a huge and profitable industry. It needs very careful regulation but operates in an environment of fear where untested vaccines with toxic substances are allowed on the market.
Here's another view on staying healthy: eat food, not junk, avoid chemicals (environmental as well as pharmaceutical and other), exercise, relax, sleep, have fun, be positive... It works, and it's cheap. No, it doesn't gaurantee big profits for anyone, sorry. If our Ideal Vision is to achieve the World for Tomorrow's Child ( Mega Planning), then we are obliged to put health well ahead of profits. [ more - read this small but compelling study] Labels: Mega Planning, Vision |
| posted by Dr Ron @ 5:25 PM
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Interpreting your 360 Profile
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Friday, 2 October 2009 |
Accurate?
Despite all the hullabaloo about how 'accurate' 360 degree profiles are, none of them are accurate - even ours! Why not? Well come on, think a minute. When you fill in a questionnaire like this, your answers will almost certainly be influenced by who you are (easy going, demanding...), what you think about the Recipient (nice guy, nasty...), what's going on (just got a pay rise, a popular person got fired...), even whether you're in a hurry or have time to ponder! 360s are not absolute scores of your abilities - even when they claim to be! They are feedback, a useful guide, often telling you a lot about the environment.
As a result, all 360s, no matter how large a number of people they have been tried on, have a high SD (Standard Deviation). But even though they are not an accurate 'measure of a manager' (perish the thought!), they still are quite useful.
What to look at
In general, with a rating scale it's best to prioritise the weakest (worst) ratings you are given as the areas for development. Also be sure to note the best ratings as your perceived strengths. The actual numerical score is not so important.
It's also very useful to compare the ratings you get from different groups of Respondents - do you get along better with your manager? Or do they know things that the staff don't? If your perceptions differ a lot from others (there are gaps appearing), what would cause that? Sometimes you may be worrying needlessly about issues, other times you may not be aware of them. As with the scores, the gaps will be dependent on the people and the situation, and each profile is individual in that respect.
While your profile many suggest issues that require attention, change can come from the team as well as from you, the manager. It is always a matter of perception, issues sometimes require change, sometimes it's PR (communication) that's lacking!
This advice is pretty much the same for any scale. The great value of Leaderskill's 360 Facilitated® scale is that is that you are not being judged, only being asked to do more or less - and that makes the feedback a lot easier to receive, and much more useful to act on.
[more]Labels: 360 Facilitated, 360 feedback, Questionnaire |
| posted by Dr Ron @ 6:31 PM
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