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International Journal of Appreciative Inquiry
August 2013
AI Practitioner
Volume 15 Number 3
ISBN 978-1-907549-16-8
dx.doi.org/10.12781/978-1-907549-16-8
www.aipractitioner.com/subscriptions
Appreciative
Inquiry in Asia
Noel E K Tan
Fiona O’Shaughnessy
AI Practitioner
International Journal of Appreciative Inquiry
August 2013
Volume 15 Number 3 | ISBN 978-1-907549-16-8
dx.doi.org/10.12781/978-1-907549-16-8
Inside this issue
Welcome to August 2013 issue of
AI Practitioner
Anne Radford, Editor in Chief
approaches like Appreciative Inquiry in
to combine qualitative and quantitative
the context of their Eastern values and
approaches while studying the impact of an
philosophies.
AI-based intervention involving Myrada and
This August 2013 issue, Appreciative
In the Feature Choice article, Jackie Stavros
AI Practitioner February 2013 and
Inquiry in Asia, takes us to a part of the
shares experience and empirical research
August 2011.)
world undergoing dramatic transformations.
on the hugely successful SOAR strategic
AI in rural India. (See also
The editors, Noel E. K. Tan and Fiona
thinking and planning framework. She also
AI Resources lists books culture, focusing
introduces the SOAR 5-I Approach or Quick
on Eastern Asia; websites on social
construction and psychology studies in
O’Shaughnessy, show us how organisations
in Asia are dealing with the organisational
survey instrument that will be launched in
China; and AI-related studies and resources
consequences of rapid economic growth.
Thailand later this year.
on Asian culture. There are also two new
publications, including an AI innovation:
The complexity is compounded as leaders and consultants are looking into where
In Research Notes, Anita Singh presents
and how they can use perceived western
results of research that intentionally seeks
4
Issue Introduction
pace of change in Asian cultures, and
Appreciative Inquiry in Chinese
Cultures
Philosophy and Practice
traditional Asian philosophies and
Experiencing and reconciling
31
How is AI interacting with the fast
AI playing cards.
49
Accelerating Leadership
Development in Asia
Using AI coaching in Asian
companies to help fast-track
values?
people’s readiness to take on
Noel E. K. Tan and
and those espoused in the AI
broader leadership roles
Fiona O’Shaughnessy
methodology
Leah Zveglich, Norma Lange-Tagaza,
Wendy Tan 陈秀荣 and
Rochelle Lacina and Beverly Niesta
Paul Wang 王展程
7
Feature Choice
The Generative Nature of SOAR:
Applications, Results and the
40
55
Taking Care of Our Life
Sustainably
An EMSS Appreciative Inquiry
Story in China
ment of the SOAR strategic think-
Imposed or Self-Generated
Change?
Cultural Challenges and Current
Practices in Introducing
Appreciative Inquiry in Rapidly
Growing Asian Economies
ing and planning framework and its
In one of the fast growing regions in
Service, an emergency medical
applications
the world, companies in Asia face the
service in western China
Jacqueline M. Stavros
most severe challenges in handling
Leo Mao 毛樂民, Ripley Lin 林慧玫,
rapid organizational changes
Murphy Ho 何浩銘 and
Laura Hsu 許逸臻
Vincent Hsu 徐繹喆
The author’s experiences and learning journey in the ongoing develop-
AI Practitioner August 13 Appreciative Inquiry in Asia
A Taiwan-based consultancy uses
AI in Emergency Medicine Scribe
Back Issues at www.aipractitioner.com
Appreciative Inquiry in Asia
Inside this issue
60
Exploring Commonalities in
Diverse Asian Communities
Insights from an AI
Facilitator–Catalyst
68
SIGMA
Appreciative Inquiry as a 7i
Generative Mandala
The Hindu tradition of invoking divine
Exploring the learning pathways the
blessings is a foundational phase of
author has experienced in working
the 7i Generative Mandala
with women and young adult groups
Neena Verma
Patricia Rita Nunis
75
Appreciative Inquiry
Research Notes
80
Appreciative Inquiry
Resources
How can you conduct AI research
Resources for practitioners
in communities where not everyone
wishing to explore further the idea
can read or write?
of Appreciative Inquiry in Asian
Jan Reed and Neena Verma
culture
Jackie Stavros and Dawn Dole
87
European Appreciative Inquiry
Network Meeting in Reggio
Emilia, Italy
17-20 April, 2013
90
Building a systemic understand-
About the November 2013
Issue
Appreciative Inquiry in Cities
91
IAPG Contacts
and AI Practitioner
Subscription Information
Guest Editors: Barbara Lewis and
Karen Roney
ing of a place and its people through
the lens of a local anthropological
approach
Yvonne D. B. Bonner
AI Practitioner August 13 Appreciative Inquiry in Asia
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AI Practitioner Volume 15 Number 3 ISBN 978-1-907549-16-8
dx.doi.org/10.12781/10.12781 978-1-907549-16-8-4
Wendy Tan 陈秀荣
Paul Wang 王展程
Wendy is a consultant, writer and founding partner
of Flame Centre. She works with organizations to
develop their consulting capability, increase engagement and retain their talents. Based in Singapore,
she graduated from National University of Singapore
(Psychology) and has a MSOD from Pepperdine
University.
Paul, a trainer–coach and OD consultant facilitating
large group intervention at Bwise Consulting based
in Beijing, China, believes in the inherent willingness
and competence of adults to address issues in their
own organizations. He frequently uses AI. He an
MSOD degree from Pepperdine University.
Contact:
August 2013
[email protected]
Appreciative Inquiry
in Chinese Cultures
Philosophy and Practice
Organization Development
practitioners in Asia have
been using AI for 10 to 15
years in individual and team
development, strategic
planning, organizational
transformation, and
merger and acquisition.
We have experienced the
values and those espoused
in the AI methodology,
which are predominately
Western, and learnt
lessons on reconciling
adapting the 4D process
to use AI successfully
as a philosophy and
methodology in Asia.
This article starts with the Yinyang philosophical underpinning in Asia as a key
cally the Chinese cultures in Asia and the AI methodology. We also suggest ways
facilitation of AI interventions in Asia.
and China. We also make reference to the Western culture with United States and
Europe in mind. In discussing the larger societal culture, we also assume that it
Yinyang philosophy
Yinyang philosophy, conceived by a number of rulers and thinkers in a long period
of time, is said to underpin Chinese thinking and culture.1 Yinyang consists of
opposing and complementary polarities, such as light and dark, day and night,
there is no light without dark. In the AI context, the two yinyang polarities are positive focus, stories and questions, versus negative focus, stories and questions.
In the yinyang image above, there is a seed of white in the black and similarly a
seed of black in the white. This means that both forces are mutually inclusive. In
1 The philosophy was created by Fuxi, 伏羲, 2096BCE; developed by King Wen of
Zhou, 周文王
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AI Practitioner Volume 15 Number 3 ISBN 978-1-907549-16-8
August 2013
on that to give energy to change. This is essentially what AI espouses.
However, according to the Yinyang philosophy, this is only one side of the story.
When we are celebrating strengths and possibilities, there is also a hidden or
unmanifested threat or negativity that will gain prominence in time. The Chinese
saying that illustrates this thinking, 福兮祸所依，祸兮福所伏 (pronounced fu-xi-huosuo-yi, huo-xi-fu-suo-fu), means “woe hides in happiness”: there is blessing in disguise in disaster. The Chinese word for crisis is 危机 (wei-ji), which literally means
“opportunities hide in a crisis”.
Figure 1: Yinyang image
In addition, the Yinyang thinking places no judgment about which side is “good” or
“bad”. It takes a neutral stance on success and failures; they are part of a natural
cycle of growth and transformation. However, AI has an intentionally positive bias
and deems negative focus, stories and questions to be unhelpful and almost undeues and norms between AI and the Eastern culture.
AI’s underlying foundation is based on positive questions, positive emotions, posiclient organization, it is used as a process to create more of what is working well
and leverage on the whole system to discover the positive core, dream, design and
then take actions to deliver the future. In this methodology, there are a few key
clashes between the values and norms of AI and Chinese culture.
Core AI values
Eastern cultural elements (especially
Chinese)
Positive focus
Self-critical focus
Self-deterministic
“I am an output of my
Chinese culture
Where to draw the
strength
environment”
How it works
Whole systems evolution
Tight control by a selected
few
Power distribution
Power equality
Large power distance
How messages are
Low context – direct and
High context – indirect and
communicated
vague
Positive focus versus self-critical focus
The positive focus is to focus on what is right and how to have more of what is
right. Whilst it is probably true that Western societies also do not naturally look at
what is right, the Chinese culture is steep on being critical of ourselves. Confucius,
一日三省吾身”(pronounced as
yi-ri-san-xing-wu-shen
three times a day to build character of responsibility, trust, courage and love.
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AI Practitioner Volume 15 Number 3 ISBN 978-1-907549-16-8
‘Every spirit builds itself
a house; and beyond
its house, a world; and
beyond its world a heaven.
Know then, that the world
exists for you: build,
therefore, your own world.’
Ralph Waldo Emerson
August 2013
However, in reality, it is frequently misinterpreted as checking your mistakes.
Therefore people identify and work on their own mistakes as a virtue.
Furthermore, this focus on mistakes is so valued that people who pinpoint the
problems are recognized as “experts” whose solutions are then adhered to. In
Chinese culture, to talk only about strengths and what is going well is perceived as
euphemistic empty talk. For example, the Chinese football team had never won in
the world games. When Bora Milutinovic became the coach for the Chinese soccer team, he summarized the team’s merits to present a positive perspective. This
caused attacks from the media nationwide saying he was a joke. But a year later,
he took the Chinese team into the World Cup, a merit that nobody else achieved in
China.
Self-deterministic versus“I am an output of my environment”
Ralph Waldo Emerson, an American lecturer and poet said, “Every spirit builds
itself a house; and beyond its house, a world; and beyond its world a heaven. Know
dence in creating one’s world is in sharp contrast with the more fatalistic world
view in the Chinese culture.
The Chinese see one’s future as dependent on greater external forces, rather than
being able to take control to create new futures or possibilities. This culture of
people placed their faith and hopes on the emperor, the “bright ruler”. Taking
actions to change systems or ways of doing things could be seen as being tantamount to staging a rebellion. The Chinese saying 人在江湖，身不由己 (pronounced
ren-zai-jiang-hu, shen-bu-you-ji), which means “when one is in society, one’s life
is not up to himself”, expresses this thinking. Therefore, one of the biggest chalthemselves have the power to change the organization.
Whole systems evolution vs. tight control by a selected few
AI espouses the idea that the whole system – the people who are involved or
impacted by an issue –come together to discover, dream and design the future so
that there is higher commitment in action steps to deliver this dream.
‘When one is in society,
one’s life is not up to
himself.’ Chinese saying
This is very rare in Asian cultures. In Chinese history, the emperor is seen as the
“son of Heaven” (天子, pronounced tian-zi), the all powerful with whom we comply.
In modern day China, decisions are made by the powerful few, often in closed-door
meetings, and those impacted will need to accept. Compliance in Asian societies
has traditionally been higher, with a greater tolerance for executive decision-making from the top. For example, Bao Gong(包公
name of “Clear Sky Bao” in the Song Dynasty, is both a historical and theatrical
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AI Practitioner Volume 15 Number 3 ISBN 978-1-907549-16-8
People understand each
other by picking up other
signals than the words
that are said.
August 2013
change to happen in a complex system, people would expect a high-position leader
like Bao Gong to appear and state the merits.
Power equality versus large power distance
The underlying assumption in the AI approach is equality and egalitarian rule. In
Western societies, power is shared with the people and there is respect for individual values and opinions. In Asian societies, the approach tends to be power over
the people and the power distance between the decision makers and the people is
wider. Decision makers also tend to assume the common people may not be sufmore practical for the select few to make decisions for the whole. For a manager in
an organization to generate changes in that organization, one would have to strategically “borrow power” from the leader and use this power tactfully.
Low context versus high context in communication
In Western, low-context culture, words carry the meaning of the message and
people are direct with issues they raise. In a Chinese society, people convey their
messages in a more subtle way to avoid confrontation or embarrassment. People
understand each other by picking up other signals than the words that are said.
result, or cost saving or everybody having fun.
cism and discomfort in believing in and using the AI methodology in the Chinese
culture.
Similarities between AI and Chinese culture
At the same time, there are also similarities between AI and Chinese culture that
provide support for the AI methodology.
Table 2: Similarities between AI and
Core AI values
Eastern cultural elements (especially
Chinese)
Chinese culture
Focus and values
Virtues of harmony, relabest of what is
tionship and saving face
Thinking process
Whole systems approach
Balance of internal systems
Source of learning
Use of stories
Focus on the future
Begin with end in mind
(Chinese medicine)
Learning from others
AI as a process for debate and harmony
Since Socrates’ time, rigorous debate with direct and honest exchange of opinions across all levels has been accepted and seen as necessary for the best ideas
to surface. However, the disciples of Confucius took him as the sage and never
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AI Practitioner Volume 15 Number 3 ISBN 978-1-907549-16-8
‘Among three people,
one will be my teacher.’
Chinese saying
August 2013
confronted his thinking directly. This is related to the respect for authority, but
also the Chinese emphasis on harmony, 和为贵 (pronounced he-wei-gui), meaning
their interests to satisfy others. Therefore, they are less willing to address sensitive
issues.
AI circumvents this predicament by providing a process to reframe and talk about
the best of what is. This would help engage the Chinese participant immediately in
a positive and open conversation.
AI as systems thinking process
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is based on the yinyang balance and the major
organs working in unison for good health. This parallels systems thinking in management science, where to solve a problem, one needs to look at the whole picture
and the relationships between the parts. Using TCM as an example to how AI works
on the whole would be consistent and easily understood. TCM diagnoses the body
pulse – blood system; the lung pulse – the respiratory; and the kidney pulse – the
skeleton. Instead of addressing one system that is failing, TCM tries to regulate the
interactions of the three systems.
Use of stories and peer learning in AI
The Chinese have a term 三人行必有我师 (pronounced san-ren-xing-bi-you-woshi), which means “amongst three people, one will be my teacher”. The AI process
through peer interviews, small group discussions and large group sharing is in line
the use of stories is also an accepted medium to transfer learning, just as sages in
Chinese history have done.
Focus on the future
The Chinese saying, 因果关系 (pronounced yin-guo-guan-xi), is an important
Buddhist belief that says everything we get today is the result of something we did
yesterday and everything we do today will yield a result for tomorrow. With this
as a whole will create something anew for us all.
The recently elected Chinese President Xi has started to use the term 中国梦,
“China dream”, (pronounced zhong-guo-meng) to suggest working together to fulacross all levels to discuss challenges, dreams and ideas for the Singapore that we
ways of thinking that help AI sit well together in Chinese cultures.
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AI Practitioner Volume 15 Number 3 ISBN 978-1-907549-16-8
These non-verbal
cues were important
in conveying his [the
CEO’s] support and
encouragement to others,
as they were observing
and taking cues from him.
August 2013
Adapting AI practice in Asia
methodology for the successful implementation of AI initiatives. We share a case
study below to illustrate how we have adapted our AI practice in Asia.
Case study – leading change with a shared vision after merger
Our client was the result of a large merger and acquisition operation, where
two world-famous companies merged to create what was referred to as the
“superpower” in the pharmaceutical industry. Their headquarters was located
in Shanghai. The executives were all Chinese, but they were from two culturally
Chinese culture, all three cultures clashed, leading to higher merger expenses and
risk of failure.
from both parties. These syndromes included: malfunctioning systems, messy
processes, power struggles, political games and damaged trust. Needless to say,
the desired value and leverage from the merger did not materialize, and worst of
The client came and asked us to do a culture-building workshop with 30 executives, as they believed the cultures of the two parties did not match. They wanted
the workshop to build trust and create a new culture.
We talked with CEO of the organization and worked closely with their HR function
to understand their history as well as their current situation, circumstances, sensitive issues and their expectations for their future.
Instead of addressing the culture of the new organization, which was too vague
proposed the theme for the workshop to be “leading change with a shared vision”
using AI process for a two and a half-day workshop.
We involved all the top 30 leaders responsible for leading the new organization.
With the AI 4D process, they addressed all the important issues, such as who they
were as a leadership team; what they wanted to accomplish; and what culture, values and strategies they needed to have.
The CEO accepted the proposal readily as it:
•
that all of them were present together);
• Started with discovering the positives (focusing on the light within the
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AI Practitioner Volume 15 Number 3 ISBN 978-1-907549-16-8
While it seems contrived,
preparing or even
rehearsing with the
leader helps him be his
best and avoid awkward
moments, which would be
embarrassing.
August 2013
• Generated new future (results oriented with tangible deliverables).
The following are some key points of caution in designing the AI process for this
workshop, taking into consideration the cultural dimensions and important factors
Use of leaders at crucial points by design
This is a balance in leveraging the power of the leader and helping connection with
the leader, so that others would be more comfortable expressing their opinions.
Some key aspects in the use of leaders are:
• Opening A speech was given by a board director from the US at the very
beginning of the day. This addressed the purpose and opportunities
for the merger, and requirements for the team. Then we placed participants immediately into small group to discuss “what messages I heard
and what they meant for me”, and they gave their feedback to the board
director and the CEO. This helped them connect with each other and
relate to themselves, which Chinese people were less likely to achieve
naturally on their own.
• Roles of CEO We asked the CEO to assume two roles: 1) one as a participant, and 2) playing a role of organizational leader. As a participant, he
would speak, connect, relate, listen and be frank, open, and be vulnerable. This is sometimes unnatural for Chinese leaders and they may need
to be coached prior to the event. As an organization leader, he would give
the opening speech, set the tone, encourage, summarize and give directions and requirements.
• Non-verbal messaging from leader He would also support through verbal
and non-verbal cues, such as smiling and nodding his head when other
people were speaking. We found that these non-verbal cues were important in conveying his support and encouragement to others, as they were
observing and taking cues from him.
• Help leader show his best self We also leveraged the CEO by having him
views. There were three reasons for this: 1) it demonstrated how such
appreciative interviews should be done, 2) the leader built a connection
with the people through his story, and 3) the leader modelled the depth
and authenticity in such conversations. Of course, while it seems contrived, preparing or even rehearsing with the leader helps him be his best
and avoid awkward moments, which would be embarrassing.
• Announcement by the leader. We asked the CEO to:
• Announce the event;
• Communicate the purposes and the method;
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AI Practitioner Volume 15 Number 3 ISBN 978-1-907549-16-8
Perhaps there is also
wisdom in holding
both light and dark.
In acknowledging this
darkness, we let it emerge
for it to pass.
August 2013
• Articulate the requirements; and
• Prepare all necessary information for the discussions in the
workshop.
To help executives get ready, the organization made arrangements so that participants would be free from work and able to focus on the workshop. This top-down
communication of the event helped the participants take the workshop seriously.
Alliance with informal leaders
It is not customary for Chinese people to pour out their underlying concerns
frankly and openly even though you are trying to foster a safe and encouraging
facilitators, we often fail to read who they are and what their body language means.
It is also not enough to rely on what is said or how it is said in the event. Separate
communications with these individual on a one-to-one basis is often required.
To manage this group before the workshop, we asked the CEO a few questions:
•
in creating a desired leadership team?
•
on other members in the AI process?
• How do you expect them to behave in the workshop?
• Are there any key messages you want to send to them before the event
starts?
• How are you going to convey your message to them?
• How do you want us to help you in this aspect?
We ensured the CEO communicated with these individual leaders before the event.
We also aligned with the CEO and the HR person and asked them to watch and
read their body cues to make sure they were keeping up with the pace and intermal leaders were usually silent or over-acting in certain circumstances, they would
let us know and we would step in, in our facilitator role. The clients liked this kind of
collaboration: it helped move the people through the process, and a new, trusted
relationship unfolded during the course of the event.
Addressing the CEO’s concerns
Clients often struggle with the uncertainty about the AI workshop as they have
never experienced it before and there are no prescribed solutions. They may worry
about a confrontation that could damage a relationship or “rock a boat”. We talked
to the CEO about three areas of trust: trusting his people, trusting the process and
trusting himself.
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AI Practitioner Volume 15 Number 2 ISBN 978-1-907549-16-8
August 2013
Building relationships early on
To facilitate the honest discussion of issues, we arranged a half-day of interacrelated to the topics in the session. This helped to break the ice and build the connections toward each other.
With these dynamics and cultural dimensions taken care of, the strong points of
view poured out and positive energy was easy to ignite in the team. As desired, we
accomplished all the tasks: values and leverage of the merger; strategy; organizational values; team norms; and 2013 priorities. In addition, the new relationships
Learning
key learning for us (being Chinese) is undoing the years of conditioning to focus on
our weaknesses and wrong doings all the time!
Another learning is to turn disadvantage into advantage in using AI concepts to
conduct the AI process. Power distance is often a disadvantage in engaging people, but we can leverage it to create a safe space by using the power of the organization’s leaders appropriately.
Lastly, knowing when to focus on the positive and take note of our doubts and concerns is to strike a balance between the yinyang in the AI process. Perhaps there is
also wisdom in holding both light and dark. In acknowledging this darkness, we let
it emerge for it to pass. Over time, this alternation leads to change and progress.
In the organizational context, this means that there is a time for problem solving,
doubts and reservations to surface, and for negative emotions to be expressed.
When these negative viewpoints or energies are expressed, we can then reframe
them by asking about the learning or gifts. Giving space for negative viewpoints or
energies to surface gives balance to the AI process and also honours the realities
experienced by the participants.
Back to Table of Contents
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AI Practitioner Volume 15 Number 3 ISBN 978-1-907549-16-8
August 2013
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