Appreciative Leadership:
Success Stories

The following stories are organized according to the Five Strategies of Appreciative Leadership:
    - The Wisdom Inquiry
    - The Art of Illumination
    - The Genius of Inclusion
    - The Courage of Inspiration
    - The Path of Integrity

The Wisdom of Inquiry

The Question that Connects Us

The HR vice president for a regional health system was delivering the opening speech for a community-wide meeting on health care. Knowing that the townspeople, farmers, and indigenous tribal members had very different views about what was needed, she wondered how to help people come together as one community.

A local indigenous leader met her at the airport. He described the significant of many beautiful natural landmarks, as he drove her to town. Approaching a bridge across the local river, the VP said, “Tell me about the river that connects you.” He responded, “You mean the river that divides us.” When she repeated her first question, he did not respond.

The next morning, the tribal leader asked to introduce her and say a few words before she began. Knowing that he was greatly respected, she agreed – though she was concerned about what he might say. He told the story of the car ride to town. “She asked me a very wise question that I didn’t want to answer because it made me think differently. Last night, I realized that we must think differently and talk about the river that connects us. I thank her for the wisdom of her question and welcome her to our community.”

Whitney, Trosten-Bloom and Rader
Appreciative Leadership: Focus on What Works to Drive Winning Performance and Build a Thriving Organization

The Art of Illumination

Ten Minutes of Illumination

The president of the R&D division of a major pharmaceutical company was welcoming 400 people to the company’s annual leadership conference. She was to speak for 10 minutes and then introduce me as the keynote speaker. Not knowing her well, I worried that she might spend her full 10 minutes listing all the reasons why this group of exceptionally talented people needed leadership development. That she might flood them with problems and reminders of inadequacy, the way I have seen all too many executives do, to make their case for leadership development. I was surprised that she did just the opposite—in fact, so positively surprised that throughout my speech I referred to her talk as an example of “10 minutes of illumination.”

What did she say and do in that 10 minutes?

She called out by name and recognized at least 20 percent of the people in the room. She described specific actions, risks, and results they had achieved. She described in detail a potentially significant scientific innovation and again named those who had created the strategy, presented it to the executive board, and secured approval and funding to move it forward. She talked about her own development as a scientist and as a leader and about how the two go hand-in-hand in her experience and practice. She named and acknowledged her mentors, coaches, and learning companions. In a short 10 minutes, she brought out the best of almost a hundred people and offered up their stories as clear and compelling models from which others might learn. In short, she practiced the art of illumination.

Whitney, Trosten-Bloom and Rader
Appreciative Leadership: Focus on What Works to Drive Winning Performance and Build a Thriving Organization

The Genius of Inclusion

George’s Story

Sponsored by the state’s department of education, 150 people gathered for three days to determine the fate of their school for the deaf and the blind students. Despite the school’s success, a rumor was circulating that the state legislature was planning to close it. The concern of parents, students, faculty, and staff—for the school and their own futures—had moved from worry to fear and anger. People had gathered to make a decision and offer recommendations for the future of services for students who are deaf and blind. It was an open public forum, and anyone who wanted to attend was welcome.

Participants included deaf students and adults, blind students and adults, parents, teachers, administrators, American Sign Language interpreters, Braille recorders, representatives from the governor’s office, state legislators, and leaders and members of both deaf and blind advocacy groups, as well as interested citizens and guide dogs.

A turning point came on the first day, following appreciative interviews. Improbable pairs had shared their experiences with the school, its benefits to the community, and their hopes for its future. A woman stood and waved for the microphone. She introduced her interview partner, George, who was a local businessman, and herself, a state legislator. And then she said, “I arrived this morning certain that the school needed to be closed. Now, after hearing George’s story, I am certain the school is a valued community resource that must be saved. I intend to support it fully.” The room let out a collective sigh of relief.

What was George’s story? George was sighted. His wife was blind. George’s wife had attended the school where she received an education in life skills as well as academic subjects. She went on to become an outstanding teacher. And, as George told the story, she was able to marry him. All of that happened because of what she had learned as a young adult at the school for students who are deaf and blind.

The next day 150 people voted unanimously in favor of the school. One month later, the state legislators affirmed their decision.

Whitney, Trosten-Bloom and Rader
Appreciative Leadership: Focus on What Works to Drive Winning Performance and Build a Thriving Organization

The Courage of Inspiration

A Vision Beyond Ourselves

With less than 10 years in ministry, Michael was an unlikely candidate for president of the church’s national association. His opponent was widely known and well respected, with endorsements from many incumbent national leaders. Even with his strong track record of local success, Michael was the underdog.

His local congregation had grown by over 400 new members at a time when churches and whole denominations were languishing. A stunning success by any measure, the growth was of particular note because it was in a community whose spiritual diversity was highly pronounced. A few years into Michael’s tenure, a member of the congregation commented, “After 20 years of on-again, off again involvement, I am an enthusiastic, contributing member of this community. Michael is a good leader. He gets excited about new ideas—even when they are not his own, and even if they don’t jive with his worldview. He welcomes people and helps them bring their dreams to life.”

And Michael had a dream, a vision of “a religion for our time” that called him so strongly that he invested tens of thousands of dollars and a year of his life to answer the call and campaign for office. “There are countless unchurched people who are seeking a spiritual home,” he said. “They are the spiritually hungry that our denomination—with its liberal doctrine and inclusive practices—is uniquely suited to feed. We can only fulfill this vision by radically reaching beyond ourselves in ways we have not done in the past, by changing how we relate to each other and the world.”

As he traveled from church to church, Michael’s positive, hopeful message and path forward attracted many people. His campaign ignited their creative spirit and mobilized broad-based support around the country. In the end, his victory was decisive: a clear and compelling mandate for the denomination’s future, and a testimony to the power of inspiration.

Whitney, Trosten-Bloom and Rader
Appreciative Leadership: Focus on What Works to Drive Winning Performance and Build a Thriving Organization

The Path of Integrity

I ‘Ratted’ on Myself

The Appreciative Inquiry advisory team meeting started, as always, with an appreciative check-in. The 35 members, a microcosm of the whole health system—physicians, nurses, medical school faculty, students, hospital administrators, human resources managers, communication specialists, executives, and line staff—were taking turns sharing stories. Each person was answering the question, “What have you seen, heard, or experienced since we last met one month ago that tells you that the organization is indeed changing for the better?”

When it was Mary’s turn, she began by saying, “I just have to tell you, I am really proud and happy to work here. I have had an unusually hard week because last week So I took a risk, and I reported it to our quality and safety team. I ‘ratted’ on myself; and I’ve been afraid all week that I would lose my job. Even though I went to the training and heard it said over and over that under our new policy there will be no negative consequences if we report errors, I just didn’t believe it until today. I want to read from the e-mail I received this morning.” She began:

“Dear Mary, Thank you for reporting the error you made last week. We too are happy that no one was harmed. We are especially grateful to you for reporting it. As you know, our new policy is based on two beliefs: One, over the course of a day, a week, a month, or a year, we all make mistakes. And, two, quality care and safety for our patients and our staff, at all levels, depends on all of us being transparent with our errors. Thank you for having the courage and integrity to do so.”

The e-mail went on to describe what would happen next: how the report would be handled, who would review it, and what they would do as a result. It listed a number of changes that had already been made based on other people’s quality reports.

Not only was Mary not going to lose her job, she was being informed about steps being taken to improve quality and safety throughout the whole health system—something she obviously cared about enough to risk her job and her career.

Whitney, Trosten-Bloom and Rader
Appreciative Leadership: Focus on What Works to Drive Winning Performance and Build a Thriving Organization