Hello,

I am attending the World AI Conference in Ghent in April with 2 of my associates and colleagues. I’d love to know who else from Australia is attending as it would be great to catch up and share notes.

perhaps we can even conspire to post an update here when we get back?

Dayle O’Brien, paint group

By: Dayle O’Brien

A significant change to this site for the start of 2012 is the fact we’ve removed the Mingle discussion forum. As there have been no new posts there for some time and webmaster tasks were all related to removal of spam posts and users, it seemed best to delete that function for the time being.

It would appear most folk are way too busy for yet another discussion site to visit. Most of you are no doubt already connecting through discussions in other areas on the web, such as LinkedIn, Facebook and the like.

But it’s easily reinstated should there is a need or if any members of the Australian AI community would like a dedicated space to get together here. Please contact us if you’re involved with an activity or group who have the need for a discussion forum and would like to use this site for that purpose.

This highly practical, fun and interactive workshop is very different from the standard approach, because it focuses on the ‘essence‘ of Appreciative Inquiry so critical for success.

Capturing the spirit of Appreciative Inquiry makes the approach more powerful than simply applying it as a ‘mechanical technique’.

Facilitated by Sue James and Chris Bennett, this two-day workshop will also cover the theoretical foundations, key concepts, principles and practices of Appreciative Inquiry.

Detailed Information and Registration

When:

7-8 October 2011
9.00 am – 4.30 pm

Where:

Room 7, City of Casey Council Offices
magid Drive, Narre Warren, Victoria
(Melways reference 110 D4)

A great location if you live out to the east of Melbourne, as you can avoid peak hour traffic. Free car parking nearby – but arrive well before 9.00 am to ensure a space!

Proudly supported by the City of Casey.

Tea, coffee & lunch (including hot meals) can be purchased from the restaurants or cafes close by at Fountain Gate.

Download the flyer

Registration Fee:

$693 (including GST)

Developed by AI co-originators and Weatherhead faculty members David Cooperrider, Ph.D., and Ronald Fry, Ph.D., this program presents a proven approach to accelerating organisational change by redirecting focus to core strengths. Through a combination of coursework and fieldwork, earn advanced professional education in the foundations of AI and work on projects specific to your own organisation. The certificate, awarded by the Weatherhead School of Business at Case Western Reserve University, bridges high ideals with the results orientation of business and industry. 

Instructor

Ronald Fry Ph.D., chair and professor of organisational behaviour. Dr. Fry, a co-originator of AI and noted authority on the subject, has published numerous journal articles and books on AI, including co-authoring the Handbook of Transformative Cooperation with David Cooperrider and Appreciative Inquiry: A Positive Approach to Building Cooperative Capacity with Frank Barrett, and has developed and conducted a certificate program in Appreciative Leadership and Organizational Capacity Building in over 30 countries. He also consults with a variety of organisations including The Lubrizol Corporation, Roadway Express, and the U.S. Navy. Dr. Fry received his PhD from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Dates:

• Appreciative Inquiry: Leveraging Strengths for Transformative, Lasting Change (3.5 days)
  November 14-17 2011 
• Advanced Workshop (3 full days)
  Late June 2012

Coursework for the Certificate:

The certificate is awarded after completion of the three-part sequence outlined below.

Part I: Appreciative Inquiry:  Leveraging Strengths for Transformative, Lasting Change

Formerly Foundations and Frontiers in Appreciative Inquiry

Discover how and why Appreciative Inquiry works through case studies and illustrations. Learn how to ask the questions that open the floodgates for positive change, engage the whole system, and generate measurable results. Appreciative Inquiry: Leveraging Strengths for Transformative, Lasting Change is a 3.5-day in-class program.

Topics:

• How and why Appreciative Inquiry works
• AI in action – Case studies, stories, illustrations
• Questions that make positive change possible
• Engaging the whole system in change
• Develop a project for your organisation 

Part II: Field Work

An Inquiry into the Stories and Lives of Leaders in the Field.  Join in a global inquiry on business as an agent of world benefit by conducting five appreciative interviews with social and business change leaders to capture golden innovations and visions of a future where business and society are even more positively connected.

• AI Learning Conference Calls
  Participants connect with colleagues through periodic internet mediated coaching and conference calls.
• The Certificate Program Qualifying Portfolio
  Participants move to a new level of capability by preparing two papers: a report on their inquiries with five leaders in the field and an analysis of their own projects.

Part III: The Advanced Workshop on AI

In this capstone session, a three-day in-class program, participants experience the power of appreciative learning through interactive feedback sessions on AI projects.

Receipt of Certificate

Participants will receive their certificates at the conclusion of Part III:  The Advanced Workshop on AI.

Registration 

Appreciative Inquiry: Leveraging Strengths for Transformative, Lasting Change

www.trybooking.com/OCA

Appreciative Inquiry Certificate in Positive Business and Society Change

www.trybooking.com/OCB 

More Information: 

info@positiveleadership.com.au     +61-3-9654 8882

By: Jan Elsner

In March 2010 we held an all company AI Summit on the topic One Team One Dream – Ignite the Passion: Feel the Pride: See the Possibilities. The event was a great success at the time however it was only later I realised what a powerful experience it was in terms of change and true empowerment.

Following on from the Summit we implemented both structural and process change and although it created new opportunities and turned possibilities into realities – the process of change also put the organisation and our people under a lot of pressure. That year the memory of the Summit was the glue that held us all together and helped us navigate a fairly demanding and turbulent rest of year. In difficult times people would say to me “I remember at the Summit……” and then tapped into the positive strengths we discovered there. This gave them the energy and motivation to tackle the challenges.

Now it is 2011 and I have to say with pride that we have come through that change in good shape, energised and motivated to take on the next challenges with gusto. We discovered with passion and pride that we are an organisation full of passionate, results driven people who are not afraid of change or the future. We seize the reigns and using appreciative approaches and languages are better equipped to realise our goals both professionally and personally. Focus on what you want more of and leverage all the inherent capabilty we now know we have.

By: Catherine Williams
Human Resources Director
GlaxoSmith Kline

Building the Community from the Inside Out is unlike any other conventional community development conference.

This innovative event has input from some of Australia and the world’s leading community development, participatory democracy thinkers and practitioners. Building the Community from the Inside Out will allow practitioners to hear from dynamic and innovative speakers, attend practical workshops designed to assist policy makers, governments, community organisations, associations and community members to design and develop innovative approaches to build resilient communities and organisations to meet the challenges of a new decade.

Uniquely this learning event will use state of the art Appreciative Inquiry, World Cafe and Open Space so participants can participate in powerful conversations designed to develop actionable game changing strategies.

Keynote Speakers

Cormac Russell (Ireland)
Community organising revolution in Europe

Peter Kenyon (Australia)
Revitalising small communities through citizen driven development

Jim Diers (United States of America)
The role of government, NGOs citizens in community building

Chaired by Community Development Champion Ted Smeaton

When

8-9 September 2011

Where

Eastbank Centre, Shepparton, Victoria

More information and Registration

Download Flyer

This Youtube interview with Diana Whitney may be of interest for folk in the Australian AI community.

It’s a great introductory video to explain and give examples of how Appreciative Inquiry can work for ‘whole system healing’, both in organisations and in personal life.

With thanks to Katri Kytöpuu in Finland, for sharing the link.

Click here to view the embedded video.

This highly practical, fun and interactive workshop is very different from the standard approach, because it focuses on the ‘essence‘ of Appreciative Inquiry so critical for success.

Capturing the spirit of Appreciative Inquiry makes the approach more powerful than simply applying it as a ‘mechanical technique’.

Facilitated by Sue James and Chris Bennett, this two-day workshop will also cover the theoretical foundations, key concepts, principles and practices of Appreciative Inquiry.

Detailed Information and Registration

When:

2 – 3 June, 2011
9.00 am – 4.30 pm

Where:

The Bishop’s Parlour, Abbotsford Convent
1 St Heliers Street, Abbotsford, Victoria, Australia

Cost:

$583.00 (including GST)
$583.00 $495.00 (including GST) if registered by 14 May!

By: Sue James

AI Practitioner is the international journal focusing on positive relational approaches to change such as Appreciative Inquiry. Each issue has a number of excellent articles by leading thinkers, professionals and active practitioners in the field.

This issue shines a light on applications being tried by Australian and New Zealand AI practitioners..

http://www.aipractitioner.com/ai-practitioner-may-2011

Just thought you might enjoy this if you are not already aware of this terrific publication! The back issues also highly valuable.

Simon

By: Simon d’Orsogna

The Australian Institute of Employment Rights, the Centre for Employment & Labour Relations Law and Ridgeline HR invite you to attend a seminar to discuss how to create workplaces free from discrimination and harassment.

DATE AND TIME: Tuesday 17 May, 2011: 9.30am – 11.30am
VENUE:  Room 106, Level 1, Law School, Melbourne University, 185 Pelham Street, Carlton

This seminar will focus on the practical tools that managers, workers and their legal and industrial advisers can use to deliver a workplace culture free from harassment and bullying.

Participants are invited to post questions in advance to admin@aierights.com.au.  These questions will be addressed in our interactive panel discussion.

Seminar speakers include:

Lisa Heap, AIER Executive Director

Peter Maguire, Ridgeline HR

Teresa Grove, Director Workplace Relations & HR Compliance, GE Capital

Anna Chapman, Senior Lecturer, Melbourne Law School, University of Melbourne, and a member of the Centre for Employment and Labour Relations Law

Cost: $50 (free for AIER members).

Light refreshments will be provided.

RSVP (required): Places are limited.  Book your place by 4pm on Friday 13 May, 2011 by email to admin@aierights.com.au or 03 9647 9111.

More Information

By: Peter Maguire