The Sense Makers

In a paper presented at the 18th Annual World Congress of Organization Development in Dublin in 1998, Gervase Bushe spoke about five theories of change embedded in AI (Appreciative Inquiry).

In his “appreciation” of appreciative inquiry, he calls and cautions practitioners to not fall into the trap of thinking that any process that focuses on the positive is in fact AI and that it’s use will always have a positive effect.

He mentions that organizational systems of “deeply held and unexpressed resentments will not tolerate an appreciative inquiry until there has been some expression and forgiving of those resentments” (Bushe, 1998, p.2).

This resonates with me because he makes a point of saying that negative images that are repressed from discussion or are undiscussible, will result in “nasty side effects” (Bushe, 1998, p.2).

One of the five theories of change that Bushe mentions in his paper is the organizational inner dialogue.

Simply put, the theory suggest there are layers of awareness in the organization including the official voice heard in meetings and announcements – the conscious, rational corporate mind. And the unofficial inner dialogues that happen around the water cooler, confidential conversations, interpretations and judgments that occur below the radar of any official forum – the unofficial inner dialogue of the organization.

According to Bushe, this inner dialogue of the organization are the officially undiscussable conversations which can be a stabilizing force in the organization [or unsettling – my perception]. This is where “peoples’ real thoughts and feelings about what is discussed in official forums are revealed and communicated.” (Bushe, 1998, p.4.)

Why unsettling? My sense is that if these conversations are not balanced or overwritten with more positive conversations, morale eventually gets so low that a company can flounder, lack direction and result in lower investor and customer confidence.

According to Bushe; The AI change theory is: “if you change the stories, you change the inner dialogue.” (Bushe, 1998, p.4.)

Based on my experience I would agree that in terms of change management, nothing a leader does in the official medium will effect change if the organization’s inner dialogue is resistant to it.

What is required, according to Bushe, is “richly woven stories written in the first person.” (Bushe, 1998, p.5.)

My understanding of the role of the coach is to help leaders to tell new stories and to create an environment for people to hear each other’s stories. Using Bushe’s tracking and fanning concept, “tracking is a state of mind, where one is constantly looking for what one wants more of,” while “fanning is any action that amplifies, encourages, and helps you get more of whatever you are looking for” (Bushe, 1998, p.6.).

AI comes into its own when the telling and retelling of stories lays down new organizational neural pathways and ones intrapersonal and organizational inner dialogue is refreshed and updated with more accurate information, helping the organization to move on.

As sense makers and coaches, we need to Bushe’s caution to pay attention to and encourage appropriate outlets for negative and positive personal and organizational inner dialogue. And by tapping into the power of imagination and innovation and crafting unconditional powerful questions, provide opportunities for new and old stories to be articulated.

Dene Rossouw

Gervase R. Bushe Ph.D.Published in Cooperrider, D. Sorenson, P., Whitney, D. & Yeager, T. (eds.) (2001) Appreciative Inquiry: An Emerging Direction for Organization Development (pp.117-127).