Transcript Appreciative Inquiry at US Cellular

Appreciative Inquiry at
U. S. Cellular
The Next Generation
The Next Generation
The Next Generation
The Next Generation
The Next Generation
History of AI at U S Cellular
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Start
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“Exponential Growth”
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Generative Learning
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Current State
History of AI at U S Cellular
Criteria for Success
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Leadership Presence – must drive it
Cascaded leadership ownership for the
process
Robust planning team process –
leveraging unique individual strengths
Generative learning – from summit to
summit
Regional Summit Approach
Central Region
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May 7-9, 2003
– Voices included 1800 (interviews)
– AI Summit 225
– Theme: Living the Dynamic Organization
OD Network Award Winning Project
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April 4-5, 2006
– Voices included 150
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April 4-5, 2007
– AI Summit 250
– AI Voices 1000
Regional Summit Approach
West Region
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November 7-9, 2006
– Voices included 1500 (interviews)
– AI Summit – 240 participants
– Theme: Success to Significance
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October 29-30, 2007
– AI Summit – 230 participants
– Theme: Communications
Regional Summit Approach
East Region
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Market level: July, 2002- May, 2003
-3 A.I. Summits (Day1- interviews- Day2)
- # interviewed: 117; 63; 301
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Regional level: June 19-21, 2006
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Voices included: 1,400 (interviews)
AI Planning Summit: 29
Interviewers trained: 208
Data miners trained: 74
AI Summiteers: 240
Functional Summit Approach
Engineering & IS
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July 17-18, 2006
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AI Summit 600 (Entire Organization)
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AI Summit 125 (Entire Organization)
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AI Summit 125 (Entire Organization)
Marketing & Sales Operations
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May 3 & 22, 2006
Business Support Services
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January 19, 2006
Operations Integration
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February 15-16, 2007
– AI Summit 50 (Entire Organization)
Innovations Before the Summit
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East Region Planning Summit–
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“Summiteer” Selection Criteria
Strengths-based Placement on teams
“Barrier Busters” alignment w/teams
“Imbedded Planners” (West region)
Interactive Intranet site launched
with teaser awareness campaign
Innovations Before the Summit
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Interview Data Collection
- Generative data base evolution
- Virtually every person interviewed
- Data Miners trained to qualitatively
analyze data
- Interviewer training utilized actual
data entry template
Innovations Before the Summit
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East Region DVD collaboration
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Pre thru post production vision painting
Outcomes alignment= mutual freedom
Freedom = joint ownership energy
Partners, not providers
Result: 2007 TELLY Award winning DVD
for Bluegill Creative
Innovations During the Summit
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Data Mining
– Participants Mining Raw Data
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Storytelling
– Alyce Smith-Cooper
– During the Day, End of Day
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Artwork
– Associate Artists
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DVD
– Re-ignite Excitement
– Share with those who were not there
– Use for Follow-Up Activities
Data-Mining
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Data Miners
– Loved to read!
– Forever changed by what they saw.
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System & Controls
– Web driven; multiple people inputting; administrator only
access to main database
– Matched interview questions; consistent input
– Exported to Excel; set up categories based on word count
– Sorted by High-Med-Low impact of comment
– Pushed back into database; export raw data by category
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Themes in PG
– 10 themes; high-impact stories, quotes
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Raw Data Mining DURING Summit
Summit DVD
Innovations in Follow-Up
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East Region
– Leadership Tool Kit – 3 meeting process guide
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West Region
– 2-Hour Mini-Summit Modules
– KFA Team Alignment with Summit Action Plans
– Ongoing AI Communications Committee of Associates
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Central Region
– One-Day Mini-Summits in Iowa Market
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Engineering and IS
– Summit Tool Kit
Innovations in Follow-Up
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Iowa Market: One-Day Mini-Summits
Iowa One Day Mini-Session Agenda
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A.M.
Welcome, Opening Remarks
Overview of Session, Agenda
Understanding Appreciative Inquiry
Discovering the best of U. S. Cellular, Task Brief #1
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P.M.
U. S. Cellular’s Positive Core, Task Brief #2
Reframing in the Positive
Envisioning the Future, Task Brief #3
Identifying Initiatives, Task Brief #4
Moving Forward: Next Steps
ADJOURN
Celebrate What’s Right with the World
IOWA MINI-AI SUMMITS: Train the Trainer
Day 1
Overview of purpose of Summit and role of facilitator
Deep dive into Appreciative Inquiry
 Teach AI basics
 Teach presentation skills
 Teach AI reframing
 Participants teach-back
Deep dive into Dynamic Organization
 Teach DO basics
 Link DO to AI
 Participants teach-back
Day 2
Facilitating the “Celebrate” Video
 Show video
 Design discussion points
 Discuss techniques for soliciting/managing discussion
 Participants practice leading discussions
Basic facilitation skills/group dynamics
 Facilitation handbook; review and discuss
 Group dynamics; review and discuss
 Skill practices to apply learning
Preparation for Session
 Checklist
 Logistics
 Materials
 Support
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AI Mini-Summit Facilitator
Job Description:
The purpose of this role is to co-facilitate a one-day Appreciative Inquiry
Mini-Summit to associates in the Iowa market who have not yet attended
an AI Summit. Facilitators will receive training in basic facilitation skills,
group dynamics, the Dynamic Organization, and Appreciative Inquiry.
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Requirements to fill this position include:
Previously attended an AI Summit
Basic understanding of appreciative inquiry
Basic understanding of the Dynamic Organization
Comfortable presenting to groups of 20-30 people
Willing to learn basic facilitation skills
Good listener
Desire and ability to be a leader
Recognized as a role model for AI and the DO
– Trained 22 facilitators, who then went out into the Iowa market
and co-facilitated the one-day sessions. Each facilitator conducted
two sessions.
West Region
2-Hour Mini-Summit Modules
Five modules, 2 hours each:
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Understanding AI
The AI Summit
Celebrate What’s Right with the World
Dream
Sharing Our History (Timelines)
Each module consists of a set of power point slides with facilitator
notes, and a facilitator’s kit with instructions for how to teach the
module, as well as instructions for set -up, handouts, and facilitator
tips.
Trained 15 facilitators in Tulsa and 20 facilitators in Missouri in how to
conduct the mini-sessions. They in turn scheduled (through LMS)
multiple sessions for people in the West Region who did not attend
the Summit. Do not have a count of how many people participated
in mini-sessions, but my guess is hundreds across the region. The
Call Center also used the modules to teach AI there. Modules
continue to be taught throughout the Region as we speak.
East Region Leadership Tool Kit
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Purpose: extend the journey & experience
with all Associates
Process: Summiteers & team leaders
facilitated all follow-up sessions
- 3 stand alone meeting process guides
- Option: combine into a full day summit
immersion
Engineering & IS
Summit Tool Kit
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Established AI Communications Office
Follow Up AI Activities
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Commit to learning of the principles of
Appreciative Inquiry.
Complete the recommended follow up
activities by the end of 1Q07.
Share your learnings with each other and with
your leaders – as a means of building
cooperative capacity.
Development of an Dynamic (Appreciative)
Leadership Workshop
Outcomes for U. S. Cellular
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Strengths-factored team development
“Yes, and”… dialogue response patterns
“Can do” to “Will do” to “We’ll do”
Reinforced our Dynamic Culture
Appreciative lens perspective embedded
organization-wide
We’ve been used by Jim Ludema as case
study during his A.I. Summit workshops
Questions?