I am teaching an organizational behaviour class and in preparing for the first class last night I came across something new that I haven't heard of before. It is about how organizational behaviour has identified a dominant style of organizational change - figure out what the problem is and come up with solutions. However recently there has been a move towards something called appreciative inquiry. Basically because "dwelling on problems can short circuit the change process" appreciative inquiry methods instead focus on the group's potential and positive elements (this comes from some notes from the course pack we use).
I also came across this related topic of the reflected best self. This concept "asks employees to think about situations when they were at their 'personal best' to understand how to exploit their strengths. This is not about ignoring the negatives - we still have to know and recognize they exist but the goal is to build from your best and your strengths.
Informally I have for some time been feeling that there is some great validity to this concept of looking to what you did well instead of dwelling on what you did wrong. Now it is good to know that this very concept has a place in academic study of organizations and that I can happily apply it right here in my journey as well.
So imagine that instead of always looking to what must be fixed or what "bad" habits I have. How about I look at the things that are great, the great habits I have built and the good choices I make and build from them. Make them the foundation of my lifestyle change structure. Each time I do something great it adds to that foundation. And with a strong enough foundation no hurricane, tornado, or other natural or unnatural phenomenon can possibly knock down my structure. A little piece of the decorative features might get ruffled on occasion (since the negatives still are there and do sometimes like to come out and play), but they can't deal with that solid foundation of good.
Look for that reflected best self I say. Grab hold of those bests of yours and make it your foundation. And add to that foundation every day. Today I did it by really embracing my workout today. Concentrating on my form and working hard but working smart to take care of my recovering back. And then I took it the next step and rejoiced in it with a blog entry for the pilates studio (leadpilates.com) and sharing it here!
So, tell me, how did you reflect your best self today? And I know you did it somewhere and somehow so no opting out - tell me just how you reflected your best self today!
I also wanted to add some thoughts I had after making the original post on the WW site. The main one is thinking about looking for that personal best moments. One of the ones that really sticks out in my mind is a really old one (from when I was at my grade 12 retreat). I was with all the people I was normally with at school but somehow I just felt freed. I felt freed from worrying about what others thought etc. I felt free to be enthusiastic and outgoing and open and honest. The big thing I really feel and want to bring to my life more often and to maybe help other people bring to their life more often is the freedom to be enthusiastic and inspired by the activities we are involved with. I have wanted to do this for some time but wasn't sure how to go about it - just telling people it is okay to be enthusiastic doesn't work. But I like this idea of asking them to think about their moments of "personal best" and bring it out into what we are doing.
If anyone reads this and feels like commenting. I would love to know how you would feel if you were at a class or workshop and the facilitator asked you to do something like that?
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