These discussions give a background to
Safe Net and National Project to Establish
the Knowledge Sciences Curriculum
The background is just laid out, so that
others can see where
the process is and how they might
contribute to it.
From Bill Smith: 12/12/2003 5:58 PM
Folks:
In the appreciative phase (of every purpose) everything is open. So no one is right, wrong, positive or negative.
There is no closure except in the control phase of the appreciative phase that basically draws a circle around some space and says these are the approximate boundaries which enclose all our higher-level purpose. There is no need for agreement at all on what is inside those boundaries except that they are large enough to include our purpose.
In strategic planning you don't close at the influence level. You draw out the major options and then uncover positive and negative consequences for all the stakeholders. You don't produce the strategic plan, until the appreciate field has fully formed.
It is only at the control level when you are faced with deciding what you will do. One can say yes or no, or this is what I will do this is what I won't do. The key wisdom is not to close or cut off anything till it becomes clear what actually might be done. The wisdom to wait has enormous implications.
We are just about ready to draw the cycle at the end of the first appreciative phase in which we are agreeing on the three levels that will constitute our effort together. It's a huge circle big enough for us all with all our different philosophies, models and practices.
Bill