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Greetings!
Do you find it hard to be appreciative during this time? Economy, politics, war, climate change, education, poverty - there is a lot of "stuff" in the way. And it is all serious "stuff". Staying open to see the possibilities is so important to our happiness, health and general well-being. What helps me is to spend time reflecting on what gave me joy during the day, and equally fulfilling is to give others joy. And that is so easy. Be open to those moments when someone helps you, goes out of their way - like the cashier at the grocery store, the receptionist at the Department of Motor Vehicles or the secretary at your child's school - and show their your appreciation. Ask them what was the best thing that happened today; what excites them most about their job. You may hear something like "no one has ever asked me that question before", be genuine in your interest, listen with your heart and you may just find this one of those joyful moments.
We invite each of you to join in the high energy and well-being that gratitude, compassion, and generosity brings to each of us. As always, we thank each of you for sharing your stories of success - seeking the high points to learn, adapt, and thrive - your stories always bring such light into our office and to our work. Please keep sending us your personal stories of success via email, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.
Warmest Wishes,
~ Yours friends at the Company of Experts
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Welcome to the AI Community!
Congratulations...
Company of Experts is pleased to introduce its newest Certified Appreciative Inquiry Facilitators and/or coaches to its growing AI family. The individual(s) listed below participated in our 4-day Appreciative Inquiry Facilitator Training (AIFT) and/or our 5 day Appreciative Inquiry Coaching Training (AICT) program and submitted a practicum demonstrating their knowledge and application of Appreciative Inquiry. In reading their practicums, we are able to celebrate in their achievements and observe how Appreciative Inquiry has positively influenced their lives - personally and professionally. New practicums are frequently posted to our blog, so check back often to see what new stories have been posted. Click here for more practicums.
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Appreciative Inquiry Coaching Training (AICT)
Infuse Appreciative Inquiry into your coaching practice to strengthen the positive core of both you and your clients.Discover how to use your existing coaching skills within the energizing and affirming framework of Appreciative Inquiry to deepen and enhance both your personal sense of yourself as well as your skills as a coach.
The " Appreciative Inquiry Coaching Training (AICT)" is an intensive 5 day course and will comprise of a full Appreciative Inquiry into our collective experience of Appreciative Inquiry and Coaching. Together we will explore and experience each of the 5 D's as it relates to one-on-one relationships (between a coach and client). The practicum, which participants will submit for certification, will embody "Destiny" as you apply the lessons taught during this course into your coaching work.
The Appreciative Inquiry Coaching Training (AICT) is approved by the International Coach Federation (ICF) for 25.4 Continuing Coach Education Units (CCEUs) with the following breakdown: 21.6 Core Competencies and 3.8 Resource Development. CCEUs give coaches an opportunity to continue their professional development. Coaches will learn how to use the AI process, originally designed for use with an organization, system or group, as a process for coaching someone one-on-one. Learn More>
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Introductory AI Workshop: Creating What Will Be
This two-day introduction Appreciative Inquiry (AI) workshops: "Creating What Will Be" focuses on gaining an appreciation of Appreciative Inquiry and its applications. The objective of this course is to strengthen the capacity of your use in participatory approaches at work or at home through the use of appreciative and assets-based approaches that encourage greater self-reliance, identification of local assets, and promotion of improved decision-making within groups, teams, and organizations as a whole. By combining theory and practice, this experiential workshop provides participants with the skills to change their personal and professional relationships. Learn More>>
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**New** Payment Plan Program
Payment Plan Program is now available for ALL of our workshops! Company of Experts, Inc. is pleased to offer a Payment Plan Program as a manageable alternative to paying your workshop registration in a lump-sum payment. Our Payment Plan Program allows you to pay your workshop registration over a number of weeks/months, interest free. Enrollment in our free Payment Plan Program will reserve your seat(s) in the training of your choice. Your reserved seat(s) permit you to receive all the benefits of registered participants, such as access to any pre-workshop readings, materials and activities. Learn More>> |
Using Emergence to Scale Social Innovation
Do you want to change the world? If so, it may help to first understand how the world actually changes.
In spite of current ads and slogans, the world doesn't change one person at a time. It changes as networks of relationships form among people who discover they share a common cause and vision of what's possible. This is good news for those of us intent on changing the world and creating a positive future. Rather than worry about critical mass, our work is to foster critical connections. We don't need to convince large numbers of people to change; instead, we need to connect with kindred spirits. Through these relationships, we will develop the new knowledge, practices, courage, and commitment that lead to broad-based change. But networks aren't the whole story. As networks grow and transform into active, working communities of practice, we discover how Life truly changes, which is through emergence. When separate, local efforts connect with each other as networks, then strengthen as communities of practice, suddenly and surprisingly a new system emerges at a greater level of scale. This system of influence possesses qualities and capacities that were unknown in the individuals. It isn't that they were hidden; they simply don't exist until the system emerges. They are properties of the system, not the individual, but once there, individuals possess them. And the system that emerges always possesses greater power and influence than is possible through planned, incremental change. Emergence is how Life creates radical change and takes things to scale. Read Full Article>> |
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Intent vs. Impact: How Do You Communicate?
How do you communicate? People thrive on communication; introverted, extroverted, verbal and non verbal, we all need to be able to communicate with one another in order to survive and succeed. Though sometimes, things get lost in translation. Your intent, the way in which you are communicating, doesn't necessarily send the messages and signals that help to achieve your desired goals, the impact. Intent versus impact is no uncommon in human interaction. People can hear things via their own filters, and messages can become misunderstood.
So what happens when your attempts at communication go a bit awry? Why your intent doesn't match up with the intended impact? Read Full Article>> |
How to Lead From a Place of Gratitude: Six Lessons
As entrepreneurs, our personal happiness, the way we listen to and react to our staff, and the way we shape our own role at work all have profound effects on our companies, and ultimately, on how they grow. But lasting change is difficult. Not long ago, I was playing around on Twitter, searching for people with influential business and leadership profiles who could review and possibly share my last Forbes piece. Author Robin Sharma read and enjoyed the article, and challenged me to read his new book as a result. After looking at his site, I knew we were in alignment, so I dove into his new book, The Leader Who Had No Title. Below are six key lessons I learned from Robin that you can apply to your own business success. Read Full Article>> |
Positive Interventions
With its focus on nurturing talent and empowering individuals to leader more fulfilled. joyful lives, the relatively new field of positive psychology offers a framework well-suited to use by professional coaches in their practices. Its value isn't limited to personal coaching, either; Positive psychology interventions are equally powerful when used by coaches who serve clients in a business or organizational setting. Positive Psychology and Coaching Coaches have access to a variety of positive psychology interventions that have been intentionally and systematically developed and validated by researchers in the field of psychology. Coaches can also tap into the ongoing and ever-evolving research underway in the field of positive psychology, as well as the growing body of research into positive psychology's applications to coaching. Read Full Article>> (page 14 of e-magazine) |
Updated Thinking on Positivity Ratios
A thoughtful and open response from Barbara Fredrickson.
In [this] article, I draw recent empirical evidence together to support the continued value of computing and seeking to elevate positivity ratios. I also underscore the necessity of modeling nonlinear effects of positivity ratios and, more generally, the value of systems science approaches within affective science and positive psychology. Even when scrubbed of Losada's now-questioned mathematical modeling, ample evidence continues to support the conclusion that, within bounds, higher positivity ratios are predictive of flourishing mental health and other beneficial outcomes. Read Full Article>>
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Five Ways to Foster Innovation Using Appreciative Inquiry
Appreciative inquiry is an approach to organizational change and development that helps teams or organizations generate both positive energy and innovative ideas for change. This active co-creative process means that resistance to change and the need to achieve buy-in are much reduced, if not completely eliminated. There are five ways appreciative inquiry can be used within teams or organizations to generate innovative ideas and action: - Learn about what stimulates innovation in your context. Discovery interviews are an appreciative process that highlights the best of the past. You can then work to recreate those processes and successes in the present. In addition people's current creativity is stimulated by the discussions that follow the questions, and they are likely to feel their creative juices starting to flow.
Read Full Article>> |
3 Insights From the Frontiers of Positive Psychology
Fifteen years after emerging as a major scientific movement, it's clear that positive psychology -- the study of what brings happiness and meaning in life -- is not just a fad. The field is reaching new levels of breadth and depth: Having established its core themes and principles during its first decade, it is now getting deeper and more precise in its exploration of what it takes to truly flourish in life.
The growth of positive psychology was evident last month at the International Positive Psychology Association's (IPPA) third bi-annual World Congress on Positive Psychology in downtown Los Angeles. A truly international crowd gathered for four days of workshops and symposium on everything from neuroplasticity and mindfulness to positive organizations and positive psychology in film. Read Full Article>>
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Crush Your Top Collaboration Killers! A Brain-Based Approach
Two founders of a mid-sized technology company were at war. The CEO was aggressive, the CTO often sabotaged the CEO, and the company was divided into two camps. To make matters worse, recent tech breakthroughs were changing how their customers worked-and threatening to make their #1 product obsolete. Productivity across the organization was plummeting, the executives didn't trust one another and cooperation was at an all-time low. The CTO wanted to solely work on strategy, but he feared losing power by shifting to a role without direct reports. Since the culture was low on communication and high on fear, the COO had set up her own camp. The silos were spreading. The CEO asked my team to parachute in and bring our neuroscience tools. Here's what happened. Read Full Article>>. |
How to Know If You're Working (and Living) with Purpose
Who doesn't want a deeper sense of purpose? Ask these 4 questions to discover your path to more meaningful work. "If you deliberately plan on being less than you are capable of being, then I warn you that you'll be unhappy for the rest of your life." --Abraham Maslow. Living with purpose is one of the most self-actualized activities we can participate in. Unfortunately, it eludes many of us. I get asked many questions about happiness and the meaningful life--but by far the most frequent one is, "How do I know my purpose?" To better understand if you're living a life with purpose, begin by asking these four questions... Read Full Article>> |
Become a Host for our Trainings
We offer incentives to hosting organizations for their hospitality
Company of Experts is seeking host organizations throughout the world to host any of our trainings (Appreciative Inquiry Facilitator Training (AIFT), Department Chair Institute (DCI), and Leadership Development Institute(LDI)). To show our gratitude, host organizations receive two complimentary registrations for a training held on their site when minimum enrollment is met.
Host organizations may limit the training to people at their organization or it can be open to others. If the training is open, Company of Experts partner with the host organization to help promote the training. Please contact Kathy for more information.
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Free Downloads:
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Leadership Excellence (March 2012) - Highlighting Appreciative Inquiry
By: Various Authors
The Neuroscience of Leadership
By: David Rock & Jeffrey Schwartz
Aligning Strengths Through Appreciative Inquiry
By: Nancy Stetson
Managing with the Brain in Mind
By: David Rock |
Upcoming Events:
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Free Teleseminar Series: Relational Presence
Dates: Sept. 12th and 19th, 2013
Time: 12:00pm PT
Appreciative Inquiry Coaching Training (AICT)
Where: Las Vegas, Nevada
Dates: October 7-11, 2013
Appreciative Inquiry Facilitator Training (AIFT)
Where: Las Vegas, Nevada
Dates: November 12-15, 2013
Introduction to Appreciative Inquiry: Creating What Will Be
Where: Las Vegas, Nevada
Dates: January 13-14, 2014
Appreciative Inquiry Facilitator Training (AIFT)
Where: Las Vegas, Nevada
Dates: February 10-13, 2014
Appreciative Inquiry Coaching Training (AICT)
Where: Cape Town, South Africa
Dates: March 24-28, 2014
View Company of Experts' Entire Event Calendar
here >>
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Appreciative Coaching is different than other methods. Get as an AI coach....
Only in quiet waters do things mirror themselves undistorted. Only in a quiet mind is adequate perception of the world. ~Hans Margolius
Words Create Worlds � is out! ▸ Top stories today via
Article: 5 Reasons To Be Kind. "Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible". --Dalai Lama
It's so important to share your dreams. Take a moment to share your dreams right here...
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Videos Worth Watching
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Whole Systems Healing - Interview with Diana Whitney
Description: An interview with Diana Whitney about Whole Systems Healing and Appreciative Inquiry.
Appreciative Inquiry in the Working Place
Description: Prof. John Hayes discusses Appreciative Inquiry and its use in the workplace.
The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us
Description: An interesting look at what motivates us as told through a short animated drawing.
Brene Brown on Joy and Gratitude
Description: Brene Brown talks about the relationship between joy & gratitude & offers tips on how to cultivate more joy in your life.
Description: In this fast-moving & entertaining talk, psychologist Shawn Achor argues that actually happiness inspires productivity
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LinkedIn Conversations:
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Best Book on SOAR?I'd like a book on SOAR. What are other books apart from the "Thin Book on SOAR"?
As AI practitioners we spend a lot of time helping others discover their positive core (i.e. their strengths, best practices, positive attitudes, knowledge, skills, capabilities, etc.), but we don't always get the opportunity to discover our discuss our own. I'm curious to know how you discovered your own positive core and what you'd say is one of your greatest strengths. How Do You Deal with Resistance?Have any of you gone into an organization who resisted using AI? If so, how did you overcome the resistance? Also, I am curious how you were able to get your foot in the door to discuss the benefits of using AI.
We invite you to join our LinkedIn Group called "Discovering Appreciative Inquiry". It is an open group that allows participants to ask questions and share stories in regards to AI. All are welcome!
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Webinar Recordings Available On-Demand
| Providing professional development tidbits on-the-go!
Company of Experts' webinar recordings provide you with the opportunity to learn at a time and place that is most convenient. Gather a group in a conference room or listen at your desktop when it works with your schedule. Company of Experts' webinar recordings are available for download which can be replayed as often as you wish and can be shared with with your colleagues and friends.
To view a list of our webinar recordings, please click here. |
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