Research
Leaders building professional learning communities: Appreciative inquiry in action
This article describes the Otautahi NGO Leadership research project that involved 25 managers of adolescent-focused non-government organisations (NGOs) in Christchurch. These leaders participated in a 14-month project that used a process called appreciative inquiry to develop a professional learning community, enabling each of the leaders to focus on developing their own leadership. The process was guided by the two principles of appreciative inquiry – positive focus and collaboration. The paper outlines the key success components that emerged during the project:
- A flexible and negotiated process,
- A focus on positive stories;
- Cycles of reflection; and,
- A substantial period of time over which to conduct the development process.
Leadership for emergence: Exploring organisations through a living system lens
This paper relates to the Otautahi NGO Leadership research project described above, and outlines some of the leadership behaviours that the participants explored during the project. Proactive mentoring, fostering interaction and shared learning, strategies for distributing power and decentralising control, and exploration and articulation of deeply held values emerged as the key leadership behaviours these leaders introduced into their roles.