Page 131 - Appreciative Leadership

104 Appreciative Leadership

All too oft en the inclusion and participation of youth is a one-

way street. They are invited to sit in, to listen, and to learn. When
this happens, a valuable resource—the positive power of beginners’
eyes—is lost. Appreciative Leadership welcomes youth and includes
them as full participants. At an Appreciative Inquiry Summit on the
future of their school, a group of students gathered to forge recom-

mendations for the future. It was the first time they had been asked

to offer their ideas. They were nervous. Their teenage voices wanted

to operate an on-campus coffee shop. It would help them learn about
business and entrepreneurship, and it would also provide a steady

flow of their favorite beverages. It was their wisdom voices that pre-
vailed. When asked to share their top-priority recommendation for
the future, they said, “This is a great school. We believe it should

seek out and welcome more diversity. We recommend scholarships
to build diversity.”
The capacity of youth to contribute positively and to awaken and

draw out the best from others was discovered early in the develop-
ment of Appreciative Inquiry. During an initiative called “Imagine
Chicago,” hundreds of people—old and young, teachers and students,
business leaders and psychologists—conducted interviews to discover

the strengths and lift up the civic imagination of their city. Profes-
sor David Cooperrider writes, “The very best interviews—resulting in

the most inspiring stories, the most passion-filled data, and the most

daring images of possibility—were conducted by youth.” Th eir open-
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ness, humility, and curiosity unleashed powerful conversations and
untapped potential.

Youth participation and leadership offer the freshness of begin-
ners’ eyes along with positive expectations and commitment to a
future that is theirs. People new to an organization or community
also bring a fresh perspective. Whenever you have an opportunity to
talk to newcomers, ask them to share who or what initially attracted
them to the project, job, department, field of endeavor, organization,

or community. Ask them to tell you about their initial excitement
and positive expectations. Find out what they have learned since they
began.