Page 44 - Appreciative Leadership

From Potential to Positive Power 17

We are at 40 to 50 percent capacity right now. Our people
are not giving their best. They feel beaten down, and they
are acting like turtles—pulling into their shells for protection.
I know we cannot afford to hire more people. The only option
we have is to create a management style that draws people
out, makes them feel safe, and creates the kind of workplace
where they can be open with their thoughts and ideas.

On the last day of the retreat, the combined union and manage-
ment team committed to seven collaborative aspirations, the fi rst of
which was to become an empowered work culture.
Positively powerful leadership is a two-sided coin. On one side, it
is about being powerful: bringing your best forward, giving voice to
what matters to you, and engaging with others in creating a world that
works for all. And on the other, it is about helping others to be power-
ful: knowing their strengths, having confi dence and opportunities to
share their ideas, and seeking out support, learning, and collaboration
to contribute their best.

Pause and reflect for a moment. Are people in your

PAUSE
organization pulled inside their shells like turtles
playing it safe, or are they expressing themselves
in positively powerful ways? How about you: Are you at the
top of your game? What is it about your work environment
that enables you to be and feel powerful? How are you sharing
the power?

People Want Positively Powerful Leadership

Appreciative Leadership embraces collaborative practices and shared
leadership, as well as what is traditionally considered the leader-
follower relationship. While we do believe that everyone has leadership
potential, our experience has shown that not everyone wants to be a
leader or part of a leadership team. Some people are quite content and