Issue Number 1
eCONNECT
La
Leche League US Western Division
Forming
Connections Leader to Leader
TEAM 2004 - Bringing the Essential Pieces Together!
Introducing Publications/Online Workgroup
Breastfeeding Outreach in Sheboygan County, WI
World Breastfeeding Week Celebration Questions & Answers
Leader Applicant Work Sessions Using Appreciative Inquiry
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version of eCONNECT
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Sue Scott, Springfield, OR
Vicki Parnell, Burnaby, British Columbia
Lynn Coates, Eugene, OR
Goals of the session:
To help Leader
Applicants make significant progress in their applications by using face-to-face
Appreciative Inquiry (AI) interviews for the Personal History and by using
in-person discussion (with Leaders and A/CLAs) for other aspects of preparation
for leadership. We wanted to meet the needs of Leader Applicants whose
learning style does not lend itself to writing, who have different cultural
experiences and expectations, or who simply prefer working in-person.
The project: The work session brought together Applicants,
Leaders and ACLAs for a weekend—Friday afternoon through Saturday
evening. We used AI to do parts of the Personal History (PH). We also
offered the option of working in small groups on the Breastfeeding Resource
Guide (BRG), covering topics from the Discussion Checklist in the LEADER’S
HANDBOOK, doing Preview questions, or other topics that Applicants suggested.
As time allowed, Applicants could talk in-person with an ACLA to cover
other parts of their PH. The only whole-group activities were two Appreciative
Inquiries; otherwise, women worked on whatever they chose.
Five Applicants and six Leaders attended. Two of the Leaders were ACLAs.
Many participants came for part of the session rather than the whole time.
Optional child care was provided in an adjoining room. Meals and lodging
were provided by local Leaders.
Content of the AI work sessions: Appreciative Inquiry
started with the group dividing into groups of two (partners) and then
moved to whole-group discussion. (Although we didn’t stipulate it,
it worked out that each dyad was a Leader and an Applicant.) The “heart”
of the inquiry is storytelling in which each partner tells about her personal
experience. One partner served as a story-coach, helping the speaker stay
in storytelling mode for the beginning before getting into the more analytical
questions; then the roles switched. Each participant received a copy of
the introduction, which set the tone for the inquiry, and questions to
guide the conversation. Note that the questions were designed to bring
out positive, meaningful aspects of the experience.
1. Appreciative Inquiry—What
Inspires You to Become a Leader?
Introduction: Women who are LLL Leaders are passionate about their personal
breastfeeding and mothering experiences. They want to share that excitement
with others and help other mothers experience the joys of breastfeeding
and mothering.
Pair activity (20 minutes per person)
A. Tell about a time when you realized that something you had done or said made a positive difference for another mother in her breastfeeding or mothering experience. What was the situation? Who was there? What happened?
B. What was exciting (satisfying, inspiring) for you in the experience?
C. What inspires you to become/be a Leader?
D. What are your positive wishes for how you can use your unique strengths as an LLL Leader . . .
- to help other mothers breastfeed?
- to increase awareness of the values of breastfeeding and mothering?
- to serve the wider community (however you define it)?
Whole group discussion
of highlights of the conversations (20 minutes) Identified common themes
about what inspires us to become Leaders.
(Following the inquiry, if someone had not completed this section of the
Personal History already, she could talk with an ACLA who was present.
They documented the discussion for the application file. An Applicant
could also choose to write her comments to send to the ACLA to become
part of her PH.)
2. Appreciative Inquiry, LLL philosophy
Introduction: Leaders need to hold three perspectives at once: 1) they
are sensitive to their baby’s needs and meeting those needs; 2)
they want to help other mothers breastfeed and mother their babies; 3)
they want to present LLL information and essential beliefs accurately.
Pair activity (15 minutes per person)
Part 1: Mothering through breastfeeding is the most natural and effective way of understanding and satisfying the needs of the baby.
A. Tell about a time when you felt “in tune” with this idea, a time when mothering-through-breastfeeding felt right to you and your baby. Describe the situation, i.e., what happened?
B. What was it about you, your baby, and the situation that helped you understand and satisfy the needs of the baby?
C. How does this experience help you relate to other mothers and support them in mothering through breastfeeding?
Part 2: Pairs chose another concept statement. The format was similar, with the same introduction (10 minutes person)
A. Tell about a time when you felt “in tune” with this idea, a time when [concept statement] felt right to you and your baby.
B. What was it about you, your baby, and the situation that helped you [action related to concept statement]?
C. How does this experience help you relate to other mothers and support them in [concept statement]?
Part 3, 4, etc.:
Additional concept statements: (10 minutes per person per statement).
Whole group discussion: Participants shared highlights
of conversations. If it hadn’t come out in the discussion, we would
have asked a question about understanding our personal experiences and
biases and how that comes into play when we help others. We didn’t
have to introduce this as it came up naturally. (20-30 minutes)
Recording the Applicant’s thoughts: Applicants had the choice of
writing about the highlights of their conversations to send to their ACLA,
or having a private conversation with an ACLA later in the day. In all
cases, the Applicants chose to talk with an ACLA. During the conversation,
the highlights of the AI were discussed, with opportunities for further
dialogue as needed. The ACLA wrote up notes of the conversation for the
Applicant’s file to satisfy that part of the PH. On request of either
ACLA or Applicant, further dialogue after the session could ensue.
Progress and evaluations: Each Applicant was given a
checklist to indicate which parts of her application had been completed.
She filled it out at the beginning and the end of the work session to
show progress made during the session.
Progress made: Five Applicants attended all or part of
the weekend; all filled out the progress checklist. Three Applicants were
new—they had applied within the last month. During the work session,
each of them completed all or most of the concept statements for their
PH. In addition to this work, one completed part of her background reading
comments, and two completed the “About You” section of the
PH.
One Applicant started her application about six months ago. She completed most of her PH prior to attending the work session. Her time was primarily spent going over the Discussion Checklist and parts of the BRG; she also talked in depth with two Leaders about a specific issue for her in leading meetings.
One Applicant started her application two years ago. She had completed parts of the PH prior to the work session but not the discussion of LLLI philosophy (concept statements). She completed this during the work session, as well as additional dialogue with the ACLA on LLLI philosophy. The Preview is all that remains of her application work.
Martin
Luther King did not say, “I have a strategic plan.” Instead,
he shouted, “I have a DREAM!” and he created a crusade.
-Unknown