What London needs now is Flower Power!
Sunflowers in the bud stage move towards what gives them energy and life. At sunrise, the faces of most sunflowers are turned towards the east. Over the course of the day, they follow the sun from east to west, while at night they return to an eastward orientation.
This ‘heliotropic’ principle has been applied to Organisation Development, by an innovative approach to organising called ‘Appreciative Inquiry’ (AI). The idea is that people move towards what gives life and energy.
AI is increasingly being recognised as a positive approach to developing communities and organisations. It is a technique for engendering change by unleashing positive energy amongst people. Research has shown that focussing on what gives life (rather than the problematic) can lead to ‘human floushing’ in communities and organisations alike.
Recriminations have well and truly begun after the recent troubles in our wonderful City. My sense is that we shouldn’t dwell too long on finger pointing and blame. Rather, we need to create a momentum for change by re-imagining community life in our conurbation. We can start by asking what life-giving initiatives can offer hope and help transform our beleaguered communities.
Click here to find out more about this movement.