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Ensuring Change is Sustainable
A Holy Week Reflection
A big part of The Appreciative Way is creating and ensuring goals that are sustainable. This requires focusing on goal formulation and creating a strategy to achieve the goal. One of the key aspects of goal formulation is ensuring that goals are positively status. It is almost impossible to achieve less of what we don't want. As I often say, Jesus didn't come that we might have less death, (less of what we don't want). He came that we might have Life.
The other thing that goals need is a strategy to achieve them. Too often I see communities create goals, with a measurable outcome, but have no strategy to achieve the goal. This is especially worthless when the only strategy is to continue to do what we always have done, expecting a different outcome. The strategy needs to focus on what we will do differently to achieve it.
Remember: "A goal without a strategy is just a fantasy."
The other thing we need to ensure is that our goals are sustainable and especially that they won't be sabotaged. One of the most important questions we need to ask after creating a goal and strategy is:
"Does any part of me object to achieving this goal, or making these changes?"
In groups we can rephrase it as:
"Does anyone have any objections to making these changes?"
Invariably, we will all have objections, because everything we do has a cost. For example: We may plan to move to a new town for a job that we really want, but also have the objection that we will lose friends.
The next step is to ask the part that objects, what would satisfy the objection? Notice we don't argue with the objection or try to overcome the objection. We ask the part that objects, to describe what would satisfy the objection. For example, we may make a personal commitment and plan to return to visit with friends.
If we were to simply argue and overcome the objection, we would do violence to our psyche and that part is likely to sabotage achieving or sustaining the goal. We may get to the new job only to have that part of us sabotage our work performance and get us fired so we can go back to our previous town and friends.
In groups the process is the same. I will often ask each person what their objection is. Even supporters of a decision will have an objection that will need to be satisfied. While the language is slightly different seeking and satisfying objections to change is at the heart of consensus building that is a key feature of Quaker decision making. Before they make a decision, they ask: "Are all hearts clear."
Satisfying objections to change is a way of clearing our hearts so that we can be fully invested in achieving and sustaining our goals. Without seeking and satisfying our objections to change we will just evoke resistance and sabotage.
And now for the Holy Week reflection:
Take a moment and consider what your greatest objection is to the Good News that God loves you unconditionally, right now, just as you are…
Close your eyes and rehearse the objection in your mind…
Now in the midst of your objection I invite you to see a large cross…
For the cross is the full satisfaction of every objection you have to the Good News that God loves you unconditionally, right now, just as you are…
There is one goal that you should never make and that is the goal to be loved by God, or to make yourself loveable, because you already are! It is only in the light of that love you will have the power to change anything, especially those things you don't like about yourself.
Please Note: In the Appreciative Inquiry training programs, we spend some time on Goal Formulation and Seeking and Satisfying Objections and I will offer the above meditation. For some people the image of the cross does not work, especially for people who have been beaten up with and then renounced theories of substitutional atonement.
What has however worked very well in these situations is the Maundy Thursday image of Jesus washing feet and or being invited to the Table, the sacred meal with God. In the words of my United Church of Christ friends: "This table belongs to Jesus and all are welcome."
If you would like to learn more about the art and science of ensuring change is sustainable I invite you to attend the
Introduction to Appreciative Inquiry Webinar that begins on Tuesday April 29.
In the meantime, I pray that you during this Holy Week you experience the Good News that in Jesus every objection you have to being loved unconditionally by God has been satisfied.
With Love
Rob Voyle
Director of the Appreciative Way.
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Introduction to Appreciative Inquiry
5 Weekly 3 hr. Sessions, Live Online Webinars
Tuesday Apr. 29, May 6, 13, 20, 27, 2025. 9:00 am -12 noon PDT
Early Registration Price: $395.00
This is our Foundational Program that will introduce you to the
Appreciative Way which is Rob and Kim Voyle's synthesis of:
• Appreciative Inquiry
• The Work of Milton Erickson and his students, especially Steve Andreas.
• Eastern and Western Contemplative Spirituality
• Compassion as the Agent of Transformation
In this webinar you will:
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Learn the Appreciative Way of growing what is life-giving
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Conduct an Appreciative Inquiry into your life and work
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Discover and articulate your core purpose for being
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Learn how to use the three faces of compassion
Tenderness, Fierceness, and Mischievousness
as an agent of transformation in the world
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Experience and learn the art of asking powerful questions
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Synthesize what you learned to create Appreciative Strategies to resolve resistance and lead change in your workplace
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This program is open to clergy and lay leaders engaged in ministry and congregation development.
For more information or to register please go to:
Register For Introduction to Appreciative Inquiry Webinar
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Appreciative Interim Ministry
5 Weekly 3 hr. Sessions, Live Online Webinars
Tuesday Jun. 3, 10, 17, 24, Jul. 1, 2025. 9:00 am -12 noon PDT
Early Registration Price: $395.00
$100 Discount when registering at the same time as the Introduction to Appreciative Inquiry.
This program will teach you how to use the
Appreciative Way when engaging in Transitional Ministry and Congregation Development.
In contrast to pathology reduction approaches to interim ministry and organization development, the Appreciative Approach is an incarnational way of joining a congregation by focusing on discovering and growing what is life-giving in a system.
This is Part 1 of our
Certificate in Transition Ministry.
For more information or to register please go to:
Register For Appreciative Interim Ministry Webinar
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Webinar Training Format
I will admit I am not a great fan of online training, especially ones with pre-recorded videos and materials that make us passive recipients of information. I do however love to teach and engage with participants. However, the associated costs of travel and accommodation make in-person training financially burdensome. So, I have completely revised my old webinars to new formats:
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All content is provided live online via zoom, with opportunity to interact between teacher and participants.
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Zoom content sessions will be limited to three hours with mid-session break per day.
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Zoom content sessions will be limited to twenty participants.
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Zoom sessions will be recorded for the benefit of the participants. For catch up purposes and not primary training.
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Each program will have an online classroom access to training manuals, and additional resources, including email dialogue with trainers and fellow participants beyond the live classes.
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I am still available to lead in-person workshops and retreats, especially the one-day programs such as Forgiveness Training and Retreats. Contact Rob Voyle by return email if you would like to host such programs in your congregation or organizational setting.
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With Holy Week blessings for your life and work.
Rob Voyle,
Founder of the Appreciative Way and
Director of the Clergy Leadership Institute
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