Conclusions
Appreciative entrepreneurs are always learning from past successes and challenges. However, much more is required of them. To use a term introduced by Otto Scharmer (2009), these entrepreneurs must “learn from the future.” This means that they must not only appreciatively lean into the future, but also bring an appreciative perspective to the task of learning from the past and present—both past and present successes and past and present failures (Tim Russert’s “forward failing”]. There is always rich learning to be derived from any organizational experience, be it a success or a failure. For everything there is a season.
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References
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Peter Frost and Carolyn Egri, “Appreciating Executive Action” in Suresh Srivasta, David Cooperrider and Associates. Appreciative Management and Leadership: The Power of Positive Thought and Action in Organizations. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1990
Roger Rosenblatt, “The Admiration of Others,” Modern Maturity. January/ February 1997, p. 23.
Tim Russert interviewed by Charlie Rose (PBS), May 11, 2004.
Otto Scharmer, Theory U. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler, 2009
Peter Vaill, “Executive Development as Spiritual Development,” in Suresh Srivasta, David Cooperrider and Associates. Appreciative Management and Leadership: The Power of Positive Thought and Action in Organizations. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1990.
