The Partnering Together for Change Culture Change Coalition at Bloomington Cove is Dreaming about their future together. Over the last few months, the team has been working on defining their aspiration statements and planning on sharing and gathering feedback on these from the broader Bloomington Cove community.
Soon, the team will finalize their aspiration statements and share them at a joyous event with the whole of the Bloomington Cove Community. Stay tuned and we'll write about them here.
Confused about Aspiration statements? Below is a short primer on what they are, how we create them, and why they are such a powerful tool for Culture Change!
Why create aspiration statements?
Each aspiration statement reflects a value or goal related to our discovery of what already works best in our group or organization. It can be helpful to think of an aspiration statement as a guidepost or vision statement towards which the group can plan, educate and effect change.
How do we do it?
When discovery is done well, the exercise is simple. Given what has been learned in discovery about the ‘best of what is’, describe a future that reflects and builds on areas identified in discovery and dream important to you and valued by the organisation and its people. When completed, these aspiration statements will serve as a guide for where the organization and its people will move in the future.
Key considerations in creating aspiration statements:
As you work together in creating aspiration or dream statements which represent our shared vision for the ideal future for your group or organization, Cooperider (2002) suggests we ask whether the statements are provocative, grounded, desired, affirmative and unconditionally positive.
What does this mean?
- Is your aspiration statement provocative? Does [the statement] inspire innovation?
- Is your aspiration statement grounded? Is the statement grounded in identified strengths and what has worked well in the past?
- Is your aspiration statement desired? “If it could be fully actualized would the organization want it? Do you want it as a preferred future?” (Cooperider, 2002). Will others get excited about it and be willing to defend it?
- Is your aspiration statement stated “in affirmative and bold terms? Is it stated as if it is happening now” (Cooperider, 2002))?
- Is your aspiration statement unconditionally positive? “Is it written in positive language? Will it bring out the best in people the organization, and the members it touches? (Cooperider, 2002)”