Appreciation - Influence - Control

This past week I had the opportunity to be involved in a round table discussion on leadership with Dr. Dan Pesut. Dan is the director of the Katharine J. Densford International Center for Nursing Leadership at the University of Minnesota. Our discussion centered on the AIC (Appreciation, Influence and Control) model of power.

What is AIC?

“Appreciation, Influence and Control are the names given to the three fields of power that we use to accomplish any of our purposes, however small or large. It helps us to look at ourselves, our organizations and our world in a profoundly new way. It reveals the true sources of our power and how we can use them for the good of ourselves, others and the common good” (Smith, 2009). The concept of this model is to provide individuals with awareness of their power sources. The most effective leaders are able to maintain balance between the three fields.

In order to understand your personal AIC model, you must first take a quick quiz based on colors. Doing so will provide an understanding of your balance in the three areas of power. Click here to take the quiz.

Appreciation

 The appreciative phase goes beyond our perceptions of a situation. This phase reveals your future orientation. It encourages an awareness of the “BIG PICTURE.” This field affects your purpose, but you have no influence or control over it. The appreciative method relies on our mental, spiritual, intuitive and sensing capacities. This is where our ideals are represented.

Represented by: beauty, enlightenment, love, social, appraisal, spirit, discovery, equanimity, and pragmatism

Influence

The influence phase focuses on collaboration and cooperation and is represented through our values. Your present is represented in this phase. Influence affects your purpose, which you can influence, but not control. Influence draws on our thoughts and emotions to balance any differing values.

Represented by: diplomacy, science, sociability, technology, negotiation, and reason

Control

The control phase allows us to shape our purpose through the development of goals, based on our past experiences. This is the phase that allows you to affect your purpose through control. 

Represented by: Diplomacy, discovery, negotiation, economics, omnipotence, and truth

My Results:

Control: 54%   Influence: 22%    Appreciation: 24%

I was initially surprised by my results to the AIC model. I had a negative connotation associated with the word “control.” It elicited an image of a very authoritative leader (not someone I want to be). However, the more I thought about it the more I realized the truth behind it. I strive for perfection, to be an individual, and enjoy a certain amount of predictability. As a nursing student my schedule is very important! Without it I would NEVER accomplish anything, or show up anywhere. I prefer my work to stand for itself in terms of my success, not my powers of persuasion. There is a lot to be said for this area power.

….however, there is also a lot to be said for appreciation and influence (which also had negative connotations for me) as well. The great thing about the AIC model is that it not only shows where you rank in each of the three powers, but also explains your strengths and weaknesses in each of these areas. It is through the examination of these strengths and weakness that we are able to utilize the knowledge behind the model in order to become great leaders.

What did you discover?

Smith, W. (2009). The meaning of the three circles. Retrieved from: www.oodi.com