APPRECIATIVE COACHING:A Positive Process for Change

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APPRECIATIVE COACHING IS A POWERFUL PROCESS OF ASKING THE “RIGHT” QUESTIONS THAT ARE CAREFULLY MADE TO CREATE A JOYFULLY FOCUSED STATE OF MIND AS THE CLIENT CONSIDERS AND ANSWERS THEM.

Appreciative Coaching: A Positive Process for Change

WHAT IS APPRECIATIVE COACHING?

Appreciative Coaching is a strengths based method that can be applied to organizational management, staff, teams, and individuals. It focuses on existing strengths and distinctive competencies, reaffirming them and encouraging these qualities/traits to promote positive growth and change.

THE FIVE PRINCIPLES• The Constructionist Principle• The Positive Principle• The Simultaneity Principle• The Poetic Principle• The Anticipatory Principle.

PRINCIPLE ONE: THE CONSTRUCTIONIST

PRINCIPLE

A Person’s future is an extension of what she knows and doesn’t know, both as a coach/manager and as a client/employee. By inquiring about an individual’s past successes, we determine that they know and how we can apply what they know to a desirable future.

PRINCIPLE TWO: THE POSITIVE PRINCIPLE

Positive attitudes, actions, and connections influence long-term change. Suggests that when both the coach/manager and employee/client are connected as partners in the positive pursuit of a dream and when they both retain positive attitudes and act toward the change they want, the change will happen positively.

PRINCIPLE THREE: THE SIMULTANEITY PRINCIPLE

Inquiry and change happen in the same moment. It is when the future happens and as a result of the present. The kinds of questions asked sets change in motion whether positive or negative.

PRINCIPLE FOUR: THE POETIC PRINCIPLE

The Poetic Principle suggests that life stories can be rewritten to better fit how individuals see themselves in their present or future. It is a reminder that a story can be reframed, reimagined, and refocused to enable more hopeful and joyful action toward a desired change.

PRINCIPLE FIVE: THE ANTICIPATORY PRINCIPLE

This Principle states that a particular dream of the future can guide current behavior in the direction of that future. Focusing an individual on their particular vision or dream enables them to take clearer action in the present toward the dream. Similar to affirmations that are stated positively in the present and that relate to some desired future state.

FOUR POSITIVE METHODS

• Appreciative Inquiry• Positive Organizational Scholarship (POS)• Positive Psychology• Solution- Focused Brief Therapy

Appreciative Inquiry or AI is an approach to organizational analysis and learning that is intended for communicating, discovering, understanding, and fostering innovation.

• Inquiry should begin with appreciation• Inquiry into what is possible should yield information that can be used,

applied, and validated in action• Knowledge that appreciates what is becomes provocative and can stir

organization members to actions.• Inquiry into human potential should be collaborative, assuming an

immutable relationship between the process of inquiry and its content.

• Positive Organizational Scholarship is a discipline that promotes an interest in positive attributes and dynamics in organizations. Investigates the positive. neither ignores nor dismisses the negative. Examines the elements in an organization that help develop strengths, foster resiliency, and produce extraordinary performance.

 • Positive Psychology is informs practitioners of Appreciative Coaching of the

workings of the human mind, emotions, and spirit. It gives direction in how to support individuals in their growth, both when staff/clients are in a state of positive expectation and when they are not.

 • Solution-Focused Brief Therapy is accepts what the individual has to offer

and turns it to positive use. It does not seek the why but a resolution of problems to help find substitute behaviors that will break undesired patterns.

THE MAIN STAGES OF APPRECIATIVE COACHING FOR APPLICATION

•Discovery•Dream•Design•Destiny Topic

DIFFERENCE IN PROBLEM SOLVING AND APPRECIATIVE

COACHINGProblem Solving

•  Identify problem • Conduct analysis of causes• Brainstorm solutions and analyze• Develop action plans

Appreciative Coaching• Discovery: What gives your life or

job meaning? • Dream: What might be your

future? • Design: How can it be the future? • Destiny: What will be your future?

APPRECIATIVE COACHING IN MANAGEMENT

Don’t ask AskWhat’s wrong with you? What’s wrong with them? When have you been successful in the your other job

duties?

Why can’t you learn from your past mistakes? How did that work out in your past?

Why do you think that it doesn’t work? What are your strengths & abilities to complete company goals?

Why did you choose that outcome? What is your desired or dream outcome for this situation?

Why bother? What do you want to do about the issue?

What are you supposed to do about it? What actions can you start with now?

SUMMARY

Appreciate coaching is another method of effective communication that can be used for life coaching and business management. In my opinion as a life coach and business owner, it is necessary to learn how to empathize and appreciate a client or employee’s individual goals in order to assess their effectiveness in life and the company’s vision.

Appreciative Coaching: A Positive Process for Change by Sara L. Orem, Jacqueline Binkert, and Ann Clancy