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No matter how many challenges an organization might face, every organization has a positive core. This includes strengths, peak experiences, best practices, successes and key learning. And yet, we have little experience with looking for what works and finding ways to repeat that success. As one CEO lamented, “We have become eloquent articulators of what is wrong.” The job of leadership is to align strengths in such a powerful way, weaknesses become irrelevant. Appreciative Inquiry teaches us to mine peak performance experiences and to spread them across the organization. The purpose of this presentation is to describe Appreciative Inquiry – what it is and what it is not – and to suggest ways that we can apply Appreciative Inquiry to improve performance.
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Business challenges exist
No matter the challenges…
…we have core strengths from which to draw.
These are always available to us
StrengthsPeak Experiences
VictoriesBest Practices
SuccessKey Learnings
And yet…
We have become eloquent articulators of what is
wrong.
We already know that…
Power flows where the attention goes
Our Job
The job of leadership
is to align strengths
in such a powerful way,
weaknesses become irrelevant.
Appreciative Inquiry Approach
Appreciative Inquiry teaches us to find peak experiences, and then pollinate the rest of the organization with them.
Appreciative Inquiry Focus
Problem Solving vs. Appreciative Inquiry
Problem-Solving Focus:
Doing less of what
we do not do well
Appreciative
Inquiry Focus:
Doing more of
what works
How is it different?
Problem-Solving Appreciative Inquiry
Focuses on Pathology Focuses on Well-Being
“Felt Need”Identification of Problems
Appreciating and ValuingThe Best of “What Is”
Analysis of Causes Envisioning “What Might Be”
Analysis of Possible Solutions Dialoguing “What Should Be”
Action Planning(Treatment)
Innovating “What Will Be”
Basic Assumption:An organization is a Problem
to be Solved
Basic Assumption:An Organization is a Mystery
to be Embraced
Adopted from Cooperrider and Srivastva (1987) “Appreciative Inquiry into Organizational Life” in Research in Organizational Change and Development. Pasmore and Woodman (eds) Vol. 1, JAI Press
You have a choice
Focus on what is wrong or broken or focus on what we are doing right
A few benefits
Amplifies Success
Creates a Safe Way to Look at Problems
Unlocks Innovation
Brings Together People with Differing Worldviews
Builds off of What We Already Know How to Do
How does it work?
Define Discover Dream Design Deliver
Define the Topic
The more specific the topic, the more impact Appreciative Inquiry can have.
DefinePick One:• Top-line Sales• Margins• Employee Engagement• Employee Retention• Customer Service
Discover What and Why
Discover
1. Think about your time of working on this team. Focus on a moment that was a high point, when you felt most effective and engaged. Describe how you felt and what made the situation possible.
2. What happens on the job that renews your energy and enthusiasm?
3. Describe a time when you felt the team was being successful and focused. What were the circumstances that led to this success?
Discover what works and why
Dreams Based in Reality
Dream
Envision what can be based on what has been.
Design the Mechanisms
Forecast more success into the
future
Design
Deliver the Promised Results
Deliver
Execute with
Excellence
Resources
Web Sites:
Appreciative Inquiry Commons, http://ai.case.edu
Videos:
YouTube Video: Appreciative Inquiry, John Hayes
YouTube Video: Appreciative Inquiry: A Conversation with David Cooperrider
Books:
Cooperrider, D., Whtney, D., Appreciative Inquiry: A Positive Revolution in Change (2005), ISBN 1576753565, Berrett-Koehler Publishers
Hammond, S. The Thin Book of Appreciative Inquiry (1998), ISBN 0966537319, Thin Book Publishing Company
