The Power of The Power of Appreciative InquiryAppreciative Inquiry

Bliss W. BrowneBliss W. Browne

PresidentPresident

Imagine ChicagoImagine Chicago

www.imaginechicago.orgwww.imaginechicago.org

Understanding Understanding Appreciative InquiryAppreciative Inquiry

A major assumption of AI is that in A major assumption of AI is that in every community something works. every community something works. Change can be managed through the Change can be managed through the identification of what works, and identification of what works, and focus on how to build on it.focus on how to build on it.

Focusing on what works as opposed Focusing on what works as opposed to what problems the community is to what problems the community is having differentiates AI from having differentiates AI from traditional problem solving traditional problem solving approaches.approaches.

Introduction to Introduction to Appreciative InquiryAppreciative Inquiry

Inquiry into the “art of the possible” Inquiry into the “art of the possible” should begin with should begin with appreciationappreciation..

The first task is to describe and explain The first task is to describe and explain those exceptional moments which give those exceptional moments which give energy and activate members’ energy and activate members’ competencies and energies. competencies and energies.

Denise M. Pizzulli:

Denise M. Pizzulli:Denise M.

Pizzulli:

Denise M. Pizzulli:

Introduction to Introduction to Appreciative InquiryAppreciative Inquiry

Inquiry into what’s possible should Inquiry into what’s possible should be be applicableapplicable. .

Study should lead to the creation of Study should lead to the creation of knowledge that can be used, applied, knowledge that can be used, applied, and validated in actionand validated in action

Introduction to Introduction to Appreciative InquiryAppreciative Inquiry

Inquiry into what is possible should Inquiry into what is possible should be be provocativeprovocative..

An organization/community is capable An organization/community is capable of becoming more than it is at any given of becoming more than it is at any given moment, and learning how to determine moment, and learning how to determine its own future. its own future.

Introduction to Introduction to Appreciative InquiryAppreciative Inquiry

Inquiry into what’s possible should Inquiry into what’s possible should be be collaborativecollaborative. .

There is an inseparable There is an inseparable relationship between the process relationship between the process of inquiry and its content.of inquiry and its content.

Appreciative InquiryAppreciative Inquiry

Appreciative inquiry helps us toAppreciative inquiry helps us to understand understand the “best of what is” the “best of what is” in an organization or social system; in an organization or social system; and leads to and leads to imaginingimagining and and creatingcreating a collectively envisioned, a collectively envisioned, groundedgrounded, future., future.

InquiryInquiry

Inquiry is our most important tool Inquiry is our most important tool in creating positive change.in creating positive change.

The seeds of change are implicit in The seeds of change are implicit in the questions we ask.the questions we ask.

The more positive the question, The more positive the question, the longer-lasting the changethe longer-lasting the change

Problem Solving vs. Appreciative Inquiry

"Felt Need" Appreciating Identification of Problem The Best of "What is"

Analysis of Causes ImaginingWhat might be"

Analysis of Possible Solutions Shared Dialogue"What we most want"

Action Planning Innovating"What will be"

BASIC ASSUMPTION: BASIC ASSUMPTION: LIFE IS A PROBLEM LIFE IS A MYSTERY TO BE SOLVED TO BE EMBRACED

Note: From D. L. Cooperrider and Associates (1996). A constructive approach to organization development and change.

Appreciative Inquiry Appreciative Inquiry ProcessProcess

Focus on key Affirmative Topics – topic Focus on key Affirmative Topics – topic choice is a fateful act.choice is a fateful act.

Identify and Value the “Best of What Is” Identify and Value the “Best of What Is” using positive data collection techniques.using positive data collection techniques.

Articulate Provocative Propositions.Articulate Provocative Propositions. Collectively imagine what can be, Collectively imagine what can be,

building on this trustworthy foundationbuilding on this trustworthy foundation Innovate by creating the shared Vision.Innovate by creating the shared Vision.

Six Aspects of Change and Six Aspects of Change and Development of which to be Development of which to be

AwareAware

Knowledge of the community is Knowledge of the community is critical to determining its destiny.critical to determining its destiny.

The seeds of change are implicit in The seeds of change are implicit in the first questions we ask.the first questions we ask.

Six Aspects of Change and Six Aspects of Change and Development of which to be Development of which to be

AwareAware

A critical resource we have for A critical resource we have for creating positive change in our creating positive change in our communities is our imagination communities is our imagination and the capacity to free the and the capacity to free the imagination and the mind of imagination and the mind of groups.groups.

Six Aspects of Change and Six Aspects of Change and Development of which to be Development of which to be

AwareAware

Our imagination and mind are Our imagination and mind are constrained by bad habits, limited constrained by bad habits, limited styles of thinking, underlying styles of thinking, underlying assumptions and traditional rules assumptions and traditional rules of organizing.of organizing.

Six Aspects of Change and Six Aspects of Change and Development of which to be Development of which to be

AwareAware

Our styles of thinking rarely match Our styles of thinking rarely match the increasingly complex worlds in the increasingly complex worlds in which we work… We need to which we work… We need to discover more creative and fruitful discover more creative and fruitful ways of knowing. ways of knowing.

Six Aspects of Change and Six Aspects of Change and Development of which to be Development of which to be

AwareAware

All systems (organizations and All systems (organizations and communities), as living communities), as living constructions, are largely constructions, are largely affirmative and respond to positive affirmative and respond to positive thought and positive knowledge. thought and positive knowledge.

Harnessing ImaginationHarnessing Imagination

Appreciative Inquiry Appreciative Inquiry gathers positive stories and gathers positive stories and imagesimages

Our minds are stretched by Our minds are stretched by hearing what is possiblehearing what is possible

Positive images lead to Positive images lead to positive actionpositive action

Positive ImagePositive Image Positive Action Positive Action

Medical research on the placebo effect.Medical research on the placebo effect. Medical research on the link between Medical research on the link between

negative and positive effect on healingnegative and positive effect on healing Education: Pygmalion EffectEducation: Pygmalion Effect Sports Psychology on the power of Sports Psychology on the power of

imagery of differential self-monitoring.imagery of differential self-monitoring. Emotional IntelligenceEmotional Intelligence

Positive Image-Positive Positive Image-Positive ActionAction

Change happens at the level of Change happens at the level of discourse.discourse.

The best clue to a system’s health The best clue to a system’s health is to listen to how its members talk is to listen to how its members talk about the future.about the future.

Positive Image-Positive Positive Image-Positive ActionAction

Our habitual styles of thought, Our habitual styles of thought, assumptions, and rules of analysis assumptions, and rules of analysis often have ironic consequences of often have ironic consequences of exacerbating the very problems we exacerbating the very problems we have so carefully diagnosed.have so carefully diagnosed.

Energy flows where attention goes.Energy flows where attention goes.

How can we engage new How can we engage new constituencies and build constituencies and build community participation?community participation? Recognize what community valuesRecognize what community values Connect people and opportunitiesConnect people and opportunities Leverage existing community Leverage existing community

networks, especially organizations networks, especially organizations which cross boundaries (like faith which cross boundaries (like faith communities, businesses, schools, communities, businesses, schools, hospitals)hospitals)

Imagine ChicagoImagine Chicago

Track record of building hope and Track record of building hope and civic investment on six continentscivic investment on six continents

Develops uncommon connections Develops uncommon connections that expand what’s possiblethat expand what’s possible– across generationsacross generations– across culturesacross cultures– across sectorsacross sectors– across divisions of geography and across divisions of geography and

economicseconomics

IMAGINE CHICAGOIMAGINE CHICAGO

Designs projects that build capacityDesigns projects that build capacity

– of the individual participantof the individual participant– of their organizationof their organization– of the communityof the community

Makes resources available on-Makes resources available on-line:line:

www.imaginechicago.orgwww.imaginechicago.org

Imagine Chicago’s (NGO ) Imagine Chicago’s (NGO ) rolerole

Strategic design partnerStrategic design partner Community development model Community development model

resourceresource TrainerTrainer FacilitatorFacilitator

Host organization roleHost organization role

Determine focus and scope of Determine focus and scope of community building pilotcommunity building pilot

Select design teamSelect design team Design and implement projectDesign and implement project Hold community summitHold community summit Document project and share Document project and share

findingsfindings

Next steps: Next steps: Designing what can be Designing what can be

Why: Why: Key reasons to do the work Key reasons to do the work and use and use this approach? this approach?

Who:Who: Targeted collaborators? Targeted collaborators? Staff Staff resources? Leadership resources? Leadership team?team?

What:What: Core focus/products and Core focus/products and outcome goals? outcome goals?

When:When: Project/course timetable? Project/course timetable?How:How: Which target community? Which target community?

Creating what will beCreating what will be This course will give you tools and This course will give you tools and

practice in AIpractice in AI You will provide leadership to help You will provide leadership to help

develop this community of practice develop this community of practice in Chicagoin Chicago

Everyone will design and implement Everyone will design and implement an AI protocol during the course, an AI protocol during the course, working alone or in teams with working alone or in teams with othersothers

Implementation must be completed Implementation must be completed and written up as a case study by and written up as a case study by Dec.15Dec.15