and now for the good news: appreciative inquiry maureen sullivan gene spencer ala annual conference...
TRANSCRIPT
And Now for the Good News:
Appreciative Inquiry
Maureen SullivanGene Spencer
ALA Annual Conference - June 30, 2008
Agenda and Format
This will be an interactive working session: Set the Context for Appreciative Inquiry in
Assessment Introduction to Appreciative Inquiry The “Art” of the Positive Question Application of Appreciative Inquiry
Setting the Context
"The most serious mistakes are not being made as a result of wrong answers. The truly dangerous thing is asking the wrong question." Peter Drucker
Focus of Assessment
What are we doing well?
What’s broken or ineffective?
(within some +/- “gap”)
Maintain or Tweak?
Fix or Abandon?
Significantly Better Results
Asking Different Questions
Introducing Appreciative Inquiry (AI) A Whirlwind Tour
What is Appreciative Inquiry (AI)?
Appreciative Inquiry is the study and exploration of what gives life to human systems when they function at their best.
This approach to personal change and organization change is based on the assumption that questions and dialogue about strengths, successes, values, hopes, and dreams are themselves transformational.
(from The Power of Appreciative Inquiry by
Diana Whitney and Amanda Trosten-Bloom)
The Essence of Appreciative Inquiry (AI)
Positive Core
AI’s Origins
Research from the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University
David Cooperrider is Professor and Chairman of the Case Center for Business as an Agent of World Benefit
Study at the Cleveland Clinic
A Positive View of Organizations
“Organizations are, first and foremost, centers of human relatedness and relationships come alive where there is an appreciative eye, when people see the best in one another and the whole, when they share their dreams and ultimate concerns in affirming ways, and when they are connected in full voice to create not just new worlds, but better worlds. By making it possible for every voice to be heard, a life giving process is enacted.”
(from The Appreciative Organization by Harlene Anderson, David Cooperrider, et. al.)
Appreciative Inquiry - Simply Put…
If we look for what is best and learn from it, we can magnify and multiply our success
If we continue to search for problems, we will continue to find problems
Imagine the difference…
Starting with 2 very different questions:
What works well in this organization?
vs.
What problems do we need to fix to make this organization better?
4-D Cycle of Appreciative Inquiry
From The Power of Appreciative Inquiry
Positive Core
Design“Determine
what should be”
AffirmativeTopic Choice
Dream“Imagine
what might be”
Discovery“Appreciate
what is”
Destiny“Create what
will be”
One example of a Formal AI Process
Problem Solving vs. Appreciative Inquiry
Identify problems
Conduct Root Cause Analysis
Brainstorm Solutions & Analyze
Develop Action Plans
Metaphor: Organizations are problems to be solved
Appreciate “What is” (What gives life?)
Imagine “What might be”
Determine “What Should Be”
Create “What Will Be”
Metaphor: Organizations are a solution/mystery to be embraced
The Art of the Positive Question
Focus Again on the Positive Core
Positive Core
MISSED COMMITMENTS
CriticalThinking
Gap Analysis
Failure Rate
Root Cause Analysis
Emergency
TROUBLE REPORT
CUSTOMERCOMPLAINTS
PERFORMANCE REVIEW
WARNING
Evaluation
Language of Assessment: Deficit
From the Appreciative Inquiry Handbook
Error Report
Post-Mortem
Deadline
Fire Fighting
VarianceReport
“Missed Opportunity”
“Satisfaction” Surveys
The Art of the Positive Question
To be compelling, assessment topics should be: Positive – Overwhelmingly affirmative Desirable – You want more of it Motivational – Will take you where you want
to go
Taking Aim at the Extraordinary
Examples: Describe a peak experience or high point with
your library. Identify a time in your experience when you
felt most effective and engaged. What are three wishes you have to enhance
the health and vitality of your organization?
Exercise – Appreciative Questions
Reflect on the sample questions in the
handout Form some new questions that you might use
to assess your own organization Share with a neighbor
When can you use these questions?
At the beginning of internal or external assessment efforts
To “jump-start” weekly meetings In thought-provoking messages to staff In one-on-one conversations with staff or
community members At the conclusion of any activity to assess the
experience
Encyclopedia of Positive Questions
The questions in this book are intended to move the focus to positive possibilities
A Great Resource:
Encyclopedia of Positive Questions
Sample positive questions are provided for: Seamless service Customer loyalty Exceptional partnership Compelling communication Integrity in action Quality moments Participatory decision-making Joy in a job well-done Ownership
Application of Appreciative Inquiry
Underlying Benefits
Appreciative Inquiry unleashes power by: Building relationships Creating opportunities for people to be heard Generating opportunities for people to dream Allowing people to choose how they will
contribute Giving people the support to act Encouraging and enabling people to be
positive and affirming
4-D Cycle of Appreciative Inquiry
From The Power of Appreciative Inquiry
Positive Core
Design“Determine
what should be”
AffirmativeTopic Choice
Dream“Imagine
what might be”
Discovery“Appreciate
what is”
Destiny“Create what
will be”
Exercise – an Appreciative Interview
It starts with an Appreciative Interview: Choose a partner Interview him/her based on the second
handout Take notes Reverse roles
4-D Cycle of Appreciative Inquiry
From The Power of Appreciative Inquiry
Positive Core
Design“Determine
what should be”
AffirmativeTopic Choice
Dream“Imagine
what might be”
Discovery“Appreciate
what is”
Destiny“Create what
will be”
Rapport & Empathy
Trust
Mutual Understandin
g
Resources for Getting Started
Discussion
How can this approach be applied proactively to assessment in/for your library?
How would your stakeholders respond to questions that helped reflect on the “best of what is”?
How might this energy get beyond “assessment fatigue”?
Questions for Personal Reflection
How does the “appreciative approach” differ from typical techniques used for assessment?
Can you see how this approach (used regularly) would increase energy, creativity & momentum?
How would your stakeholders respond to a “strengths-based” assessment process?
Can you think of examples of how AI might be applied to internal and external assessment of your organization?
Closing Thoughts
“No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it. We must learn to see the world anew.”
“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.”
Albert Einstein
Bibliography
The Thin Book of Appreciative Inquiry, Sue Annis Hammond (Thin Book Publishing Co.)
The Power of Appreciative Inquiry, Diana Whitney & Amanda Trosten-Bloom (Berrett-Koehler Publishers)
Encyclopedia of Positive Questions, Vol. 1, Diana Whitney, et. al. (Lakeshore Communications)
Appreciative Inquiry Handbook, David Cooperrider, et. al. (Lakeshore Communications)
The Promise of Appreciative Inquiry in Library Organizations, Maureen Sullivan in Library Trends (53(1) Summer 2004, page 224)
Using Appreciative Inquiry in Evaluation, Hallie Preskill, Anne T. Coghlan, editors
Reframing Evaluation Through Appreciative Inquiry, Hallie Preskill, Tessie Tzavaras Catsambas
Other AI Resources
The Appreciative Inquiry Commons (www.appreciativeinquiry.org)
The Taos Institute (www.taosinstitute.net) The Appreciative Organization by Harlene Anderson,
et. al. (Taos Institute Publications) Appreciative Leaders, edited by Marjorie Schiller, et.
al. (Taos Institute Publications)