APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY

Srinath Ramakrishnan

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)

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

What is AI?

a way of looking at organisational change which

focuses on doing more of what is already working,

rather than focusing on fixing problems.

It mobilises strategic change by focusing on the core

strengths of an organisation, then using those

strengths to reshape the future.

Developed by David Cooperrider and his

associates at Case Western Reserve University in the

mid-eighties.

Identify Problem

Conduct Root Cause Analysis

Brainstorm Solutions & Analyze

Develop Action Plans

Slow pace of change – requiring

a lot of positive emotion to make

real change

Assumes an organisation is made

up of a series of problems to be

overcome, creating a deficit

culture

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”

Quickly creates a new dynamic – with

people united around a shared vision

of the future

Assumes an organisation is a source of

limitless capacity and imagination,

creating an appreciative culture

Metaphor: Organizations are a

solution/mystery to be embraced.

Problem Solving Appreciative Inquiry

Six Generic Questions To Start

What have been your best experiences at work? A time when…

What do you value about… yourself, work, organisation.

What do you think is the core life-giving factor or value of your organisation –which it wouldn’t be the same without?

If you had three wishes for your organisation, what would they be?

What achievements are you (and/or your team) proud of?

Apart from the money, what makes it worth coming into work?

How it works

Organizations move in the direction of what they study.

It focuses the attention on an organization’s most positive potential – its positive core

The positive core is the essential nature of the organization at its best – people’s collective wisdom about the organization’s tangible and intangible strengths, capabilities, resources, potential and assets

The Appreciative Inquiry 4-D cycle unleashes the energy of positive core for transformation and sustainable success

.

The Four “D” Process

The Four “D” Process - Discover

The identification of organizational processes that work well.

understand the "best of what is” and "what has been."

begins with the collaborative act of crafting appreciative interview questions and constructing an appreciative interview guide.

The Four “D” Process - Dream

The envisioning of processes that would work well in

the future.

What might be

The Four “D” Process - Design

What should be the ideal

Co constructing

The Framework approach

Requests, offers and commitment approach

Each participant is given the opportunity to publicly state a simple commitment, make an offer or articulate a request.

Talent Development, Org

Structure alliances and

Partnership

Business Processes,

Policies, communication,

Technology

The Four “D” Process - Destiny

How to empower, learn and adjust/improvise

Sustaining

focuses specifically on personal and organizational commitments and paths forward

look for ways to improve and expand the AI process

ongoing learning and innovation

the processes, structures, and relationships from the design phase are put into action.

Principles of Appreciative Inquiry

Constructionist

Principle We construct realities based on our previous

experience, so our knowledge and the destiny

of the system are interwoven.

Principle of SimultaneityInquiry and change are simultaneous

Poetic PrincipleThe system’s story is constantly

co-authored, and is open to

infinite interpretations

Anticipatory Principle What we anticipate determines what we find

Positive Principle As an image of reality is enhanced, actions begin to align with the positive image1

Constructionist Principle

Organizations are human constructions

What we believe to true affects the way we act and the way we approach change

Reality as we know is subjective and is socially created through the language we use and the conversations we have

The way we know is fateful

Principle of Simultaneity

It is recognized that inquiry and change are not truly separate moments, but are simultaneous

Change begins the moment we ask questions

The very first question asked set the stage for what is “found” and what is “discovered”

These become the stories out of which future is conceived, discussed and constructed

Poetic Principle

Human organizations are an

open book

An organization’s story is constantly

being co-authored

The organization’s past, present and

future are endless sources of

learning, inspiration and

interpretation

Anticipatory Principle

Our behaviour in the present is influenced by the future we anticipate

The more positive and hopeful the image of the future, the more positive the present day action

Collective imagination and discourse about the future are the most important resource for generating constructive organizational change or improvement

Positive Principle

Successful change requires high levels of positive emotions

Positive emotions improve our capabilities

When we feel good, we feel more strategically, absorb information quicker, we are more creative, we reach decisions faster, we recover more quickly from setbacks and even our health improves

Underlying Benefits of AI

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

References

Appreciative Inquiry Handbook, David Cooperrider, et. al. (Lakeshore Communications)

The Appreciative Inquiry Commons (www.appreciativeinquiry.org)

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http://www.sputtergotchtoys.com/discover.html

http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20110202093118/nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/casestudies

http://www.sputtergotchtoys.com/discover.html

http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20110202093118/nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/casestudies

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http://0.media.dorkly.cvcdn.com/95/40/037118ac655e43b5c6d1bb074ec0c90a-destiny-the-official-dorkly-review.jpg

http://appreciativeinquirytelesummit.com/

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