appreciative inquiry: a positive revolution in change david l. cooperrider weatherhead school of...

Appreciative Inquiry: A Positive Revolution in Change

David L. Cooperrider

Weatherhead School of Management Case Western Reserve University

A Time For Re-thinking... Human Organization And Change

A Time For Re-thinking... Human Organization And Change

Global Context of Democratization

End of Apartheid

No Limits To Cooperation… E-Company…Connect! Now

Shuttle into Space…& Reality Isn’t What it Used to Be

“Whole System” Change Large Groups... “Positive Revolution”: Aiming Higher

It is a Time for Re-thinking Human Organization & Change

“We are at the very point in time when a 400-year old age is dying and another is struggling to be born, a shifting of culture, science, society, and institutions enormously greater than the world has ever experienced. Ahead, the possibility of the regeneration of relationships, liberty, community, and ethics such as the world has never known, and a harmony with nature, with one another, and with the divine intelligence such as the world has never dreamed.”

--Dee Hock, Founder & CEO--Visa

Exciting Stories and Results

• Hunter Douglas– Culture Change– Strategic Planning– Total Quality

• Results– Employee Engagement– Leadership “Bench Strength”– Strategic Vision & Alignment


• Nutrimental Foods– Whole System Visioning & Strategic Planning– Annual Whole System Summits

• Results– 200% Increase Profits– 300% Decrease Absenteeism


• United Religions Initiative– Annual Global Summits– Organization Design

• Results– June 2000 Charter Signing – The Birth of a Global “Chaordic” Organization– Centers on Every Continent – Over a Million Pledges of Support


• GTE – Positive Change Network– Culture Change– Union Management Partnership– Call Center Excellence

• Results– 1997 ASTD Award– Employee Surveys– Contract Negotiations

Constructionist Principle: The way we know is fateful.

Principle of Simultaneity: Change begins at the moment you ask the question.

Poetic Principle: Organizations are an open book. Anticipatory Principle: Deep change= change in

active images of the future. Positive Principle: The more positive the

question, the greater and longer-lasting the change.

#1. Story of “high point” …?

#2. Valuing:Self ….& Work

#3. Continuity Search

• The 3 things that are the best about us now--qualities, competitive advantages, practices, core capabilities-- that I want to keep, even as we change in the future?

#4. The powerful macro-trends, & most exciting opportunities?

#5. Positive Images of the Future: The Organization You Want 2005

(“wake up”)

Starting Appreciative Interview(dialogue in pairs)

• A-->B (20 min)

• B-->A (20 min)

• Spirit of discovery

• Take brief notes

• At the end.. summary & thanks

• Return…

Opening Interview

• High point moment… story ____________?

• Valuing: self, work?

• Continuity?

• Positive Images of the Future: Wake Up 2010?

Positive Image-> Positive Action

• Powerful Placebo

• Pygmalion

• Positive Affect

• Imbalanced “Inner Dialogue”

• Rise and Fall of Cultures

• Affirmative Capability

A Theory of Affirmative Organizing• Organizations are made and imagined

• No iron laws

• Metaphor: heliotropic hypothesis

• Healthy organizations = 2:1positively imbalanced “inner dialogue”

• Educative effect of positive imagery

• Positive image (discourse) as an obstacle

• Organizations do not need to be fixed

• Leadership = affirmation

Group Discussion/Discovery(groups of 6…stay with partner)

• Introduce highlights from interview with your partner

• Find Common Themes 1. High points 2. Continuity (things we want to keep) 3. Images of the Future Org. we want

• Return: 11:40 for group reports

Identify Problem 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.

Deficit Based Change : Unintended Consequences

Deficit Based Change : Unintended Consequences

Much lamented fragmented responses

Slow: Puts attention on yesterday’s causes

No new positive images of future

Visionless voice... fatigue

Weakened fabric of relationships & defensiveness…negative culture

out of sync with the embedded economy of speed, partnerships, alliances, & e-commerce

“YES” MEN

MISSED COMMITMENTS

BURNOUT

CriticalThinking

Gap Analysis

TURF BATTLES

New Circuit Failure Rate

REORGANIZATION

Repeat Reports

Spell Check

BLOCKED CALLS

UNFAVORABLE

TROUBLE REPORTCUSTOMERCOMPLAINTS

RISKPERFORMANCE REVIEW

DEBUG

Red Tape

WARNING SILOSDown Time

June Results Commitments Met

Business Residence

REGION '95 YTD '95 YE 6/96 '96 YTD '96 OBJ FAV/UNF) '95 YTD '95 YE 6/96 '96 YTD '96 OBJ FAV/(UNF)

California 96.3 96.5 95.7 96.6 96.5 0.1 96.9 97.6 97.8 98.1 96.1 2.0

Florida 93.4 94.6 96.5 96.0 96.5 (0.5) 96.2 96.7 96.3 97.2 96.1 1.1

Hawaii 89.9 90.7 94.2 94.4 96.5 (2.1) 95.9 95.5 97.7 97.1 96.1 1.0

Midwest 90.9 92.2 89.8 92.4 96.5 (4.1) 95.0 95.8 95.1 96.0 96.1 (0.1)

North 90.8 91.0 91.9 92.1 96.5 (4.4) 96.3 96.5 94.0 95.2 96.1 (0.9)

Northeast 91.7 93.0 94.4 95.2 96.5 (1.3) 94.9 96.1 95.7 96.8 96.1 0.7

Northwest 94.9 94.4 94.2 93.4 96.5 (3.1) 96.1 95.4 95.4 95.1 96.1 (1.0)

outh 87.1 89.2 87.6 91.8 96.5 (4.7) 93.6 94.5 90.3 94.5 96.1 (1.6)

TX/NM 94.2 93.7 95.6 95.5 96.5 (1.0) 94.6 94.7 96.7 97.2 96.1 1.1

Virginia 92.9 93.5 92.2 94.4 96.5 (2.1) 96.6 97.1 94.6 96.5 96.1 0.4

Total Telops 92.7 93.3 93.6 94.5 96.5 (2.0) 95.7 96.2 95.3 96.5 96.1 0.4

Objective Not Met

To a hammer everything is a nail!

Ap-pre’ci-ate, v.,

1.valuing; the act of recognizing the best in people or the world around us; affirming past and present strengths, successes, and potentials; to perceive those things that give life (health, vitality, excellence) to living systems

2. to increase in value, e.g. the economy has appreciated in value.

• Synonyms: VALUING, PRIZING, ESTEEMING, and HONORING.

In-quire’ (kwir), v.,

1. the act of exploration and discovery.

2. To ask questions; to be open to seeing new potentials and possibilities.

• Synonyms: DISCOVERY, SEARCH, and SYSTEMATIC EXPLORATION, STUDY.

What would you call it?(all these things taken together)

• Achievements• Strategic opportunities• Product strengths• Technical assets• Innovations• Elevated thoughts• Best business practices• Positive emotions• Financial assets

• Organization wisdom

• Core competencies

• Visions of possibility

• Vital traditions, values

• Positive macrotrends

• Social capital

• Embedded knowledge

• Business ecosystem +s eg. suppliers, partners, competitors, customer

The Positive Core

Discovery“What gives life?”(The best of what is)

Appreciating

Discovery“What gives life?”(The best of what is)

Appreciating

Dream“What might be?”

(What is the world calling for)

Envisioning Results

Dream“What might be?”

(What is the world calling for)

Envisioning Results

Design“What should be--the ideal?”

Co-constructing

Design“What should be--the ideal?”

Co-constructing

Destiny“How to empower, learn,and adjust/improvise?”

Sustaining

Destiny“How to empower, learn,and adjust/improvise?”

Sustaining

Appreciative Inquiry “4-D” Cycle

AffirmativeTopic Choice

Best Way to Build High Enthusiasm?

• Do an organization survey of low morale?

• Magnify and learn from moment of highest enthusiasm?

Deficit Problems & Affirmative Topics

Deficit IssuesSexual Harassment

Mid-mgmt. TurnoverFear of Job LossLow MoraleTurfism/SilosDelayed OrdersCustomer ComplaintsLack of TrainingMissed Commitments

Affirmative TopicsPositive Cross-Gender Working Relationships

Topic Choice Examples

World Vision

Integrative Process

Innovation

Empowerment

Quality

Diversity

Organizational Learning

North American Steel

Team Mindset

Magnetic Connections

Revolutionary Responsiveness

Continuous Learning

Ownership & Camaraderie

Energized Engagement

Industry Leading Agility

Groups(select spokesperson)

• 1. Build on earlier themes: high points, continuity, 2010 Future

• 2. Create 3-5 great topics

• Be Bold

• Something Desired

• Want to learn

• Strategic/high leverage

• Energizing (sometimes opposites together)

The Art of the Question

• What’s the biggest problem here?

• Why did I have to be born in such a troubled family?

• Why do you blow it so often?

• Why do we still have those problems?

• What possibilities exist that we have not thought about yet?

• What’s the smallest change that could make the biggest impact?

• What solutions would have us both win?

• What makes my questions inspiring, energizing, and mobilizing?

Genius is Creating the Question

• “What would the universe look like if I were riding on the end of a light beam at the speed of light?”

---Albert Einstein

Creating the Powerful Question

• Choose one of your topics

• Create an AI set of questions for that one topic (see examples pg. 59)

• Topic-- Positive Preface

• A. Ouestion that elicits a powerful story

• B. Question that helps envision future

What Makes AI Questions Important?

• Language: questions & statements…• Focus attention• Heighten energy…drive to complete, to answer• Every creative act• Rapport and relationship (people are honored)• Fulcrum change: connect to strength, imagination• Break automatic thinking, essence of learning• Alter internal dialogue & storytelling• Specific positive future (the fairway)

Discovery•Opportunity Context

•Positive Core


•Positive Core

Dream•Purpose•Vision


Design•Constitutional Propositions

Relationship & Organization

Design•Constitutional Propositions


Destiny•People/Members

•Structures•Practices



AI “4-D” CycleTypical Summit

Summit Topic

• Strategic change... “Org Summit”• Core business redesign• Quality…surveys…culture change• Customer partnerships• Labor-management relations• Transformation of measurements• Knowledge exchange: the “PCN”• Business ecosystem analysis...

The AI Organization Summit Method

Increasing positive capacity through large group methods

4 Common Aproaches to Change

• Top Down Strategies

• Bottom Up Strategies

• Representative Cross-Section Strategies

• Pilot Strategies

Typical Results

• Less Informed and Ultimatley Less Effective Change Efforts

• A Few Try to Convince Many That Change is Needed

• Partial Responsibility Mindset

• Change Occurs Sequentially

• Change is Perceived as a Disruption of “Real Work”

Typical Results (cont)

• Pace of Change is Too Slow

• Substantial Change in Part or Modest Change in an Entire Organization

• Breakdown at Implementation

Dream & DesignThe AI “Organization Summit”:

“Whole System” in the Room Task is Clear...

Future Focus--In Historical and Global Perspective

Self-Management and Dialogue

Common Ground (not conflict management as the frame of

reference)

3-Day event/100 to 1000 Participants

Uncommon Action/Follow Through


•Positive Core


•Positive Core



Design•Constitutional Principles


Design•Constitutional Principles






AI “4-D” CycleTypical Summit

Summit Topic

Nutrimental Foods

• Why is this so easy?

• Experience of WHOLENESS…an amazing power….

• Why? How? Your Theory?

Typical Results from Whole System Ai Summit

• More Informed and Ultimately More Effective Change Efforts

• A Critical Mass of People Making Changes that they All Believe Are Needed

• A Total Organization Mindset

• Simultaneous Change

• Change is Percieved as “Real Work”

• Fast…Entire Organization…Strong Implementation…Action…Unifying…Spirit

Our Pluralistic World &The Birthing of a “Spiritual United Nations”

• A call from the UN: the UN 50th

• A Bishop’s vision

• Hans Kung… “there will be no peaceamong nations until there is peace amongreligions, no peace among religions until…”

• Huntington’s thesis…clash of civilizations

• Can we make a contribution?

Insights on Success

• Holographic Beginning

• Polyphonic--Multiple Voices

• Dislodgement of Certainty…Appreciative

• From Negotiation to Narrative (Stories)

• From Common Ground to Higher Ground

• Retrospective Consensus…

• Inspired Action on Behalf of the Whole

• “Chaordic” Organizing

What do we mean by “principles”?

• That shared body of beliefs--about our relationships and organizing-- that are necessary for realization of Purpose, and will be used to design and guide practices, structures, etc.

• The foundational body of belief as in-- “ We hold these truths to be self evident, that all people are created equal…”

• Not platitudes, not specific practices

Example Principles

• Authority is vested in and decisions are made at the most local level possible, and includes all relevant and affected parties.

• Each partner organization has the right to maintain its autonomous identity and to organize in any manner, using any practices, which are consistent with the Purpose and Principles.

Destiny: Creating a Positive Change Network

• GTE :How to Invite 67,000 people to create a new culture?

• Storytelling and hope

• Ai at the front line

• The “zealots are coming”

• Labor & management: an impasse

• The positive change network…ongoing!!

Group Brainstorming

• As you imagine and think about “high leverage” ways that appreciative inquiry can add value and strength to us at Roadway….what are the high potential things we could do?

1. At the whole system level: (important topics/issues/opportunities)?

2. At a smaller unit level…things I/we could do?

Appreciative Leadership

• Peter Drucker’s definition of leadership…

• Power and craft of the positive question

• Framing and re-framing

• Leadership from the future “there to here”

• Concept of internal dialogue: healthy= 2:1

• Storytelling and hope

• Wholeness…internal and external voices

• Praise…circulating all the good you can

What Matters Most?

• Being a student of “organization alive”

• Power of the unconditional positive question

• Relational basis of knowing: communicamus ergo sum

• Our positive images of the future lead our positive actions…words create worlds, “nothing so practical…”

• Yoga with the positive change core

• Ai accelerates the non-linear interaction of the positive--a “convergence zone” for sudden dialogic repatterning

• The best in people…wholeness heals

• Letting go of deficit based change vocabularies

• AI is not a “thing”; in its infancy (5 %); many questions...

• Strategic change... “Org Summit”• Core business redesign• Quality…surveys…culture change• Customer partnerships• Labor-management relations• Transformation of measurements• Knowledge exchange: the “PCN”• Business ecosystem analysis...

We Are Born to Appreciate!We Are Born to Appreciate!

Exceptionality

Essentiality

Equality/Voice

appreciative inquiry: a positive revolution in change david l. cooperrider weatherhead school of...

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