Appreciative Inquiry

1. Presentation by: Lucy Gong Appreciative Inquiry HSCI – 825 Spring 2013

2. What is Appreciative Inquiry (AI)?

3. Ap-pre’ ci-ate, v., • 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 • to increase in value (Synonyms: Valuing, prizing, esteeming, and honouring)

4. In-quire’ (kwir), v., • the act of exploration and discovery • to ask questions; to be open to seeing new potentials and possibilities (Synonyms: Discovery, search, systematic exploration, and study)

5. A different way of thinking to create change • An organization development process that focuses on strengths and the positive aspects of an organization • An approach to seeking what is right in an organization in order to create a better future for it • Developed by David Cooperrider in 1987

6. An example… • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwGNZ63hj5k (0:24 – 2:40)

8. How does AIwork?

9. Key Concepts • Positive Core • 4-D AI Change Process • Appreciative Inquiry Summit

10. Positive Core • Strengths • Peak Experiences • Best Practices • Successes • Key Learnings

11. DEFINE • Decide on an affirmative topic The 4-D AI Change Process POSITIVE CORE

12. Appreciative Inquiry Summit • Large-scale meeting that involves the entire organization (“whole system”) • Future focus • Typical duration: 2 – 4 days

13. DISCOVERY • Identifying and appreciating what works well Appreciative Interviews • Find a partner you’d like to know better • Interview each other and share stories about your peak experiences • Interviewer: listens, encourages, looks for the positives, note the highlights • Interviewee: chance to brag • 10 minutes each and swap

14. Common Appreciative Questions • DISCOVERY • High point experiences: • Describe a time in your life when you felt alive and engaged. • Valuing: • What do you value most about yourself, your work, your organization? • Core life-giving factors: • What are the core factors that give life to this organization? • What are the unique attributes of this system, without which it would not be the same? • Wishes for/images of the future: • What three wishes do you have to enhance the vitality of this system? Imagine this organization five years from now, healthy and vibrant – what does it look like?

15. DISCOVERY • Identifying and appreciating what works well Share Stories • Groups of 6 – 8 people for 45 minutes • Share highlights of partner’s story • Reflect on emerging topics and themes common to the stories • Write down key points on flipchart • Prepare to present for 3 minutes

16. Envisioning • Visualization and creative exercises: envision yourself and your organization functioning at it’s best • You have been nominated for an award for best and most innovative practice. • All of the things we identified as making your situation excellent are happening. • Can you describe or portray it? • What does it look like? What is happening? What am I feeling? What am I doing? What is my manager doing? What is the organization doing? • DREAM • Envisioning what could work well in the future

17. DESIGN • Determining and planning what would work well Possibility Statements • How can we go about achieving what we envisioned in the Dream phase? • Criteria for good possibility statements: • Short and clear • Stretching and challenging • Exciting and novel • Are desired and preferred • Describe what is wanted • Written in the present • DESIGN • Determining and planning what would work well

18. Designing the Future • In small groups for 20 minutes, provide feedback for key points • Consider the following: • What needs to change to make what is envisioned happen? • What can we do now and in the longer term to achieve this? • DESIGN • Determining and planning what would work well

19. Delivering the Change • Individual reflection and general discussion • What will I do now to deliver this change? • Offers, invitations, requests • DESTINY • Creating and implementing the proposed design

20. Helpful Resources and References • Appreciative Inquiry Commons: http://appreciativeinquiry.case.edu • Appreciative Inquiry Handbook, by David Cooperrider Diana Whitney, 2003 • A Positive Revolution in Change: Appreciative Inquiry, David Cooperrider and Diana Whitney http://appreciativeinquiry.case.edu/uploads/whatisai.pdf • See Yourself in 4-D: How to Use Appreciative Inquiry to Ignite Positive Change, by Susanne E. Gaddis, PhD and Cara Williams http://www.communicationsdoctor.com/articles/SeeYourselfIn4-D.pdf • An Introduction to Appreciative Inquiry, by Leslie Moore and Julie Barnes http://www.docstoc.com/docs/125391521/Appreciative-Inquiry---PowerPoint • An Overview of Appreciative Inquiry in Evaluation, by Anne T. Coghlan, HalliePreskill, Tessie TzavarasCatsambashttp://blogs.ubc.ca/evaluation/files/2009/02/appreciative20inquiry.pdf

21. Questions?

22. EXTRA SLIDES

23. Problem-Solving vs. Appreciative Inquiry Organization has PROBLEMS. Organization has SOLUTIONS.

24. 5 Principles • Constructionist principle: We co-create stories with our words about what happens and that creates our reality • Poetic principle: Organizations are like poetry – we can find whatever we want • Simultaneity principle: Change begins the moment we ask a question • Anticipatory principle: We create mental pictures of the future that influence what actually happens • Positive Principle: Focusing on the positive core creates upward spirals