An Introduction to “ Appreciative Inquiry” A Positive Way to View Change

1. An Introduction to“Appreciative Inquiry”A Positive Way to View Change Training & Development Off-site, June 8, 2004 Presented by Donna Mattison, Wachovia, CMG Prepared with adapted works of David Cooperrider, Diana Whitney and Amanda Trosten-Bloom and David Kolb and author’s research.

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3. Globalization, workforce demographics and technology has created transformational shifts for organizations. With this comes increasing complexity with ambiguous, novel problems and continual challenges for change. We’re also experiencing trends toward creating value through people where the intangibles, such as leadership, culture and relationships make a difference to an organization’s bottom line and competitive advantage. During the next 15 years, we also face drops in workforce growth and the problem won’t just be a lack of bodies. Skills, knowledge, experience, and relationships are walking out the door. Therefore, collaboration and knowledge sharing are moving to the forefront of organizational strategies. It is a Time for Re-thinking Human Organization & Change…

4. Appreciative Inquiry (AI) • Is the study and exploration of what gives life to human systems when they function at their best. • Is based on the assumption that questions and dialogue about strengths, successes, values, hopes and dreams are themselves transformational. • Suggests that human organizing and change, at its best, is a relational process of inquiry grounded in affirmation and appreciation.

5. AI is a simple technique with a complex background. It has been used successfully all over the world to consultwith people and learn from their experiences, to involvewhole organizations in change and development and to builda visionfor the future that everyone can share and help put into practice. Appreciative Inquiry is a technique that can easily be learned and adapted for a range of situations. It is an approach that involvesand engagespeople. It encourages listening and communication skills and above all it empowersindividuals and demonstrates respect for each other’s views. Appreciative Inquiry (AI), Continued

6. Deficit-Based Appreciative Inquiry 2 Problem-Solving Approaches • Have Pain • Identify the Problems • Root Cause Analysis • Solution Analysis • Action Planning • Reflecting on what we do best • Disseminate stories & best practices • Narrative analysis of success factors • Determine our preferred world • Conscious, inspired choices Basic Assumption: An organization is a problem to be solved Basic Assumption: An organization is a mystery to be embraced

7. Affirmative Topic Choice The cycle begins with the thoughtful identification of what is to be studied—affirmative topics. The topics selected become the organization’s agenda for learning & innovation. These topics unfold through the collective thoughts from 4 “core” questions: 4-D Cycle Overview: Tell me about a peak experience or highpoint in your professional life…a time when you felt most alive, most engaged and really proud of yourself and work. Without being humble, what do you most value about yourself and the way you do your work? Your team? Your organization? What are the core factors that give life to this organization, when it is at its best? If you had a magic wand, and could have 3 wishes granted to heighten the health and vitality of this organization, what would they be?

8. Dream Phase An energizing exploration of “what might be.” This phase is a time for people to collectively explore hopes and dreams for their work, their working relationships, their organization and their community. Discovery Phase An extensive, cooperative search to understand the “best of what is” and “what has been.” It is typically conducted via 1x1 interviews, it may also include focus groups and large group meetings. Discovery involves purposefully affirmative conversations among many or all members of an organization including external stakeholders, benchmark organizations and customers. This is where we find the “positive core”—the most positive potential. 4-D Cycle Overview, Continued…

9. Destiny Phase A series of inspired actions that support ongoing learning & innovation or “what will be.” This is the final phase that focuses specifically on personal and organizational paths moving forward. In many cases, AI becomes the framework for leadership & ongoing organizational development. Therefore, in the Destiny phase, many organizations begin the 4-D cycle anew! 4-D Cycle Overview, Continued… Design Phase The creation of a set of provocative propositions which are statements describing the ideal organization or “what should be.” Design activities expand on the organization’s image of itself by presenting clear pictures of how things will be when the organization’s positive core is boldly alive.

10. “4-D” Cycle Discovery “What gives life?” (The best of what is) Appreciating Affirmative Topic Choice Dream “What might be?” (What is the world calling for) Envisioning Results Destiny “How to empower, learn, and adjust/improvise?” Sustaining Positive Core Design “What should be--the ideal?” Co-constructing

11. AI is supported by Eight Principles Constructionist Principle:Words create worlds; meaning is socially created, through language & conversations.Principle of Simultaneity:Inquiry creates change; the moment we ask a question, we begin to create change.Poetic Principle: We can choose what we study; organizations, like open books, are endless sources of information & learning.Anticipatory Principle: Human systems move in the direction of their images; what we choose to study makes a difference.

12. Eight Principles of AI, Continued… Positive Principle: Positive questions lead to positive change.Wholeness Principle: Wholeness brings out the best in people & organization; bringing all stakeholders together in a group forum that stimulates creativity and builds collective capacity.Enactment Principle: To really make change, we must “be the change we want to see.”Free Choice Principle: People perform better and are more committed when they have the freedom to choose how and what they want to contribute.

13. Mission Statement/Vision Development Strategic Planning Organizational/System Redesign Process and Service Enhancement Quality Improvement Initiatives Group Culture Change Civic/Community Development Umbrella for Multiple Change Initiatives in a System Appraisals and Performance Management Leadership Development Conflict Resolution Individual Coaching and Development Potential Uses for AI…

14. Hunter Douglas needed:Culture ChangeStrategic PlanningTotal QualityResults:Employee EngagementLeadership “Bench Strength”Strategic Vision & Alignment Applying AI in Business2 Successful Examples: • GTE needed: • Positive Change Network • Culture Change • Union Management Partnership • Call Center Excellence • Results: • 1997 ASTD Award • Employee Surveys • Contract Negotiations

15. Now what if the AI process shifted from thinking to doing…From the cognitive domain to kinesthetic…from storytelling to experiencing—where dreams from the imagination about working well together manifested into a physical experience…? Appreciative Inquiry & Experiential Learning

16. EL is a formalized process for reflecting on experience in order to extract meaningful learning and to develop tacit1knowledge. By sharing and learning from common experience, people attain the high levels of rapport, empathy, trust and mutual understanding necessary to risk and embrace change together. 1Tacit Knowledge is a mixture of deliberations, subjective insight, intuition and judgment that we acquire by virtue of our experiences and expertise. What is Experiential Learning (EL)?

17. David Kolb's model of the Learning Cycle Experiential Learning is best described by David Kolb…

18. In the first phase (1), the educator involves the learners in a concreteexperience. The experience could be a role play, a live or video demonstration, a case study, or a testimonial. Generally, it will not be a lecture. The second phase (2) is referred to as reflective observation where the learners are asked to review the experience from many perspectives. They ask themselves questions. What happened? What did you observe? During the third phase (3) of abstract conceptualization, the learners develop theories and look at patterns. Further questions are asked. How do you account for what you observed? What does it mean for you? How is it significant? What conclusions can you draw? What general principles can you derive? The fourth phase (4) of this experiential model is active experimentation. The learners suggest ways that they can apply the principles they have learned. How can we apply this learning? In what ways can we use it the next time? What would we do differently? David Kolb's model of the Learning Cycle…

19. When merged with Appreciative Inquiry, Experiential Learning supports and illuminates the AI process, making the process “come alive” for all stakeholders. AI & EL Merged! AI + EL = Peak Experiences of Learning

20. Therefore, AI is “experiential” in practice-- However EL can be taken to different levels in the AI process. By front-loading selected structured experiences into the AI cycle, it can accelerate relationships, learning & change. Sample of AI and EL merged in an event:

21. Structured Exercise Experience & Debrief Appreciative Inquiry… • Six Freedoms that liberate power (Ground Rules) • Freedom to be known in Relationship • The Freedom to Be Heard • The Freedom to Dream in Community • The Freedom to Choose to Contribute • The Freedom to Act with Support • The Freedom to be Positive

22. Preserving the positive core of what CMG does best and letting go of other things that no longer fit the evolving nature of our work. Creating a more collaborative and seamless CMG training team where our processes and procedures are mutual & the client has a consistent experience across CMG. Structured Exercise Affirmative Topics(normally created using the “core” questions)

23. “Discovery Phase”Appreciative Interview Guidelines: Structured Exercise • Meet a ‘stranger’ – pick unfamiliar partner! • 2. Interview each other (10 min. each) • 3. “Listen” & “share” your stories—can make brief notes, if needed.

24. Structured Exercise Appreciative Interview Questions: • Describe a time when you worked effectively & collaboratively with another training partner (from another LOB) and successfully met the clients needs. What was the high point of this experience? What did you learn? How did it feel? • Dream into the future…the T&D team has a wonderful seamless partnership. What does this look like? What 3 things might have been done to create this seamless partnership?

25. Structured Exercise Brief Notes:

26. Stories have wings… Structured Exercise • Form groups of 6-8, along with your original partner: • Introduce your partner to the group by making a 1-2 min. summary introduction with highlights of partner’s stories (20 minutes). • Then each of the small groups share 1-2 “great” stories or themes with the entire group.

27. Shared Meaning of the Positive Core… Structured Exercise Discussion Around the Campfire • What did you hear that was important? • What led us to creating these wonderful themes and ideas?

28. Brief Explanation of how the next phases would work in this exercise… • Dream: Visions & Voices of the Future • Design: Giving Form to Values & Ideals • Destiny: Inspired Action & Improvisation

29. We can decide what to focus on in our organizations. We can focus on what is perceived to be broken or we can choose to inquire into the life giving, positives of our work. Our shared beliefs about what is possible will shape our images & behaviors. By getting everyone involved with positive images, thinking and conversations into the strengths of the organization, the system can transform itself! Summary

30. Whitney, Diana and Trosten-Bloom, Amanda (2003). The Power of Appreciative Inquiry: A Practical Guide to Positive Change. Ricketts, Miriam and Willis, James (2001). Experience AI: A Practioner’s Guide to Integrating Appreciative Inquiry with Experiential Learning. Kolb, David A. (1984). Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source of Learning and Development. AI Commons website at http://appreciativeinquiry.cwru.edu AiPractioner Journal has articles of on-going research for the AI methodology. The on-line journal is at http://www.aipractitioner.com/Pagefiles/newsletter.htm Reference List: