Appreciative Inquiry: A Positive Revolution in Change David L. Cooperrider

1. Weatherhead School of Management Case Western Reserve University Appreciative Inquiry: A Positive Revolution in ChangeDavid L. Cooperrider

3. 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

4. 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

5. Exciting Stories and Results • Hunter Douglas • Culture Change • Strategic Planning • Total Quality • Results • Employee Engagement • Leadership “Bench Strength” • Strategic Vision & Alignment

6. Exciting Stories and Results • Nutrimental Foods • Whole System Visioning & Strategic Planning • Annual Whole System Summits • Results • 200% Increase Profits • 300% Decrease Absenteeism

7. Exciting Stories and Results • 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

8. Exciting Stories and Results • GTE • Positive Change Network • Culture Change • Union Management Partnership • Call Center Excellence • Results • 1997 ASTD Award • Employee Surveys • Contract Negotiations

9. Five Principles of Appreciative Inquiry • 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.

10. #1. Story of “high point” …?

11. #2. Valuing:Self ….& Work

12. #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?

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

14. #5. Positive Images of the Future:The Organization You Want 2005(“wake up”)

15. 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…

16. Opening Interview • High point moment… story ____________? • Valuing: self, work? • Continuity? • Positive Images of the Future: Wake Up 2010?

17. Positive Image-> Positive Action • Powerful Placebo • Pygmalion • Positive Affect • Imbalanced “Inner Dialogue” • Rise and Fall of Cultures • Affirmative Capability

18. 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

19. 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

20. ? Where Do Positive Images and Stories Come From?

21. 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. Problem Solving Appreciative Inquiry

22. 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

23. Deficit Language at GTE “YES” MEN MISSED COMMITMENTS Gap Analysis Repeat Reports BURNOUT REORGANIZATION TURF BATTLES Critical Thinking New Circuit Failure Rate UNFAVORABLE Down Time WARNING SILOS CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS TROUBLE REPORT Spell Check DEBUG RISK PERFORMANCE REVIEW BLOCKED CALLS Red Tape

24. Organizations Grow In The Direction Of What They Study June Results C o m m i t m e n t s M e t B u s i n e s s R e s i d e n c e R E G I O N ' 9 5 Y T D ' 9 5 Y E 6 / 9 6 ' 9 6 Y T D ' 9 6 O B J F A V / U N F ) ' 9 5 Y T D ' 9 5 Y E 6 / 9 6 ' 9 6 Y T D ' 9 6 O B J F A V / ( U N F ) C a l i f o r n i a 9 6 . 3 9 6 . 5 9 5 . 7 9 6 . 6 9 6 . 5 0 . 1 9 6 . 9 9 7 . 6 9 7 . 8 9 8 . 1 9 6 . 1 2 . 0 F l o r i d a 9 3 . 4 9 4 . 6 9 6 . 5 9 6 . 0 9 6 . 5 ( 0 . 5 ) 9 6 . 2 9 6 . 7 9 6 . 3 9 7 . 2 9 6 . 1 1 . 1 H a w a i i 8 9 . 9 9 0 . 7 9 4 . 2 9 4 . 4 9 6 . 5 ( 2 . 1 ) 9 5 . 9 9 5 . 5 9 7 . 7 9 7 . 1 9 6 . 1 1 . 0 M i d w e s t 9 0 . 9 9 2 . 2 8 9 . 8 9 2 . 4 9 6 . 5 ( 4 . 1 ) 9 5 . 0 9 5 . 8 9 5 . 1 9 6 . 0 9 6 . 1 ( 0 . 1 ) N o r t h 9 0 . 8 9 1 . 0 9 1 . 9 9 2 . 1 9 6 . 5 ( 4 . 4 ) 9 6 . 3 9 6 . 5 9 4 . 0 9 5 . 2 9 6 . 1 ( 0 . 9 ) N o r t h e a s t 9 1 . 7 9 3 . 0 9 4 . 4 9 5 . 2 9 6 . 5 ( 1 . 3 ) 9 4 . 9 9 6 . 1 9 5 . 7 9 6 . 8 9 6 . 1 0 . 7 N o r t h w e s t 9 4 . 9 9 4 . 4 9 4 . 2 9 3 . 4 9 6 . 5 ( 3 . 1 ) 9 6 . 1 9 5 . 4 9 5 . 4 9 5 . 1 9 6 . 1 ( 1 . 0 ) o u t h 8 7 . 1 8 9 . 2 8 7 . 6 9 1 . 8 9 6 . 5 ( 4 . 7 ) 9 3 . 6 9 4 . 5 9 0 . 3 9 4 . 5 9 6 . 1 ( 1 . 6 ) S T X / N M 9 4 . 2 9 3 . 7 9 5 . 6 9 5 . 5 9 6 . 5 ( 1 . 0 ) 9 4 . 6 9 4 . 7 9 6 . 7 9 7 . 2 9 6 . 1 1 . 1 V i r g i n i a 9 2 . 9 9 3 . 5 9 2 . 2 9 4 . 4 9 6 . 5 ( 2 . 1 ) 9 6 . 6 9 7 . 1 9 4 . 6 9 6 . 5 9 6 . 1 0 . 4 T o t a l T e l o p s 9 2 . 7 9 3 . 3 9 3 . 6 9 4 . 5 9 6 . 5 ( 2 . 0 ) 9 5 . 7 9 6 . 2 9 5 . 3 9 6 . 5 9 6 . 1 0 . 4 O b j e c t i v e N o t M e t

25. Words Are Tools To a hammer everything is a nail!

26. 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.

27. 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.

28. 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

29. The Positive Core

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

31. Best Way to Build High Enthusiasm? • Do an organization survey of low morale? • Magnify and learn from moment of highest enthusiasm?

32. Deficit Problems & Affirmative Topics Deficit Issues Sexual Harassment Mid-mgmt. Turnover Fear of Job Loss Low Morale Turfism/Silos Delayed Orders Customer Complaints Lack of Training Missed Commitments Affirmative Topics Positive Cross-Gender Working Relationships

33. 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

34. 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)

35. 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? The Art of the Question

36. 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

37. 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

38. 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)

39. AI “4-D” Cycle Typical Summit • Discovery • Opportunity Context • Positive Core • Destiny • People/Members • Structures • Practices • Dream • Purpose • Vision Summit Topic • Design • Constitutional Propositions • Relationship & Organization

40. Applications Appreciative Inquiry • 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...

41. The AI Organization Summit Method Increasing positive capacity through large group methods

42. 4 Common Aproaches to Change • Top Down Strategies • Bottom Up Strategies • Representative Cross-Section Strategies • Pilot Strategies

43. 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”

44. Typical Results (cont) • Pace of Change is Too Slow • Substantial Change in Part or Modest Change in an Entire Organization • Breakdown at Implementation

45. Dream & Design The 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

46. AI “4-D” Cycle Typical Summit • Discovery • Opportunity Context • Positive Core • Destiny • People/Members • Structures • Practices • Dream • Purpose • Vision Summit Topic • Design • Constitutional Principles • Relationship & Organization

47. Nutrimental Foods • Why is this so easy? • Experience of WHOLENESS…an amazing power…. • Why? How? Your Theory?

48. 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

50. 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