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

What is Appreciative Inquiry (AI)?

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)

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)

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

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

How does AI work?

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

Positive Core Strengths Peak Experiences Best Practices Successes Key Learnings

The 4-D AI Change Process DEFINE Decide on an affirmative topic DISCOVERY Identifying and appreciating what works well DREAM Envisioning what could work well in the future DESIGN Determining and planning what would work well DESTINY Creating and implementing the proposed design POSITIVE CORE

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

Appreciative Interviews 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

Common Appreciative Questions DISCOVERY Common Appreciative Questions 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?

Identifying and appreciating what works well 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

Envisioning what could work well in the future DREAM Envisioning what could work well in the future 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?

Possibility Statements DESIGN Determining and planning what would work well 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

Determining and planning what would work well DESIGN Determining and planning what would work well 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?

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

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, Hallie Preskill, Tessie Tzavaras Catsambas http://blogs.ubc.ca/evaluation/files/2009/02/appreciative20inquiry.pdf

Questions?

EXTRA SLIDES

Problem-Solving vs. Appreciative Inquiry There is some ideal way for things to be The way things are are socially constructed by our system and can be changed If a situation is not as we would like it to be, then it is a “problem” to be solved In any situation, we can find the seeds of excellence to build on The way to solve a problem is to break it into parts and analyze it We build excellence by seeking out examples and sharing stories of exceptional performance throughout our system If we find a broken part and fix it, the whole will be fixed As we create images of excellence, our system will move toward that image Assumes organizations are constellations of problems to be overcome (What to fix) Assumes organizations are sources of infinite capacity and imagination (What to grow) Organization has PROBLEMS. Organization has SOLUTIONS.

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