An Appreciative approach to Coaching AI involves the art and practice of asking questions that strengthen a person’s capacity to apprehend, anticipate and heighten positive potential. Presented by Jo McAlpine

An Appreciative approach to Coaching Tell the story of what brings you to life in your coaching…….

 Appreciative Coaching is a positive, strengths based approach to change.  It is deliberate in it’s life-centric search to find the best in people and the world around them.  It co-creates inspiring future images of what we want more of, then grounds these images into sustainable action plans Appreciative Coaching explores what’s POSSIBLE – NOT what’s wrong!

History  Based on Appreciative Inquiry and the work of David L. Cooperrider & Associates at Case Western Reserve University  The mechanistic age sees human systems as machines and parts (people) as things to be fixed  Challenged in the mid-eighties with the notion that organisations are expressions of beauty, spirit and positive action.  Born as a group change process, actively looking for what works, creating the future by using the best from the past  Organisations including NASA, McDonalds, US Navy, Save the Children, Avon, British Airways Hunter Douglas and many more

Basic Assumptions – The Coach  The coach must have the capacity to retain the spirit of inquiry of the everlasting beginner.  As coaches, the only thing we can do to make a difference is to craft, in better and more catalytic ways, the unconditional positive question.  The coach must have the ability to see the potential of a mighty oak in an acorn and transform that potential to successful outcomes. (Appreciative Intelligence) “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” Albert Einstein

The Ways of Being Coach  The Coach values and supports positive change  The Coach understands how their own way of being impacts the coaching relationship  They understand and have integrated their own values, beliefs and mindsets within the framework of AI  They know that language creates reality and understand the shortfalls of using a language of deficit  They demonstrate coherence between I, We and It

Appreciative Coaching Outcomes  Effective positive action  Performance, Achievement & Creativity  Creates momentum and a desired future  Creates and builds internal capacity  Develops the ‘AND’ not ‘BUT’ mindset  Builds and increases adaptability and resilience  Enhances coaching engagement  Builds a bridge between thinking, feeling & action  Builds & develops a positive worldview

Problem solving or deficit based change Appreciative inquiry or strength based innovation “Felt Need” Identify problem Conduct root cause analysis Analyze Possible Solutions Develop action plan (Treatment) Basic assumption: “problem-to-be solved” Dialogue and design (What should be) Create (What will be) Basic assumption: “mystery” People are a web of strengths linked to infinite capacity, infinite imagination… alive “Valuing the best of what is” Appreciate Imagine (What might be)

The AI 4-D Model Discovery “What gives life?” The best of what is AppreciatingDiscovery “What gives life?” The best of what is Appreciating Dream “What might be?” EnvisioningResults/ImpactDream EnvisioningResults/Impact Design “What should be – the ideal?” Co-constructingDesign Co-constructing Destiny “How to empower, learn, and improvise?” SustainingDestiny Sustaining AffirmativeTopic

Appreciative Coaching Practice  What brings you to life in your coaching?  How could you have more of that?  If you were to think of one or two things that you can do right now to help you achieve this what would they be?  What can you do to make it happen? By when? Who will you need to help you?

References Cooperrider, D.L. Whitney, D. Stavros, J. (2003) Appreciative Inquiry Handbook. Berrett – Koehler, San Francisco. Csikszentmihalyi,M. (2003) Good Business - Leadership, Flow and the Making of Meaning. Hodder & Stoughton, London Hammond, S. (1998) The Thin Book of Appreciative Inquiry.Thin Book Publishing, Oregon. Thatchenkery, T. Metzker, C. (2006) Appreciative Intelligence – Seeing the Mighty Oak in the Acorn. Berrett – Koehler, San Francisco

An Appreciative Approach to Coaching Dialogue and Question Time