Appreciative Inquiry:
A Positive Revolution to
Change
Workshop Objectives
Some Change Agendas Suited
to Appreciative Inquiry
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Strategic Planning
Culture Transformation
Customer Satisfaction
Morale and Retention
Organization Design
Leadership Development
Business Improvement
Diversity/Inclusion
Merger Integration
Alliance Building
Union-Management
Partnership
Strategic Resource
Sharing
Conflict Resolution
Process improvement
Team Development
We may have reached the limits of
deficit based change
Identify problem
Conduct root cause
analysis
Brainstorm solutions
and analyze
Develop action plans
“No problem can be solved
from the same level of
consciousness that created
it. We must learn to see the
world anew.”
Albert Einstein
Ap-pre’ci-ate, v.,
1. Valuing …
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The act of recognizing the best in people and the
world around us;
Affirming past and present strengths, successes,
and potentials;
To perceive those things that give life (health,
vitality, and excellence) to living systems.
2. To increase in value, e.g. the economy has
appreciated in value.
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Synonyms: valuing, prizing, esteeming,
and honoring.
We Live in the Worlds Our
Questions Create
And so AI asks questions about…
Best Experiences & Core Values?
(what to build on?)
What needs to be created?
(possibilities and opportunities?)
Actions to move forward?
The Functions of Continuity
What makes AI Unique?
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Its fully affirmative
It is inquiry based
It is improvisational and flexible
Works in relationships, families, At least 8 forms
of engagement teams,org’ns communities,
alliances etc
Across time and space
At least 8 forms of engagement
Task: Paired Interviews
Pick someone you would like to get to know, but different from you
(age, gender, occupation)
Find a quiet space, first person interviews the other for 30m
- take notes of key words or phrases,
- manage your own time
- have fun
Switch roles, interviewer becomes interviewee
Spend a few minutes at the end discussing what this was like?
Be back by______
Elements of Good
Appreciative Interviews
1.
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Prepare for the interview
Prepare your partner
Choose the right environment
Take time and build rapport
Have a second copy of the guide
Give people time
Show that you are listening
Go back over what you have learned.
Ensure accuracy.
Summarize what most inspired you
Interview Questions
Questions (cont.)
Research Across Many Fields
Research Across Many Fields
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Placebo Effect (Pharmaceutical
Development)
Pygmalion Effect (Education)
Internal Conversations (Medicine)
Sports (Learning from success )
Sociology (Management)
5 Principles
1.
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Constructionist: We live in worlds our questions
create. Knowledge and org destiny are interwoven.
We see the world we describe.
Simultaneity: Change begins at the moment you ask
the first question.
Open Book: We can read almost anything into any
organization.
Anticipatory: Deep change occurs first in our images
of the future
Positive: The more positive the question, the
greater and longer-lasting the change.
The 5-D AI Change Process
Definition:
Decide What to Learn About
What you want more of
Discovery:
The best of what is,
illuminate the Positive Core
Delivery:
Implementing and
Sustaining the
Change
Design:
Finding innovative ways to
create that future
Dream:
Envisioning what might
be; shared images for a
preferred future
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 macro trends
Social capital
Embedded knowledge
Business ecosystem +s e.g..
suppliers, partners,
competitors, customer
Topic Choice
?
A Fateful Act:
Organizations Define Their
Capabilities By What We Most
Frequently and Systematically
Ask Questions About!
Getting to Transformational Topics
From
To
Baggage Problems
Service Recovery
Service Recovery
Exceptional Arrival
Experience
• Final Topics:
 People
are Owners
 Continuous People Development
 Big Picture Harmony Among Work Groups
 Exceptional Arrival Experience
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
What Would You Study?
From Analysis of Baggage Delays
To …
Discovering Optimal Margins
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With revenues, tonnage, and sales at record
levels one of the most important
opportunities we face is to engage everyone
in increasing positive margins now and to do
so will call on discovery of new strengths,
build on old strengths, and carry us to higher
levels financially.
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As you look at Roadway from the perspective of
our capabilities, and as you think about the
business context and opportunities, how do you
define "optimal margin“ for us? Define it: what is
the positive margin you want and believe we have
the capability to create? Right now? In the
moderate time frame? Longer term?
Characteristics of Great AI
questions
6 Part of the Interview Guide
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Introduction
Stage-setting Questions
Topic questions
Concluding questions
Summary Sheets
Quick action sheets
How and to
whom shall
we introduce
AI?
What is the
organizations
Change Agenda?
What is
our Inquiry
Strategy ?
What Sort Of
Sponsorship
And Guidance
Structure
Do We Want?
Who will choose the
Affirmative Topic?
Create Customized
Interview Guides?
What Form of
Engagement
makes sense?
Taking These Ideas Home - Six Questions To Consider
8 Forms of Engagement
1.
Whole-System
Dialogue
5-D
All members of the organization and some stakeholders participate in an AI 5D process. It takes place at multiple locations over an extended period of time.
2. Appreciative Inquiry
Summit
A large group of people participate simultaneously in a two to four day AI 5-D
process.
3. Mass-Mobilized Inquiry
Large numbers of interviews (thousands to millions), on a socially responsible
topic, are conducted throughout a city, community, or the world
4. Core Group Inquiry
A small group of people selects topics, crafts questions, and conducts
interviews.
5. Positive Change Network
Members of an organization are trained in AI and provided with resources to
initiate projects and share materials, stories, and best practices.
6. Positive Change
Consortium
Multiple organizations collaboratively engage in an AI 5-D process to explore
and develop a common area of interest.
7. AI Learning Team
A small group of people with a specific project – that is, an evaluation team, a
process improvement team, a customer focus group, a benchmarking team or a
group of students – conduct an AI 5-D process
8. Progressive AI Meetings
An organization, small group, or team goes through the AI 5-D process over
the course of ten to 12 meetings that are each two to four hours long
Disseminate stories and best
practices
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Print great stories in newsletters
Display quotes and stories on posters and
websites
Run videos showing interviewers and
interviewees in cafeterias, meeting rooms,
etc.
Quote employees on marketing and other
materials
Invite anyone to share their stories at brown
bag lunches.
We Live in the Worlds Our
Questions Create
Be patient … and try to love the
questions themselves. Live the
questions now. Perhaps you will then
gradually, without noticing it, live along
some distant day into the answer.
– Rainer Maria Rilke
Resources