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.
Table of Contents
It's Time For A Change ………………………………………
Appreciative Inquiry (AI) Descriptions………………………
Problem Solving Approaches………………………………..
Appreciative Inquiry 4-D Cycle (Model)……………………..
Appreciative Inquiry 8 Principles…………………………….
Potential Uses for Appreciative Inquiry……………………..
Applying AI in Business………………………………………
Appreciative Inquiry and Experiential Learning…………….
Experiential Learning (EL) Explained……………………….
EL Learning Cycle (David Kolb)……………………………..
AI & EL Merged……………………………………………….
AI Exercise (first 2 phases)………………………………….
Explanation of How AI would fit in last two phases…………
Summary……………………………………………………….
Reference………………………………………………………
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It is a Time for Re-thinking Human
Organization & Change…
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Appreciative Inquiry (AI), Continued
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AI is a simple technique with a complex background. It has
been used successfully all over the world to consult with
people and learn from their experiences, to involve whole
organizations in change and development and to build a
vision for 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 involves and engages people. It encourages
listening and communication skills and above all it
empowers individuals and demonstrates respect for each
other’s views.
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2 Problem-Solving Approaches
Deficit-Based
• Have Pain
Appreciative Inquiry
 Reflecting on what we do best
•
Identify the Problems
 Disseminate stories & best practices
•
Root Cause Analysis
 Narrative analysis of success factors
•
Solution Analysis
 Determine our preferred world
•
Action Planning
 Conscious, inspired choices
Basic Assumption: An
organization is a
problem to be solved
Basic Assumption: An
organization is a mystery
to be embraced
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4-D Cycle Overview:
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:
1.
2.
3.
4.
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?
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4-D Cycle Overview, Continued…
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.
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.
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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.
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!
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“4-D” Cycle
Discovery
“What gives life?”
Affirmative
Topic Choice
(The best of what is)
Appreciating
Destiny
“How to empower, learn,
and adjust/improvise?”
Sustaining
Positive
Core
Dream
“What might be?”
(What is the world calling for)
Envisioning Results
Design
“What should be--the ideal?”
Co-constructing
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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.
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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.
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Potential Uses for AI…
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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
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Applying AI in Business
2 Successful Examples:
Hunter Douglas needed:
GTE needed:
Culture Change
Strategic Planning
Total Quality
Positive Change Network
Culture Change
Union Management
Partnership
Call Center Excellence
Results:
Employee Engagement
Leadership “Bench Strength”
Strategic Vision & Alignment
Results:
1997 ASTD Award
Employee Surveys
Contract Negotiations
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Appreciative Inquiry & Experiential Learning
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…?
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What is Experiential Learning (EL)?
EL is a formalized process for reflecting on
experience in order to extract meaningful learning
and to develop tacit1 knowledge. 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.
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Tacit Knowledge is a mixture of deliberations, subjective insight, intuition and
judgment that we acquire by virtue of our experiences and expertise.
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Experiential Learning is best described by David Kolb…
David Kolb's model of the Learning Cycle
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David Kolb's model of the Learning Cycle…
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In the first phase (1), the educator involves the learners in a concrete
experience. 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?
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AI & EL Merged!
When merged with Appreciative Inquiry,
Experiential Learning supports and
illuminates the AI process, making the process
“come alive” for all stakeholders.
AI + EL = Peak Experiences of Learning
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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:
Frontloading & Debrief Focus
Selected Structured Experiences
(EI) within the AI cycle accelerate
relationships, learning and change
4-D Cycle
Relationship
Continuum
Discovery
Build Rapport
Personal Power Walk
Dream
Empathy
MAP Exercise
Paired & Group Interviews
Design
Trust
Strategic Linking/Trust Rotation
Creating Provative Propostions
Destiny
Mutual
Understanding
Action Planning
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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
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Structured Exercise
Affirmative Topics
(normally created using the “core” questions)
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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.
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Creating a more collaborative and seamless CMG
training team where our processes and procedures
are mutual & the client has a consistent
experience across CMG.
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Structured Exercise
“Discovery Phase”
Appreciative Interview Guidelines:
1. Meet a ‘stranger’ – pick unfamiliar partner!
2. Interview each other (10 min. each)
3. “Listen” & “share” your stories—can make
brief notes, if needed.
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Structured Exercise
Appreciative Interview
Questions:
1. 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?
2. 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?
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Structured Exercise
Brief Notes:
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Structured Exercise
Stories have wings…
 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.
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Structured Exercise
Shared Meaning of the Positive Core…
Discussion Around the Campfire
•What did you hear that was important?
•What led us to creating these wonderful themes and
ideas?
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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
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Summary
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!
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Reference List:
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Whitney, Diana and Trosten-Bloom, Amanda (2003). The Power of
Appreciative Inquiry: A Practical Guide to Positive Change.
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Ricketts, Miriam and Willis, James (2001). Experience AI: A
Practioner’s Guide to Integrating Appreciative Inquiry with
Experiential Learning.
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Kolb, David A. (1984). Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source
of Learning and Development.
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AI Commons website at http://appreciativeinquiry.cwru.edu
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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
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