Here are some links/references to introduce us to
Appreciative Inquiry. It is used primarily for organizational development, management questions, and as an alternative to the "problem-solving approach". The Thin Book of Appreciative Inquiry by Sue Hammond is a very good initial inquiry into this very interesting approach for holistic change. I have used this approach in the many training workshops that we used to hold for workers' advocacy organizations in my previous job. It was a more positive approach than focusing on what does not work or what are the problems.
Here are definitions and details thanks to the website entitled,
Appreciative Inquiry Commons:
http://appreciativeinquiry.case.edu/intro/definition.cfm
The following is a collection of definitions of
Appreciative Inquiry
which have developed over the years. We invite you to quote these
definitions or develop your own. Let us know how people respond to these
as you share them with clients, students, colleagues, and inquirers.
“Appreciative Inquiry is the cooperative search for the best
in people, their organizations, and the world around them. It involves
systematic discover of what gives a system ‘life’ when it is most
effective and capable in economic, ecological, and human terms. AI
involves the art and practice of asking questions that strengthen a
system’s capacity to heighten positive potential. It mobilizes inquiry
through crafting an “unconditional positive question’ often involving
hundreds or sometimes thousands of people.”
Cooperrider, D.L. & Whitney, D., “Appreciative
Inquiry: A positive revolution in change.” In P. Holman & T. Devane
(eds.), The Change Handbook, Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc., pages
245-263.
“The traditional approach to change is to look for the
problem, do a diagnosis, and find a solution. The primary focus is on
what is wrong or broken; since we look for problems, we find them. By
paying attention to problems, we emphasize and amplify them.
…Appreciative Inquiry suggests that we look for what works in an
organization. The tangible result of the inquiry process is a series of
statements that describe where the organization wants to be, based on
the high moments of where they have been. Because the statements are
grounded in real experience and history, people know how to repeat their
success.”
Hammond, Sue. The Thin Book of Appreciative Inquiry. Thin Book Publishing Company, 1998, pages 6-7.
“Appreciative Inquiry focuses us on the positive aspects of our lives and leverages them to correct the negative. It’s the opposite of ‘problem-solving.”
White, T.H. Working in Interesting Times: Employee
morale and business success in the information age. Vital Speeches of
the Day, May 15, 1996, Vol XLII, No. 15.
“Appreciative Inquiry [is] a theory and practice for
approaching change from a holistic framework. Based on the belief that
human systems are made and imagined by those who live and work within
them, AI leads systems to move toward the generative and creative images
that reside in their most positive core – their values, visions,
achievements, and best practices.”
“AI is both a world view and a practical process. In theory, AI is a
perspective, a set of principles and beliefs about how human systems
function, a departure from the past metaphor of human systems as
machines. Appreciative Inquiry has an attendant set of core processes,
practices, and even ‘models’ that have emerged. In practice, AI can be
used to co-create the transformative processes and practices appropriate
to the culture of a particular organization.”
“Grounded in the theory of ‘social constructionism,’ AI recognizes that
human systems are constructions of the imagination and are, therefore,
capable of change at the speed of imagination. Once organization
members shift their perspective, they can begin to invent their most
desired future.”
Watkins, J.M. & Bernard J. Mohr. Appreciative
Inquiry: Change at the Speed of Imagination, Jossey-Bass, 2001, pages
xxxi - xxxii
“[Appreciative Inquiry] deliberately seeks to discover
people’s exceptionality – their unique gifts, strengths, and qualities.
It actively searches and recognizes people for their specialties –
their essential contributions and achievements. And it is based on
principles of equality of voice – everyone is asked to speak about their
vision of the true, the good, and the possible. Appreciative Inquiry
builds momentum and success because it believes in people. It really is
an invitation to a positive revolution. Its goal is to discover in all
human beings the exceptional and the essential. Its goal is to create
organizations that are in full voice!”
Cooperrider, D.L. et. al. (Eds) , Lessons from the Field: Applying Appreciative Inquiry, Thin Book Publishing, 2001, page 12.
“Appreciative Inquiry is a form of organizational study that
selectively seeks to highlight what are referred to as “life-giving
forces” (LGF’s) of the organization’s existence. These are “ – the
unique structure and processes of (an) organization that makes its very
existence possible. LGF’s may be ideas, beliefs, or values around which
the organizing activity takes place.”
Srivastva, S., et al. Wonder and Affirmation, (undated from Lessons of the Field: Applying Appreciative Inquiry, page 42.)
“AI is an exciting way to embrace organizational change. Its
assumption is simple: Every organization has something that works
right – things that give it life when it is most alive, effective,
successful, and connected in healthy ways to its stakeholders and
communities. AI begins by identifying what is positive and connecting
to it in ways that heighten energy and vision for change.”
“…AI recognizes that every organization is an open system that depends
on its human capital to bring its vision and purpose to life.”
“… The outcome of an AI initiative is a long-term positive change in the
organization.”
“… AI is important because it works to bring the whole organization
together to build upon its positive core. AI encourages people to work
together to promote a better understanding of the human system, the
heartbeat of the organization.”
Cooperrider, David L; Whitney, Diana; and Stavros,
Jacqueline M., Appreciative Inquiry Handbook: The First in a Series of
AI Workbooks for Leaders of Change, Lakeshore Communications, 2003,
Pages XVII – XIX
AI involves, in a central way, the art and practice of asking
questions that strengthen a system’s capacity to apprehend, anticipate,
and heighten positive potential. It centrally involves the
mobilization of inquiry through the crafting of the “unconditional
positive question, often involving hundreds or sometimes thousands of
people.
…AI deliberately, in everything it does, seeks to work from accounts of
the “positive change core” – and it assumes that every living system has
many untapped and rich and inspiring accounts of the positive. Link
the energy of this core directly to any change agenda and changes never
thought possible are suddenly and democratically mobilized.”
…As people are brought together to listen carefully to the innovations
and moments of organizational “life,” sometimes in storytelling modes
and sometimes in interpretive and analytic modes, a convergence zone is
created where the future begins to be discerned in the form of visible
patterns interwoven into the texture of the actual. …Images of the
future emerge out of grounded examples from an organization’s positive
past. … [This convergence zone facilitates] the collective repatterning
of human systems.”
Cooperrider, David L, et. Al, Appreciative Inquiry:
Rethinking Human Organization Toward a Positive Theory of Change, Stipes
Publishing, 2000.
“Appreciative Inquiry is a form of action research that
attempts to create new theories/ideas/images that aide in the
developmental change of a system (Cooperrider & Srivastva, 1987.)
The key data collection innovation of appreciative inquiry is the
collection of people’s stories of something at its best…. These stories
are collectively discussed in order to create new, generative ideas or
images that aid in the developmental change of the collectivity
discussing them.”
Bushe, Gervase, “Five Theories of Change Embedded in
Appreciative Inquiry,” presented at the 18th Annual World Congress of
Organization Development, 1998.
“AI is intentional inquiry and directed conversation and
story-telling that leads to a place of possibility. Possibility is
fresh, new, and sacred.
The story is the genesis of all that is human. Societies are stories,
as are companies, schools, cities, families and individuals. There are
bricks and mortar and flesh and bones, but all of it comes from a story.
Even the flesh and bones of one person comes from a story of two
people uniting to form another.
I can think of a many moments where groups reached a profound spot with
Ai and touched a sense of freedom. Usually one person would say
something like, "From what we heard in these stories, we could_..." and
there follows a collective deep breath and then silence as people
consider the new "we could".
Possibility sits in the room as a space of silence and then thought
fills the space.
Where does the thought that enters at that time, which has a feeling of
vitality and newness, come from? It does not come from the person who
spoke because that person would not have developed that thought without
the conversations that led to synapses firing in a certain way. The
thought is not merely a product of the collective because an individual
must form the thought. The thought comes out of relationship,
conversation, and newly created images.
This "thing called Ai" is one of the finest ways to experience the power
of language and to hone our skills with words, ideas, and stories.
There are times when the possibility is so stunning the group has to sit
in silence if just for a couple ticks before saying, "well, yes, maybe,
why not, let's do it."
There must be a gap that arises in the field of the known to entertain
the unbridled possibility of novelty. There is a break in the routine
story and supporting conversations so something new can creep in. This
is the opening where novelty can arise. With no gap, we only have the
billiard ball predictability of continuity.
The openness to new ideas is not coerced. People don't have to force
each other to listen to other's ideas and possibilities: minds are
opened because the nature of the stories are so compelling and
energetic.”
Steinbach, John. Contribution to the AI Listserve, July 2005
For more information:
http://appreciativeinquiry.case.edu/uploads/whatisai.pdf
Aimee Mullens gives such a powerful and moving TED talk.