An Introduction to Appreciative Inquiry

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• An Introduction to Appreciative Inquiry
• Lesley Moore Julie Barnes

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Appreciative Inquiry (AI)

• A positive approach to learning and change
• Appreciate
• Recognise the quality of
• Be fully aware of or sensitive to
• To raise in value or worth
• Inquiry
• A process of gathering information for the
  purpose of learning and changing.

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Appreciate

• In every situation something works
• Learn from exceptional examples and build on them
• What we focus on, we get more of
• Energy flows where our attention goes
• The language we use shapes our view of the world
• Is the glass half full or half empty?

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Inquiry

• Organisations move in the direction of
• the questions they ask
• the stories they tell
• the images of the future they create
• Change begins with the first questions
• So we choose them carefully

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Marvin Weisbord

• If I could ask one thing of a crystal ball in
  any situation, it would not be
• what's wrong and what will fix it?
• but
• whats possible here and who cares?

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Using AI Five D Cycle
Definition Decide What to Learn About

• Discovery
• Explore, inquire
• Themes - Values

Delivery Sustaining the Change
Dream/Imagine Picture the future
AppreciativeTopic Eg What do you Want More of?
Design Find innovative ways to create that
future
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Why it works Principles of the approach

• In every society, organisation, team and group,
  some things work well. (strengths based)
• Organisations grow in the direction of what they
  ask questions about (social construction)
• People are more confident in moving to an
  uncertain future when they carry forward the best
  parts of the past (continuity and innovation).
• Change is seen as a journey rather than a one-off
  event (on-going)
• Everyone in the system participates (involvement)

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Using AI to improve services and performance

• Discover best practice and identify what needs to
  be preserved/built upon
• Dream to create a vision of where you would like
  to get to
• Design the detail processes which will take you
  to your desired future
• Deliver the changes and review to sustain and
  encourage ongoing innovations

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The advantages of wide participation

• Change begins from the first questions you ask
• Work from rich and diverse examples of what works
  well
• Encourage creative and diverse input into
  solutions design
• Invite offers and commitments from all over the
  organisation
• Leads to increased involvement morale

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David Cooperrider says that

• A compulsive concern with whats not working,
  why things go wrong and who didnt do his or her
  job ..demoralises members of the organisation,
  reduces the speed of learning, and undermines
  relationships and forward movement
• appreciative inquiry starts a different kind of
  conversation, working with peoples experience,
  energy and passion to create exceptional
  change.

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Dealing with the challenges

• Its not about ignoring the difficulties
• You get to create the solutions together
• and work out what needs to happen
• next.

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Appreciating the best

• We invite you to join us in
• Finding out what works
• Figuring out how you can do more of it

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Programme for the day

• Introduction
• Discovering what works well
• Imagining the best possible future
• Design for the future
• Delivery - destiny

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Discovery appreciative interviews

• Find a partner youd like to know better
• Appreciative interviews
• Interviewer listens, encourages, looks for the
  positives, note the highlights
• Interviewee chance to brag
• 10 mins each and swap

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Appreciative Questions

• What is the best thing about .
• What do you really value about working here?
• What do you want more of?

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Discovery sharing stories

• Groups of 6-8 people for 45 mins
• Share highlights of partners story
• Reflect on emerging themes about the positive
  core of Newcastles safeguarding practice at its
  best
• Key points and symbol on flipchart
• Prepare to present in 3 mins

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Dreaming for 2010

• 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 organisation doing?

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Criteria for good possibility statements

• Short and clear
• Stretching and challenging
• Exciting and novel
• Are desired and preferred
• Describe what is wanted realistic ensures
  continuity, and transition
• Are written in the present tense, as if they are
  already happening

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And now

• From COASTING
• To BOASTING
• To TOASTING

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Designing the future

• What needs to change to make this happen?
• What can we do now and in the longer term to
  achieve this?
• in small groups for 20 mins and feedback key
  points

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Delivering the change

• Individual reflection and general discussion
• What will I do now to deliver this change?
• Offers, invitations, requests

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Evaluation

• What was your highlight?
• What would you have liked more of?
• What will you take away with you today?

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Useful References

• What is Appreciative Inquiry? by Joe Hall Sue
  Hammond, www.thinbook.com
• Appreciative Inquiry Change at the Speed of
  Imagination, by Jane Magruder Watkins and Bernard
  J. Mohr.
• Appreciative Inquiry A Constructive Approach to
  Organization Development and Social Change, 2001
  Cape Cod Institute Workshop by David Cooperrider
  and Marge Schiller
• The Power of Appreciative Inquiry. A practical
  guide to positive change.
• Diana Whitney and Amanda Trosten Bloom 2003
• Appreciative Inquiry Handbook, David Cooperrider,
  Diana Whitney and Jackie Stavros, 2003
• Appreciative Inquiry Igniting Transformative
  Action, by Bernard Mohr. From The Systems
  Thinker, Volume 12, 1, 2001, at
  www.pegasuscommunications.com.
• Other Resources
• AI Listserve at ailist-admin_at_mail.business.utah.e
  du
• AI Commons website at http//appreciativeinquiry.c
  wru.edu/
• AI Consulting Organization a global network of
  AI practitioners at www.aiconsulting.org.