Appreciative Inquiry

A Philosophy For Organisational Change

Leadership in professional learning communities

"The deepest principle of human nature is to be appreciated.” William James Psychologist, Philosopher, Author

Francis McGuiganVice Principal / IB Coordinator

Rome International Schoolfmcguigan@romeinternationalschool.it

Who are we?

• Where are we from? Which IB regions?

• What languages do we speak?

• Who do we represent? School populations.

• Why are we here? Aims and objectives.

What are we capable of?

Workshop Purpose

To introduce the philosophy, practice and process of Appreciative Inquiry so that you can apply it to your work and to your life.

“when you make a choice, you change the

future”Deepak Chopra (1994)

What is Appreciative Inquiry?

A process, philosophy, and life practice grounded in research demonstrating that focusing on what’s working and aspirations for the future achieves more and does it faster and more sustainably than solving problems.

AI:

• The concept of Appreciative Inquiry was introduced in the 1980’s by David Cooperrider. His wife, Nancy added the concept of the Appreciative Eye, which has the assumption that there is beauty in everything.

Appreciation

• Means to recognise and value the contributions or attributes of things and people around us.

Inquiry

• Means to explore and discover, in the spirit of seeking to better understand and being open to new possibilities.

Defining AI:

• A philosophy for organisational change.

• It works when organisations look at what is/has worked well.

• Differs from ‘traditional’ approach of problem-solving

• Focus is not on what is wrong but what is right or what has been right in the past.

What is Appreciative INQUIRY (AI)• Unlocks innovation and creativity

• A more effective change management model

• Studying low moral will not achieve high productivity

Perception

Vision

Action

Results

How much time do you spend in meetings talking about what doesn’t work?

Difference between AI and problem-solving:

• Traditional problem solving:

1. Identify the problem

2. Conduct an analysis of the causes

3. Analyse possible solutions

4. Plan some action or treatment

• Appreciative Inquiry:

1. Appreciate the best of what is

2. Envision what might be3. Dialogue about what

should be4. Innovate and create

what will be

(Hammond, 1998)

PROBLEM SOLVING ORIENTATION

Fill the Gap

APPRECIATIVE ORIENTATION

Realize the Possibilities

CURRENT STATE

THE QUESTIONSWhat’s wrong?

How do we fix it?

PAST FUTURE

THE QUESTIONSWhat’s working?

What’s possible?

What shall we do to achieve it?

Consider• What’s going right in your organisation?

• How can you leverage that today?

• Are your employees motivated and operating at their full potential?

• How would your organisation benefit from an optimised employee mindset?

AI solves problems

• By looking at what’s right

AI Questions

1. Describe a peak experience or "high point" in your work with your organisation. What was happening? Who was involved? What made it such a powerful experience?

2. What core factors give life to your organisation?

3. Imagine a miracle happened. You were asleep for ten years and wake up to find your organisation is exactly as you'd like it to be. What's happening that's different? How would you know it is what you want?

AI and organisations:

Encourages organisations to do more of what works rather than just doing less of what does not work.

Ai:Success

(High Point)

Workshop/ dialogue

Recognise the

positive

Positive Energy

AI GOALS:• “deliberately seeks to discover people’s

exceptionality – their unique gifts, strengths, and qualities. It actively searches and recognises people for their specialties – their essential contributions and achievements.

• Its goal is to create organisations that are in full voice!”

Cooperrider, D.L. et. al. (Eds) , Lessons from the Field: Applying Appreciative Inquiry, Thin Book Publishing, 2001, p.12..

Processes of Change Management• Positive core

• 5 principles

• 4-D cycle

• AI summit

Positive Core

• Strengths

• Peak experiences

• Best practices

• Successes

• Key learning

5 Principles

• Constructionist principle

• Simultaneity principle

• Poetic principle

• Anticipatory principle

• Positive principle

The Four “D” Process

Discovery“What gives life?”

(the best of what is) APPRECIATING

Deliver / Destiny“How to empower,

learn and adjust/improvise?”

SUSTAINING

Dream“What might be?”

(what is the world calling for) ENVISIONING IMPACT

Design“What should be--the

ideal?” CO-CONSTRUCTING

Affirmative Topic Choice

Cooperrider, David and Diana Whitney, “Appreciative Inquiry: A Positive Revolution in Change”, The Change Handbook, Holman, Peggy and Tom Devane, eds., Berrett-Koehler, 1999.

AI Summit

•Involves entire organisation

•2-4 days

•Building the ideal future of the organisation.

In a nutshell…Appreciating and valuing

the best of “what is”

Envisioning “what might be”

Dialoguing “what should be”

Innovating “what will be”

Why Does The AI Process Work?

THE APPROACH IS RELATIONAL

Involves ’being’ authentic handling the essence of another human being – being and doing

THE APPROACH IS GROUNDED

Works from experiences of what is working

Topic – team building: how to get more achieved at meetings

Describe a time when the team performed really well. What were the circumstances during that time?

Describe a time when you were proud to be a member of the team. Why were you proud?

What do you value most about being a member of this team? Why?

Assumptions of AI:• In every organisation something works.• What we focus on becomes our reality.• Reality is created in the moment and there

are multiple realities. • Asking questions influences an organisation. • People have more confidence in the journey

to the future (the unknown) when they carry forward the past (the known).

• We should carry the best of the past forward. • Important to value differences. • Our language creates our reality.

When to use /what it can deliver:

• a situation requiring collective will to address

• to work on something of mutual interest

• to build a vision of the future

• to improve working relationships

When not to use:• When one person is clear about a

desired outcome.

• When there is no interest in involving others in a creative way or when their opinions are not valued.

• When there is no interest in sharing responsibility or decision-making.

Strengths

• People speak from their own experience• Community involvement• Easy to include the people who normally

don't take part;• It builds on what has worked in the past• Creates a strong vision• Partnership working. • Uses a set of principles to apply to other

decision-making methods

“Be the change you wish to see in the world.”

– Mahatma Gandhi

ReferencesBaker, W., Cross, R., & Wooten, M. (2003). Positive organisational networks analysis and energising relationships. In K. S. Cameron, J.E. Dutton, & R.E. Quinn (Eds.), Positive Organisational Scholarship (pp.328-3420. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler.

Bushe, G.R. (1995) Advances in appreciative inquiry as an organisation development intervention. Organisation Development Journal, 13, 14-22.

Bushe, G.R. & Pitman, T. (1991) Appreciative process: A method for transformational change, OD Practitioner, 23:3, 1-4.

Cooperrider, David, L. (1990) Positive image, positive action; The affirmation basis of organising. In S.Srivastva & D.L. Cooperrider (eds.), Appreciative Management and Leadership (91-125). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Cooperrider, David, L., Whitney, Diana,. And Stavros, Jacqueline, M. (2000) Appreciative Inquiry Handbook, Premium (2nd Ed.), Brunswick, Crown Custom Publishing.

Cooperrider, D.L. et. Al (Eds), (2001) Lessons from the Field: Applying Appreciative Inquiry, Century, Thin Book Publishing.

Fredrickson, B.L. (2001) The role of positive emotions in positive psychology: The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. American Psychologist, 56, 218-226.

Fredrick, B.L. & Losada, M. (2005) Positive Affect and the Complex Dynamics of Human Flourishing. American Behavioural Scientist,60,678-686.

Hammond, SA (1998) The thin book of Appreciative Inquiry. Plano, TX: Thin Book Publishing Companyhttp://www.appreciativeinquiry.net.au/

Isen, A.M. (2000) Positive affect and decision –making. In M. Lewis & J.M. Haviland-Jones (Eds) Handbook of Emotions (417-435).NY: Guildford.

International Society for Performance Improvement, 2012, Maryland, USA, viewed Sept 2012, <http://www.ispi.org/>

Kotter, J.P. & Heskett, J.L. (1992) Corporate Culture and Performance, NY: Free Press

Martinetz, Charles. Appreciative inquiry as an organizational development tool” September 2002, International Society for Performance Review, viewed Sept 2012, <http://appreciativeinquiry.case.edu/uploads/AI%20as%20OD%20Tool-Martinetz.pdf>

Ogbonna, E. (1993). Managing organisational culture: Fantasy or reality?. Human Resource Management Journal, 3, 42-54.

fmcguigan@romeinternationalschool.it