Appreciative Inquiry is a collaborative and positive approach to change that seeks to engage stakeholders in self-determined improvement. It emphasizes the importance of asking questions that highlight strengths, successes, and values, rather than focusing solely on problems or deficits. The goal is to foster a culture of inquiry that inspires innovation and collective growth centerforappreciativeinquiry.net+1.
The 5-D Cycle of Appreciative Inquiry
The AI process is often structured around a 5-D cycle, which includes the following phases:
- Define: Identify the focus or topic for the inquiry, establishing what the organization wants to enhance or achieve.
- Discover: Explore and share stories of positive experiences and successes within the organization, uncovering what works well.
- Dream: Envision an ideal future by imagining possibilities and aspirations based on the strengths identified in the previous phase.
- Design: Collaboratively develop strategies and plans to create the desired future, leveraging the insights gained from the inquiry.
- Destiny (or Deliver): Implement the proposed changes and sustain the momentum for ongoing improvement and innovation centerforappreciativeinquiry.net+1.
Key Principles of Appreciative Inquiry
- Constructionist Principle: Organizations are shaped by the conversations and narratives shared among their members. The language used in inquiries can influence outcomes and relationships.
- Simultaneity Principle: Inquiry and change occur simultaneously; the act of asking questions can initiate transformation.
- Poetic Principle: The stories told within an organization reflect its culture and values, and these narratives can be co-authored to inspire positive change.
- Anticipatory Principle: The vision of the future guides present actions; focusing on positive possibilities can lead to constructive outcomes Wikipedia+1.
Applications of Appreciative Inquiry
Appreciative Inquiry is widely used in various contexts, including organizational development, community building, and leadership training. It encourages collaborative discussions that foster engagement, motivation, and sustainable growth. By focusing on strengths and positive experiences, AI helps organizations navigate change more effectively and creatively PositivePsychology.com+1.
In summary, Appreciative Inquiry is a powerful methodology that shifts the focus from problem-solving to exploring and amplifying the positive aspects of organizations, leading to transformative change and enhanced collective potential.
As a facilitation technique, Appreciative Inquiry involves articulating questions that reveal positive potential within groups and individuals. As a Strategic Planning tool it builds on the positive core of your organisation and enables your team to anticipate, recognise and amplify its potential.
Skills you’ll gain:
- Coaching
- Innovation
- Teamwork
- Strategic PLanning
- Strategic Planning
- Breakthrough Strategic Thinking Techniques
- How to move from Current State to Future State
- Visioning Days – Tools to create a Shared Vision
- Utilising the revolutionary SOAR! Concepts – identifying individual and team Strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations and measurable Results
- Featuring Disney’s Creative Strategy – “Living the Dream”
- Implement SOAR in context
- Work From a Deep Appreciation for Strategy and Strategic Planning.
- Unleash the Strengths in Your Own or Client Organisations.
- Discover Opportunities: Present and Emergent.
- Create Bold Images of the Most Preferred Future.
- Identify Individual and Organisation Aspirations that Support that Future.
- Create Innovative Strategies for Achieving Your Vision.
- Define Measurable Results.
- Connect with Others Who Are Using SOAR®.
- Draw from Other Organisations Who Have Used SOAR® Successfully.
- Creating High Performance Teams
- Read our Blog on the application of Appreciative Inquiry in Team / Organisation Strategic Visioning Days https://www.mtceurope.co.uk/appreciative-inquiry-ai-activities-to-pivot-your-team-culture/
PART 1: Introduction to Appreciative Enquiry
PART 2: the 4-D Process
- Discovery
- Dream
- Design
- Delivery
PART 3: The Five Principles
PART 4: Using the SOAR model
The cost will be £975 + VAT for 1 day of training, for up to 12 delegates – including all preparations, trainer’s expenses, and materials.
Appreciative Enquiry
As a facilitation technique, Appreciative Inquiry involves articulating questions that reveal positive potential within groups and individuals. As a Strategic Planning tool it builds on the positive core of your organisation and enables your team to anticipate, recognise and amplify its potential. AI Effectively is a powerful vehicle for accelerating change and inspires high energy team commitment, innovative solutions, increased motivation and improved morale grounded in existing organisational goals and best practices.
A recent survey by The Change Lab has explored the Impact of Organisational Change and Employee Wellbeing in the Workplace. Even before the life and business-changing Covid-19 pandemic, many “change programmes or initiatives” were failing due to the lack of employee “buy in” to the new Strategic Vision or Culture Change projects.
The Survey highlighted that it’s not the amount of change that employees experience, but it is the leadership approach that spells the difference between languishing or flourishing in change; and that instead of fear, depletion, and stress, human beings can—and often do— thrive in transition.
The Survey also highlighted the following:
- People don’t resist change, but they resist being changed;
- We need an evolutionary leap forward in our ability to successfully manage change;
- The kinds of changes that are based on strengths and the newer “inquire-and-invite” approaches instead of the industrial age “tell-and-control” leads to significant For example, people who worked for leaders who implemented changes by inquiring-and-inviting were more likely to be consistently thriving or living well despite struggles, than people who worked for leaders who used “inquire-and-control” or “tell-and-invite” approaches.
- That rates of change success can move towards a 9:1 positive success rates—and that it’s time to aim higher beyond ordinary change
This workshop facilitates a “step by step” approach to identify what your “NEW NORMAL” should look like and utilises the newer “inquire-and-invite” approaches in order to arrive at a shared vision which has ultimate buy-in by an energised team of employees.
- Suitability: Strategic Planning
- Breakthrough Strategic Thinking Techniques
- How to move from Current State to Future State
- Visioning Days – Tools to create a Shared Vision
- Utilising the revolutionary SOAR! Concepts – identifying individual and team Strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations and measurable Results
- Featuring Disney’s Creative Strategy – “Living the Dream”
- Implement SOAR in context
- Work From a Deep Appreciation for Strategy and Strategic Planning.
- Unleash the Strengths in Your Own or Client Organisations.
- Discover Opportunities: Present and Emergent.
- Create Bold Images of the Most Preferred Future.
- Identify Individual and Organisation Aspirations that Support that Future.
- Create Innovative Strategies for Achieving Your Vision.
- Define Measurable Results.
- Connect with Others Who Are Using SOAR®.
- Draw from Other Organisations Who Have Used SOAR® Successfully.
- Creating High Performance Teams
This workshop has a step-by-step format equipping you to take your team through a cultural change programme. Either in “Train the Trainer” format so we can equip you and your staff to facilitate the process or MTC Specialists can run the sessions for you on site. A well facilitated ‘change workshop’ delivering a positive result has a massive positive impact on the Organisation as a whole, the individual Teams and Departments within the Company and wellbeing of an energised and motivated workforce.
David Cooperrider – The Founder of Appreciative Inquiry – said…. “Appreciative Inquiry is a way of THINKING, SEEING and ACTING to bring about powerful, purposeful, change. Focusing on the Positive and Desired Future results and not the negative past results.”
Whether you are a Learning and Development Facilitator, a Leader of Change or responsible for Strategic Development and Direction within your Organisation or a member of the Senior Management Team who are considering what culture your Company should have post pandemic, the Principles of Appreciative Inquiry are vital for the professional development of your employees, teams and departments and organisations in our current times.
Click Here for an Overview of our Appreciative Inquiry Workshop
