The Power of Appreciative Inquiry

Peer Academy

Objectives

•Build an understanding of Appreciative Inquiry(AI) principles and how they work in practice•Demonstrate how AI can transform our approach to just about anything•Build confidence in using AI by giving all participants direct experience with the approach.•Learn stuff together and have fun!

Introduction to AI

A story …. BP Pro-care

• 70% satisfaction rate, but not satisfied• Invested in process to identify problems, and fix them to

achieve a higher satisfaction rate• Researched why people were dissatisfied and identified a

number of problems• Studied the problems extensively• Shared results• Developed an action plan and invested heavily in implementing

improvement plans• 9 months later customers surveyed again and … a surprise

result……. Satisfaction fell to 37%!• After using AI , the satisfaction rate rose to 95% after a further

12 months.

So what is Appreciate Inquiry?

Dictionary helps us

• Appreciate: “the act of recognising the best in people or the world around us”; “to perceive those things that give life to living systems”

• Inquire: “the act of exploration”; “to ask questions and be open to new potentials and possibilities”

Appreciative Inquiry …

• … involves the systematic discovery of what gives “life” to a living system when it is most alive, most effective, and most constructively capable in economic, ecological, and human terms.

• …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.

Assumptions of Appreciative Inquiry• In every society, organisation, group something

works• What we focus on becomes our reality• Reality is created in the moment, and there are

multiple realities• The act of asking questions of an organisation or

group influences the group in some way• People have more confidence and comfort to

journey to the future (the unknown) when they carry forward parts of the past (the known)

• If we carry parts of the past forward, they should be what is best about the past

“What it would be like to ride a beam of light?”

Traditional vs Appreciative Inquiry

Traditional Process

• Define the problems and study them

• Fix what is broken

• Focus on decay

• “Let’s ensure we completely understand the reasons for our shortcomings!”

AI Process• Search for solutions

that already exist• Amplify what is

working• Focus on life giving

forces• “Let’s understand

what makes things work when we are at our best!”

Discovery:‘Appreciate

what is’

Destiny‘Create what

will be’

Imagine‘Dream what

might be’

Design: ‘Determine what

should be’

Positive Core

Affirmative Topic Choice

The AI Four Ds

“Indeed, progress in the Land of Dirty Diamonds. There is a rainbow out there. The people of the villages of Kono District can see it. The IRC team sees it. Now the children can see the rainbow. It’s time that the world community saw the rainbow.” Malcolm J. Odell

Koidu Town, Kono District,Sierra Leone

“We used to tell stories like this. It has always been part of our culture. We used to tell stories about what makes us community. I think we have forgotten how important it is to talk like this; like we have today.”

Benefits• AI rests on the premise that ‘the more you focus

on what you want the more likely you are to get it’

• ‘What you focus on, grows!’• The better we understand problems the more

likely to give life to them – the more we focus on strengths, assets and aspirations the more likely we are to give life them!

Inquiry and change are not truly separate moments, but are simultaneous. Inquiry is intervention. The questions we ask set the stage for what we “find”, and what we “discover” (the data) becomes the linguistic material, the stories, out of which the future is conceived, conversed about, and constructed.

A Positive Revolution in Change: Appreciative Inquiry David L. Cooperrider and Diana Whitney, 2003

Paired Interview Exercise• Think of a time, an event, a process when you were

involved in a highly successful project.• What made it so memorable for you?• In what way has it changed how you approach your

work or other projects?• What did you personally contribute to this

event/experience?• What did other people and/or organisations

contribute?• What might be the key learnings about successful

projects from these experiences?

At your tables …• Discuss in small groups some of the skills,

knowledge, qualities that emerged from the stories.

• What were some that showed up in most stories?• Which ones were more unusual or unique to one

individual?• Write down some of the skills and qualities that

came up in conversation (1 skill or quality per sheet of paper)

Mapping Core Success Factors

• Discuss what you learned at your table• What were the most significant success factors

or themes across all your stories.• Write down 3 factors each.• One success factor per sheet.

Provocative Propositions

• Imagine now, having discussed our topic for some time, that this healthy version of democracy is now alive and well.

• Describe in the present tense, what is actually going on?

• Speaking about it in the present tense, as if it is happening, helps us to move in this direction.

In conclusion, why AI?• It’s fun and energising• It builds on what is working• It’s healthy!• It adds ownership and confidence, as opposed to

strengthening stigma and hopelessness• It respects where people are and what they know• It draws on collective wisdom

(and works against collective dumbness)• It seems to work!

Closing reflections

• What stood out for you today?• What might be the most useful part that you

could use in your practice/ research?• What questions might you want to ponder

further as a result of today?• Finito!