appreciative inquiry: architecting a strength-based process with a positive frame for breakthrough...
TRANSCRIPT
Appreciative Inquiry: Architecting a strength-based process
with a positive frame for breakthrough results
Our Journey• Re-frame a problem into an opportunity for
breakthrough solutions
• Think Whole System: Create a stakeholder map
• Explore the power of the question
• Learn how to structure a discovery process that elevates strengths
Ap-pre’ci-ate, v.,1. Valuing …• The act of recognizing the best in people and the world
around us;• Affirming past and present strengths, successes, and
potentials;• To perceive those things that give life (health, vitality,
and excellence) to living systems.
2. To increase in value, e.g. the economy has appreciated in value.
• Synonyms: valuing, prizing, esteeming, and honoring.
Inquiry and Change are NOT Separate Moments
• Inquiry IS Intervention
• Our questions set the stage for the data we look for and what we ultimately
find
In-quire’ (kwir), v.,1. The act of exploration and discovery.
2. To ask questions; to be open to seeing new potentials and possibilities.
• Synonyms: discovery, search, study and systematic exploration.
What is Appreciative Inquiry?
a way of being in the world
a way of doing in the world
DISCOVERStrengths
Innovations & Insights
Positive Core Assets
DREAMOpportunities
Valued Future We Want
Images of Impact
DESIGNAspirations
Ideation and Brainstormer
Rapid Prototyping
DELIVERResults
Capturing Sustainable Value
Improv & Learning
AffirmativeTopic Choice
AI “4-D” Cycle
7
Topic Creation
What do we really want?
Decreasing Obesity in our Schools….
This became an exciting project…
Try this one…
Reducing Pollution in our City
Became…
13
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The Elevation of Inquiry
Negative Normal Positive
Individual
● Physiological Illness Health Wellness
● Psychological Illness Health Flow
Organizational- Level
● Effectiveness Ineffective Effective Excellence
● Efficiency Inefficient Efficient Extraordinary
● Quality `Error Prone Reliable Flawless
● Ethics Unethical Ethical Virtuous
● Relationships Harmful Helping Honoring
● Adaptation Threat - Rigidity Coping Flourishing
● Social Relationships Irresponsible Profitable Common Good
Kim Cameron, University of Michigan 2003
Affirmative Topic Creations
Pre-frame it:Pre=Positive Reframe
Small shifts make seismic differences: change management begins here.
Topic Pre-frames
Service that Exceeds Expectations
Liberating Collaboration
Revolutionary Customer Response
Magnetic Work Environment
Outstanding Arrival Experiences
Business Social Entrepreneurship
Optimizing Margins
Empowering & Enlightened Leadership
“Lightning Fast Consensus”
Ecologically Restorative Production
Topic Re-framing Can Lead to Breakthrough Results
How can we recover lost baggage at lightening speed?
How can we reduce baggage loss?
How can we create outstanding arrival experiences?
Our topic of inquiry can be TRANSFORMATIONAL!
AI Sandbox
1. Create
2. Share
3. Feedforward
4. Enhance
AI Sandbox Activity 1Affirmative Topic Creations
1. Identify a problem(s) and Pre-frame it to an opportunity.
2. Good Topics are: bold, desired, spark learning, have energizing words, sometimes bring opposites together, strategic value for the business, generative potential.
what we want
Issues/Opportunities Ripe for Pre-framing
• Low morale
• Student drop-out
• Parent disengagement
• High failure rates
• Disruptive behavior
• Resistance; the things getting in the way
• High stress work environment
• Over-regulation
• Siloed communication
• Lack of collaboration
• Low engagement
• Frustrating technology
Speed Topic DatingStep 1. Evolve – Pre-frame Problem/Opportunity into Positive Topics
Step 2. Pick a “Date”: Share Idea
Step 3. Partner(Listener) Feed Forward•What is exciting to you about this topic?•If the sky is the limit, what else might be possible?•How might this topic be even stronger??
Step 4. Enhance your Topic(s)
Step 5. Reverse Roles…..
Step 6. Do another round with New Topic Date
Talk to Your Outer CircleCreating Stakeholder Value
Connect and engage all those (internal and external) with some stake in the system
Focus on what we want (versus don’t want)
Mobilizing people to action through their positive images of the future
`Great Work - David Stuart
Stakeholders
Affirmative Topic
AI Sandbox Individual Activity 2
Spark the appreciative imagination by helping people locate the experiences that are worth valuing.
Plants the seed of what is to be studied.
4 “Classic” Areas for Inquiry
BACKWARD 1. Reflecting on your History and “High
Point” Moments
2. Learning from Others: ie. Exploring Inspirational Practices from Others
FORWARD
2. Building on What We Value Most
2. Our Images of the Future
The Art of the Question
• What’s the biggest problem in our organization?
• Why do our students fail?
• Why are participants disengaged during IEP meetings?
• Why do we still have these problems?
• What are the most unique assets we have?
• What is the smallest change that could make the biggest impact for our students?
• How can we re-envision our IEP meetings to be more engaging?
• When have we been most proud of our profession?
“Questions are explicit yet ephemeral, ordinary yet mysterious. Questions offer tools to work with and simultaneously the material from which new construction occurs. Questions are intrinsically co-created since they require both asker and listener to construct meaning. Some questions are provocative and initiate introspection; these questions may push us into new territories.”
--- Marilee G. Adams, Marjorie Schiller and David L. Cooperrider
With Our Questions We Make Our World.
AI Sandbox Individual Activity 3Question Crafting
A. A question to evoke a story from person(s) history (about their experience or something they have seen)
B. A question to evoke/help give voice to their best images of future
Session Reflections
• What I liked most about me?
• What I liked most about us?
• How can I leverage this in the future to positively impact myself and others?
Based at Champlain College, The Center offers a full range of educational programs, research, AI certification and
custom collaborative learning partnerships for companies, organizations and corporate.
The Center has an extensive network of certified AI practitioners with wide-ranging corporate and nonprofit histories and competencies who can design and facilitate strengths-based change anywhere people work and serve.
The David L. Cooperrider Center for Appreciative
Inquiry is the global Center of Excellence in Appreciative
Inquiry and strengths-based organizational management. It
is the only academic-based center in the world that
focuses directly on Appreciative Inquiry and its
implications for Positive Organizational Development
and management.
Upcoming Educational Offerings
January 11-13, 2016Appreciative Inquiry Practitioner
Certification Program
Contact Us: * [email protected]
( 802.865.8457
