Transcript Appreciative Inquiry - Mosaic.net International, Inc.

Appreciative Inquiry
Summer Workshop 2008
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Rating the Interview from 1-5
Group 1
Group 2
Rapport
Energy
Insight
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Overview of Appreciative Inquiry
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What is Appreciative Inquiry?

“Appreciative Inquiry is a form of transformational
inquiry that selectively seeks to locate, highlight, and
illuminate the life-giving forces of an organization’s
existence.

It is the study and exploration of what gives life to
human systems when they are at their best.

It is an organizational development methodology
based on the assumption that inquiry into and dialogue
about strengths, successes, values, hopes and
dreams is itself transformational”.
Cooperider, Whitney and Stavros 2008 – Appreciative Inquiry Handbook
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Origins of AI
Work of Cooperrider and Srivasta at
Case Western Reserve Univ. early ‘80’s
 Case of Cleveland Clinic: 2 approaches
 1. Mckinsey: collecting data about
conflict in the hospital
 2. Cooperrider and Srivasta: carrying out
interviews about best experiences
working in the hospital

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Origins cont.
Cooperrider and Srivasta published
seminal article in ‘87 critiquing action
research and introducing AI as a theory
of organizing and method for changing
social systems.
 Their breakthrough: social and
psychological reality as a product of the
moment, open to continuous
reconstruction (as opposed to something
fundamentally stable, enduring).

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The Difference between the Two
Paradigms
Problem Solving
 “Felt Need” Identification of
the problem
Appreciative Inquiry
 Appreciating and Valuing the
Best of “What Is”

Analysis of the Causes

“Envisioning “What might be”

Analysis of Solutions
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Dialoguing: What should be”
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Action Planning (treatment)
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Innovating: What will be”
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Basic Assumption: An
organization is a problem to
be solved.

Basic Assumption: An
organization is a mystery
(infinite capacity) to be
embraced.
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Salient Features of Appreciative
Inquiry
Seeks to discover, understand and foster
innovation
 Open ended interviewing techniques with
minimal leading of the interviewee.
 Questions that are positive in nature.
 The focus is on “peak experiences”
 What do you want more of?
 Positive images, create positive futures.
 We create the future that we imagine.

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Appreciative Inquiry

Begins with appreciation of the past and
present;
 Should be applicable (relevant, practical,
useful)
 Should be provocative (catalyzing questions
provoke thinking and action)
 Should be collaborative engaging the whole
system into inquiry.
Through grounded observation we collectively
discover the best of what is.
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The Four D’s of Appreciative Inquiry
DELIVER
DISCOVER
“THE BEST OF WHAT IS”
APPRECIATING
CREATE WHAT WILL BE
“HOW TO EMPOWER, LEARN, ADJUST/
IMPROVISE, SUSTAIN
Affirmative
topic choice
DESIGN
"WHAT SHOULD BE?"
CO-CONSTRUCTING
DREAM
"WHAT MIGHT BE"
ENVISIONING
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5 Theories of Change Underlying
AI (from Gervase Bushe)

1. Social Construction of Reality
language actively shapes the world
 new ideas are the most powerful force for
change

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2. Heliotropic Hypothesis

social systems evolve toward positive self
images
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Theories of Change cont.

3. The Organization’s Inner Dialogue
stories told outside formal gatherings
condition beliefs about what the
organization is and what is possible
 change the stories and you change the
culture
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4. Resolving Paradoxical Dilemmas

social systems become stuck in
undiscussable paradoxes that require
“generative images” to offer ways out
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Theories of Change cont.

5. Appreciative Process

we get more of whatever we pay attention to
so focus on what you want and work on
amplifying it
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Examples of Appreciative Inquiry
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Imagine Chicago: 500 community leaders came together to
discuss their relationship across race and ethnicity that are
positive.
AI Question: “What is the best inter-racial relationships you
have ever had?”
Positive Deviance in Vietnam: Save the Children nutrition project.
AI Question: “What are you feeding your children that keeps
them so healthy?
Avon of Mexico: Used AI to move away from sexual harassment
to look at the positive relationships women and men have had
working together.
AI Question: “What is the best male-female work relationship
you have ever had ?”.
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What do you think of this? How is this
different than other approaches?
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Role of the Interviewer in AI
“The purpose of open-ended and
unstructured interviewing is to find out
what is in the interviewee’s head, not to
put something there.
 The task of the interviewer is to make it
possible for the person being interviewed
to bring the interviewer into his or her
own world”
 Create energy, rapport, insight.

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Role of the Interviewer
The Interviewer simply asks the question
and lets the respondent answer, probing
only for clarification, elucidation and
depth.
AI question from Cornerstone:
“Tell me a story about a time when you really
made a difference in a woman’s life?”
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Probes and Follow-up Questions
Three types of probes:
1) A conversational probe to get more detail
 When did that happen?
 Who else was involved?
 How did that come about?
2) An elaboration probe
 Nod your head gently or say “uh-huh”
 Would you elaborate on that
3) A clarification probe
 You need more information.
 You said the programme was a success. What do you mean by
“success”?
 Let me ask you to repeat what you said so that I can get your exact
thoughts.
 Tell me how you made a difference?
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Let’s try it

Exercise: 10 minutes per person.
 Think back to an experience when you worked in a
team.
 Question: Tell me your best experience ever
participating in a team?
Probing Questions:
 Describe how you felt, and what you and others did to
make the situation possible?
 How did you contribute to this peak experience?
 What made this experience so special?
 Describe its impact.
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Types of Appreciative Questions

What do you value most about your participation in the
programme?
 Define three concrete wishes you have for the future
of the programme?
 What is your peak experience with the organization?
 Can you tell me a story about some experiences you
had with Schoolpower that was particularly
heartwarming?
 Is there now, or has there ever been a person of
another race whom you would describe as having had
a significant positive impact on your life?
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What Makes an Appreciative
Question
A Powerful Question:
 Is simple and clear;
 Is thought provoking;
 Generates energy;
 Focuses inquiry;
 Opens new possibilities;
 Looks for something you want more of.
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Exercise: Appreciative Questions vs
Non-Appreciative Questions
Sort the group of statements into two
categories: appreciative questions vs
non-appreciative questions.
 Make 3 appreciative questions around
your learning project.
 Are your questions simple, concise,
provoking and energizing?

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Some More Background and
Practicing your own Inquiry: Day 2
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Underlying Assumptions around
Appreciative Inquiry
“In every society, organization, or group
something works.
 What we focus on becomes our reality.
 The act of asking questions of the organization
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)

Hammond, Sue Annis. “The Thin Book of Appreciative Inquiry”, pp.2021.
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Steps in Appreciative Methodology
1. Choosing the affirmative question.
2. Undertaking appreciative interviews. Hearing
the stories.
3. Write-ups. Writing up the story.
4. Looking for patterns, trends and gems.
5. Evoking provocative propositions.
6. Validating and disseminating the
propositions.
7. Go forward to design and deliver.
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The Four D’s of Appreciative Inquiry
DELIVER
“HOW TO EMPOWER, LEARN, ADJUST/
IMPROVISE”
SUSTAINING
DESIGN
"WHAT SHOULD BE?"
CO-CONSTRUCTING
DISCOVERY
“THE BEST OF WHAT IS”
APPRECIATING
DREAM
"WHAT MIGHT BE"
ENVISIONING
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Different Roles
Interviewee: tells the story
Notetaker: Writes up the
story in the first person.
Reads it back to the
interviewee to make sure
everything is captured.
Interviewer/Facilitator:
Asks the question and
probes
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Some details
When you write up your story make sure
to put the following at the top of the
page:
 -Interviewee:__________________
 -Interviewed by:________________
 -Written by:___________________
Always write-up the story in the first person
using I, as if you were speaking yourself.
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Interviewing in Triads
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Overall Inquiry: Your learning project
question?
Tell me a story (specific) about how you or
someone you know …?
What made this experience so special?
Describe its impact.
(20 mins. Interviewing, 5 mins feedback, 5
minutes recorder asks questions)
Switch roles.
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What can AI results be used for:
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Vision statement for an organization,group,
team, community
Defining an objective or results for a project
Re-energize the workplace, team etc. to
decide how they want to work together
Use experience to introduce AI into daily
approach
As beginning of a planning process then move
to OS, RBM etc.
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Articulating Provocative Propositions

Provocation propositions are statements that
bridge “the best of what is or has been” and
one’s speculation about “what might be”.
 Challenge the status quo by expanding the
realm of the possible.
 Construct a proposition about what is possible.
State the proposition in affirmative language—
as if the proposition were already true and
happening at the current time.
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Examples of Provocative
Propositions
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A common vision helps give all members a
feeling of significance, purpose, pride and
unity.
In a truly inclusive organization, people feel as
if they are the owners of the organization.
Ultimate authority is derived from the consent
of others.
Leadership is inspirational and participative.
There is an organizational and individual
commitment to life long learning.
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Create Metaphors

This is the metaphor for how consultant’s can improve the world,
at the end of a 1.5 day inquiry:
The Ship of Inspiration
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We improve the world by getting in the boat with our clients. The
voyage begins with inspiration and one single step. The
possessions we bring are trust that the clients know what they
want, trust in the process, commitment, curiosity, resource, skills,
willingness to take risks. We ride the waves and use our intuition
to know when to take the helm, when to teach and when to let
others sail the boat. The purpose of the voyage is to discover
new oceans. The waves can be rough and the wind can take us
to places we never thought we would go. And the journey never
ends …
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Mission Statement

We in UNICEF share a common vision to serve the
children and women in Yemen and work within a
team that gives all members a sense of inclusion,
harmony, equality, appreciation, and motivation
because each of us leads by example. We are the
team which has the ability to make decisions for
positive and innovative change because we
practice constructive communication. We are
committed and work within the spirit of mutual
trust and accountability, and believe in responsible
and transparent leadership that can be gained by
respect, participation, equality, and
acknowledgement.
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Exercise: the Analysis
Read each text out loud:
1)
Listen for patterns, themes and categories that will emerge
from the data.
2)
List key ideas and concepts. Make notes on flipchart. After the
first read, go back and reread the marked sections. Give each
of them a one or two word description.
3)
Look for similarities and differences between the categories.
4)
Now share your findings with your group. Compare them.
5)
Create provocative statements, result statements, metaphors
or a drawing that focus on the meaning, underlying motivations
and spirit that bring people together around your theme.
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Annex
Summary sheet on appreciative inquiry
 Pre-Interview letter
 Analyzing qualitative data
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Summary Sheet

Appreciative Inquiry Summit
http://ai.cwru.edu
For More Information: Appreciative Inquiry Commons,
Purpose:
To accelerate positive change in organizations and communities by involving a broad range of
internal and external stakeholders in the change process in real time.
Outcomes:
• Energizes the organization by putting the focus on strengths and potentials (rather than
deficits and
deficiencies)
• Generates innovation by connecting people in new configurations around promising ideas
• Builds leadership at all levels by involving everyone in envisioning, designing, and
implementing change
When to Use:
• When you want to engage people, capitalize on their best thinking, and mobilize the entire
organization quickly around a strategic change agenda
When Not to Use:
• When leaders are not committed to full engagement, positive dialogue, and innovation
throughout the
organization
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Preparing the Pre-Interview Letter
Upbeat and thought provoking
 Provides the context.
 What will you do with the information.
 What will the interview focus on– the key
questions.
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Underlying Assumptions around
Appreciative Inquiry
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“In every society, organization, or 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 the organization 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 part of the past forward, they should be what is best
about the past.
The language we use creates our reality.”
Hammond, Sue Annis. “The Thin Book of Appreciative Inquiry”, pp.20-21.
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