Appreciative inquiry (AI) is a model that seeks to engage stakeholders in self-determined change. It was developed at Case Western Reserve University’s department of organizational behavior, starting with a 1987 article by David Cooperrider and Suresh Srivastva. They felt that the overuse of “problem solving” hampered any kind of social improvement, and what was needed were new methods of inquiry that would help generate new ideas and models for how to organize.
Appreciative Inquiry (AI) is a strengths-based, positive approach to leadership development and organizational change.
Appreciative Inquiry (AI) is a collaborative, strengths-based approach to change in organizations and other human systems. The term ‘Appreciative Inquiry’ is thus used to refer to both:
The AI paradigm – in itself, this relates to the principles and theory behind a strengths-based change approach; and AI methodology and initiatives – which are the specific techniques and operational steps that are used to bring about positive change in a system.
Individual and Appreciative Inquiry
An individual might use Appreciative Inquiry for leadership coaching or to develop a personal strategic vision. Teams and organizations use AI to understand best practices, develop strategic plans, shift culture, and create forward momentum on large-scale initiatives. At the societal level, Appreciative Inquiry has been used to find common ground around topics of global importance, to shape the direction of non-profits and NGOs, and to form multi-national initiatives that spans geography and industries.
Appreciative Inquiry process
Whether you’re using Appreciative Inquiry one-on-one, or with 1,000 people, the AI process will follow four distinct phases, called the 4-D Cycle:
- Discovery: participants explore “the best of what is,” identifying the organization’s strengths, best practices, and sources of excellence, vitality, and peak performance.
- Dream: participants envision a future they really want – a future where the organization is fully engaged and successful around its core purpose and strategic objectives.
- Design: participants leverage the best of what is and their visions for the future to design high-impact strategies that move the organization creatively and decisively in the right direction.
- Destiny (sometimes also called Deploy): participants put the strategies into action, revising as necessary.
Example
Imagine you’re a manufacturing company that wants to develop your capacity for innovation in order to expand research and development, and earn more market share. In this example, your strategic focus (also called the affirmative topic) would be improving innovation.
In the Discovery phase, you’d find examples of when your company has been at its best around innovation, and then identify the common factors in these stories.
Next, in the Dream phase, you’d invest time in thinking about what a truly innovative organization would look like: How would leaders, resources, behaviors, the physical space, organizational processes, etc., change? You’d work to create a vision of the future that is invigorating and inspiring, something you truly want.
Once your vision for the future is clear, the next phase will ask you to Design the future. What steps are needed today, to reach that vision? In the design phase, you get as strategic and tactical as possible, creating models and prototypes of different elements of your future, mapping steps, identifying required resources, and engaging the support of others.
Finally, in the Destiny phase your team will work to implement your design, to make the vision a reality.
