Appreciative Inquiry in Human Services

TheCQL

18 Jan 202204:14

Summary

TLDRAppreciative Inquiry is a transformative process that focuses on an organization's strengths rather than deficiencies, aiming to enact positive change. Originating outside of human services, it has been adapted to inspire and guide organizations through the '5-D Cycle': Define, Discover, Dream, Design, and Deliver. By focusing on what's working, celebrating successes, and fostering a collaborative environment, Appreciative Inquiry encourages a can-do attitude, values mistakes as learning opportunities, and promotes creativity. It emphasizes the importance of positive questioning and building on past successes to achieve outcomes beyond expectations.

Takeaways

🌟 Appreciative Inquiry is a positive approach to change that emphasizes strengths rather than weaknesses.
🌱 It was developed for use across many industries, with a transformative potential in human services.
🔍 The process rejects a focus on deficiencies and instead seeks to amplify an organization's strengths.
📈 The human services field traditionally focuses on compliance and deficits, but Appreciative Inquiry shifts this perspective.
🔑 The '5-D Cycle' (Define, Discover, Dream, Design, Deliver) is a structured approach to guide organizations through the Appreciative Inquiry process.
🤔 Define the topic of inquiry to set the scope for the Appreciative Inquiry.
🌈 Discover the best aspects of what currently exists within the organization.
💭 Dream about what could be possible based on the organization's strengths.
🛠️ Design a plan that determines how to achieve the envisioned future.
🚀 Deliver by creating and implementing the plan to realize the desired future state.
🔦 Make it a habit to closely examine what is working well in the organization.
🌱 Identify and adopt good ideas, and search for the root causes of successes.
🗣️ Involve all relevant stakeholders in the conversation, including self-advocates.
🤝 Emphasize collaboration, learning from each other, and co-creating solutions.
🎉 Be a strength-spotter, share, and celebrate positive observations.
💡 Maintain a positive ratio of feedback, sharing five positives for every negative.
🧠 Develop a mindset of imagination, experimentation, optimism, and a proactive attitude.
🤷‍♂️ Value mistakes as learning opportunities rather than failures.
🙌 Ask positive questions that focus on learning and improvement, not blame.
💬 Encourage open conversation and discussion rather than confrontational interrogation.
👍 Shift from a negative 'no, but' to a positive 'yes, and' approach in dialogues.
🏆 Remind the team of past successes to build on for future challenges.
🔄 Reflect on what led to past successes and how those strategies can be replicated.
🌉 By focusing on the positive, you can inspire collaboration, enhance creativity, and achieve extraordinary outcomes.

Q & A

What is the fundamental principle behind Appreciative Inquiry?
-Appreciative Inquiry is a transformational process that focuses on identifying and amplifying an organization's strengths rather than focusing on its weaknesses. It is about enacting positive change by leveraging what is already working well.
How does Appreciative Inquiry differ from traditional deficit-based models?
-Traditional deficit-based models are centered on compliance, evaluations, and assessments, often emphasizing shortcomings. In contrast, Appreciative Inquiry rejects this approach and instead concentrates on the organization's strengths to inspire and drive positive change.
What are the five stages of the Appreciative Inquiry '5-D Cycle'?
-The '5-D Cycle' consists of: Define, where the topic of inquiry is established; Discover, appreciating the best of what currently exists; Dream, envisioning what could be; Design, determining what should be; and Deliver, creating what will be.
Why is focusing on what is working considered important in the Appreciative Inquiry approach?
-Focusing on what is working allows organizations to identify and build upon their strengths. This approach fosters a positive environment that encourages collaboration, creativity, and innovation, leading to more effective and sustainable solutions.
How can organizations ensure they are including all relevant voices in their Appreciative Inquiry?
-Organizations should consider involving all stakeholders, including self-advocates, in their conversations. The phrase 'nothing about us, without us' emphasizes the importance of including those directly affected by the decisions being made.
What role does celebrating success play in the Appreciative Inquiry process?
-Celebrating success is crucial as it reinforces the positive aspects of the organization and encourages a culture of recognition and appreciation. It also helps to motivate and inspire individuals to continue contributing to the organization's growth and development.
How can an organization develop a positive mindset through Appreciative Inquiry?
-Organizations can develop a positive mindset by focusing on five positives for every negative, valuing mistakes as learning opportunities, asking positive questions, and adopting a can-do attitude that emphasizes optimism and experimentation.
What is the significance of asking 'what did we learn from this?' instead of 'what did we do wrong?'
-Asking 'what did we learn from this?' shifts the focus from blame to learning and growth. This question encourages reflection and improvement, fostering a culture where mistakes are seen as opportunities for development rather than failures.
How does the 'yes, and' approach contribute to the Appreciative Inquiry process?
-The 'yes, and' approach promotes a collaborative and affirmative dialogue. It encourages building upon ideas and contributions from others, which can lead to more innovative and comprehensive solutions.
What are some tips for organizations to make the most out of the Appreciative Inquiry approach?
-Tips include making a habit of looking closely at what is working, finding and adopting good ideas, searching for the root cause of successes, collaborating and co-creating, being a strength-spotter, and learning to ask positive questions.
How can Appreciative Inquiry help organizations face challenges?
-Appreciative Inquiry can help organizations face challenges by reminding them of past successes, encouraging them to think about what made them successful, and focusing on the positive aspects that can inspire collaboration and boost creativity.
Why is it important to consider who should be part of the conversation in an Appreciative Inquiry?
-Including the right people in the conversation ensures that diverse perspectives and experiences are taken into account. This inclusivity leads to more comprehensive and effective solutions that are more likely to resonate with all stakeholders.

Outlines

00:00

🌟 Appreciative Inquiry in Human Services

Appreciative Inquiry is a transformative process that focuses on positive change by emphasizing an organization's strengths rather than its weaknesses. Originating outside of human services, it has the potential to be particularly transformative for organizations that have traditionally been compliance and deficit-based. The 5-D Cycle (Define, Discover, Dream, Design, Deliver) is a structured approach to guide organizations through the process. Tips for implementing this approach include focusing on what's working, learning from successes, involving key stakeholders, and fostering a positive and collaborative environment. By concentrating on the positive, organizations can inspire collaboration, enhance creativity, and achieve outcomes beyond expectations.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Appreciative Inquiry

Appreciative Inquiry is a positive organizational development process that focuses on discovering and enhancing what is working well within an organization. It is a transformational process that rejects a problem-focused approach and instead seeks to build on strengths. In the script, it is described as a method to enact positive change and is central to the theme of the video, which is about inspiring and guiding organizations towards success by focusing on their strengths.

💡Transformational process

A transformational process refers to a method or approach that leads to significant change or improvement. In the context of the video, Appreciative Inquiry is presented as a transformational process that can enact positive change within organizations. It is closely tied to the theme of the video, which is about using a strengths-based approach to achieve organizational transformation.

💡5-D Cycle

The 5-D Cycle is a step-by-step framework created by the originators of Appreciative Inquiry to guide organizations through the process of positive change. It includes the stages: Define, Discover, Dream, Design, and Deliver. Each stage represents a phase in the process of inquiry and is integral to the video's message of how organizations can use Appreciative Inquiry to foster growth and improvement.

💡Strengths-based approach

A strengths-based approach is a method that emphasizes identifying and building upon the existing strengths and capabilities of an individual or organization. In the video, this approach is contrasted with a deficiency-driven outlook, and it is shown as a more effective way to inspire and achieve success. The script highlights the importance of focusing on what is working well and using those strengths to improve areas of opportunity.

💡Human services

Human services refer to a broad category of professions that aim to enhance the well-being of individuals and communities. The video discusses how the human services field has traditionally been rooted in compliance and deficit-based models, which the script suggests can be limiting. The main theme of the video is about how Appreciative Inquiry can be transformative for organizations within this field by shifting the focus to their strengths.

💡Compliance and deficit-based models

Compliance and deficit-based models are traditional approaches in human services that focus on meeting regulatory requirements and identifying shortcomings. The script criticizes these models for often giving more attention to an organization's weaknesses rather than its successes. This concept is important as it sets the stage for the introduction of Appreciative Inquiry as an alternative, more positive approach.

💡Self-advocates

Self-advocates are individuals who speak up for their own rights and needs, often within the context of disability rights or other advocacy movements. The script mentions self-advocates in the context of including them in conversations about human services, emphasizing the importance of their participation with the phrase 'nothing about us, without us.' This highlights the video's theme of collaboration and inclusivity in the process of organizational improvement.

💡Co-creation

Co-creation is the collaborative process of creating something new together, often involving stakeholders who have a shared interest in the outcome. In the script, co-creation is encouraged as a method for organizations to learn from each other and work together to improve. It is an essential part of the Appreciative Inquiry process, as it fosters a sense of shared ownership and commitment to positive change.

💡Strength-spotting

Strength-spotting is the practice of identifying and acknowledging the strengths and positive aspects within an organization or individual. The video encourages being a 'strength-spotter' and celebrating these strengths when they are observed. This concept is directly related to the theme of the video, which is about focusing on the positive to inspire and drive organizational success.

💡Positive questions

Positive questions are inquiries that are framed in a constructive and optimistic manner, aiming to elicit solutions and insights rather than dwelling on problems. The script suggests that instead of asking 'what did we do wrong?', one should ask 'what did we learn from this?'. This approach is part of the broader theme of the video, which is about using a positive and solution-focused mindset to drive change and improvement.

💡Mistakes as learning opportunities

The concept of viewing mistakes as learning opportunities is a key part of the Appreciative Inquiry approach. The script encourages valuing mistakes and learning from them, which is a shift from a traditional perspective that might focus on blame or failure. This idea is closely tied to the video's theme of fostering a positive and growth-oriented culture within organizations.

💡Can-do attitude

A can-do attitude is a positive and proactive mindset that embraces challenges and seeks solutions rather than focusing on obstacles. The video script encourages developing a can-do attitude as part of the Appreciative Inquiry process. This attitude is essential for the video's theme of inspiring collaboration, boosting creativity, and achieving outcomes that may have seemed impossible.

Highlights

Appreciative Inquiry is a transformational process for positive change.

It is used across industries and originated outside of human services.

The process avoids a deficiency-driven outlook, focusing instead on an organization's strengths.

Human services have traditionally been rooted in compliance and deficit-based models.

Appreciative Inquiry can be transformative by shifting focus from shortcomings to successes.

The 5-D Cycle (Define, Discover, Dream, Design, Deliver) guides users through the Appreciative Inquiry process.

Organizations are encouraged to habitually examine what is working well.

Identifying and adopting good ideas is a key strategy.

The root cause of successes should be sought out and understood.

Inclusivity is important; self-advocates emphasize 'nothing about us without us'.

Collaboration, learning from each other, and co-creation are encouraged.

Strength-spotting and celebrating successes are crucial behaviors.

Aim for a ratio of five positives for every one negative.

Develop a positive mindset with imagination, experimentation, optimism, and a can-do attitude.

Mistakes are valued as learning opportunities.

Ask positive questions to foster growth and understanding.

Converse and discuss rather than interrogate.

Shift from a 'no, but' mentality to a 'yes, and' approach.

Appreciative Inquiry can inspire collaboration, boost creativity, and lead to unexpected outcomes.