Appreciative inquiry in a nutshell | Sarah Lewis

Summary

Appreciative Inquiry is a people-centric organizational change methodology developed by David Cooperrider. It emphasizes the importance of human relationships and celebrates the diversity, emotions, and experiences of individuals. Based on social constructionism, it posits that our interactions and conversations shape the social world we live in. This approach is particularly beneficial as it motivates people by involving them from the start, allowing them to co-create ideas and envision a future that they are excited to be part of. Unlike traditional change methodologies that push people through change, Appreciative Inquiry focuses on pulling them through by creating attractive images of the future that resonate with their aspirations.

Takeaways

• 🌟 Appreciative Inquiry (AI) is a methodology for organizational change that emphasizes human relationships and celebrates people's diversity and experiences.
• 💡 AI was developed by David Cooperrider in the United States and is a flexible approach that puts people at the center of change processes.
• 🧠 It is based on a psychological understanding of people and their interactions, drawing from social constructionism, which suggests that our social world is created through our interactions and conversations.
• 🗣️ AI focuses on how we talk to each other and the possibilities we create in conversation, which are key to sustaining or changing organizational patterns.
• 👥 AI is inclusive, allowing everyone to feel part of the change and to co-create ideas for the transformation.
• 🚀 It is highly motivating as it involves people from the beginning, celebrating current successes and resources, and envisioning the future together.
• 🌈 AI helps individuals develop attractive images of the future that can inspire and guide them through the change process.
• 🔄 Unlike many change methodologies that push people through change, AI aims to pull people through by engaging them in a positive and participative manner.
• 💭 The approach starts with understanding people, conversation, and relationships, making it accessible and relatable for everyone involved.
• 🤝 AI recognizes the human element as a non-problematic aspect, contrasting with other methodologies that may view human variability as an issue.
• 📈 It benefits organizations by fostering a sense of collective ownership and motivation among employees, which can lead to more successful and sustainable change.
• 🌱 AI encourages the celebration of what's going well and uses this as a foundation for envisioning and creating a positive future state for the organization.

Q & A

What is appreciative inquiry?

Appreciative inquiry is an organizational change methodology that focuses on the human elements within an organization, celebrating the diversity, emotions, and relationships of people, and is centered on positive interactions and conversations to drive change.

Who devised the appreciative inquiry methodology?

David Cooperrider in the United States developed the appreciative inquiry methodology.

How does appreciative inquiry differ from other change methodologies?

Appreciative inquiry differs from other methodologies by focusing on the positive aspects of human potential and interaction, rather than viewing human elements as problematic.

What is the psychological understanding that appreciative inquiry is based on?

Appreciative inquiry is based on a psychological understanding of how people interact in groups and how these interactions create the social world they operate in.

What is social constructionism?

Social constructionism is a philosophy that suggests the social world is created through our interactions and conversations, shaping our reality and the possibilities within it.

Why is appreciative inquiry considered powerful for organizational change?

Appreciative inquiry is powerful because it leverages accessible elements like conversation and relationship, allowing everyone to be part of the change process and enabling a collective vision for the future.

What are some benefits of using appreciative inquiry for organizational change?

Benefits include a focus on people, allowing everyone to feel part of the change, high motivation through early involvement, celebrating current successes, and creating an attractive image of the future that guides individuals through change.

How does appreciative inquiry motivate individuals?

It motivates individuals by involving them from the beginning in discovering the organization's best aspects, celebrating successes, and co-creating ideas for change, which fosters a sense of ownership and engagement.

How does appreciative inquiry help create a vision for the future?

Appreciative inquiry helps create a vision for the future by encouraging individuals to imagine and articulate what the future could look like in the context of change, and their role within it.

What is the key difference between appreciative inquiry and most change methodologies?

The key difference is that while most methodologies push people through change, appreciative inquiry focuses on pulling people through change by engaging them in a positive and participatory process.

Why is it important for everyone to feel part of the change process in appreciative inquiry?

It's important because it ensures that all members of the organization feel valued and included, which can lead to greater cooperation, commitment, and ultimately, a more successful change process.

How does appreciative inquiry help sustain or change organizational patterns?

It does so by focusing on the conversations and relationships within the organization, which are key to shaping and reinforcing current patterns or initiating new ones.