Appreciative Inquiry: seeing our organisations as living systems
ARTICLE | Maret Staron, Manager TAFE NSW ICVET
Strength based approaches such as Appreciative Inquiry are having some amazing results in organisations. So I wanted to find out more. I enrolled in a six week online course with the founder of Appreciative Inquiry, David Cooperrider from Case Western Reserve University, USA. I’d like to share with you what I have learnt and how this has influenced my practice.
I first became familiar with Appreciative Inquiry (AI) during some research I was undertaking with my colleagues Marie Jasinski and Robby Weatherley. We were researching into “Designing Professional Development for the Knowledge Era” and two of our key findings were:
- strength based orientation to capability development is most effective for change, and that
- life based learning is the contemporary framework for capability development in vocational education and training (VET).
Now you might ask what does that have to do with Appreciative Inquiry(AI)? Well, AI was one of the ‘new’ strength based approaches to capability development that we were examining – that is, new to professional development in the Australian VET sector, not necessarily new to other sectors. We tested out appreciative questions during our research and the themes that we uncovered directly informed out findings.
Marie Jasinski undertook a case study in South Australia using a modified AI process. The purpose was to collaboratively develop an implementation strategy for a key result area of the TAFESA Adelaide North 2005-2006 Strategic Plan. Details of the case study are in the research companion document (page 19).
Since then, I have tested out a range of strength based approaches, applying the philosophy to workshops and meetings. I wanted to learn more about the experience of others so I jumped at the opportunity to enrol in the annual Appreciative Inquiry workshop with David Cooperrider. Over 90 people participated online from across the world. Each week David provided a live presentation for 1 ½ hours and we had numerous audio and presentations video, exercises to do and written comments to make online. A very rich online learning environment and one that has helped me better understand AI, its application and what it aims to achieve.
What is Appreciative Inquiry?
Broadly speaking, David Cooperrider sees Appreciative Inquiry (AI) as a systematic discovery of what gives life to a living system (ie. in our case an organisation) when it is most alive, effective and constructively capable. AI is the art and practice of asking questions, of asking the ‘unconditional positive question’.
The more positive the question, the longer lasting, more powerful and energised the change process.David Cooperrider, 2007 (Appreciative Inquiry course)
The underlying principle of AI is that organisations grow in the direction in which they inquire. David Cooperrider’s premise is that “inquiry is intervention”. Enquire into the negative, the gap and that is what you will achieve. In AI, the premise is that every organisation has a positive change core, so that if we can find it, understand it and grow it, we will be supporting growth and change in a positive, humanistic way. We grow what we inquire into.
AI does not ignore the problems in organisations. It simply shifts the mind set from which we tackle these issues. AI is a shift from problems to solutions.
Supporting whole of organisation change
Appreciative Inquiry can be particularly effective at supporting whole of organisation change. It provides a process that can work with large scale change in relatively short time frames. Traditionally, we are familiar with change processes that are designed and driven by a small group, with a communication strategy that takes a long time to filter though particularly large organisations. AI can fast track these processes and through the interview methodology, involve hundreds or even thousands of people within a matter of a couple of months.
I found David Cooperrider’s views of organisations inspirational. He does not see organisations as problems to be solved, but as living systems alive with infinite possibilities, as centres of relatedness with multiple webs of relationships. David talks about the ‘spirit of inquiry’. I really liked this as he shifted my focus from problem solving to being a ‘student of life’. To remembering the wonder and awe that we can have about life, relationships and the surprises that can take place, the change that can happen unexpectedly. It’s easy to become cynical at work and for me, AI helped me re-focus on the positive, the possible and the mystery that surrounds us, our organisations and our everyday life.
Topic selection - the heart of Appreciative Inquiry
Topic selection is critical. It’s the foundation of the whole AI process. We need to select a positive affirmative topic(s) and it should be “ bold enough to stretch the organisation to focus on something it really wants to see happen and that has the potential to energise people, mobilise forces, and be strategic” (page 65, Life Based Learning Research Report).
David Cooperrider gave us an example using lack of motivation in an organisation, and he asked whether we would rather do a survey into low morale? or magnify and learn from moments of highest engagement and enthusiasm? I know where I would rather spend my energy and time.
I really liked two quotes:
From Kenneth Boulding: … it is the image that determines the behaviour of any organisation. The image acts as a field and the behaviour consist on gravitating toward the most highly valued part of the world.
From Albert Einstein: Imagination is more important than knowledge.
Significant time therefore needs to be invested into ‘imagining the topic of inquiry. I understood the theory, but what about putting it into practice? Very challenging and time consuming, not at all as easy as I thought it would be. Yet my experience shows that an affirmative topic can make a difference. Topics are task focused, not ‘feel good’ explorations. The focus is on involving all stakeholders in critical issues, such as strategic planning, diversity management or customer service.
The 4-D Cycle of Appreciative Inquiry
Phases of Appreciative Inquiry adapted from The Power of Appreciative Inquiry ( Whitney and Trosten-Bloom, 2003 )
(reproduced from the Life Based Learning Research Report page 66)
The phases of Appreciative Inquiry are:
- Discovering - is what gives life to an organisation and acknowledging the best of what is now.The discovery phase involves a data collection and narrative exploration. It begins the process of revealing the positive and successful experiences of the individual and the collective. Through carefully developed interview questions based on the affirmative topic, the focus is to explore and enliven the stories that are shared through interviewing the defined group within the organisation.
- Dreaming - of what might be to create a clear results-oriented vision for the future. Participating groups discuss their individual visions of the ideal organisation and describe what would be happening some years into the future. From this discussion, the group’s collective vision is developed. The strategic focus becomes articulated as a vision of a better organisational world and a compelling statement of strategic intent.
- Designing - what should be by collaboratively co-creating action plans. Provocative propositions are developed as bold statements of the organisation of the future as if it has already happened. Implementation plans are then developed by small working parties. To ensure comprehensiveness, the design phase can focus on specifics like leadership, strategy, culture, business practices, capabilities, professional development and systems.
- Delivering (or destiny) - the results through implementation and review. At an organisational level, if the AI process of positive transformation is supported through
empowering employees to connect, co-operate and co-create, the results will continue to surface in new, innovate, and bold ways (Cooperrider, 2002).
AI is a whole-of-organisation, strength based process and a wide range of stakeholders participate in the process which can last from a few days to several months. … It involves all stakeholders in taking responsibility for personal and organisational change. (Life Based Learning Research Report, pages 65 – 66),
Practical application of Appreciative Inquiry
Having identified the key strategic issue, the first practical step is to select up to three topics that address the issue. This is the most important part of the process and it will take some time to get the wording right. Decisions need to then be made about how to proceed with one-on-one interviews during the discovery phase, and how the interview data is recorded, synthesised and shared across the whole organisation. The data then informs the dream, design and destiny phases through which new questions are asked and people’s vision, design and commitment to new actions and possibilities occurs.
David Cooperrider believes from his experience, that the most effective whole of system change occurs face to face and that the power is in the conversation. That’s not to say that people can’t be involved online and David has certainly used this method. However, he does emphasise the importance of face to face for whole system change.
As mentioned above, at the heart of AI are the affirmative questions. These are the catalysts for change. The process of asking questions is part and parcel of change – change does not follow this process, it is part of it. “Our questions set the stage for what we find” (David Cooperrider, 2007). Imagine having all stakeholders interviewing each other and addressing questions such as:
- if you could keep three things in this organisation that gives life to it – even as we move into new and changing times – what are those three strengths that you would most want us to keep or build on
- share your best example of something we did in our organisation that became a source of innovation and success for us, rather than simply an added cost
- what is it that our clients are asking us to become
- what is the smallest change that could have the biggest impact in this organisation?
The data that is collected from such interviews provides the themes and vision for a new and energised future in the organisation. This is the basis for identifying where the energy is, increasing engagement within the organisation and designing and implementing new actions and processes.
As we know, our organisations are perfectly designed to get the results we are currently getting. AI can help change this. However, we need to be aware that Appreciative Inquiry is always there. It is happening now, every day in our organisations. How can we tap into it, recognise it, expand it and grow it in new areas? Our inquiry process is critical to change, growth and well being within organisations. A key learning for me has been that we need to be careful with what we champion and inquire into.
I haven’t been able to do justice to the wealth of research and resources available on Appreciative Inquiry. I encourage you all to further explore the possibilities.
"We create our organisations based on our anticipations of the future. The image of the future guides the current behaviour of any system." David Cooperrider, 2007 (Appreciative Inquiry course)
References
Cooperrider, D.L. and Whitney, D. (2002) Appreciative Inquiry: The Handbook. Euclid Ohio: Lakeshore Publishers
Cooperrider, D.L. (1996) Resources for getting Appreciative Inquiry started: An example OD proposal. Organization Development Practitioner. (retrieved 15/03/06)
Elliott, C. (1999) Locating the Energy for Change; an introduction to Appreciative Inquiry. Canada: Institute for Sustainable Development
Hammond , S.A. (1998) The Thin Book of Appreciative Inquiry. Llano: Thin Book Publishing Company
Whitney, D. and Trosten-Bloom, A. (2003) The Power of Appreciative Inquiry: A Practical Guide to Positive Change. Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc.
Life based learning: a strength based approach to capability development in vocational and technical education
Final report on the national research project Designing Professional Development for the Knowledge Era conducted by TAFE NSW ICVET with Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST).
STARON, Maret, Jasinski, Marie & Weatherley, R 2006, A Business Approach to Capability Development: Considerations and suggestions for applying Life Based learning in the Workplace, TAFE NSW ICVET with Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST)
This is a companion document to the research report above that will assist individuals, teams or organisations to apply the life based learning model.