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David Cooperrider and Suresh Srivstva developed Appreciative Inquiry (often known as AI) in the 1980s as a variation of action research. This theory “contends that organizations do not present a problem to be solved but a miracle to be embraced (French & Bell, 1999, p. 139).
An organization which looks for problems will keep finding them, and an organization which appreciates what is best in itself will discover more and more that is good. From these discoveries it can build a new future where the best becomes more common.
AI uses the same kinds of skills as coaching. As Jeffrey Auerbach said, “with AI we ask, what’s going really well around here and what’s the dream of how you want it to be? And let’s collect best stories of how we’re really at our best and then let’s create more of that.
AI uses a particular way of asking questions and envisioning the future that fosters positive relationships and goodness in a person, a situation or an organization – which enhances a system’s capacity for collaboration and change. AI’s four process cycle consists of: discover, dream, design and destiny (or deliver).
Bottom-line, AI is about building on what works rather than trying to fix what doesn’t.
How do you use AI in your coaching?
Vikki Brock, Ph.D., MCC
Director, Division of History and Archives
The Coaching Commons
There are 7 Responses so far...
Vicki,
We developed a Transformational Leader 6 month coaching program that includes a module titled Leading with Appreciative Inquiry. It includes practical suggestions to incorporate AI into day-to-day organizational life, such as starting regular staff meetings with an AI story from the past week solicited from the group. It always sets a great tone for a meeting.
Tom Rausch
Help for organizations committed to sustainable success:
http://www.leadershipbeyondlimits.com
Hi Vicki!
I have built my business to help individuals and organizations identify and deliver the stories which illustrate who they are when at their very best. We focus on the power of story, so integral to successful AI results.
Thanks for the great reminder of the power of AI.
Cheers!
Robert
http://www.apexdn.com
As I see it, the AI methodology is particularly a great way to complement group/team coaching, and perhaps also individual coaching?
I am experimenting with a hybrid version of using AI with borrowed ideas from Clean Language (metaphoric + language patterns) and Integral Coaching (metaphoric), though is still on the learning journey to integrating these processes in individual & group/team coaching. Any other recommendations on the ‘integrating processes’?
Anyone would like to share or point me to ‘resources’ of the ‘integrating processes’ where AI is the ‘center piece’ and incorporating other methodologies to further enhance the impact of coaching?
Meta-cheerio.
Billy C H Teoh
Malaysia.
Hi Vicki!
I believe that IA is the best way to implement a Coaching system in an organization.
Here in this link you can see what I think. Is a presentation on the Spanish (Catalonia) Psycological Association.
http://www.copc.org/images/isabel/seccions/treball/maitesanchezmora.PDF
Thanks for the great reminder of the power of AI.
Maite Sanchez-Mora
Appreciative Inquiry informs all my coaching and consulting. I use a variation of the approach outlined in Orem, Binkert and Clancy’s (2007) Appreciative Coaching: A Positive Process for Change with both executive and personal coaching clients. It simply makes good sense to me to begin from a positive stance if we are going to help clients grow. With Loretta Donovan, I’ve also been exploring how Appreciative Inquiry and Transformative Learning work together to create lasting change. We see coaching as crucial to the ongoing success of AI Summits. The link below is to an article we’ve written about this. A similar article, emphasizing the role of coaching, subsequently appeared in the International Journal of Coaching in Organizations.
http://www.aiconsulting.org/articles/Transformative_Learning_+_Appreciative_Inquiry.pdf
Maite, any chance of an English version on the presentation at the Spanish Psychological Association?
Susan, thanks for the insight into the construct of Appreciative Transformative Learning. Definitely great stuff.
Isn’t it great? There are so many possibilities of ‘integrating’ coaching with/into other ‘constructs’. Wondering, to what extent would the ‘integration’ process with other ‘constructs’ add-value or de-value coaching?
Meta-cheerio.
Billy C H Teoh
Malaysia.
Thanks to all of you for sharing your wisdom, resources, and the ways in which Appreciative Inquiry informs your coaching. I am one of those individuals who was using the technique of Appreciative Inquiry before I had been formally introduced to it.
In the early 1990s a colleague suggested that we look for what is right in a situation rather than what was wrong with it. Having been an AA member for many years, I likened it to the gratitude list my sponsor had suggested I make so I would appreciate all the gifts in my life.
Vikki G. Brock, Ph.D., MCC
Director, History and Archive Division
The Coaching Commons