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Home / Appreciating Appreciative InquiryAppreciating Appreciative Inquiry
Cooperrider, David
Zimmerman, Brenda
Appreciative Inquiry (AI) offers an alternative to the problem solving approach that dominates most organizations today. AI focuses on what is already working within an organization and why it works in order to build from strengths that exist but may be hidden from view.
The famous management writer, Peter Drucker, argued that the task of leadership is to create an alignment of strengths, thus making weaknesses irrelevant. David has argued that organizations grow toward what they persistently ask questions about. In this session, you will ask questions to reveal the positive core within your organization.
The objectives of this session are to:
- Differentiate between problem solving and appreciative inquiry.
- Learn how to ask appreciative questions.
- Appreciate how the strength and potential of your organization can flow from your personal stories and imaginations.
Here's How it Works
Each CoachingOurselves topic is used by a team of 4-6 managers to guide a 90 minute discussion. Working through the topic one page at a time, the team reflects on their own experiences guided by the content, questions and exercises. There is no pre-work and no laptops, and the meetings are held anywhere managers normally hold work meetings.
"Experience is not enough. People may learn little from their experience unless they have a means for classifying and analyzing it" - Saul Alinsky
The management team begins by using a first topic with the support of a facilitator. They continue with or without the facilitator for the next 4-6 topics, bi-weekly or monthly, followed by a questionnaire to evaluate results and integrate learning. CoachingOurselves is used standalone, or included in broader initiatives to implement balanced 70-20-10 management learning programs.