We are no longer surprised when clients ask, “Appreciative what?

1

CHAPTER 1

What Is Appreciative Inquiry?

We are no longer surprised when clients ask, “Appreciative what?

What do you mean by Appreciative Inquiry?” After all, the words

are a somewhat unusual, if not paradoxical, addition to a business

vocabulary that revolves around strategy, structure, problems,

and profi ts. After learning more about the power and potential of

Appreciative Inquiry, however, our clients declare, “We want to

do Appreciative Inquiry, but we will defi nitely have to call it some-

thing diff erent for it to catch on in our organization.”

Appreciative Inquiry is the study of what gives life to human

systems when they function at their best. Th is approach to personal

change and organization change is based on the assumption that

questions and dialogue about strengths, successes, values, hopes,

and dreams are themselves transformational. In short, Appreciative

Inquiry suggests that human organizing and change at its best is a

relational process of inquiry, grounded in affi rmation and apprecia-

tion. Th e following beliefs about human nature and human organiz-

ing are the foundation of Appreciative Inquiry:

• People individually and collectively have unique gifts, skills,
and contributions to bring to life.

1

C
o
p
y
r
i
g
h
t

2
0
1
0
.

B
e
r
r
e
t
t
–
K
o
e
h
l
e
r

P
u
b
l
i
s
h
e
r
s
.

A
l
l

r
i
g
h
t
s

r
e
s
e
r
v
e
d
.

M
a
y

n
o
t

b
e

r
e
p
r
o
d
u
c
e
d

i
n

a
n
y

f
o
r
m

w
i
t
h
o
u
t

p
e
r
m
i
s
s
i
o
n

f
r
o
m

t
h
e

p
u
b
l
i
s
h
e
r
,

e
x
c
e
p
t

f
a
i
r

u
s
e
s

p
e
r
m
i
t
t
e
d

u
n
d
e
r

U
.
S
.

o
r

a
p
p
l
i
c
a
b
l
e

c
o
p
y
r
i
g
h
t

l
a
w
.

EBSCO Publishing : eBook Collection (EBSCOhost) – printed on 5/29/2021 7:27 AM via TRIDENT UNIVERSITY
AN: 317100 ; Diana D. Whitney, Amanda Trosten-Bloom.; The Power of Appreciative Inquiry : A Practical Guide to Positive Change
Account: s3642728.main.ehost

2

2 • The Power of Appreciative Inquiry

• Organizations are human social systems, sources of unlimited
relational capacity, created and lived in language.

• Th e images we hold of the future are socially created and, once
articulated, serve to guide individual and collective actions.

• Th rough human communication—inquiry and dialogue—
people can shift their attention and action away from problem

analysis to lift up worthy ideals and productive possibilities for

the future.

Words create worlds, and the words Appreciative Inquiry are no

exception. Clients have named their Appreciative Inquiry initiatives

Th e Zealots Program, Th e Power of Two, Value-Inspired People,

and in the case of Hunter Douglas, Focus 2000. In each case the

company brand has endured—along with the words Appreciative

Inquiry. As people understand more about the principles of Appre-

ciative Inquiry and begin to experiment with its practices, they real-

ize how radically positive and subtly diff erent it is from business as

usual. To fully describe and understand Appreciative Inquiry, con-

sider the meaning of each of the two words.

Appreciation: Recognition and Value Added

Appreciation has to do with recognition, valuing, and gratitude. Th e

word appreciate is a verb that carries a double meaning, referring to

both the act of recognition and the act of enhancing value. Consider

these defi nitions:

1. To recognize the best in people and the world around us.

2. To perceive those things which give life, health, vitality, and

excellence to living human systems.

3. To affi rm past and present strengths, successes, assets, and

potentials.

4. To increase in value, as in “the investment has appreciated in

value.”

EBSCOhost – printed on 5/29/2021 7:27 AM via TRIDENT UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use

3

Chapter 1 • What Is Appreciative Inquiry? • 3

Indeed, organizations, businesses, and communities can benefi t

from greater appreciation. Around the globe, people hunger for rec-

ognition. Th ey want to work from their strengths on tasks they fi nd

valuable. Executives and managers long to lead from their values.

Th ey seek ways to integrate their greatest passions into their daily

work. And organizations strive regularly to enhance their value to

shareholders, employees, and the world. But Appreciative Inquiry

is about more than appreciation, recognition, and value enhance-

ment. It is also about inquiry.

Inquiry: Exploration and Discovery

Inquiry refers to the acts of exploration and discovery. Th e spirit of

inquiry is the spirit of learning. It implies a quest for new possibili-

ties, being in a state of unknowing, wonder, and willingness to learn.

It implies an openness to change. Th e verb inquire means:

1. To ask questions.

2. To study.

3. To search, explore, delve into, or investigate.

Inquiry is a learning process for organizations as well as for indi-

viduals. Seldom do we search, explore, or study what we already know

with certainty. We ask questions about areas unfamiliar to us. Th e act of

inquiry requires sincere curiosity and openness to new possibilities, new

directions, and new understanding. We cannot “have all the answers,”

“know what is right,” or “be certain” when we engage in inquiry.

To continue to succeed, organizations need more inquiry. Th ey

need less command and control by a few and more exploration of

possibilities among many. Th ey need less certainty in their usual

plans and strategies and a greater capacity to sense and adapt quick-

ly as their world changes. Th ey need leaders who can acknowledge

what they don’t know and who will enthusiastically ask provocative

and inspiring questions.

For Appreciative Inquiry to be eff ective, however, not just any

questions will do. Questions must be affi rmative, focused on topics

EBSCOhost – printed on 5/29/2021 7:27 AM via TRIDENT UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use

4

4 • The Power of Appreciative Inquiry

valuable to the people involved, and directed at topics, concerns,

and issues central to the success of the organization. When appre-

ciation sets the direction for inquiry, the power of Appreciative

Inquiry is released.

The Catalytic Eff ect of Appreciative Inquiry

Like the elements hydrogen and oxygen—which combine to make

water, the most nurturing substance on earth—appreciation and

inquiry combine to produce a vital, powerful, and catalytic eff ect

on leadership and organization change. By tapping into accounts

of organizations that are functioning at their best, Appreciative

Inquiry unleashes information and commitment that together cre-

ate energy for positive change.

Hierarchies all too often exclude those people most signifi –

cantly impacted. Appreciative Inquiry turns those hierarchies into

knowledge-rich, relationally inclusive, self-organizing enterpris-

es. Th is change is powerfully illustrated by British Airways. After

September 11, 2002, most airlines needed to cut costs and reduce

headcount as demand for air travel declined drastically. British Air-

ways Customer Service in North America was no exception. How-

ever, their prior experience using Appreciative Inquiry led them to

involve people in determining how best to reduce the workforce.

People explored one another’s career hopes and dreams, suggested

options, and volunteered for sabbaticals, job sharing, and part-time

positions. Appreciative Inquiry created a context for people to be

included and heard throughout the diffi cult and challenging time.

Appreciative Inquiry turns command-and-control cultures

into communities of discovery and cooperation. For example, a year

into our work with one long-term client, we asked an employee to

tell what had happened. Th is is what he said:

Before Appreciative Inquiry if the R&D group wanted to run a pro-

totype on my machine, they would go to my supervisor, who would

review the schedule and tell me when to do it. Now, they come to me

directly and together we work out the best time to do it.

EBSCOhost – printed on 5/29/2021 7:27 AM via TRIDENT UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use

5

Chapter 1 • What Is Appreciative Inquiry? • 5

Th is organization moved beyond authoritarian styles of manage-

ment, liberating people to create together what they knew was best

for their customers, the business, and themselves.

When we began working with GTE, an organization that had

earlier laid off thousands of employees, morale was at an all-time

low. Conversations at all levels in the organization were about “ain’t

it awful,” “what’s wrong around here,” and “why it won’t get any bet-

ter.” We created a process that invited employees to use Appreciative

Inquiry to make the organization a better place to work—and they did.

Th ousands of employees were trained in the Foundations of Appre-

ciative Inquiry, Front-Line Leadership Using Appreciative Inquiry,

and Appreciative Union-Management Relations. After their training,

front-line employees at GTE self-organized a wide range of initiatives,

including changes in customer satisfaction surveys, studies of call cen-

ter best practices, and appreciative processes for employee recruit-

ment, orientation, and retention. After the many organic changes that

took place, GTE won the American Society for Training and Develop-

ment Excellence in Practice Award (Managing Change) in 1997.

Finally, Appreciative Inquiry renews leaders as well as organiza-

tions and communities. Rick Pellett, president and general manager

of Hunter Douglas Window Fashions Division, describes profound

personal shifts in perception as a result of leading the Hunter Doug-

las initiative:

Th e work I did here began to change me, almost right away. It got

me asking questions—not just about the company but about my life.

Th e questions we were asking and the dreams we were dream-

ing opened doors for me. Th ey invited me to consider where I was

heading, and whether it was the future I really wanted to live. Th ey

compelled me to take action to correct things that I’d simply chosen

to live with for years and years and years.

I recognize that this experience wouldn’t create the same kind

of “awakening” in everybody that it touched. But for me, it was

revolutionary. And for many of the other hard-core, quick-deciding,

bottom-line leaders that rise to the top in corporate America, it just

might be life changing, for the better.

EBSCOhost – printed on 5/29/2021 7:27 AM via TRIDENT UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use

6

6 • The Power of Appreciative Inquiry

The 4-D Cycle

How does Appreciative Inquiry work? Th e process used to gener-

ate the power of Appreciative Inquiry is the 4-D Cycle—Discovery,

Dream, Design, and Destiny (Figure 1). It is based on the notion that

human systems, individuals, teams, organizations, and communi-

ties grow and change in the direction of what they study. Appre-

ciative Inquiry works by focusing the attention of an organization

on its most positive potential—its positive core—and unleashing

the energy of the positive core for transformation and sustainable

success. Th is is the essential nature of the organization at its best—

people’s collective wisdom about the organization’s tangible and

intangible strengths, capabilities, resources, and assets.

Th e 4-D Cycle can be used to guide a conversation, a large

group meeting, or a whole-system change eff ort. It can serve as a

framework for personal development or coaching, partnership or

Positive
Core

Destiny
“What will we do?”

(Ongoing empowerment,
performance and learning)

Delivering

Design
“What should be?”

(Our ideal
organization)
Innovating

Dream
“What could be?”
(Opportunities
for the future)

Imagining

Discovery
“What gives life?”

(The best
of what is)

Appreciating

Change Agenda
& Topic Choice

Figure 1. The Appreciative Inquiry 4-D Cycle

EBSCOhost – printed on 5/29/2021 7:27 AM via TRIDENT UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use

7

Chapter 1 • What Is Appreciative Inquiry? • 7

alliance building, and large-scale community or organization devel-

opment. Whatever the purpose, the Appreciative Inquiry 4-D Cycle

serves as the foundation on which change is built.

Affi rmative Topic Choice

Th e 4-D Cycle begins with the thoughtful identifi cation of what is to

be studied—Affi rmative Topics. Because human systems move in

the direction of what they study, the choice of what to study—what

to focus organizational attention on—is fateful. Th e topics that are

selected become the organization’s agenda for learning and innova-

tion.

Affi rmative Topics are subjects of strategic importance to the

organization. Th ey may be aspects of the organization’s positive

core that if expanded would further the organization’s success. Th ey

may be problems that if stated in the affi rmative and studied would

improve organizational performance. Or they may be competitive

success factors the organization needs to learn about in to

grow and change.

Once selected, these affi rmative topics guide the 4-D Cycle of

Discovery, Dream, Design, and Destiny. A thorough explanation

of how to choose affi rmative topics, criteria for good topics, and

many sample topics can be found in Chapter 6, “Affi rmative Topic

Choice.”

Discovery

Discovery is an extensive, cooperative search to understand the

“best of what is and what has been.” It is typically conducted via

one-on-one interviews, though it may also include focus groups and

large-group meetings. In any form, Discovery involves purposefully

affi rmative conversations among many or all members of an organi-

zation, including external stakeholders, “best-in-class” benchmark

organizations, and members of the organization’s local community.

A detailed description and comprehensive guide for the Discovery

EBSCOhost – printed on 5/29/2021 7:27 AM via TRIDENT UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use

8

8 • The Power of Appreciative Inquiry

phase is provided in Chapter 7, “Discovery: Appreciative Interviews

and More.”

Th e Discovery process results in:

• A rich description or mapping of the organization’s positive
core.

• Organization-wide sharing of stories of best practices and
exemplary actions.

• Enhanced organizational knowledge and collective wisdom.

• Th e emergence of unplanned changes well before implemen-
tation of the remaining phases of the 4-D Cycle.

Dream

Dream is an energizing exploration of “what might be.” Th is phase

is a time for people to collectively explore hopes and dreams for

their work, their working relationships, their organization, and the

world. It is a time to envision possibilities that are big, bold, and

beyond the boundaries of what has been in the past. Th e Dream

phase is both practical and generative. It amplifi es the positive core

and challenges the status quo by helping people envision more valu-

able and vital futures, better bottom-line results, and contributions

to a better world. Typically conducted in large-group forums, Dream

activities result in alignment around creative images of the organi-

zation’s most positive potentials and strategic opportunities, inno-

vative strategic visions, and an elevated sense of purpose. A detailed

description and comprehensive guide for the Dream phase is pro-

vided in Chapter 8, “Dream: Visions and Voices of the Future.”

Design

Design is a set of Provocative Propositions, which are statements

describing the ideal organization, or “what should be.” Design activ-

ities are conducted in large-group forums or within a small team.

Participants draw on discoveries and dreams to select high-impact

EBSCOhost – printed on 5/29/2021 7:27 AM via TRIDENT UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use

9

Chapter 1 • What Is Appreciative Inquiry? • 9

design elements, then craft a set of provocative statements that list

the organizational qualities they most desire. True to the principles

of Appreciative Inquiry, Provocative Propositions are written in the

affi rmative. Th ey expand the organization’s image of itself by pre-

senting clear, compelling pictures of how things will be when the

organization’s positive core is boldly alive in all of its strategies, pro-

cesses, systems, decisions, and collaborations. A detailed descrip-

tion and comprehensive guide for the Design phase is provided in

Chapter 9, “Design: Giving Form to Values and Ideals.”

Destiny

Destiny is a series of inspired actions that support ongoing learning

and innovation, or “what will be.” Th is is the fi nal phase of the 4-D

Cycle. Th e entire cycle provides an open forum for employees to

contribute and step forward in the service of the organization, and

change occurs in all phases of the Appreciative Inquiry process. Th e

Destiny phase, however, focuses specifi cally on personal and orga-

nizational commitments and paths forward. In many cases, Appre-

ciative Inquiry becomes the framework for leadership and ongoing

organization development. Th erefore, in the Destiny phase, many

organizations begin the Appreciative Inquiry 4-D Cycle anew.

Destiny activities are often launched in large-group forums and

continue as small-group initiatives. Th e result of destiny is generally

an extensive array of changes throughout the organization in areas

as diverse as management practices, HR processes, measurement

and evaluation systems, customer service systems, work processes,

and structures. A detailed description and comprehensive guide

for the Destiny phase is provided in Chapter 10, “Destiny: Inspired

Action and Improvisation.”

What Is Distinctive About Appreciative Inquiry?

As an approach to organization change, Appreciative Inquiry

borrows from the strengths of many other practices in the fi eld of

EBSCOhost – printed on 5/29/2021 7:27 AM via TRIDENT UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use

10

10 • The Power of Appreciative Inquiry

organization development. From Harrison Owen, creator of Open

Space Technology, we learned about the power of self-organiz-

ing processes. From the groundbreaking work of the “mother” of

Whole-Scale® Change, Kathleen Dannemiller, and her colleagues

at Dannemiller Tyson Associates, we borrowed many practices for

designing and facilitating large-scale meetings.

From organizational learning guru Peter Senge—and his col-

leagues in the Society for Organizational Learning—we came to

value the practice of dialogue for awakening the fl ow of collective

meaning making and enhancing organizational learning. And from

Marvin Weisbord and Sandra Janoff , creators of Future Search, we

understand the importance of bringing all the stakeholders together

to focus upon and create the future.

While honoring the contributions made by these and other

leaders in the fi eld of organization development, we believe that

Appreciative Inquiry off ers the fi eld a radically new direction in

principle and in practice. Grounded in the theory and practice of

social construction, Appreciative Inquiry is an invitation to a posi-

tive revolution in change. It is distinctive in three signifi cant ways: it

is fully affi rmative, it is inquiry based, and it is improvisational.

It Is Fully Affi rmative

As a process of positive change, Appreciative Inquiry is fully affi r-

mative. Moving through the 4-D Cycle builds upon the organiza-

tion’s track record of success and inspires positive possibilities for

the future to be expressed and realized. Unlike other change meth-

odologies, Appreciative Inquiry does not include defi cit approaches

to organizational analysis, such as root cause of failure, gaps, bar-

riers, strategic threats, or resistance to change. All Appreciative

Inquiry activities, practices, and processes focus on the organization

at its best—past, present, and future.

Too often, organizations are prevented from fully knowing

or drawing upon their positive potential because of their habit of

focusing on problems rather than possibilities. Th e result, accord-

EBSCOhost – printed on 5/29/2021 7:27 AM via TRIDENT UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use

11

Chapter 1 • What Is Appreciative Inquiry? • 11

ing to David Cooperrider and Diana Whitney, is decreased organi-

zational capacity:

Problem analytic methodologies are based on defi cit discourse. Over

time, they fi ll the organization with stories, understandings, and rich

vocabularies of why things fail. Compulsive concern with what’s

not working, why things go wrong, and who didn’t do his or her

job demoralizes members of the organization, reduces the speed of

learning, and undermines relationships and forward movement.1

A classic example of AI’s commitment to the affi rmative is the

case of British Petroleum’s ProCare, a U.S. auto repair business. At

the end of its fi rst year of operation, ProCare’s customer surveys

showed that 95 percent of all customers were 100 percent satisfi ed—

an astonishing statistic, as anyone in the auto repair industry will con-

fi rm. ProCare was not satisfi ed, however. Th ey decided to conduct

customer focus groups. Unfortunately, they asked only the 5 percent

of dissatisfi ed customers about their dissatisfaction. Th en, on the

walls in every station, they posted vivid descriptions of the identifi ed

causes of dissatisfaction. Within a short time customer satisfaction

ratings dropped, along with employee morale and retention.

After hearing about the success gone astray, a team of Appre-

ciative Inquiry consultants made suggestions to help the failing busi-

ness. Th ey recommended that focus groups be conducted with the

customers who were 100 percent satisfi ed. With great skepticism

and a moderate amount of curiosity, the leaders of ProCare agreed.

Th e results were stunning. Customer satisfaction ratings reversed

once again, this time for the better, as people began to learn and rep-

licate the root causes of their success. Th e fully affi rmative stance of

Appreciative Inquiry created a rich learning environment and paid

off by restoring high levels of customer satisfaction.

It Is Inquiry Based

At the heart of Appreciative Inquiry is the “art of the question”—the

ability to craft unconditionally positive questions and to interview

EBSCOhost – printed on 5/29/2021 7:27 AM via TRIDENT UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use

12

12 • The Power of Appreciative Inquiry

tens, hundreds, even thousands of people with questions of organi-

zational relevance and vitality.

Organizational life is a continuous stream of questions and

analysis. What caused this downturn in productivity? How can we

reduce overtime? Why did you do it that way? Who needs to be

involved in this decision? How can we increase revenue while con-

taining costs? Appreciative Inquiry confi rms that all questions are

important, but the nature of our questions is particularly important.

Appreciative Inquiry posits that organizations move in the direc-

tion of what they consistently ask questions about, and that the

more affi rmative the questions are, the more hopeful and positive

the organizational responses will be.

Th e starting point and essential component of any Apprecia-

tive Inquiry process is the appreciative interview. Appreciative

Inquiry would not be Appreciative Inquiry without appreciative

interviews. Without appreciative interviews there is no inquiry, no

openness to learn, and little potential for transformation. Th ere is

only an appreciative perspective. Th ere is an important distinction

between an appreciative perspective and Appreciative Inquiry. An

appreciative perspective focuses on recognition, values, and affi r-

mation, whereas Appreciative Inquiry implies a search, a willing-

ness to discover, and an openness to learn.

To understand the diff erence, let’s look at the processes two

organizations used to establish employee alignment on shared val-

ues. Th e fi rst organization is actually a composite of many. We would

describe it as having an appreciative perspective. A small group of

people, consisting of the executive team and several employees

with high potential, met and articulated the company’s values. Th ey

printed a beautiful document defi ning the values and describing

their importance to the business. Th ey wanted all employees to be

informed, to understand, and to be rewarded for performance in

alignment with the values. To roll out the values, they launched a

communication campaign and implemented a values-based recog-

nition system. Employees were given “values cards” to carry in their

wallets and posters of the “values statements” for their offi ce walls.

EBSCOhost – printed on 5/29/2021 7:27 AM via TRIDENT UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use

13

Chapter 1 • What Is Appreciative Inquiry? • 13

Most employees hung the posters, but few learned or felt valued in

the process.

Th e second organization, the American Red Cross, decided to

use Appreciative Inquiry to seek out and identify their living values.

Th ey were sincerely interested in discovering and learning about the

values enacted on a daily basis by their members. To learn what val-

ues guided the service provided by their members, they conducted

over three thousand appreciative interviews about values in action.

Th ey collected thousands of heartwarming and inspiring stories

about the challenging, committed, and compassionate work of the

American Red Cross. Th e stories were clustered, and the ten most

frequently lived values were identifi ed. At a national conference,

two thousand members heard stories of the Red Cross’s living val-

ues and saw videos of themselves and their colleagues telling stories

of their values in action. As members shared stories and watched

the videos, the organization’s collective knowledge increased.

In the spirit of inquiry, all members had the opportunity to

be interviewed and share their stories in this living values process.

Th ousands participated and were inspired, recognized, and honored

for their values-based work on behalf of the American Red Cross.

It Is Improvisational

As an approach to change with endless variation, Appreciative

Inquiry is improvisational. It is not a singular methodology because

it is not based on one fi rmly established way of proceeding. Like

great jazz improvisation—a metaphor proposed by consultant Frank

Barrett—each Appreciative Inquiry is a new creation, an experiment

that brings out the best of human organizing. It begins with a clear

purpose. But from there, who knows precisely what will happen?

In many cases, the most remarkable outcomes are unplanned and

unexpected—they emerge as the organization’s unique version of

Appreciative Inquiry unfolds.

And like musical improvisation, Appreciative Inquiry is loosely

structured, based on a set of principles and generally following the

EBSCOhost – printed on 5/29/2021 7:27 AM via TRIDENT UNIVERSITY. All use subject to https://www.ebsco.com/terms-of-use

14

14 • The Power of Appreciative Inquiry

framework of the 4-D Cycle. Th is book is fi lled with stories that

illustrate a variety of ways that individuals and organizations have

used the 4-D Cycle to meet their unique goals, with surprising and

positive results. But even the 4-D Cycle itself can be adapted to

diff erent cultures and situations. For example, social activist Mac

Odell—whose work with thousands of women throughout rural

Nepal demands great improvisation—added three more Ds: Do It

Now, Drumming, and Dancing. Similarly, the international consult-

ing fi rm Cap Gemini Ernst & Young’s Appreciative Inquiry process,

branded ePositive Change, has fi ve Ds: Defi ne, Discover, Dream,

Design, and Deliver.

As an improvisational approach to change, Appreciative Inqui-

ry is guided by a series of questions:

• What is your overall Change Agenda?

• What Form of Engagement will best suit your needs?

• What is your overall Inquiry Strategy?

• What steps will you take at each phase of the 4-D Cycle?

In Chapter 2, “A Menu of Approaches to Appreciative Inquiry,”

we expand upon these questions and highlight some of the many

ways Appreciative Inquiry has been used.

Green Mountain Coff ee Roasters’ (GMCR) answers to these

questions led them through a highly successful experiment with

Appreciative Inquiry. What was their Change …