What Is Appreciative Inquiry?
What is Appreciative Inquiry?
Appreciative Inquiry is a philosophical approach that is grounded in a search for the best in people, their organizations, and the world around them.
AI involves the systematic exploration of what gives “life” to an organization, individual or group when it is most alive, effective, and functional. AI involves asking questions that strengthen an organization, individual or group’s capacity to develop their positive potential. In a structured process of inquiry using the “unconditional positive question,” interventions that employ AI work at the speed of imagination and innovation. AI replaces the problem-solving paradigm for a process that entails discovery, dream, and design and assumes that every organization, group or individual has many available inspirational accounts of their past positive experience that comprise the “positive core.” When this core is associated with an agenda for change, dramatic transformations never thought possible can be achieved.
Contact Lynn regarding coaching, consultation or training at info@lynnkjones.com.
Appreciative Inquiry in Coaching
When used in coaching, this method builds on developing an individual’s strengths and helps a person envision a preferred future that is based on their past positive experience. Individuals that are coached from an appreciative perspective find that they are energized and are able to mobilize untapped creativity and inspiration towards achieving their vision. Dr. Jones has used AI in coaching leaders to achieve new heights as well as individuals who are hoping to make stunning transformations in their lives.
Appreciative Inquiry in Organizational Consulting
AI is an effective process for organizations that are looking to engage in developing their strategic future. Organizational members quickly establish a vision that is grounded in their past successes and passions; organizational members find themselves galvanized into action by the energy that springs from the process. Dr. Jones uses this process with diverse groups and organizations to do strategic planning, team building, developing performance assessments and 360 degree feedback assessments. Using this highly effective process, organizations are able to develop new ways of working that are effective and inspired and do not rely on the analytical problem solving approaches of the past. Dr. Jones has achieved striking results by using this process in organizations in their team building efforts, in managing conflict, in leadership development and in fund raising.
Appreciative Inquiry Training
Dr. Jones has trained numerous groups in the use of Appreciative Inquiry, including:
- Coaches in training with the College of Executive Coaching
- Leaders of Drug and Alcohol facilities in Ventura County
- Counselors for the Successful Aging Program of Jewish Family Services, Santa Barbara.
- Managers of the VenturaCounty Superior Court
Get Your MOJO! Training for Appreciative Leaders
TheGet Your MOJO! Teleclass uses an Appreciative Inquiry approach. Participants in the 12 week Teleclass complete the Reflected Best Self. Using this 360 degree feedback tool, they collect feedback from people in their life, including people they work with, friends and family. The feedback that they collect includes stories about when they have been “at their best.” Getting this feedback, “blew me away” said one recent participant. Using this feedback participants then develop their own Reflected Best Self Portrait. This Reflected Best Self Portrait contributes to developing a vision, and action plan and support the development of Appreciative Leadership skills.
Contact Lynn regarding coaching, consultation or training using Appreciative Inquiry. info@lynnkjones.com