Bottom Up Change Tool

Appreciative Inquiry

This approach does not focus on the attitudes, skills and knowledge you do not have, but builds on what you do at the moment that seems to work well.

The basic skills of consultancy and coaching can be obtained from a book or a specialist training course. However, to create a sense of commitment, confidence and expectation that you will be successful at it means stirring up moments and memories of doing it successfully.

Appreciative Inquiry is more energising because to do it is to know it. Theoretical support for the approach can be found in the new science of complexity adaptive systems and the social constructionist ideas of a world created by conversation. They argue that the world cannot be fully understood simply by breaking things down into their constituent parts to understand linear relationships because everything is connected to everything else.

When viewing the world as a machine we tend to focus our minds on the gaps - what we are not good at. It then becomes a problem for us that we have to solve. We look for negative feedback so we can learn from our mistakes. But why negative ? Every interaction has the potential to create a number of possible outcomes - not just the one preferred by our beliefs at the time. We can challenge our assumptions and change our minds.

Appreciative Inquiry is getting people to share examples of what it feels like and looks like to be a successful consultant/coach. Because we think we are managers and not coaches it becomes our mindset, or our reality.

When their assumptions are challenged managers soon discover that they have many of the attitudes, skills and experiences needed to be effective coaches.

The Assumptions of Appreciative Inquiry

In every situation, team or organisation, something works
What we focus on becomes our reality
Reality is created in the moment, so there are multiple realities and multiple roles to contend with
The simple act of asking questions influences others
People are more likely to engage with an unknown future if they can take a piece of the past that works for best for them
It is important to value differences
The language we use helps create our reality

Websites on Appreciative Inquiry

The Positive Path
http://www.iisd.org/ai/myrada.htm

The Art of Appreciative Inquiry
http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item.jhtml?id=3684&t=innovation

Locating the Energy for Change
http://www.iisd.org/pdf/appreciativeinquiry.pdf

Partnerships & Empowering Communities
http://www.panasia.org.sg/nepalnet/socio/partnerships.htm
http://www.imaginechicago.org