Appreciative Inquiry: A Positive Revolution in Change David L. Cooperrider Weatherhead School of Management Case Western Reserve University

A Time For Re-thinking... Human Organization And Change  Global Context of Democratization  End of Apartheid  No Limits To Cooperation… E-Company…Connect! Now  Shuttle into Space…& Reality Isn’t What it Used to Be  “Whole System” Change  Large Groups...  “Positive Revolution”: Aiming Higher

It is a Time for Re-thinking Human Organization & Change “We are at the very point in time when a 400-year old age is dying and another is struggling to be born, a shifting of culture, science, society, and institutions enormously greater than the world has ever experienced. Ahead, the possibility of the regeneration of relationships, liberty, community, and ethics such as the world has never known, and a harmony with nature, with one another, and with the divine intelligence such as the world has never dreamed.” --Dee Hock, Founder & CEO--Visa

Exciting Stories and Results Hunter Douglas –Culture Change –Strategic Planning –Total Quality Results –Employee Engagement –Leadership “Bench Strength” –Strategic Vision & Alignment

Exciting Stories and Results Nutrimental Foods –Whole System Visioning & Strategic Planning –Annual Whole System Summits Results –200% Increase Profits –300% Decrease Absenteeism

Exciting Stories and Results United Religions Initiative –Annual Global Summits –Organization Design Results –June 2000 Charter Signing –The Birth of a Global “Chaordic” Organization –Centers on Every Continent –Over a Million Pledges of Support

Exciting Stories and Results GTE –Positive Change Network –Culture Change –Union Management Partnership –Call Center Excellence Results –1997 ASTD Award –Employee Surveys –Contract Negotiations

 Constructionist Principle: The way we know is fateful.  Principle of Simultaneity: Change begins at the moment you ask the question.  Poetic Principle: Organizations are an open book.  Anticipatory Principle: Deep change= change in active images of the future.  Positive Principle: The more positive the question, the greater and longer-lasting the change.

#1. Story of “high point” …?

#2. Valuing: Self ….& Work

#3. Continuity Search The 3 things that are the best about us now-- qualities, competitive advantages, practices, core capabilities-- that I want to keep, even as we change in the future?

#4. The powerful macro-trends, & most exciting opportunities?

#5. Positive Images of the Future: The Organization You Want 2005 (“wake up”)

Starting Appreciative Interview (dialogue in pairs) A-->B (20 min) B-->A (20 min) Spirit of discovery Take brief notes At the end.. summary & thanks Return…

Opening Interview High point moment… story ____________? Valuing: self, work? Continuity? Positive Images of the Future: Wake Up 2010?

Positive Image-> Positive Action Powerful Placebo Pygmalion Positive Affect Imbalanced “Inner Dialogue” Rise and Fall of Cultures Affirmative Capability

A Theory of Affirmative Organizing Organizations are made and imagined No iron laws Metaphor: heliotropic hypothesis Healthy organizations = 2:1 positively imbalanced “inner dialogue” Educative effect of positive imagery Positive image (discourse) as an obstacle Organizations do not need to be fixed Leadership = affirmation

Group Discussion/Discovery (groups of 6…stay with partner) Introduce highlights from interview with your partner Find Common Themes 1. High points 2. Continuity (things we want to keep) 3. Images of the Future Org. we want Return: 11:40 for group reports

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 Identify Problem  Conduct Root Cause Analysis  Brainstorm Solutions & Analyze  Develop Action Plans Metaphor: Organizations are problems to be solved  Appreciate “What is” (What gives life?)  Imagine “What Might Be”  Determine “What Should Be”  Create “What Will Be” Metaphor: Organizations are a solution/mystery to be embraced.

Deficit Based Change : Unintended Consequences  Much lamented fragmented responses  Slow: Puts attention on yesterday’s causes  No new positive images of future  Visionless voice... fatigue  Weakened fabric of relationships & defensiveness…negative culture  out of sync with the embedded economy of speed, partnerships, alliances, & e-commerce

“YES” MEN MISSED COMMITMENTS BURNOUT Critical Thinking Gap Analysis TURF BATTLES New Circuit Failure Rate REORGANIZATION Repeat Reports Spell Check BLOCKED CALLS UNFAVORABLE TROUBLE REPORT CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS RISK PERFORMANCE REVIEW DEBUG Red Tape WARNING SILOS Down Time

June Results Commitments Met BusinessResidence REGION'95 YTD'95 YE6/96'96 YTD'96 OBJFAV/UNF)'95 YTD'95 YE6/96'96 YTD'96 OBJFAV/(UNF) California Florida (0.5) Hawaii (2.1) Midwest (4.1) (0.1) North (4.4) (0.9) Northeast (1.3) Northwest (3.1) (1.0) S outh (4.7) (1.6) TX/NM (1.0) Virginia (2.1) Total Telops (2.0) Objective Not Met

To a hammer everything is a nail!

Ap-pre’ci-ate, v., 1.valuing; the act of recognizing the best in people or the world around us; affirming past and present strengths, successes, and potentials; to perceive those things that give life (health, vitality, excellence) to living systems 2. to increase in value, e.g. the economy has appreciated in value. Synonyms: VALUING, PRIZING, ESTEEMING, and HONORING.

In-quire’ (kwir), v., 1. the act of exploration and discovery. 2. To ask questions; to be open to seeing new potentials and possibilities. Synonyms: DISCOVERY, SEARCH, and SYSTEMATIC EXPLORATION, STUDY.

What would you call it? (all these things taken together) Achievements Strategic opportunities Product strengths Technical assets Innovations Elevated thoughts Best business practices Positive emotions Financial assets Organization wisdom Core competencies Visions of possibility Vital traditions, values Positive macrotrends Social capital Embedded knowledge Business ecosystem +s eg. suppliers, partners, competitors, customer

The Positive Core

Discovery “What gives life?” (The best of what is) Appreciating Discovery “What gives life?” (The best of what is) Appreciating Dream “What might be?” (What is the world calling for) Envisioning Results Dream “What might be?” (What is the world calling for) Envisioning Results Design “What should be--the ideal?” Co-constructing Design “What should be--the ideal?” Co-constructing Destiny “How to empower, learn, and adjust/improvise?” Sustaining Destiny “How to empower, learn, and adjust/improvise?” Sustaining Appreciative Inquiry “4-D” Cycle Affirmative Topic Choice

Best Way to Build High Enthusiasm? Do an organization survey of low morale? Magnify and learn from moment of highest enthusiasm?

Deficit Problems & Affirmative Topics Deficit Issues Sexual Harassment Mid-mgmt. Turnover Fear of Job Loss Low Morale Turfism/Silos Delayed Orders Customer Complaints Lack of Training Missed Commitments Affirmative Topics Positive Cross-Gender Working Relationships

Topic Choice Examples World Vision Integrative Process Innovation Empowerment Quality Diversity Organizational Learning North American Steel Team Mindset Magnetic Connections Revolutionary Responsiveness Continuous Learning Ownership & Camaraderie Energized Engagement Industry Leading Agility

Groups (select spokesperson) 1. Build on earlier themes: high points, continuity, 2010 Future 2. Create 3-5 great topics Be Bold Something Desired Want to learn Strategic/high leverage Energizing (sometimes opposites together)

The Art of the Question What’s the biggest problem here? Why did I have to be born in such a troubled family? Why do you blow it so often? Why do we still have those problems? What possibilities exist that we have not thought about yet? What’s the smallest change that could make the biggest impact? What solutions would have us both win? What makes my questions inspiring, energizing, and mobilizing?

Genius is Creating the Question “What would the universe look like if I were riding on the end of a light beam at the speed of light?” ---Albert Einstein

Creating the Powerful Question Choose one of your topics Create an AI set of questions for that one topic (see examples pg. 59) Topic-- Positive Preface A. Ouestion that elicits a powerful story B. Question that helps envision future

What Makes AI Questions Important? Language: questions & statements… Focus attention Heighten energy…drive to complete, to answer Every creative act Rapport and relationship (people are honored) Fulcrum change: connect to strength, imagination Break automatic thinking, essence of learning Alter internal dialogue & storytelling Specific positive future (the fairway)

Discovery Opportunity Context Positive Core Discovery Opportunity Context Positive Core Dream Purpose Vision Dream Purpose Vision Design Constitutional Propositions Relationship & Organization Design Constitutional Propositions Relationship & Organization Destiny People/Members Structures Practices Destiny People/Members Structures Practices AI “4-D” Cycle Typical Summit Summit Topic

Strategic change... “Org Summit” Core business redesign Quality…surveys…culture change Customer partnerships Labor-management relations Transformation of measurements Knowledge exchange: the “PCN” Business ecosystem analysis...

The AI Organization Summit Method Increasing positive capacity through large group methods

4 Common Aproaches to Change Top Down Strategies Bottom Up Strategies Representative Cross-Section Strategies Pilot Strategies

Typical Results Less Informed and Ultimatley Less Effective Change Efforts A Few Try to Convince Many That Change is Needed Partial Responsibility Mindset Change Occurs Sequentially Change is Perceived as a Disruption of “Real Work”

Typical Results (cont) Pace of Change is Too Slow Substantial Change in Part or Modest Change in an Entire Organization Breakdown at Implementation

Dream & Design The AI “Organization Summit”:  “Whole System” in the Room  Task is Clear...  Future Focus-- In Historical and Global Perspective  Self-Management and Dialogue  Common Ground (not conflict management as the frame of reference)  3-Day event/100 to 1000 Participants  Uncommon Action/Follow Through

Discovery Opportunity Context Positive Core Discovery Opportunity Context Positive Core Dream Purpose Vision Dream Purpose Vision Design Constitutional Principles Relationship & Organization Design Constitutional Principles Relationship & Organization Destiny People/Members Structures Practices Destiny People/Members Structures Practices AI “4-D” Cycle Typical Summit Summit Topic

Nutrimental Foods Why is this so easy? Experience of WHOLENESS…an amazing power…. Why? How? Your Theory?

Typical Results from Whole System Ai Summit More Informed and Ultimately More Effective Change Efforts A Critical Mass of People Making Changes that they All Believe Are Needed A Total Organization Mindset Simultaneous Change Change is Percieved as “Real Work” Fast…Entire Organization…Strong Implementation…Action…Unifying…Spirit

Insights on Success Holographic Beginning Polyphonic--Multiple Voices Dislodgement of Certainty…Appreciative From Negotiation to Narrative (Stories) From Common Ground to Higher Ground Retrospective Consensus… Inspired Action on Behalf of the Whole “Chaordic” Organizing

What do we mean by “principles”? That shared body of beliefs--about our relationships and organizing-- that are necessary for realization of Purpose, and will be used to design and guide practices, structures, etc. The foundational body of belief as in-- “ We hold these truths to be self evident, that all people are created equal…” Not platitudes, not specific practices

Example Principles Authority is vested in and decisions are made at the most local level possible, and includes all relevant and affected parties. Each partner organization has the right to maintain its autonomous identity and to organize in any manner, using any practices, which are consistent with the Purpose and Principles.

Destiny: Creating a Positive Change Network GTE :How to Invite 67,000 people to create a new culture? Storytelling and hope Ai at the front line The “zealots are coming” Labor & management: an impasse The positive change network…ongoing!!

Group Brainstorming As you imagine and think about “high leverage” ways that appreciative inquiry can add value and strength to us at Roadway….what are the high potential things we could do? 1. At the whole system level: (important topics/issues/opportunities)? 2. At a smaller unit level…things I/we could do?

What Matters Most? Being a student of “organization alive” Power of the unconditional positive question Relational basis of knowing: communicamus ergo sum Our positive images of the future lead our positive actions…words create worlds, “nothing so practical…” Yoga with the positive change core Ai accelerates the non-linear interaction of the positive-- a “convergence zone” for sudden dialogic repatterning The best in people…wholeness heals Letting go of deficit based change vocabularies AI is not a “thing”; in its infancy (5 %); many questions...

Strategic change... “Org Summit” Core business redesign Quality…surveys…culture change Customer partnerships Labor-management relations Transformation of measurements Knowledge exchange: the “PCN” Business ecosystem analysis...