Appreciative Inquiry

by Jennifer Yu

Appreciative Inquiry maybe useful for some but not really that effective for some. But according to some practitioners there are some reasons why it works.

Here are some reasons why it works.

1. integrates different ways of knowing.
2. allows room for emotional response.
3. intellectual analysis
4. room for imagination
5. rational thought.

Some examples would be,

"A successful athlete intuitively uses the appreciative approach when he visualizes breaking a record in his mind to help him break the record in reality. A successful leader intuitively uses it when she paints a picture the community's potential to inspire people to achieve it."(N.A., 2000)

Principles of Appreciative Inquiry (AI) (N.A., 2000):

1. constructionist principle postulates that social knowledge and community destiny are interwoven.
   
2. principle of simultaneity recognizes that inquiry and change are not separate moments, but occur together.
   
3. poetic principle states that human organizations, including communities, are an open book. A community's story is constantly being co-authored.
   
4. anticipatory principle postulates that current behaviour is guided by images of the future.
   
5. positive principle states that momentum for change requires positive thinking and social bonding—qualities like hope, inspiration and joy in creating with one another.

Reflection:

AI is about asking positive questions to strengthen the core of the organization. For me, it is about having a positive outlook which can lead to positive outcomes. It is about looking at the good side of the organization, the strengths and opportunities of the organization rather than the threats. It is about looking at what is working in the organization which is a good thing because sometimes or most of the times if the negative things are not mention and the members of the organization are praised for what they do, they would be more motivated to work. It is not always good to criticize someones work. A balance of the two (positive and negative) is much important.

Reference:

N.A. (2000). From problems to strengths. Internet. Retrieved August 2, 2010 from, http://www.iisd.org/ai/