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TRANSFORMING ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITIES THROUGH APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY
Transforming Organizations and Communities through Appreciative Inquiry
Jessica R. Dreistadt
LEAD 730 Organizational Behavior
Eastern University
August 14, 2011
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TRANSFORMING ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITIES THROUGH APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY
Transforming Organizations and Communities through Appreciative Inquiry
Introduction
Many nonprofit organizations have been shifting from a deficit- to an asset-based
model of service delivery.Rather than focusing on what is wrong with people and
communities, these organizations uncover and celebratestrengths that can be
leveraged as individuals and groups pursue transformation. This represents a
movement from imposing values and expectations on others to respecting and
appreciating diverse ways of being, from sympathy and charity to opportunity and
justice, from reinforcement of social hierarchy to removal of barriers, from being reactive
to being proactive, and from egocentric giving to reciprocity and sharing.
Yet, the nonprofit business model relies on exploiting the perceived
disadvantages and shortcomings of people and communities to solicit funds and to
demonstrate program impact.This misalignment impedes the ability of the nonprofit
sector to effectively empower, mobilize, and transform for long-term results. In addition,
social change organizations often frame their mission and organize their activities within
the context of conflict. While conflict serves an important purpose in societies and
relationships, illuminating it can be divisive and detrimental rather than constructive
when not coupled with understanding of, and appreciation for, the people, systems,
processes, policies, and things that are a function of the resolution or change being
sought.
Appreciative inquiry is a tool that can positively impact the discourse, direction,
and actions of nonprofit organizations and the communities they serve. Appreciative
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TRANSFORMING ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITIES THROUGH APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY inquiry is an organization- or system-wide process that uncovers stories about past
successes through peer interviews and dialogue in order to envision and work toward a
radically positive future.This process can energize social change efforts by encouraging
communication, cultivating and leveraging awareness of individual and organizational
strengths, building community, and creating a magnificent shared vision of the future.
Encouraging Communication
Meaningful, frequent, sincere communication connects and energizes dyads and
groups engaged in social change work. Communication through words and symbols is a
rich resource (Cooperrider and Whitney, 2000). It weaves the fabric of relationships and
cooperation. Lack of communication fosters complacency and makes it impossible to
facilitate change (Alinsky, 1971). Throughthe process of communicating, groups identify
and develop an understanding of things that are collectively meaningful; this inspires
learning, collaborative action, and change.In nonprofit organizations, communication
helps employees, volunteers, donors, and program participants understand community
and individual needs, select interventions and the processes through which they will be
implemented,and build a stronger sense of purpose and community.
The meanings inherent in communication are subjective, transient, complex, and
often submerged. People interpret their interactions through the lens of their life
experiences (Alinsky, 1971), influencing subsequent thoughts and behavior.The way
people choose to understand social interactions and structures is also influenced by
their values (Gergen, 1982). Our thoughts are influenced by our expectations and our
thoughts and visions shape our experience of reality (Cooperrider, 2000).Interpretations
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TRANSFORMING ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITIES THROUGH APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY of reality are not static and definable; rather, they are subjective and mobile (Gergen,
1982). We simultaneously coexist within multiple interpretations of realities with
movement in and out of those contexts according to the situation (Berger and Luckman,
1966). An experience can simultaneously have multiple dynamic meanings within an
organization (van der Haar and Hosking, 2004). Facilitating intentional communication
through appreciative inquiry can help organizations sort through this intricacy to more
clearly see and navigate the dynamic realities being continually co-created by its
members. Appreciative inquiry creates new pools of knowledge and new ways of
collectively interpreting the world (Bushe and Kassam, 2005).This process can help
nonprofit organizations articulate vision and mission, clarify goals and objectives,
understand the diverse desires of multiple stakeholders, and integrate individual,
organizational, and community goals.
Because surveys only reveal superficial information (Lewin, 1946), appreciative
inquiry uses peer interviews to explore past successes. Interviews reveal social facts
about the past based on real experiences rather than generalized opinions (Preskill and
TzavarasCatsambas, 2006).By limiting discussion to past experiences, participants
envision solutions over which they have the power to control (Onyett, 2009). Interview
questions stimulate meaningful dialogue among people working toward common
organizational goals, providing an opportunity for them to connect, explore, and dream
while recognizing the wonder of their work and of their organization.
Question construction shapes dialogue (Preskill and TzavarasCatsambas, 2006)
frames the context of exploration (Schein, 1999), and determines what will be learned
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TRANSFORMING ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITIES THROUGH APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY (Whitney, Trosten-Bloom, and Rader, 2010). Topics of inquiry provide a navigation
system for the movement of organizations; by exploring a particular topic, an
organization naturally incorporates the findings into its activities (Cooperrider and
Whitney, 2005).Nonprofit organizations can often be subsumed into a cycle of
complaining about community challenges and problematic individuals. The process of
conducting peer interviews using intentionally positive questions can help nonprofit
organizations, and the people working within them, deeply explore exceptional stories to
connect with the inspirational and energizing core of the organization.
Dialogue is encouraged by asking questions (Cooperrider, Whitney, and Stavros,
2005). The interview process stimulates dialogue among those who are engaged with
the work of the organization. Dialogue builds a group¶s repertoire of meaning and
creates a context in which learning and change can take place (Schein, 2003). Nonprofit
organizations are often under-resourced with limited time to fulfill daily responsibilities;
taking time to engage in inquiry may at first seem to be wasteful. Dialogue can benefit
and strengthen nonprofit organizations by creating and solidifying bonds among peers,
tapping into the collective conscience of the organization, unleashing positive energy,
and setting the stage for future collaboration. Including diverse stakeholders, including
donors, program participants, board members, volunteers, and staff, in appreciative
inquiry ensures that the meaning making process is truly inclusive with the result of
shared understanding about the organization¶s assumptions, motivations, and future
direction.
People prefer to be engaged in conversation rather than to be directed in their
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TRANSFORMING ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITIES THROUGH APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY work (Whitney, Trosten-Bloom, and Rader, 2010). Appreciative inquiry facilitates action
and opens up organizational possibilities through carefully crafted questions that
provoke thought, encourage sharing, and stimulate dialogue. Appreciative inquiry
provokes sincere curiosity (Cooperrider and Whitney, 2000; Cooperrider and Whitney,
2005; Neville, 2008). Developing that curiosity leads to ongoing change (Neville,
2008).Inquiry is an intervention that begins the process of organizational change
(Schein, 1999; Cooperrider and Whitney, 2005).Asking questions promotes
organizational growth and learning (Preskill and TzavarasCatsambas, 2006).By
facilitating the change process through appreciative inquiry, organization members
uncover and express their hopes and desires, recognize and build upon their own ideas,
learn from their past successes and apply them to the future, create a place for
themselves in pursuit of the organization¶s dreams, and form connections across the
group to buttress ongoing cooperation. This leads to increased enthusiasm and efficacy
as the organization implements change initiatives that emerge from the appreciative
inquiry process. This holistic, inclusive approach is well-suited for the nonprofit sector,
which often eschews the oppression of hierarchy and cultural imperialism.
Appreciative inquiry provides a means for organization members to both hear
and be heard. Language is an important transformative tool (Gergen, 1982).Translating
thoughts, symbols, and dreams into words and enthusiastically sharing them with others
creates momentum toward enacting change. Listening validates others¶ experiences
(Whitney, Trosten-Bloom, and Rader, 2010).Exchanging stories, embracing new ideas,
and establishing common ground creates a positive culture that supports affirmation,
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TRANSFORMING ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITIES THROUGH APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY growth, learning, and change.
Creating new knowledge leads to transformational change; therefore, altering
mental processes must precede or override attempts to change behavior(Bushe and
Kassam, 2005). Organizational and social change are the result of cognitive change
(Cooperrider and Srivastva, 2000). Through participation in intentionally positive
dialogue, organization members transform the content and patterns of their thoughts to
create new frameworks through which the organization¶s work can be interpreted.
Theories provide lenses through which organizational behavior is noticed and
interpreted (Cooperrider and Srivastva, 2000). Organizations can be changed by
changing the theories used to understand them (Bushe, 2000). The process of
appreciative inquiry collects stories about prime organizational experiences and
organizes them into prevalent themes. These themes can highlight the most significant
aspects of nonprofit organizations¶ work, redirect psychic and physical energy into more
productive and essential activities, diminish the domination of negativity and pessimism,
and guide future conversations toward the organization¶s positive vision for the future.
Appreciative inquiry provides an opportunity for employees, volunteers, program
participants, and others to open their hearts and minds in new and unexpected ways.
By liberating thought, the possibilities for future action become open-ended (Morgan,
2005). Appreciative inquiry stimulates thinking and encourages the release of ideas that
would have otherwise been suppressed.
Conversation may be constrained and ideas censored in appreciative inquiry due
to its emphasis on memories related to successes and strengths (Fitzgerald, Oliver, and
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TRANSFORMING ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITIES THROUGH APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY Hoxsey, 2010). Working in nonprofit organizations can be challenging with many
individual, situational, and social factors influencing the course and outcome of an
organization¶s work. Although these factors are outside the control of organization
members, due consideration and contemplation through a complementary process may
help staff, volunteers, and donors more deeply understand the complexity of their work
and even identify possible solutions.
Cultivating and Leveraging Awareness of Individual and Organizational Strengths
Organizations have utilized a deficit-based approach to problem identification and
solving since the 1930s (Cooperrider, Whitney, and Stavros, 2008). This is a prevailing,
though somewhat shifting, paradigm in the nonprofit sector. Most grant proposals
require an explanation of the needthat the organization or program plans to address.
Program participants are sometimes seen as problems to be solved rather than people
to be celebrated. Concerns about financial sustainability, board and volunteer
engagement, and employee burnout overwhelm many in the sector, overshadowing
positive potentials.
Appreciative inquiry recognizes that organizations are solutions in progress
rather than problems in need of being fixed (Cooperrider and Whitney, 2005;
Cooperrider, Whitney, and Stavros, 2008).When using a problem solving approach,
organizations tend to limit solutions to lists of the most popular ideas (Peelle, 2006).
Appreciative inquiry digs broader and deeper by collecting stories from a significant
cross-section of the organization and using them as a springboard to create solutions
that will bring the organization closer to fulfillment of its vision and
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TRANSFORMING ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITIES THROUGH APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY mission.Improvements in performance are realized not by ameliorating failures
(Cooperrider, 2000) but by liberating strengths.
There is a cumulative impact to problem and success identification; people tend
to find more and more of what they seek (Preskill and TzavarasCatsambas, 2006). This
self-fulfilling prophecy influences individual relationships, motivation, and organizational
performance.Appreciative inquiry is built upon a foundation of strengths (Cooperrider
and Whitney, 2005). This foundation allows organizations to support the development of
personal and collective power (Whitney and Trosten-Bloom, 2003) which leads to
organizational and social transformation.
Positive power remains nebulous in our society (Whitney, Trosten-Bloom, and
Rader, 2010). In the nonprofit sector, which directly works to eliminate social inequities
or to alleviate their impact, power itself is often eschewed by well-meaning social
servants or reactively enacted by activists that refuse and resist the system. The
recognition of personal power is liberating (Whitney and Trosten-Bloom, 2003). Power,
whether individual or collective, is the driving force of life (Alinsky, 1971).Appreciative
inquiry helps people recognize and utilize their positive power to transform
organizations and communities.
Disconnection from power, and the ability to use it for good, may be related to
pessimism and apathy. Prevalent use of negative language may lead to a loss of
connection with the power to change things (Christie, 2006). People may not
contemplate change without the awareness of their ability to make a difference (Alinsky,
1971).Appreciative leaders transform potential into power (Whitney, Trosten-Bloom, and
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TRANSFORMING ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITIES THROUGH APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY Rader, 2010).The appreciative inquiry process identifies situations in which individuals,
perhaps without full awareness, felt powerful, in control, and alive. Remembering and
sharing these experiences within organizations builds recognition of power, its
transformational quality, and the possibilities of intentionally using it. Power is self-
regenerating (Whitney and Trosten-Bloom, 2003). Once individuals and groups
recognize and start using their power, momentum propels the group toward continued
achievement of goals.
Focusing on strengths builds an organization¶s capacity for change by expanding
its learning and creating positive energy (Cooperrider and Whitney, 2005). Strengths
emerge through the inquiry process, which uncovers stories about the organization and
its members at peak performance. All human systems have many wonderful ideas and
stories, many of which may be underappreciated and underutilized (Cooperrider and
Whitney, 2000).Nonprofit organizations have many stories upon which they can draw;
these may include: the impetus for formation of the organization; people who have
changed their lives as a result of involvement with the organization; programs and
projects with tangible outcomes that enhanced the community; the impact of changed
laws or government and corporate practices; or the camaraderie and synergy among
staff, volunteers, and others that developed while engaged in this work. Appreciative
inquiry moves those ideas and stories to the forefront, creating connections,
inspiration,and visions of brilliant, but realistic, possibilities.Appreciative inquiry connects
organizational strengths to vision and actions that move the organization toward that
vision (Cooperrider, Whitney, and Stavros, 2008).
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TRANSFORMING ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITIES THROUGH APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY
Negative messages often prevail in the nonprofit sector. These relate to diverse
areas including lack of resources, overextension of staff, disengagement of board
members, difficulty recruiting volunteers, unrealistic expectations of funders, holes in the
social service system, noncomplying program participants, and unjust laws and
regulations. Deficit language can lead to the destruction of relationships and cynicism
within organizations (Ludema, 2000). In order for groups to be functional, there must be
at least two positive messages for every negative message (Cooperrider, Whitney, and
Stavros, 2008). Organizations can create a positive, cheerful, energetic culture by
communicating at least five strengths-based messages for every one negative message
(Cooperrider and Whitney, 2005; Whitney, Trosten-Bloom, and Rader,
2010).Appreciative inquiry intentionally focuses on positive stories and strengths to
enrich and enliven the organization¶s interactions and culture.
Appreciative inquiry divides ideas, and by extension the people who embrace
them, into positive and negative; this forces judgment (Fitzgerald, Oliver, and Hoxsey,
2010; van der Haar and Hosking, 2004). Labeling experiences as being strength-based
is a subjective exercise and hegemony may be reinforced through the process of
deciding what is or is not included (Fitzgerald, Oliver, and Hoxsey, 2010). Appreciative
inquiry mitigates this effect to some extent by engaging diverse stakeholders throughout
every stage of the process; however, individuals may be reluctant to voluntarily
participate if they feel that their voice has not been included in the past, they have
dissenting views to those of leadership, or they are not fully confident in the potential of
appreciative inquiry to transform the organization.
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TRANSFORMING ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITIES THROUGH APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY
Appreciative inquiry acknowledges and attempts to reframe conflict and
challenges (Whitney and Trosten-Bloom, 2003).Appreciating another person, inclusive
of their complexity, contradiction, and complete range of experiences and emotions, is
integral to forming true relationships (Fitzgerald, Oliver, and Hoxsey, 2010). Focusing on
the positive may marginalize people with divergent ideas, suppress and systematically
exclude their perspective, and limit opportunities for change (Grant and Humphries,
2006; Boje, 2010; Fitzgerald, Oliver, and Hoxsey, 2010).This may be particularly
relevant for nonprofit organizations, as their supporters, workers, and beneficiaries
typically include the full spectrum of social strata. While focusing on strengths builds
optimism and enthusiasm, it may also cause pessimism and despair if not sincerely
integrated into the organizational culture. Appreciative inquiry must be flexible so that it
is authentic and affirming for all.
In co-operative inquiry groups, a similar approach to organizational development,
suppressed negativity is intentionally liberated and emergent negative feelings are
explored in the safety of a supportive group (Reason, 1999). The many dimensions of
human interaction within organizations may be more fully understood and valued
through a critical appreciative process that treats the apparent contradictions between
the two methods as an inclusive paradox (Grant and Humphries, 2006). These
alternatives offer a broader range of implementation that may be more suitable to the
complexities of nonprofit organizations.
Building Community
Appreciative inquiry can and should engage multiple stakeholders including
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TRANSFORMING ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITIES THROUGH APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY employees, volunteers, donors, and program participants (Miller, Aguilar, Maslowski,
McDaniel, and Mantel, 2004). The appreciative inquiry process involves people from
throughout an organization to ensure that the process accurately reflects the diversity of
the group (Cooperrider and Whitney, 2005). In a nonprofit organization, program,
administrative, and development staff, in addition to other stakeholders, should be
involved to capture the full experiencesand hopes of the organization.
Organizations can be viewed as a small society with their own culture and
various subcultures simultaneously coexisting (Morgan, 2006). People within
organizations share symbolic interpretations that contextualize and continuously create
meaning as well as habits that ritualize behavior (Berger and Luckman, 1966).Humans
have the capacity to change ritualized organizational behavior regardless of past
experiences (Cooperrider, 2000). Through appreciative inquiry, organization members
have the opportunity to review the assumptions upon which the organization and its
rituals are built and are challenged to question their relevance (Cooperrider and Whitney,
2000; Cooperrider and Whitney, 2005). This process defines the group and its purpose,
giving new meaning to organizational relationships and energizing the group for
continual convergence and transformation.
Appreciative inquiry integrates individual experiences within an organization into
a shared story (Whitney and Trosten-Bloom, 2003).Organizations¶ stories are written,
recorded, and remembered by its members. Organizations continually create their story
through the interaction of the people involved; in appreciative inquiry, this is referred to
as the poetic principle (Cooperrider and Whitney, 2005). The organization¶s story
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TRANSFORMING ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITIES THROUGH APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY articulates the community¶s character, establishes and enhances relationships among
its members, and provides a rich context through which culture is expressed.
Deficit-based approaches to organizational development lead to fragmentation,
internal conflict, and despair (Barrett, 1995). Appreciative inquiry, as an asset-based
approach, leads to an enhanced sense of solidarity among people within an
organization (Cooperrider, 2000). Cooperation is promoted by removing barriers to
participation and creating conditions that facilitate catalytic interaction (Srivastval and
Cooperrider, 1986).Through the process of appreciative inquiry, organizational systems
are redesigned to encourage innovation and collaboration (Whitney and Trosten-Bloom,
2003). Appreciative inquiry can help nonprofit organizations better align service delivery
across departments, the needs of people served with programs offered, and the
requests of funders with staff capacity. It can bring together diverse stakeholders as a
united front working toward a shared inspirational vision of the future.
A stronger emphasis on partnerships across hierarchical structures emerged in
the 1980s (Watkins and Cooperrider, 2000). Yet, those structures remain in place with
frequently problematic boundary crossing. Past hurt, anticipation of future exclusion and
oppression, and denial of cultural, political, or social hegemony may complicate the
formation of genuine, trusting relationships. Appreciative inquiry must be sensitive to
these dynamics and intentionally create a safe environment for community building.
Leadership is a critical element of appreciative inquiry. Leaders must create a
safe environment for the exchange of ideas. Psychological safety is required for
learning and change to take place (Schein, 1999). The appreciative inquiry process may
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TRANSFORMING ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITIES THROUGH APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY pose a threat to the authority of insecure leaders (Willoughby and Tosey, 2007).By
disconnecting from ego-driven thoughts and behaviors, leaders allow space for
appreciative inquiry, and other organizational initiatives, to be successful. Supervisors¶
trust in subordinates can lead to enhanced performance (Brower, Lester, Korsgaard,
and Dineen, 2009).Leaders must fully embrace appreciative inquiry in order for it to be
successful. Appreciative inquiry can also be used to improve leadership practice
through reflection and dreaming (Hart, Conklin, and Allen, 2008).This has a ripple effect
on every aspect of leadership practice as well as on organizational interactions and
activities.
Appreciative inquiry has been shown to be more effective in helping teams
achieve their goals than creative problem solving (Peele, 2006). In addition, the
solutions generated through appreciative inquiry are more collectively constructed than
those generated through creative problem solving (Peele, 2006).Teams that engage in
collective learning and that have greater pride and cohesion are more effective
(Kozlowski and Ilgen, 2006).Appreciative inquiry can energize groups by liberating them
from unproductive patterns of behavior through revelation and incorporation of new
paradigms (Bushe, 2000). Increased social bonding leads to enhanced capacity for
change (Cooperrider and Whitney, 2005). When a team is inspired and energized,
change is more rapid (Cooperrider, Whitney, and Stavros, 2005). Stronger
organizational alignment, increased communication, and increased productivity are all
positive long-term impacts of appreciative inquiry (Cooperrider, Whitney, and Stavros,
2005).By focusing on solutions rather than on problems, building positive supportive
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TRANSFORMING ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITIES THROUGH APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY relationships, and provoking creative dialogue, the process of appreciative inquiry builds
community, generates group dreams, and promotes team and organizational
effectiveness.
Professional development, even that which is inspirational, is not sufficient to
enact change (Lewin, 1946). Meaningful and sustainable change relies on the
cultivation of genuine relationships (Cooperrider, Whitney, and Stavros, 2008). In the
appreciative inquiry process, organization members are influential co-researchers.
Solutions that are self-generated tend to be the most successful and sustainable
(Schein, 1999).Appreciative inquiry situates individual experience within the context of
relationships and communal practice, capitalizing on both personal and social
motivators.
Many human service organizations have organized World Cafes, an adaptation
of the appreciative inquiry process (Fouche and Light, 2010). In these scheduled forums,
social workers have the opportunity to share ideas, reflect on practice, and envision
innovation. This results in deeper relationships, increased collaboration, and
transformed paradigms. Another means of engagement is the solutions-focused
approach which applies positive solution seeking to everyday decision making
processes the rather than undertaking an organization-wide appreciative inquiry
initiative (Onyett, 2009). World Cafes and the solutions-based approach may be helpful
processes for organizations that do not have sufficient resources to invest in
appreciative inquiry or lack commitment from leadership to fully open up and transform
the organization. They also offer a practical means of bringing together people from
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TRANSFORMING ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITIES THROUGH APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY across organizations that are working toward similar goals. Appreciative inquiry can also
be weaved into program evaluation; this serves as a means to meaningfully engage
program participants and to improve morale around this often underappreciated process
(Preskill and TzavarasCatsambas, 2006).
The appreciative inquiry process is understood through the lens of, and adapted
to be meaningful for, the local culture and individual perceptions (van der Haar and
Hosking, 2004). It should be designed to integrate with the people, processes, and
philosophies that are already in place in order to move the group to a more positive
paradigm.
Creating a Magnificent Shared Vision of the Future
Nonprofit organizations are created to provide a mechanism to realize a
communal dream (Miller, Aguilar, Maslowski, McDaniel, and Mantel, 2004). The
possibility of change stimulates hope (Alinsky, 1971). Founded with a sense of optimism,
nonprofit organizations often become mired in the doldrums of daily routines,
responsibilities, and frustrations. Organizations sometimes continue to pursue their
founders¶ goals long after the utility of doing so was valuable or relevant (Whitney and
Trosten-Bloom, 2003).Appreciative inquiry provides nonprofit organizations with
asystematic method to re-evaluate its assumptions, mission, and practices and to
explore future possibilities that better meet the needs of the community and help it
realize its potential.
Appreciative inquiry provides an opportunity to share individual dreams, interpret
and reinvent those dreams through social interaction, and create new collective dreams
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TRANSFORMING ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITIES THROUGH APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY that incorporate the best of everyone¶s intentions. Appreciative inquiry not only identifies
but also mobilizes collective dreams (Cooperrider and Whitney, 2000). Visions that are
collectively constructed have a greater propensity to be realized than those that are
imposed from the top of the organizational hierarchy (Whitney, Trosten-Bloom, and
Rader, 2010).Appreciative inquiry uncovers, energizes, and makes possible previously
repressed dreams for the future (Cooperrider and Whitney, 2005).
Effective managers recognize the fluidity of organizational behavior (Morgan,
2006). The world is always changing and this can be effectively lived through by
remaining flexible (Alinsky, 1971).Change is not an explicit goal of appreciative inquiry;
rather, it is a process that leads to individual and organizational transformation (Whitney
and Trosten-Bloom, 2003).By reprioritizing success, motivators, and dreams,
organizations that participate in appreciative inquiry become more responsive to
emerging shifts within the group and in the environment as time and new experiences
unfold.
In appreciative inquiry, visions of the future emerge from discussion about the
organization¶s past (Cooperrider, Whitney, and Stavros, 2008).Our future dreams
materialize when we live as though they are real in the present (Whitney and Trosten-
Bloom, 2003).Future visions can cause change in the present (Cooperrider, 2000). Thus,
appreciative inquiry demonstrates that there is a metaphysical connection between the
past, present, and future.By integrating collective vision into every day organizational
activities, the exceptional becomes the expectation (Cooperrider, Whitney, and Stavros,
2008).An organization¶s most profound dreams for the futurecan berealized through
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TRANSFORMING ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITIES THROUGH APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY connection to the past and activities in the present.
The appreciative inquiry process promotes generative learning which is self-
sustaining (Bushe and Kassam, 2005). Organizations that continually learn build
momentum to conceptualize and implement new ideas. Envisioning solutions, which
stimulates generative learning, leads to innovation (Barrett, 1995).Appreciative inquiry
expedites change by focusing on positive possibilities rather than analyzing and
addressing continuously changing problems (Watkins and Cooperrider,
2000).Appreciative inquiry may not yield concrete answers but rather opens up an
organization to ongoing exploration and dialogue (Cooperrider and Srivastva, 2000).
Appreciative inquiry is not only an intentional process, it becomes a new way of
organizing and doing business. This way embraces future possibilities and invests
energy in cultivating ideas and resources to continually support their pursuit.
By involving leadership in the appreciative inquiry process, the capacity to
implement organizational dreams is increased (Christie, 2006). Leaders symbolically
communicate that it is safe for others to be open and innovative (Cooperrider and
Whitney, 2005) and inspire high levels of involvement throughout the organization
(Whitney and Trosten-Bloom, 2003).Commitment from, and active involvement of, the
board of directors, executive director, and department leaders send a message that the
organization welcomes and encourages the exploration of ideas and is willing to invest
in group generated solutions.
Assumptions may limit our capacity to envision the future, particularly when they
are invisible (Neville, 2008).Organizational change involves a process of unlearning and
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TRANSFORMING ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITIES THROUGH APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY relearning thought processes, beliefs, and understandings about the world (Schein,
1999). Appreciative inquiry challenges assumptions so that groups can envision a future
that would have previously been seen as unattainable. Future visions that do not
adequately capture and articulate dreams may cause a sense of misery (Cooperrider,
2000). A skilled appreciative inquiry facilitator will carefully balance the group¶s capacity
with its motivation, seek to illuminate the full palette of organizational dreams, and
collaboratively craft future dreams using the words, symbols, and context of the
organization and its members.
Participatory dreaming can be healing and liberating (Repede, 2009). People can
tap into the collective subconscious as a transformative practice by integrating this into
the process of appreciative inquiry. Participatory dreaming may be particularly helpful to
groups immersed in internal or external conflict as they seek to transcend the current
situation.
Despite its transformational capacity, future-oriented action research is often
overlooked (Chandler and Torbert, 2003). Appreciative inquiry has grown since its
inception in the 1980s. It offers promise to organizations seeking an alternative to the
problem solving approach which is rooted in the past and may be slow paced, reactive,
and demotivating.
Summary
Appreciative inquiry has been used in many nonprofit organizations including the
The Cleveland Clinic where pioneering research was performed, Head Start, Save the
Children, World Vision, and the Coalition for Sexual Assault Programs (Christie, 2006;
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TRANSFORMING ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITIES THROUGH APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY Cooperrider, Whitney, and Stavros, 2008). This process is particularly relevant to
nonprofit organizations in which limited resources and overwhelming challenges can
lead to a detrimental and exacerbating deficit-based approach.
Appreciative inquiry offers many benefits to nonprofit organizations. It can bring
together diverse stakeholders, build a stronger sense of community and common
purpose, generate motivational enthusiasm, transform thinking and behavior, promote
learning and change, improve organizational performance, and continually remind
stakeholders about future being pursued.
WhileAlinsky-esque organizing methods may intuitively seem contradictory to the
underlying assumptions of appreciative inquiry, the two approaches are indeed
complementary. Critical appreciative inquiry and co-operative inquiry offer two ways to
meaningfully and purposefully integrate conflict and consensus worldviews. While the
realities of nonprofit organizations can be hard and painful, the vision of the future and
the means by which it is pursued need not be.
Conclusions and Implications
Further Research
Action research is gaining momentum with an increasing emphasis on
empowerment (Dick, 2010). Appreciative inquiry fits well within this trend and offers a
methodology that is an alternative to the positivist action research that falls outside of
the Lewinian tradition.
Appreciative inquiry has captured the attention of a few critical researchers who
question the assumptions of this process and have explored the means by which critical
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TRANSFORMING ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITIES THROUGH APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY and appreciative approaches may be combined to gain a deeper and more complex
vision for the future. Additional action research in this area can be conducted to refine
this integration process. This research would be particularly relevant for social change
organizations that operate based on a conflict model.
Grantmakers, federated funds, coalitions, and nonprofit collaboratives are
potential appreciative inquiry participants. This research would reveal transformation at
both the organizational and community level.
Additional research in linguistics and cognition could unveil additional nuances of
human interaction within the scope of appreciative inquiry processes. While the
theoretical base of appreciative inquiry is broad, there may be additional thinkers, such
as Manheim, Sartre, Goffman, Wilbur, and Chopra, whose work would add interesting
dimensions to appreciative inquiry practice.
The Practice of Organizational Leadership in Organizations
While appreciative inquiry is an intentional process that is conducted within
organizations, its assumptions and implementation offer insight into effective leadership
practice. Groups of people come together to pursue a common dream. Over time, this
dream may become diluted or even irrelevant. Inquiry and dialogue stimulate thinking
and evolutionary mindsets that reveal collective dreams for the future. Employees yearn
for the opportunity to share their ideas and pursue their dreams in community; leaders
can provide this opportunity to the benefit of the organization. A positive, forward-
thinking approach may be more flexible, timely, and transformational than a problem
solving approach. Leaders must be willing to let go of their preconceived ideas about
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TRANSFORMING ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITIES THROUGH APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY the organization¶s future direction in order to provide space for the collective group
vision to emerge and flourish. Organization members will enthusiastically pursue a
vision that they purposefully helped to construct. Appreciative inquiry provides a means
for leaders to build positive relationships, update their understanding of organizational
meaning and purpose, engage and motivate key stakeholders, and move the
organization toward its best performance.
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TRANSFORMING ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITIES THROUGH APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY
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