Appreciative Leadership
by
Diana Whitney Ph.D, Amanda Trosten-Bloom, and Kae Rader
Book Review
As a consultant and coach who is certified in appreciative inquiry practice, I have always encouraged my clients to read The Power of Appreciative Inquiry by Whitney and Trosten-Bloom as a beginning formation of our work together. Now these writers with the addition of Rader have written a new book – Appreciative Leadership. It employs the tenets of appreciative inquiry and positive change while providing powerful questions and practical examples of its application as a leader. It engages the reader to connect in a fast-paced changing world with the call to a radical shift in leadership strategies and practices.
The definition of appreciative leadership: “Appreciative leadership is a relational capacity to mobilize creative potential and turn it into positive power – to set in motion positive ripples of confidence, energy, enthusiasm and performance – to make a positive difference in the world.”
The definition comes alive in their explanation that “positively powerful leadership is a two-sided coin: bringing your best forward and helping others to be powerful.” It’s about you and it’s about how you engage everyone around you.
The authors point out that appreciative inquiry enhances both relationships and results – that which we know builds thriving organizations. The first few chapters of the book succinctly review appreciative inquiry’s key tenets which are embraced in appreciative leadership. They share the six freedoms of appreciative inquiry: (1) to be known in relationship, (2) to be heard, (3) to dream in community, (4) to choose to contribute, (5) to act with support and (6) to be positive (articulated in The Power of Appreciative Inquiry by Whitney and Trosten-Bloom, revised edition 2010).
These tenets and freedoms of appreciative inquiry call us as leaders to be different than how we have expressed our leadership. Key behaviors of appreciative leaders are to (1) be willing to engage with others, (2) be willing to learn and change, (3) truly believe in the power of the positive, and (4) care about people and want them to grow and develop. Appreciative Leadership is a call for leaders to transform to a new way of being.
The heart of the book is the articulation of the five strategies of appreciative leadership:
- Inquiry – ask powerfully positive questions
- Illumination – bring out the best of people and situations
- Inclusion – consciously invite people to engage and co-author their future
- Inspiration – awaken the creative spirit to move them to action
- Integrity – make choices for the good of the whole.
A chapter is written on each of the five strategies exploring the philosophy, the rationale and the practical application of the strategy. At the end of each chapter is a summary grid of the recommended practices at four levels of action: (1) personal, (2) one-to-one, (3) team or group, and (4) whole organization or community. These grids provide easy to use actions for each strategy in a holistic and integral approach for leadership.
An example of the practical ideas in the book is “The Flip” – an idea we can all use when challenged with an associate, collaborator, client or supplier. “The Flip” is the ability to shift a negative tirade into a positive, life inspiring inquiry. It is the flip from “not what is wrong here,” to “What do you really want?” As the power of appreciative inquiry is understood and embraced, leaders are always looking for a positive way to frame any negative situation into a positive experience. This ability to flip is not only positive for our relationships, but it also contributes to the positive energy and the positive results of our organizations.
The writers point out how the appreciative leadership behavior is a choice. It is interesting to note how the five strategies offered are not so much states of doing but more states of being. This may be the most important shift or choice we have to make to become an appreciative leader - it is not to see leadership as what we are doing but more how we are being. We are asked in Appreciative Leadership to draw upon and use the inner resources or spiritual qualities of our true selves and employ them in our leadership.
If you are looking for a positive, strengths-based, generative approach to leadership for your organization and yourself, I highly recommend you read and use Appreciative Leadership. It is very different than many of the leadership books I have on my bookcases. The distinction is well summarized in the final chapter: “Leadership makes things happen. Appreciative leadership makes good things happen and it does so in positive, life affirming ways. It is the source of human wellbeing and a foundation for thriving organizations and communities.”
Book Review Written By
Larry R. Wynn, D. Min.
May 19, 2010
An Introduction to Appreciative Inquiry
A primer on the power and intention of
Appreciative Inquiry
Appreciative Inquiry (AI) is the study and exploration of what gives life to human systems when they function at their best. This approach to personal change and organization change is based on the assumption that questions and dialogue about strengths, successes, values, hopes and dreams are themselves transformational. In short, Appreciative Inquiry suggests that human organizing and change is a relational process of inquiry, grounded in affirmation and appreciation.
The Appreciative Inquiry process allows everyone within the whole system of your organization to participate and have a voice. At the heart of Appreciative Inquiry is the positive core of the organization and its participants. All ideas and decisions are projected from the celebration of the positive core. The process truly builds on what already is positive and functioning well within the organization. Another key principle is that the people (participants) within the organization have the best solutions for idea creation and future directions. AI is a process which helps people organize their dialogues, interactions, and activities so they can collectively discover and create the future they desire.
Potential Uses of Appreciative Inquiry:
- Visioning and Strategic Planning your Future
- Creating a Healthier Organizational Environment
- Designing a Structure or Process for Optimum Results
- Developing Key Leaders and Inspired Employees
- Delivering Services and Programs with Maximum Outcomes
- Shifting Culture and Paradigms to Move to a Higher Level of Being
- Preparing for Next Levels of Responsibilities and Expectations
Unleash the Power of Appreciative Inquiry
in your Organization Today!
Appreciative Inquiry Model
There are six component parts of the AI Model. First you choose what you desire to study and create. Then you walk through the “4—D” model of Discovery, Dreaming, Designing and Destiny. An organization celebrates its Positive Core at the completion of the Discovery phase. This Positive Core energizes the whole process.
Affirmative Topic Choice:
Careful, thoughtful, and inspired topic choice is centrally important, as it defines the direction of the change process and lays the groundwork for subsequent interviews and organizational learning. Stated in a bold and affirmative manner it gives the participants inspiration as to why they are participating in the process. Remember organizations move in the direction of what they choose to discuss.
Discovery:
The discovery process is at the heart of the definition of Appreciative Inquiry. In this phase you ask questions (inquire) in an appreciative manner about what is going well within your organization. This process is unleashed with one-on-one interviews between folks within your organization. You listen to stories that describe your organization and begin to weave those stories into fabric or collage that describes your organization. Dominant themes will emerge as the key strengths of your organization. It is from the foundation of these inspired stories and positive themes that you will dream your future.
Positive Core:
The dominant themes and words that describe your organization will become your positive core. You will find this discovery inspiring and the energy that will provide you ideas to create the dream of your organization. Often times the major themes of the positive core can be used to update the mission, vision and values of your organization. These positive themes will also allow you to clarify identity and purpose of your organization. The celebration of the positive core moves energy and creates a great environment for dreaming.
Dream:
With data from the discovery phase and inspiration from the positive core you are now ready to image the potential future of your organization. This phase can allow you to clarify the vision of your organization. You begin to bring to life the greatest hopes and dreams you have for your organization. In this phase we will use creative images that will give your dream shape and substance. Dreams you never thought imaginable become inspiration for your organization.
Design:
This phase allows the participants to give form to your dreams. We design around the priorities we choose. Participants self-select to priorities around which they have the most passion. We design the organizational structure we will need as well as how we will use our resources differently to achieve the re-designed organization. Here you will do the sorting, shifting, and make serious choices about what will be your future.
Destiny:
In the destiny phase the dream and the design become a reality. You implement the inspired action around your choices. You behave differently which allows you to really achieve your desired future. You evaluate as you go realizing that you can constantly adjust and improve on what you have planned. You organize into teams that take ownership and see that the planned future becomes your reality.
Larry R. Wynn, D. Min.
