Idaho Commission for Libraries

This workshop was set in the frame of "assessment." "The most serious mistakes are not being made as a result of wrong answers. The truly dangerous thing is asking the wrong question." Peter Drucker

Rather than asking what went wrong, ask "how can we get significantly better results?"

Appreciative Inquiry (AI)explores what gives life to human systems when they function at their best? This approach allows individuals to question and dialogue about strengths, successes, values, hopes, and dreams. Another way of reinforcing the "glass half full, rather than half empty."

The cycle of AI includes discovery, dreaming, designing, and destiny. Rather than problem-solve, appreciate what is, imagine what might be, determine what should be and creat what will be. In the words of the presenter "organizations are a solution/mystery to be embraced."

Benefits of AI include building relationships, creating opportunities for people to be heard, generating opportunities for people to dream, allowing people to choose how they will contribute, giving people support to act, and encouraging and enabling people to be positive and affirming.

I found participant reaction interesting. One individual thought this meant everyone "had to be positive" reacting with "well there are just some people who are not positive, it is not in their make-up. What are they trying to do make everyone think the same?" I don't believe this is the case, rather giving everyone a chance to be heard in a spirit of respect regardless of point of view.

Resources
Encylopedia of Positive Questions
The Thin Book of Appreciative Inquiry
The Power of Appreciative Inquiry