problem solving vs appreciative inquiry

Appreciative Inquiry – A Problem Solving Technique

Appreciative Inquiry (AI) is a model for analysis, decision-making and creating change within organisations. It's about the search for the best in people or an organisation and a tool we look at in our Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Training Course

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What is appreciative inquiry.

When things aren’t going to plan, it’s easy to start looking at all of the things that are going wrong and considering what can be done to fix them. When it comes to problem-solving this tends to be the normal approach and in some cases the right approach to take.

What it can do in some situations is drive so much negativity that it’s hard to find the things that are wrong, just because when we talk negatively we tend to react negatively (take a negative attitude). It then becomes much more difficult to think of positive solutions with a ‘negative hat’ on.

Appreciative Inquiry is about looking at positives – to create positivity. When we feel positive we’re much more likely to succeed. The idea of Appreciative Inquiry was developed by David Cooperrider of Case Western Reserve University in the 1980s.

The 2 Parts of Appreciative Inquiry

Let’s start by looking at the two words that make up the name of the technique. This should help us to begin to understand what it all means:

• Appreciate – recognise the value of the contributions of the things or people around us
• Inquire – explore and discover, to better understand and be open to new ideas and possibilities

When put together, it means that we appreciate what is good and valuable in the present situation, then we can discover and learn about ways to effect positive change for the future.

How to Use Appreciative Inquiry

• Define – Define the problem. Before you can start to analyse a problem or situation you first need to be clear on exactly what you are looking at. Because you have chosen a positive mindset, you will begin to look at the problem from a more positive viewpoint. Think about the language you use, the way you communicate with people working with you on the problem and what kind of behaviours you demonstrate. Talk about things from a positive viewpoint i.e. instead of saying ‘how to fix poor sales’ say ‘how to increase sales’.
• Discover – Here is where you begin to look at the past and look at all of the things that are good, or even right back to a time when things were good or better. Understand what was/is good, why it was was good. Find out what people find most valuable about the organisation, the current process or products and services. Once you have all of this you can not start to look at the data and begin to understand why it was good – what were the factors that were making it good?
• Dream – At this stage, you should begin to think about the ‘what could be’. Building vivid pictures and ideas of what the future could look like if things were good/better again. You should think about how to take the things from the previous stage and consider how good things would be if it was like that again. Use techniques such as brainstorming to consider how these things might work and what could be achieved.
• Design – Here you need to start looking at how practical your ideas are – will the past work again or have things changes so significantly that this just won’t work anymore. This is where you need to think about systems, processes and plans of how to make the vision come to life. Our Process Mapping Training Course will be useful with some ideas for this stage.
• Deliver – This is the stage where you begin to plan your strategy to achieve the ideas you came up with within the dream stage. It’s taking the points from the design stage and beginning to turn those into a workable plan. You need to keep the dream/vision as a point of focus and build plans to move closer towards it. Use Project Planning techniques such as plans, milestones and objectives to move closer to the dream. Our Project Management Training Course will provide some useful insight on this stage.

So, next time you’re faced with a problem, don’t always think negatively – look for the positives and use the Appreciative Inquiry technique to find better ways to get a more positive outcome.

Appreciative Inquiry Training Course

If you would like to know more about appreciative inquiry and how to use it in your day to day work, our Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Training Course will provide you with some help and guidance on this.

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What Is Appreciative Inquiry?

• How the Model Works
• The 5 Principals
• Appreciative Inquiry's 5-D Cycle
• Fundamental Analysis

Appreciative Inquiry: Definition, Principles, and Examples

Gordon Scott has been an active investor and technical analyst or 20+ years. He is a Chartered Market Technician (CMT).

Appreciative inquiry (AI) is a positive approach to leadership development and organizational change. The method is used to boost innovation among organizations. A company might apply appreciative inquiry to best practices, strategic planning, organizational culture, and to increase the momentum of initiatives.

This approach has also been applied at the societal level for discussion on topics of global importance. For example, non-profit and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) might design initiatives across global regions and industry sectors after analysis using appreciative inquiry.

Key Takeaways:

• Appreciative inquiry (AI) represents positive and collaborative techniques to improve leadership and implement organizational and societal change.
• In organizations, the method is used to boost innovation by analyzing best practices, strategic planning, organizational culture, and initiatives.
• Appreciative inquiry has also been used with non-profit and NGO initiatives across global regions and industry sectors.

Understanding Appreciative Inquiry

The Appreciative Inquiry model was developed at the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University. It was based on research by David Cooperrider and Ronald Fry. The core idea behind Appreciative Inquiry is that a problem—solving perspective creates inefficiencies and sub-optimal outcomes.

As firms aim to improve efficiency, survive, perform better, and boost competitiveness, AI proponents argue there's an over-emphasis on "fixing what's wrong" through a deficit-based approach. In other words, a "problem-solving" approach is fundamentally negative since it implies criticism and remediation.

Instead, Appreciative Inquiry seeks a positive approach. The model uses analysis that focuses on the best and most effective aspects of living systems and organizations at a societal level. Appreciative Inquiry discovers the untapped positive potential of an organization. For example, a model might focus on a system's opportunities, assets, spirit, and value. The discovery of potential harnesses the energy needed to facilitate a change rooted in breakthrough, discovery, and innovation.

The 5 Principals of Appreciative Inquiry

In 1990, Cooperrider and Fry established five principles of appreciative inquiry, including:

• The Constructionist Principle : Organizations are co-constructed by the discourse of the participants' interactions. The purpose of an inquiry is to generate new stories, language, and ideas.
• The Principle of Simultaneity : The answers are implicit in the questions asked.
• The Poetic Principle : The story of the organization is always being co-authored by people within it through their stories. So, choosing the topic of inquiry can change the organization.
• The Anticipatory Principle : Understanding that our actions are guided by our vision of the future, and creating a positive image of the future to shape present action.
• The Positive Principle : Positive organizational change requires positive sentiments, such as hope, inspiration, camaraderie, and the strengthening of social bonds.

Appreciative Inquiry's 5-D Cycle

Typically, organizations take the principles from Appreciative Inquiry and create change using a 5D-cycle, which represents a process or working model. Below are the five cycles that most organizations implement.

1. Define: What Is the Topic of Inquiry?

At this stage, it’s essential to clarify the focus or purpose of the project. This includes identifying the starting point, purpose, and what needs to be achieved or improved within the system. In other words, what is it that we want to focus on and achieve together?

2. Discover: Appreciation of the Best of the Organization

Through dialogue and inquiry, the goal of the second stage is to find out what works within the organization or community. The focus is to discover what the organization does well, its successes, and areas of excellence.

3. Dream: Imagining What Could Be

This stage includes gathering the past achievements and successes identified in the previous stage to help imagine what the organization would look like with a new vision for the future. It allows those who are in the organization to dream of what could be achieved. Participants and employees get a chance to identify their hopes or aspirations for the future by creating a wish list.

4. Design: What Should Be

The design stage combines the second and third stages. It combines the best of what is along with what might be to achieve what should be. In other words, it merges the strengths with the wish lists to formulate the ideal organization.

5. Destiny or Delivery: Creating What Will Be

The last stage establishes how the design is to be delivered and executed. This might include how it will be embedded within the organization, identifying the teams or groups throughout the organization or community that can bring about the change.

Example of Appreciative Inquiry

Many organizations have used Appreciative Inquiry. For example, the United States Navy used the method for its leadership development program.

In the early 2000s, the Navy had faced a growing need and desire to change its culture and how the organization was viewed since it had experienced challenges with recruiting and retention.

Determining What Could and Should Be

The Navy introduced Appreciative Inquiry through a series of interviews from the bottom-up within its hierarchal structure. The goal of the interview process wasn't merely to ask about the Navy's problems and how to solve them but to inquire as to what represented the best of the Navy from each interviewee.

The Navy's approach was to combine the best values of the organization with asking what should be and envision what could be . Instead of viewing the Navy as a problem that needed to be solved, the goal shifted to a "what can be" strategy.

360-Degree Feedback

The Navy used a 360-degree feedback method to draw on each person's knowledge that included multi-dimensional leadership. It's focused on each person's circle of influence, such as the direct reports, peers, and supervisors, to help create a shared vision of the Navy's leadership needed in the future.

After identifying the vision, they generated ideas and the needed changes to create and implement that vision. Creating an alignment between everyone involved empowered the participants by bringing forward ideas and change initiatives, which altered the discussion from negative to positive feedback.

Leadership stories were gathered and allowed people to relate to each other and embrace different kinds of leadership that all participants desired within the Navy. Through an analysis of all of the feedback, the change initiatives centered around several concepts, including the autonomy to act for those serving in the Navy, attention to personal needs, the types of risks leaders take, and teamwork.

Case Western Reserve University. " Appreciative Inquiry ."

The Appreciative Inquiry Commons. " 5 Classic Principles of AI ."

Appreciative Inquiry Commons. " 5-D Cycle of Appreciative Inquiry ."

Case Western Reserve University. " Praise for Appreciative Inquiry ."

Calhoun: The NPS Institutional Archive. " The introduction of appreciative inquiry to the U.S. Navy using appreciative inquiry interviews and the large group intervention with applications to U.S. Marine Corps Logistics Strategic Management ," Page 1.

Calhoun: The NPS Institutional Archive. " The introduction of appreciative inquiry to the U.S. Navy using appreciative inquiry interviews and the large group intervention with applications to U.S. Marine Corps Logistics Strategic Management ," Page 13.

Calhoun: The NPS Institutional Archive. " The introduction of appreciative inquiry to the U.S. Navy using appreciative inquiry interviews and the large group intervention with applications to U.S. Marine Corps Logistics Strategic Management ," Page 17.

Calhoun: The NPS Institutional Archive. " The introduction of appreciative inquiry to the U.S. Navy using appreciative inquiry interviews and the large group intervention with applications to U.S. Marine Corps Logistics Strategic Management ," Page 18.

Calhoun: The NPS Institutional Archive. " The introduction of appreciative inquiry to the U.S. Navy using appreciative inquiry interviews and the large group intervention with applications to U.S. Marine Corps Logistics Strategic Managemen ," Page 25.

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Appreciative Inquiry and Problem Solving

Many people view Appreciative Inquiry as a replacement for problem solving. This view misses the fact that AI and problem solving are entirely different thought processes with different applications. AI should not be a substitute for problem solving, but should replace the  misapplication of problem solving , which is very frequent.

In general, we can say that problem solving applies to the world of things and technology and AI to the world of people.

Let’s look at the proper home and skillful use of problem solving. When there is a problem in the technical realm, problem solving is a series of logical steps, a disciple of thought, which makes sense and is extremely effective. Problem solving steps go something like this:

Define the problem Brainstorm possible causes Identify actual causes (often a single root cause) Brainstorm solutions for the identified cause Select the best solution Implement solutions and monitor progress

Formal problem solving varies in the number of steps and the wording of the steps, but most processes are very close to what is outlined above. These steps are extremely useful and have many applications. If you are driving down the road and your car suddenly has an extremely rough ride, you are confronted with a problem. You pull over and seek to identify the cause of the vibrating and find a flat tire. You quickly run down solutions: get out the jack and fix the tire, leave the old piece of junk beside the road and call a taxi, have the car towed to a station.

You select fixing the tire as the best solution and get out the spare, implement your solution, and drive to the nearest gas station to check the air pressure (select, implement and monitor solution).

With a flat tire, you go through the simple, intuitive, and very appropriate steps of problem solving. This same process works for power outages, car defects, plumbing issues, and other purely technical problems. Individuals and organizations need a good problem solving model to approach these technical challenges and can save time, money, and headaches by applying problem solving appropriately and effectively.

The trouble comes from applying problem solving too broadly.  Because most of us know problem solving well and have used the thought process for a lifetime, we apply the same logical process to human situations. We start talking about, “the problem with our schools” or, “the problem with him is.” These phrases are more than linguistic differences; they are indicative of a prevailing thought process that views human situations as problems to be solved. Turning human situations into problems is ineffective, can be frustrating, and often leads to disastrous results.

I know that problem solving leads to these bad things because I spent over a decade of my life consulting with individuals organizations using a problem-solving perspective. I helped organizations find what was wrong – the weaknesses, problems, issues, and roadblocks – and tried to create a better tomorrow by fixing what was wrong. The approach seldom worked well and often backfired.

Here’s a much abbreviated look at applying the Appreciative Inquiry approach to engaging students at school:

1. Define the area for Appreciative Inquiry; “When are students most engaged at school?”

2. Design and use questions in interviews to inquire into life-giving forces,

Questions for students: “Tell me about times at school when you were most excited about a subject? When do you really love learning?” Questions for teachers, “Tell me about times when you see students come alive with a love of learning.”

3. Dream and articulate possibilities for the future based on interview responses.

4. Design a future based on possibilities.

5. Deliver the future with passion.

Look at the difference in this appreciative approach and the problem-solving outlook that would ask, “What’s the cause of students not being engaged?” I assure you the differences are vast, just as the difference is vast in almost any human situation where AI is applied instead of problem solving.

If the school and student engagement is approached as a problem, you can be assured that defensiveness and finger point will result, morale will drop, and, in the end, the situation might be made worse. By using Ai to focus on what is working best with student engagement and articulating a positive future, hope, energy, creativity, involvement, and passion are released.

This is not meant as a general indictment of problem solving; problem solving has its appropriate place in the world. Think of the flat tire and how useful AI would be in that situation. Standing by the tire and asking, “When was this tire full?” and asking yourself, “What does it feel like to ride on a tire full of air?” is a silly, stupid, and totally inappropriate use of AI. When the tire is flat, use problem solving, get out the jack and fix the tire!

So the basic distinction is this:

Use problem solving for technical issues that have clear causes and effects.

Use Appreciative Inquiry in the human realm to discover possibilities and design positive futures. 

“I thought I was a positive thinker. Now, I have new ways to use an appreciative approach in all areas of my life and re-think some old habits. Great job, John! Excellent style, format, and overall experience.” – Lisa Hanger, Indiana Association of United Way, Vice President for Training

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Positive Problem-Solving: How Appreciative Inquiry Works

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A changing world, again. How Appreciative Inquiry can guide our growth

Amy j. armstrong.

a Virginia Commonwealth University, 900 E. Leigh St, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA

Courtney M. Holmes

Denise henning.

b University of North Carolina Wilmington, 601 S. College Road, Wilmington, NC, 28403, USA

COVID-19 is an interconnecting, cascading tsunami of up-rootedness and change on many levels. The global challenge we face is twofold: 1) how do we sustain our psychological, physical, social and economic capital and wellbeing in a time of great uncertainty; and 2) how do we adapt and create a new existence in an altered reality? Appreciative Inquiry (AI) is a well-documented approach to helping individuals and systems move from a deficit-based paradigm to a strengths-based perspective. AI holds myriad potential benefits for individuals, communities, and macro systems to build resilience and promote growth during and after COVID-19. This article will provide an overview of AI and its relevance to the current situation, as well as provide specific strategies for how people and systems can use AI as they transition through the pandemic and afterward.

1. Introduction

This has happened before, but not like this and not to us. Across time, societies and civilizations have experienced epidemics (regional) and pandemics (global). These are difficult to predict or anticipate, however, the probability of occurrence including those of high risk and magnitude is almost certain ( Felman, 2020 ; Sandman, 2007 ). Many epidemiologists believe that this modern-day pandemic is incredibly efficient in its transmission ( Ferretti et al., 2020 ) proving COVID-19 to be of high risk and magnitude. As such, it is disrupting bio-psychosocial and economic viability insisting that we consider how to sustain our psychological, physical, social and economic capital and wellbeing. Equaled by its efficiency of transmission is the uncertainty of its impact and outcome. It is estimated that up to 80% of humans will contract the virus, many will not survive and many of those often represent the most vulnerable in our society. The long-term health impact remains unknown for those who do survive. Until there is a vaccine, the primary tool to flatten the curve is physical distancing, yet in spite of this we see creative avenues of social connection.

In the last few months, several national and global systemic challenges have been brought to light that will require attention and tenacity to overcome. We have seen evidence that social, political, economic and healthcare systems are ill-prepared for this pandemic. Economies have been brought to a virtual standstill. One’s physical and existential survival are in question. The uncertainty feeds many questions related to our sense of self, mastery, competence, meaning, survival and connections. Systems and macro-level questions have surfaced. What will be the long-term psychological impact of an exhausted and traumatized health care workforce, of depleted health care resources? What will be the long-term psychological impact of physical distancing? What will be the long-term economic impact and how will we recover and how long will it take? What will become of our educational systems?

In the United States alone, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported a national job loss of 701,000 as a result of state-mandated stay at home orders and physical distancing requirements, with an increase from 1.4 million to 7.1 million unemployed ( BLS, 2020a ; BLS, 2020b ). Minority workers, women, and teens lost their jobs at higher rates, in part due to the sectors in which they work (e.g., service, hospitality, temporary and gig workers etc.). The existing pay gap between racial, ethnic and women workers compared to their white counterparts has also been highlighted. The lack of access to health insurance for almost 30 million Americans presents complex problems for the health care system and individual families as a pandemic threatens lives ( Kaiser Family Foundation, 2020 ). Long standing academic systems (K-12 and higher education) have been forced to make immediate changes shifting to some form of digital or virtual course delivery. However, disparities in access to technology, family literacy, and other important resources have highlighted deep inequalities in our institutional systems.

Individual questions and insecurity are also prominent. How long are we going to need to distance ourselves? What will life, school, and work look like when I can return? When can our kids go back to school; will they be alright? Will I be able to find a job? Will I get sick? Will my family be safe? How will I get through the loss and grief? How am I going to pay the bills? Will we have to wear masks? Can we attend group functions? Can we be in close contact or touch one another? These questions naturally create anxiety and fear and they test our resolve and resilience. The impact of mitigation strategies will have consequences for mental health and wellbeing. Many believe that there will be substantial increases in anxiety and depression, substance use, loneliness, domestic violence, and child abuse. These short-term and long-term consequences will necessitate immediate efforts focused on prevention and direct intervention for individuals and entire populations ( Galea, Merchant, & Lurie, 2020 ).

COVID-19 is an interconnecting, cascading tsunami of up rootedness, loss and change on many levels. The challenge we face is how do we sustain our psychological, physical, social and economic capital and wellbeing in a time of great uncertainty? And how do we adapt and create a new existence in an emergent and altered reality?

2. An appreciative mindset

Appreciative Intelligence and Appreciative Inquiry are models that describe a strengths-based and transformative strategic change process focused on leadership development and organizational change. Thatchenkary and Metzker (2006) describe the theory of appreciative intelligence as the ability to see the mighty oak from the acorn. In other words, the ability to adopt a growth mindset in which we can frame our perspective toward a vison of possibility and aspiration, to see what emerges from something much smaller or from a current state in people and processes. Appreciative Intelligence is, essentially, the ability to see the generative potential within any given situation. It requires a tolerance or threshold for ambiguity and uncertainty and a belief that our actions matter and requires persistence of action to achieve our goals.

Appreciative Intelligence is based upon an approach to transformational change known as Appreciative Inquiry. Appreciative Inquiry (AI) is both a worldview and a process for facilitating positive change in human systems. The basic assumption is that in every human system something works right and contains certain elements that make it vital, effective and successful ( Cooperrider, Whitney, & Stavros, 2008 ). Appreciative inquiry is a generative process that has been applied worldwide at micro and macro levels, from individual to large-scale cultural transformation. AI helps people to focus upon what is working well, the positive core, and identifying strengths by engaging them in inquiries and stories that highlight and then leverage those strengths. It is an evidence-based approach to change and individual, social and organizational wellbeing. The 4-D Model of AI consists of four pillars: 1) Discovery, Together identify strengths and core competencies, “map” the organizational core; 2) Dream, Collectively envision positive possibilities for the future, articulate a shared vision, and select strategic opportunities to focus on; 3) Design, Create aspiration statements for each opportunity and design processes/structures to achieve them, and 4) Destiny, Scope out a collaborative path forward and make personal commitments to contribute strengths and resources to realize shared aspirations ( Cooperrider et al., 2008 ).

Key appreciative strategies include: 1) reframing problems into possibilities and threats into opportunities; 2) seeing the strengths and successes of individuals, groups, and organizations; and 3) increasing curiosity and removing judgment. These strategies help individuals and systems shift their paradigm from a deficit-based perspective to a growth or strength-based perspective. AI can be used in everyday practices such as improving our relational energy, creating high quality relationships, improving emotional and mental health, focusing on developing our strengths and contributing to the wellbeing of others. From an organizational perspective, it can be used for a wide range of changes including building new infrastructures, increasing and strengthening collaboration and team building, and analyses of performance data.

3. Positivity leads to generativity

AI is not about being positive all of the time; however, the primary orientation is generativity. Bushe (2007) states “It is the quest for new ideas, images, theories and models that liberate our collective aspirations, alter the social construction of reality and, in the process, make available decisions and actions that weren’t available or didn’t occur to us before (p. 30).” When AI is successfully applied and integrated, groups and individuals are able to take action toward a better future ( Bushe, 2007 ).

Fredrickson (2013) discusses the ratio of positive to negative talk and its impact upon flourishing. A 3–1 ratio indicates higher levels of flourishing. Fredrickson’s (2001) ‘Broaden and Build’ theory found that positive emotions not only make people more resilient and increase their ability to cope with occasional adversity, they also increase people’s openness to ideas, creativity and capacity for action. Positive emotions can be cultivated to influence wellbeing and performance. Consider one positive emotion, that of gratitude. Gratitude has been found to be a predictor of mental health, with the ability to change the circuitry of your brain, increase happiness, boost the immune system, improve relationships and increase productivity ( Emmons, Froh, & Rose, 2019 ).

The focus on the positive in AI can increase positive feelings, the positivity ratio, and enhance the likelihood of generative thinking and acting ( Bushe, 2007 ). AI focuses upon a mindset of abundance (what does work) versus scarcity or the problem (what does not work). However, it does not ignore the challenges, suffering or negativity recognizing that growth and learning are often outcomes of these lived experiences. Bushe (2007) describes it as, “Instead of trying to solve the problem, AI generates a collective agreement about what people want to do together and enough structure and energy to mobilize action in the service of those agreements. When that happens, many ‘problems’ get ‘solved’ (p. 35).”

4. Integrating appreciative practices during COVID-19

Appreciative practices are techniques, skills and tools embedded in social science and positive psychology. These practices change the character of interpersonal interactions including changing perspective, focusing upon and learning from past successes, and forming relationships and a common vision ( Whitney, Trosten-Bloom, & Rader, 2010 ). This article will present a selective sample and describe several techniques that can be used to integrate an appreciative practice.

Positive Psychology is the study of thriving and flourishing at the subjective level, as well as the group level ( Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2000 ). It explores positive individual traits such as interpersonal skill, perseverance, and future mindedness; and group traits such as civic virtues, moving toward better citizenship, responsibility, nurturing and civility among other aspects. The PERMA model of wellbeing consists of: Positive emotions, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning and Achievement ( Seligman, 2011 ). These evidence-based strategies include the ability to: 1) Recognize and express positive emotions impacting our mental health and relationships; such emotions as gratitude, hope, joy, humor and awe; 2) Live in the present moment with authenticity using our strengths thereby creating positive identities through competence and mastery; 3) Develop and sustain our relationships through emotional and social intelligence to include empathy, perspective taking, and compassion; 4) Assess strengths and interests and find meaning and purpose using them in the world; and 5) Set and achieve personal and professional goals; to challenge ourselves with new learning as well as inspire, develop and grow others so that they may reach their potential.

4.1. Reframing toward opportunity

Generative questions help to shift the tone and direction of conversations toward value added and the creation of new knowledge, shared outcomes and possibilities ( Cooperrider & Whitney, 2005 ). Simply put, the question becomes, “what do we want more of”? During this time of crisis, Torres (2020) suggests that we ask the following: How else can we handle this? What needs to happen now? What might be possible now? What is one small action that would make a difference?

Flipping is a technique to change perspective and to reframe a conversation or a challenge from a deficit-based problem management perspective to one of opportunity management. This technique consists of: 1) Naming it, by stating the problem or complaint and/or the negative results or impact; 2) Flipping it, to the positive opposite; and 3) Framing it, by identifying the positive impact of the flip or the desired results ( Whitney et al., 2010 ). Considering some of the individual and societal challenges presented by COVID-19, Table 1 provides examples of how we may flip our perspective so that we can begin to work toward a generative transformation.

Table 1

Reframing challenges associated with COVID-19.

4.2. Discovering the positive core

A foundational premise of AI is that positive change is more likely to occur if people are able to take some of the old or familiar with them into the new ( Cooperrider et al., 2008 ). This necessitates an exploration of what works well when we are at our best as an individual, team, community and/or organization. Through such an exploration the root cause of success is identified and carried forward into the new change. These root causes are the strengths, or positive core, of the individual, team and/or institution. According to Whitney et al. (2010) , inquiries to explore success elements may include: 1) When are/were you at your best? 2) What are your top strengths? 3) What contributions do you make to the team? 4) When have we been at our best? 5) What are our strengths as a team? And 6) What are the root causes of our success?

Example: a school is strategizing how they can move from in person classes to a virtual environment. The inquiries above lead them to recognize their ability to develop the curiosity and creativity of students. Any change plan would then consider how they can continue utilizing that strength in an innovative learning environment.

Example: A leadership team identifies that when times are challenging, they have used humor to navigate the challenges. Moving forward they decide to make sure that they recognize and create opportunities for humor, laughter, and joy with one another and their employees.

Example: A young woman wants to do something productive so decides to learn a new language to challenge herself. She recognizes that in the past, she does best if she sets time aside in the morning and sticks to a schedule.

Finding the positive core is a process of identifying and leveraging strengths. Strength usage increases quality of life, productivity, work engagement and retention ( Rath, 2020 ).

4.3. Curiosity

The practice of curiosity encourages us to ask more questions in our conversations instead of making advocacy statements intended to influence others. Without judgement or ego, we learn what is important to the other person and in so doing we enrich our relationships and learn new ways of approaching a situation. With understanding, we connect by asking open-ended questions and we learn the stories of people. Seligman (2011) refers to such a communication strategy as “Active Constructive Responding”. Curiosity leads to learning and growth, while deepening relationships and understanding. A strategy to increase self-awareness is to ask questions and actively listen. This can be done by assessing your ask-to-tell ratio (e.g., do you ask more questions to explore another’s perspective than you tell someone what to do?).

5. Meeting the future with realistic optimism

There will be a next time of large-scale disruption, whether it be naturally occurring or as a result of human behavior. A strategic response fueled by generativity, curiosity, and realistic optimism will not prevent such an incident, yet it can ameliorate the pervasive negative impacts on individual and system health. This experience reinforces in each of us that there is so much we cannot control, however, there are aspects of our realities that we may be able to impact. Frankl (1984) offered that although suffering is inevitable, we have the ability to choose our attitudes. We can choose to be resilient and to persevere with hope, creativity, and intentionality. We can focus upon what we can control as an adaptive practice to manage stress and increase resilience.

We have the opportunity to responsibly anticipate as yet unseen events and trajectories, to develop and implement widespread systems change including: improvements to health care practice including both access and delivery, childcare, education, employment, support for vulnerable and marginalized populations who do not have resources or face systemic and instutional racism. In our emerging world, we will see an increase in the application and versatility of technology including telehealth delivery, health testing and tracking, as well as educational and employment applications. As a country and as a world we will need to strategize our pandemic preparedness and response, separating it from the political influences that may mire it within disparate agendas that impact positive health outcomes.

We are a resilient species, co-creating our realities through our questions, stories and meaning-making. A sense of meaning and purpose come from making a difference in the lives of others; it is a result of what we contribute and of what we give ( Grant, 2013 ; Rath, 2020 ). We see resilience and hope in the stories of connection and re-connection: the celebratory drive-by parades of family and friends, the simple act of waving through a window, face time chats and gatherings. We see this in the stories that have surfaced of appreciation, empathy, compassion and giving. For example, the grocery clerk who remains at work to help others, the health care workers putting others’ health before their own, neighbors checking in on neighbors, signs and songs appreciating the work of health care professionals, first responders and front line workers, chefs and restaurant owners preparing food for community members at no cost, and companies re-purposing to make masks and donating them to health care workers and others. We see this resilience in a reminder or discovery of growth including new and open methods of access and learning, book circles for children, podcasts, masters sharing their talent. We also see it with creativity as people are learning new skills such as art, gardening, languages and cooking. We see ourselves, and are allowing others to see us, without the trappings of make-up, hair cuts or color, in turn exposing our authentic selves with often with humility and humor.

The AI framework provides a guide for both individuals and systems on how to change negative thinking patterns, live responsibly, affirm our life purpose and sustain our world. To recognize that positive changes can arise out of trauma and adversity as stated by Frankl (1984) so many years ago and as seen in research in post-traumatic growth. We can move toward a model of abundance in which suffering connects to gratitude, appreciation and a bias toward intentional action. AI provides an opportunity for us to re-align our thinking and engagement in a way that will help us be more strategic, resilient, and strength-based in the future so that we may facilitate positive and sustainable change; and in so doing, emerge as better individuals, community and world on the other side of COVID-19.

Declaration of competing interest

No conflicts of interest.

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Problem Solving and Decision Making

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• Linda Drake Gobbo 3  

Part of the book series: Advances in Group Decision and Negotiation ((AGDN,volume 3))

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Problem solving and decision making in multicultural work teams are the last of the skill areas to be covered in this book. This topic will be discussed from the cultural, individual, and organizational levels of multicultural team development, building on the frameworks that have been presented in previous chapters. Many theorists consider problem solving and decision making as synonymous-all decisions are made in response to a problem or opportunity. Simply stated, if problem solving is the process used to find a solution to the problem, challenge, or opportunity. However, how one solves problems can be quite varied. An individual can use analytical tools based on logic, deduction, or induction, or intuition based on an understanding of principles, or creative thinking. Problem-solving abilities and approaches may vary considerably, actually using different paradigms or frameworks. In this chapter one approach, with the steps and methods to do problem solving in work teams, will be presented.

There are six steps to the problem-solving model described and demonstrated in this chapter. Several of those steps within the model are used for decisionmaking, and are covered as well. How a team makes the decision, and who on the team makes it are important elements and will also be discussed. As prior chapters have noted, membership of multicultural teams varies greatly. The procedures each member follows, the different value orientations guiding their behavior (Smith et al. 2002), the nature of the tasks they must complete, and the communication tools they employ (face-to-face and/or technology-based) all impact how they approach problem solving and decision making. When done effectively, problem solving, which includes decision making, moves through all the steps described here equally, engaging the knowledge and skills of all team members.

This chapter will first present theoretical frameworks for problem solving, then define the steps that comprise problem solving and decision making within them. This will be followed by a discussion of the cultural variations, and impact of individual styles and societal assumptions on decision-making. Shared mental models and consensus are offered as methods to equalize participation in team decision making, and an overview of other methods provided. The last section will look at ways to coordinate the stages of team development with the variety of problemsolving and decision-making techniques in order to maximize a team’s effectiveness.

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Gobbo, L.D. (2008). Problem Solving and Decision Making. In: Halverson, C.B., Tirmizi, S.A. (eds) Effective Multicultural Teams: Theory and Practice. Advances in Group Decision and Negotiation, vol 3. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-6957-4_9

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4 Appreciative Inquiry Tools, Exercises and Activities

Initially, appreciative inquiry (AI) was a “ fundamental shift in the overall perspective of organizational development that took into account the entire human functioning – including strengths, possibilities, and success .”

The contemporary concept of AI came into focus after the article by David Cooperrider and Suresh Srivastava in 1987, where they coined that problem-solving is ‘overused’ in organizational contexts and that active inquiries would perhaps be more helpful in creating innovations and ideas in the industry.

According to them, appreciative inquiry helps in:

• Building the core strengths of an organization.
• Shifting the focus from organizational weaknesses to organizational strengths.
• Letting individuals as well as the industry stick to its fundamental principles.
• Bringing a wholesome change that benefits every aspect of the firm.

AI aims to explain how human growth and organizational success flow in the direction of constructive change because of positive and persistent inquiry, and it works around five core principles:

• The Constructionist Principle Which states that our beliefs shape our actions. We do what we feel is right, and this forms the organizational culture as a whole.
• The Simultaneity Principle States that appreciative inquiry or the way we question our internal and external systems help in bringing about the desired change.
• The Poetic Principle States that performance culture in an organization grows based on expressions and communication within the human personnel. How we talk to each other, the stories that we share at work, and the emotions that attach employees is what counts for success or failure.
• The Anticipatory Principle Proposes appreciative inquiry happens when we raise questions on things that have meaning to us now, or that will have some value for us in the future.
• The Positive Principle Appreciative inquiry evokes positive emotions like hope, inquisitiveness, and motivation, all of which collectively contribute to changing the work environment for the better.

Before you continue, we thought you might like to download our three Strengths Exercises for free . These detailed, science-based exercises will help your clients realize their unique potential and create a life that feels energizing and authentic.

This Article Contains:

What are appreciative inquiry tools and exercises, benefits of using appreciative inquiry tools, 4 tips and techniques for application, 4 appreciative inquiry tools, 10 exercises and activities for applying ai, ai team building activities, 5 appreciative inquiry games, appreciative inquiry icebreakers, types of ai icebreakers.

• 5 AI Worksheets (Incl. PDF)

Appreciative Inquiry Survey

Other resources, a take-home message.

This article is an in-depth exploration of how we can use appreciative inquiry tools and exercises for individual and organizational growth.

Let us start the discussion with a short introductory video on AI:

Appreciative inquiry typically undergoes four stages, which is more popularly known as the 4-D cycle of AI (BJ Seminars International, n.d.).

• Discovery – Acknowledging and appreciating what ‘is.’
• Dream – Imagining and appreciating what ‘will be.’
• Design – Deciding what ‘should be,’ and how we can move from reality to the ideal position that we have imagined.
• Delivery – Creating or building ways to achieve the ‘dream’ and applying the strategies to practice.

Appreciative inquiry tools and exercises come into the picture at the third and fourth stages of the 4-D cycle. Broadly, AI tools are a set of rules or practical hacks that we can use individually or as a team to aim for a positive change at an organizational level.

AI tools are strategic plans and practices that create an impetus toward large-scale corporate ventures. They give shape to the company’s ethical standards, codes of conduct and improve client satisfaction from all aspects.

Appreciative inquiry tools also help in:

• Bringing together individuals who share similar traits and behavioral patterns within an organization.
• Providing quantitative analysis and feedback that fosters organizational growth.
• Capacitating and inspiring people to initiate the development process.
• Facilitating each other with skills, knowledge transfer, and training to maximize productivity as a whole.

Some of their benefits include:

• Open communication
• More engagement and work responsibility
• Scope for developing new skills
• Scope for improving existing skills
• Better decision-making power
• Attaining a positive learning environment
• Fostering a conducive environment at work.

Download 3 Free Strengths Exercises (PDF)

These detailed, science-based exercises will equip you or your clients with tools to discover and harness their unique strengths.

Download 3 Free Strengths Tools Pack (PDF)

By filling out your name and email address below.

As mentioned before, appreciative inquiry is the skill of asking relevant and positive questions (see Appreciative Inquiry Questions ) that strengthen individual and organizational strength.

AI is collaborative and impacts several areas of functioning, including:

• Healthcare and mental health
• Small business, micro-business, and start-ups
• Overall job satisfaction and work motivation
• Interpersonal relationships of individuals both at personal and professional levels
• Collaborations and global transactions in companies.

AI tools and applications are realistic and straightforward. They are flexible and easy to use, and here are some practical tips on how we can make the most of them:

1. Select positivity as the prime focus

An efficient appreciative inquiry model focuses more on what has worked best for the company rather than what did not work out. For example, individuals or teams who rely on a positive AI approach would replace negative questions with more positive orientated ones. For example: “ why were clients unhappy and complained about us? ” could be replaced with affirmative inquiries such as “ what made our clients happy earlier? Can we improvise on the same line? ”

A positive shift in the questions we ask ourselves and the company as a whole is the first and a significant step to bringing about the desirable changes in the workforce. The main idea here is to attend more to what ‘we want’ and less on what ‘we don’t want.’

2. Explore the exceptionality of the methods

Positive questions rewire our brain to filter only the fruitful pieces of information and focus on our internal strengths. An excellent way to ensure this happens is to investigate and ask ourselves what went particularly well after applying appreciative inquiries.

Exploring the advantages of the questions helps in discovering their unique capabilities. It also helps with understanding which areas of functioning they facilitate the most. For example, we should understand whether it is the tone, or the language, or the content of the AI that brought about the positive consequences and identify those areas as the exceptionality of it.

3. Share to gain perspective

Appreciative inquiries extend to involve numerous individuals, and work wonders in creating a positive organizational change. When we share our life incidents, inspirational stories, and exchange perceptions with each other, the likelihood of creating a productive AI structure increases manifold.

Besides, it also allows for the smooth transmission of positive energy from one person to another and positively impacts our professional development (Capra, 2002).

4. Keep room for innovation and improvisation

Whether the AI was successful or not, it is always good to continue improvising them. We can do so by regularly monitoring the outcomes, communicating with leaders about new ways of implementing the strategies, or by developing Appreciative Inquiry workshops to spread awareness about the inquiry systems.

Whatever way we choose, the whole idea is to keep moving forward and explore the endless benefits of using appreciative inquiry.

1. Appreciative Inquiry in Evaluation Practice By Hallie Preskill

Hallie Preskill is a Doctorate and a Professor of Behavioral Sciences at the Claremont Graduate University. She is a renowned author and has done great works in the field of appreciative inquiry and organizational learning. Her workshops and research publications are used by professional and educational organizations to alleviate the inhibitions related to asking the right questions, at the right place, and to the right person.

Her workshop on Appreciative Inquiry is a collection of principles and AI research-backed techniques to conduct positive AI sessions with more efficacy.

Her manual is suitable for individuals of all ages and includes tasks such as:

• One on one interview sessions with co-participants.
• Taking turns to narrate each other’s stories.
• Asking appreciative interview questions such as ‘three things you value the most,’ ‘best experience with clients so far’.
• Building listening skills by actively paying attention to each other’s stories and taking notes while doing the same.
• Collaborating in the workshop to build a joint vision of the future and discuss ways to get there.

The workshop by Preskill guarantees a positive shift in the mindset of the participants from a deficit viewpoint to a strength-based approach.

2. Appreciative Inquiry Coaching Toolkit

This toolkit is based on the 4 D’s of appreciative inquiry – discovery, dream, design, and deliver.

It follows a step-by-step approach and discusses practical strategies of AI that work best in each of the four stages of the 4-D cycle.

For example, the relevant AIs in the discovery and dream phase would be asking ‘what’ to the existing systems and getting the right answers where participants wish to see themselves in the future.

In the design and delivery phases, the AIs would focus more on the ‘how’ aspect of it, exploring better ways to implement the thoughts and gathering knowledge on how to put ideas into actions.

3. KS toolkit

The KS toolkit for AI is an adaptation of the Appreciative Inquiry Commons Model. It is a brief model containing the most relevant information that we can successfully apply in personal and professional fronts. The KS toolkit overviews the basics of how and when to use AI.

It is a great resource to ensure that the participants have a clear insight before they take the plunge. Besides, the toolkit has additional sources like examples, stories, and useful hacks that participants can follow to optimize the benefits of AI.

4. The Do It Now Appreciative Inquiry Toolkit

The Do It Now Appreciation Toolkit is a collection of appreciative inquiry exercises used in an AI workshop in Nepal, 2000. The tasks are varied and explained in details in the downloadable resource in the toolkit. The Do It Now Toolkit is a highly recommended set of exercises that individuals at any stage can use to build their skills thoroughly.

It is research-backed, successfully tested, and provides an excellent base for companies who are planning to implement AI as a part of their organizational system.

You can learn more about the research and download the exercises from the link above.

Appreciative inquiries are flexible and applied in a variety of ways (see our article on How To Apply Appreciative Inquiry ). The AI tools and exercises mostly vary depending on the target population and the contexts in which they come into play.

Here are ten AI activities that are more or less versatile and work equally well for all people and settings. Some of these exercises were also a part of the Do It Now toolkit mentioned earlier and proved to be extremely useful in the workshop it was first used in.

1. Appreciative meditation exercise

Appreciative meditation is a short yet powerful exercise to build a firm intention for appreciative inquiry. Usually used as the first exercise in most AI programs, the task merely involves collecting ourselves for a moment.

We can do this by breath control, thought monitoring, or attending to an external focal point and immersing ourselves entirely into it for a while. Appreciative meditation as the initial task makes the participants aware of their internal feelings and helps them realize why they want to invest in AI.

2. Individual self-discovery

This is a fun activity and works exceptionally well with kids and youngsters. The practice involves giving paper and pen to each participant and asking them to recall and sketch one of the happiest moments of their lives. The sketch need not be too elaborate, just a simple illustration that the respondents would then take turns to describe.

In the discussion part of this exercise, each child comes up with a brief narrative of the story they have sketched, and others are encouraged to listen to the story and inquire more about the details.

The task benefits the respondents and the audience in three main ways:

• They relive a happy moment of the past and experience the positive emotions related to it.
• They can reflect on their inner feelings and emotions while they narrate the stories.
• By listening to others asking, individuals gain insight into what an AI session looks like and how they can make the most of it with their narratives and questions.

3. Group discovery

This is an interactive AI exercise used in many organizational setups to promote employee engagement and team spirit. The activity is to form groups and discuss the achievements of each member of the team.

The administrator presents each group with a bunch of pens and a single sheet of paper and urges each team to represent their achievements pictorially.

4. Appreciative storytelling

Storytelling encourages participants to come up with their life stories that have some meaning to them and can inspire others. The aim is to make participants realize their experiences can be of value to someone else.

By sharing their stories and listening to others, participants build a sense of cohesiveness among themselves and motivate each other to keep going. As a result, they do not hesitate to express their concerns, ask for advice, and give their suggestions wherever appropriate to do so.

5. Appreciative acknowledgement

A positivity booster, this short exercise fills the respondents with energy and appreciation about each other. One or more persons are randomly chosen to come up and share one good thing that they like about each person present in the room.

Appreciative acknowledgment can be one long session allowing all participants to get their chance or it can be a daily component in an AI workshop where respondents take turns to appreciate each other every day for a few minutes in between sessions.

The aim is to build a mutually benefiting relationship among participants so that they can see and bring out the best in each other.

6. Morning news exercise

The morning news exercise was used with participants of the Kathmandu workshop. It is a group activity where participants are assigned to groups and work as a ‘Press Team.’

Their tasks involve collecting useful bits of information from the daily newspaper and reading it out at the workshop session every morning. Members take turns to present each piece of news so that each person gets a chance to be the presenter as well as an active listener.

7. Dream exercise

As the name indicates, this is an imagery-based exercise where the participants close their eyes for a couple of moments and imagine themselves returning home after an extended stay outside.

The administrator guides the respondents to think about everything they would have wanted to achieve by then and try to feel the emotion of returning home after so long. After the session is over, participants take turns to come up and share in detail what they imagined, how they saw themselves, and what changes they desired to see in their lives after so long.

8. Appreciative communication exercises

Susan Gaddis, a certified life coach and wellness guide, coined a manual for positive communications systems and appreciative inquiry. Her works focus on building awareness on the benefits of clear communication and appreciative introspection.

In the ‘Good Communications’ manual, she has put forth some simple, scientific, and objective AI measures that are easy to understand and provide a quick analysis of how appreciative we are towards ourselves and others.

Learn more about her exercises here .

9. The problem to opportunity exercise

Mac Odell proposed this exercise for fostering appreciative inquiry through challenging the existing problem areas and replacing them with potential opportunities.

The first part of the task is about ruling out what is currently lacking and then replacing the deficits with the scope of new possibilities.

For example, if the problem is a weak social connection within the organization, then the participants would first chalk out what has led to the challenge and what they may think can solve it. After that, they would draw a separate map or chart with the solution part – string interpersonal connections in this case, and formulate the causal factors and ways to attain the goal.

You can learn more about the administration and application of this exercise  here .

10. AI advertising exercise

An adaptation of the Open Space Technology used by the APA framework, this exercise invites participants to form an advertisement with words, pictures, or graphics on any aspect of the dream they aspire to fulfill. After completing the sketch, the members come up one by one and present their advertisements as though they are ‘selling’ them.

The response and feedback they get from the audience during the presentation, as well as the intuitions that work while they are delivering their advertisements, serve to provide an understanding of how they should plan on achieving it in real life.

The facilitators develop interactive sessions for discussing the design and execution part of the mock-ups, and participants encourage and appreciate each other’s efforts throughout the practice.

Many successful firms of different fields rely on professional group activities that are incredibly solution-focused and guarantee success in the majority of the times.

If you are looking for some great ideas for incorporating AI in your organization, these tips can get you started:

1. AI team activities involve a large number of individuals

The more individuals in a team-building AI, the better the results. Whether we are the facilitators or the participants of the AI program, we must ensure that more people join the activities and each of them feels important as a part of the group.

When more people work together, there are more significant exchanges of positive energy and more inputs come up in the form of personal stories and experiences.

2. A sense of trust is vital for success

AI group activities can create a sense of trust in the team by introducing trust scales in the program and asking participants to score their level of confidence in themselves and others.

Marking the trust level allows open communication among members about what influence their trust in themselves and why they do or do not trust someone.

3. Set up talk-circles

Talk circles are open spaces where people are free to talk with others and share their views on customer service, organizational leadership, and team building at work.

Talk circles work best when they are amalgamated within the AI team activities and practiced daily.

4. Encourage groups to dream together

Groups that imagine together work better as a team. To promote this, we can set up brief sessions during each activity, say for five minutes, where members would visualize a dream and share their feelings.

This could be a group goal, any personal achievement, or imagery of what the ideal workplace would look like. Communicating every tidbit of the visualization helps the members connect and agree on a single goal (dream) that they could then seek to achieve.

5. Promote the exchange of knowledge and information

Exchange of information can happen in different ways, such as 1-minute wisdom bites where each member gets one minute prior or post the activity to share the most relevant information they got that day.

Knowledge transfer creates a cultural shift in the organization as a whole and drives the employees to engage in a valuable exchange of positive news that can create a better ambiance at work.

Appreciative team-building activities create a conducive work environment where employees can feel good about themselves and others. Efficient and compassionate leaders today believe that a healthy and highly functioning team is a primary requisite for success.

Team building AI exercises ensure a sustainable and positive performance culture that invites long-term gains and ensures satisfaction at all levels of functioning.

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Although one would typically expect Appreciate Inquiry to only apply to the work environment, it can also be practiced at school. The following section includes games as well as research findings.

1. Thumb wrestling game

Many of us have thumb wrestled in our school days and must have so many fond memories attached to this game! But did you know that thumb wrestling is also a great AI tool for team building and performance enhancement?

The game is simple:

• Ask the participants to choose a partner to thumb wrestle with and let them lock their finger once they are ready to start the game.
• Explain the rules clearly to all the participants so that they do not end up hurting each other.
• Start the game by asking the participants to wrestle with each other for one minute and give shoutouts for each time they score.
• Make multiple pairs who compete in the game and let them collaborate as a team for scoring higher.

The best part of thumb wrestling as an AI tool is that is can be used for all populations and is a great way to promote team spirit within individuals.

2. Appreciative learning games in schools

Appreciative inquiry, when started earlier, yields the best results. For example, students and youngsters who learn to use AI exercises and activities in their educational institutions can internalize the practice better than others. They are likely to show similar positive traits in all other walks of life more spontaneously than others.

Studies have shown that children who went to schools that promoted AI through daily activities and games were more competitive and self-driven than others. They were more creative, positive-minded and regardful of others they work or study with (Eow, Wan Zah, Rosnaini, & Roselan, 2011).

3. Appreciation cards, kudo cards

Praise words never fail! Appreciation or Kudo cards is a popular AI game that enhances employee satisfaction and happiness.

Expressing ‘Kudos,’ meaning appreciation or acknowledgment is the key factor in this game. Appreciation cards can be small thank-you notes or simple words of recognition from the team leader or supervisor.

Managers and leaders often use this game as a means of acknowledging the employees’ hard work and appreciating their efforts. Positive feedback from superiors and co-workers brings an instant feeling of happiness and provides a positive thrust to keep working hard.

4. Agile games

Agile games are used as appreciative inquiry instruments to solve authentic business issues and manage conflicts. They are a collection of activities and exercises that focus on manifesting positive workplace actions such as group cohesiveness, multitasking abilities, time management, etc.

The tools used for these games involve teaching, role modeling, and interactive games and the collaborative nature of the exercises helps the participants in understanding, discovering, and executing their dreams.

5. Action learning games

Action learning games are mostly group activities that facilitators regularly conduct with other appreciative inquiry techniques. In action learning games, there is a presenter who narrates an incident, a problem, or a life experience.

The others in the group are active listeners who fully attend to the story, take notes while listening, and comes up with relevant questions after the narration is over. The facilitator motivates each person to come up with at least one question and explain how the answer would help them in their lives.

The discussions participants have with each other during the session unlock the thought blocks and make way for positive self-reflection.

They are simple, catchy, and relevant tasks that the facilitators introduce in the group session to promote appreciative inquiry in the group (Silberman, 2011).

Hogan (2005) pointed out that icebreakers play a predominant role in an appreciative inquiry by:

• Making participants accustomed and well-adjusted to each other.
• Creating space for open communication and equal responsibility among all members of the organization.
• Promoting positive interpersonal relationships in the workplace.

Icebreakers are mostly practiced in groups, where many individuals work together. Tuckman (1965) said that there are four stages of group development, namely:

• The Forming Stage – where members come together and create the team.
• The Storming Stage – when they discuss and explore the group goals and the means to achieve them.
• The Norming Stage – where the rules and group standards come into the picture.
• The Performing Stage – where the group members embark on executing the plans and achieving the targets.

According to Tuckman, icebreakers work best when they are used in the early stages of group development (i.e., the forming and the storming stages).

Introducing them earlier ensures less performance anxiety in the participants and more excitement at being a part of the performing team. And once the members become familiar with the icebreakers, they can use them repeatedly to instill energy at different levels of the AI sessions (Chlup & Collins, 2010).

There are three broad categories of icebreakers in appreciative inquiry.

1. The Just for Fun Icebreakers

These make participants comfortable and provide an initial energy boost to know and communicate with each other.

2. The Introductory Icebreakers

Introductory Icebreakers make the participants familiar to new topics, new group agendas, and also new members of the group. They may be funny and informal, but usually aim at achieving a group goal.

3. The Topic-based Icebreakers

They are more specific, detailed, and focus on the ultimate goal of the session.

There is a vast range of icebreakers to choose from. While some of them are more suited to organizational contexts, other icebreakers may be more relevant for educational institutions, or counseling and rehabilitation purposes.

Here are three appreciative icebreakers that are more generalized and can be incorporated in AI across different spheres:

i. Friends Indeed Icebreaker

Friends indeed is an introductory icebreaker that helps people get to know each other in a group. It uses physical name cards that make the task more fun and enjoyable, and suitable for using with kids as well.

The job is to write their names on the name cards and stand in a circle with the facilitator in the middle. The facilitator would then call out statements, and those for whom the statements hold true will go and stand with each other, maintaining the circle.

In each round, the odd person or persons would come to the center of the ring and call out the next statements aloud. The comments are usually simple and easy, for example – ‘friends who have pets at home’, ‘friends who are late-risers’, ‘friends who love chocolates’, etc.

The game is an excellent way for participants to know each other, participate in a group task, and realize that they have something in common, which makes the bonding easier.

ii. Storytelling AI Icebreaker

Storytelling techniques are very common AI icebreakers. They are flexible, don’t require any special arrangements for administration, and help people voice their thoughts and emotions.

The task involves allowing some time (usually 2-3 minutes) to each group member to share one story with the group. The stories can be personal experiences, or the facilitator can provide cues such as ‘a story about the best manager you have worked with so far’, ‘ a story about your biggest professional achievement and why you think you could attain it.’

The only rule of this icebreaker is that the story participants choose must have some value and a positive note in it. Storytelling sessions usually take longer as there are many individuals involved, and each person gets a fair chance to tell their story.

Once all the stories have been shared, the person in charge of the session recapitulates the critical elements of each story and discusses how the group can use them for learning purposes.

iii. Strength-based Icebreakers

Strength-based icebreakers combine creativity and positive imagery into the team for getting the desired outcomes. Strength-based icebreakers are a recent phenomenon that came up as a part of an experiment to explore how appreciative learning and appreciative inquiry can help training and orientation programs.

Researchers promoting these more intellectual and individualized strategies argue that if icebreakers can build individual strengths and potencies, they can be more useful than the traditional AI icebreakers.

Undoubtedly, the strength-based approach gave a new dimension to the application of AI icebreakers, but whether it can take over the conventional interventions is still a matter of investigation.

If this is something worth considering for your next AI session, take a look at this strengths-based therapy article for ideas.

4 AI Worksheets (Incl. PDF)

1. Appreciative Inquiry Worksheet For Personal And Organizational Use

A short and straightforward worksheet for charting the four D’s of appreciative inquiry. This worksheet is the perfect option for self-exploration and introspection of where we are and how we can reach the final destination. It encourages reflection on being more regardful and considerate of ourselves and others.

The task is self-directed, comes in a two-page form, and works equally well as a personal or group AI intervention.

2. Appreciative Inquiry Worksheet by Change Activation

If you are looking to start an AI program in your workplace and expect many individuals as potential participants to the program, then this could be a one-stop go to for you.

Change Activation is an online resource that has it sorted for people and organizations using and promoting appreciative inquiry, and their worksheets and manuals are great to have in the collection for a successful AI program.

3. Appreciative Inquiry Workbook for Children

This set of worksheets and exercises was used in a school program in Houston, Texas, and has valuable content for building AI in school children.

The workbook includes simple illustrations of the 4D cycle of appreciative inquiry, followed by tasks for self-reflection, positivity, and self-expression. It is undoubtedly a powerful resource to help kids understand and explore success through an appreciative inquiry from the very beginning of their lives.

4. Appreciative Inquiry Quiz

The AI quiz is a short exercise focused on building knowledge application, information exchange, and reading comprehension. The test consists of multiple-choice questions on the basis of appreciative inquiry and is easily scoreable.

The quiz is suitable as a follow-up measure for participants of an AI program to ensure they have internalized the concept and are ready to use them in their personal and professional lives.

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Use these 17 Strength-Finding Exercises [PDF] to help others discover and leverage their unique strengths in life, promoting enhanced performance and flourishing.

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Dr. David Cooperrider, the founder of the AI methodology, mentioned the Appreciative Inquiry Survey in his research publications and appreciative inquiry books. The survey gained immense popularity and was later used in different professional setups to introduce the concept of AI to employees.

Dr. Cooperrider noted about this first at the annual meeting of the ONL (Organization of Nurse Leaders of Massachusetts), in 2014, and previously used it as a part of the AI certifications he provided to professionals.

The survey is now used in healthcare, educational, and organizational sectors and offers comprehensive knowledge and suggestions of how appreciative the respondents are, and how they can be trained to enhance their AI skills.

There are no limits to the ways we can embrace and apply AI in our lives. Whether we practice them individually or enjoy its benefits from the group activities, the result of using AI is nothing but heightened motivation and achievement.

We have already seen a few exercises and games in the previous sections, and here are some more riches on appreciative inquiry to get the ball rolling.

Appreciative Inquiry: A Conversation with David Cooperrider

Playful inquiry by Robyn Stratton-Berkessel

How to Do An Appreciative Inquiry Interview by Lindsey Godwin

Appreciative Inquiry In Organizational Life by David L. Cooperrider and Suresh Srivastva – a PDF .

Appreciative Inquiry and the Power of Positive Question by Ludema, Cooperrider, and Barrett – a PDF .

John Lubbock said, “ What we see depends mainly on what we look for .”

Appreciative Inquiry is about discovering the root causes of success rather than exploring the causes of failure. It builds the power to create our world with the questions we ask and the way we apply the solutions in our lives.

In a nutshell, AI is calling for a positive shift of energy from repairing the old to creating something new. It allows us to discover our strengths, acknowledge the efforts of others, and build the spirit for squeezing innovation with dreams. And as we know, “ Positive actions, combined with positive thinking, results in success ” (Shiv Khera).

We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Don’t forget to download our three Strengths Exercises for free .

• BJ Seminars International. (n.d.). The 4-D cycle . Retrieved from https://bjseminars.com.au/our-approach/appreciative-inquiry/the-4-d-cycle/
• Capra, F. (2002). The hidden connections: Integrating the biological, cognitive, and social dimensions of life into a science of sustainability. Doubleday.
• Chlup, D. T., & Collins, T. E. (2010). Breaking the ice: using ice-breakers and re-energizers with adult learners.  Adult Learning ,  21 (3-4), 34-39.
• Cooperrider, D., & Srivastva, S. (1987). Appreciative inquiry in organizational life. In R. Woodman & W. Pasmore (Eds.), Research in Organizational Change and Development (Vol. 1, pp. 129-169). Jai Press.
• Eow, Y. L., Wan Zah, W. A., Rosnaini, M., & Roselan, B. (2011). Appreciative learning approach as a pedagogical strategy and computer game development as a technological tool in enhancing students’ creativity.  Journal of the Research Center for Educational Technology ,  7 (2), 58-85.
• Hogan, C. (2005).  Understanding facilitation: Theory and principle . Kogan Page Publishers.
• Silberman, M. L. (2011).  101 Ways to make training active  (Vol. 1). John Wiley & Sons.
• Tuckman, B. W. (1965). Developmental sequence in small groups.  Psychological Bulletin ,  63 (6), 384-399.

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Is it possible to get the link for the Appreciative Inquiry Workbook for Children with worksheets? Currently, the link is not working. Thank you! -Marion

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Thank you for this clear and resourceful article. I found it very useful and enjoyed watching the videos.

Madhuleena, thank you for compiling this very comprehensive set of resources about Appreciative Inquiry that includes applications and innovations in an ever-widening circle of contexts. I will be sharing it widely on social media and with my students and clients.

Hai Madhu, I am ANANDKUMAR, an Associate Professor teaching agricultural extension in India. I am living in Karaikal, a district in Pondicherry, where Shri Arbindho Ashram is located. I am working in Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru College of Agriculture & Research Institute. I like your AI paper above. I intend to frame a questionnaire based on the tips you suggested to know about what my students who completed a course on entrepreneurship development, think and feel about becoming an entrepreneur in future. How do you feel about it. Can you also join me? Do you have any opportunity to visit our students for this research and do something together for wellness of students?

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The Core Collaborative October 22, 2021 3 min read

What is Appreciative Inquiry?

By isaiah mcgee, and why is it a critical problem-solving model for school leaders.

Schools are in a constant state of change. This doesn’t change the reality that many school leaders are currently experiencing a series of challenges all seeming to converge at the same time. In the midst of navigating the complexity of keeping people healthy during a lingering pandemic, school leaders are also responding to a divided community, high levels of student and staff mental health needs, and staffing shortages in all areas. Given this cavalcade of issues, traditional problem solving, which seeks to identify a problem and then take steps to solve the problem, is probably insufficient. An alternative model to traditional problem solving is Appreciative Inquiry (AI). Rather than starting from a deficit-based mindset, the Appreciative Inquiry model is an outcome-based inquiry approach that focuses on existing strengths and desired outcomes.

How Appreciative Inquiry Works

Appreciative Inquiry engages individuals, teams, or the entire organization in creating change by moving toward a shared vision for the future by engaging in strategic innovation. “At its heart, Appreciative Inquiry is about the search for the best in people, their organizations, and the strengths-filled, opportunity-rich world around them. Appreciative Inquiry is a fundamental shift in the overall perspective taken throughout the entire change process to ‘see’ the wholeness of the human system and to ‘inquire’ into that system’s strengths, possibilities, and successes” (Stavros, Godwin, Cooperrider, 2015)

The AI model is centered on asking questions that lead to a focus on strengths, visions, competencies, and shared beliefs. Asking positive questions leads to answers and meaningful thought patterns that produce additional positive discussion, thoughts, and vision relating to the individual or organization. By focusing on what excites them at the moment, Appreciative Inquiry can help school leaders engage in creating change by envisioning desired outcomes that are most meaningful. It then seeks to understand why these outcomes are desirable, and how they might be achieved. When there is a focus on positive affect, people are more open to alternative perspectives.

The Five-D Protocol of Appreciative Inquiry

Ultimately this process seeks to answer the essential question; “How do we empower, learn, and be responsive to the needs of the system?” In place of the conventional technique of analyzing to identify issues in order to resolve, Appreciative inquiry employs the five-D protocol, which involves facilitating the development of a positive vision within a learning community and co-creating goals and action plans to reach the desired, positive vision. The five-D model are Appreciative Inquiry questions that focus on the five key phases of Define, Discover, Dream, Design, and Destiny.

According to the five D-model, Appreciative inquiry begins with the Define phase asking, “What is the topic of inquiry? What do we want to focus on and strengthen together? What does the system want to strengthen or increase?” Because it is important to define and clarify the overall focus of the inquiry, this clarity defines the inquiry cycle’s purpose, context, and what needs to be achieved. From these questions, leaders develop the skills and knowledge related to the philosophies guiding their work and begin to build trusting supportive relationships within the culture change team.

2. Discover

In this phase, we attempt to discover and appreciate “the best of what is.” By focusing on peak times of organizational excellence from even the smallest wins, when people have experienced the system as most effective, leaders identify accomplishments and assets, and point to the evidence and rationale behind unique factors such as key processes, structures, perspectives, resources that made these high points possible. Identifying these positive stories reveals what makes the organization thrive when it is at its best.

The purpose of the dream phase is to identify what new possibilities await after discovery. What wishes, hopes and aspirations are there for the future? By creating a set of aspiration statements, this stage imagines what could be based on evidence from past achievements and successes.

The design phase identifies actions that will support the new possibilities identified in the dream phase with the evidence from past achievements and successes in the discovery stage. Here participants create and commit to actions that will help make the aspiration statements from the dream stage concrete.

Finally, in the last phase, we identify ways to support and sustain the action plans and implementation efforts from the design phase by establishing “what will be” and seeking to collaboratively answer what adjustments and additions could be helpful in aligning individual interactions and increasing momentum for the future. Action commitments serve as the basis for ongoing activities which include continuous dialogue and continued learning. This is an iterative process that can and should lead users back to the Discovery process of Phase one.

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Appreciative inquiry: getting more of the good stuff.

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2020 has been hard on everyone, business owners included. Now that 2021 is upon us, how do we pick up the pieces and rebuild going forward? After what has seemed like a never-ending free-fall of challenge, complexity and ambiguity, appreciative inquiry may be the most valuable strategy to help your team orient toward a positive view of your business, secure improvement through insights, and  maximize what you’re doing right — providing a much needed sense of hope and control after 2020.

What Is Appreciative Inquiry? 

Appreciative inquiry is a positive approach to organizational change that focuses on maximizing an organization’s strengths instead of purely looking for problems to fix or avoid. 

In Appreciative Inquiry: A Positive Revolution in Change , author David Cooperrider writes: “In [appreciative inquiry], the arduous task of intervention gives way to the speed of imagination and innovation. Instead of negation, criticism, and spiraling diagnosis, there is discovery, dream, and design.”

Because of our natural human tendency for confirmation bias, if you go looking for problems, that’s all you’re going to see. But with appreciative inquiry, you focus on amplifying what’s going right in your organization rather than fixing what’s wrong. Appreciative inquiry isn’t a fancy term for putting on rose-colored glasses. What it does is put challenges in perspective and gives energy to the positives, too. Especially after a chaos-filled 2020, appreciative inquiry might be exactly what your team needs to propel your organization forward with a flood of positivity, innovation and creativity. 

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Appreciative Inquiry Turns Classic Problem Solving On Its Head 

Most organizations stick to the classic mode of problem solving: 

Step 1: Identify problems 

Step 2: Figure out what’s causing them

Step 3: Brainstorm solutions 

Step 4: Develop action plans 

Classic problem solving is quite effective, but it directs our most limited resource — our attention — to problems. And when our attention is focused on the negative, it limits our cognitive capacity to imagine new opportunities or explore what’s possible. 

The flaw of focusing on problems is that it amplifies them in the eyes of those involved, zapping their energy, confidence, and motivation. Not exactly a recipe for creative thinking or nurturing a growth mindset. 

Appreciative inquiry, on the other hand, helps organizations unlock innovation by increasing confidence. Creativity takes courage. It’s tough for anyone to feel courageous when they’re being told over and over again where they’re failing. When you gift your team permission to focus on their strengths, you innately boost their confidence, which expands their ability to develop innovations and invites new ideas. 

The Five Steps Of Appreciative Inquiry 

When employing appreciative inquiry to lead change in your organization, you’ll want to follow the five steps below. You’ll notice that these five steps might not be that different from what you’ve done in the past. The difference lies in having a growth mindset and perspective: focusing on strengths instead of weaknesses. 

1. Define: What do you want to achieve?

2. Discover: What are your organization’s strengths? 

3. Dream: What could the future look like? 

4. Design: Make a plan to make it happen.

5. Deploy: Put the plan into action.

These steps are referred to in a general manner because appreciative inquiry is meant to be a fluid, adaptable process. Take the steps above and mold them to your organization’s needs. 

Tips For Using Appreciative Inquiry 

Learning to use appreciative inquiry to lead organizational change can feel a little cumbersome at first as you and your team transition away from a lifetime of classic problem solving. Here are some tips to help you get started.

• Ask open-ended questions that inspire creative thought, not “yes” or “no” answers. 

• Dig into answers you get by asking further “why” questions. 

• Encourage storytelling by your team. Stories often uncover hidden parts of processes or experiences that can be enlightening to other members. Ask them to “Tell a story about a time when…” 

• Encourage group cohesion by focusing on times when the group collaborated. 

• Use praise and appreciation liberally. They are an investment in positive results. 

• Embrace improvisation. 

How To Recharge For 2021 

Appreciative inquiry focuses our most limited resource solely on what’s right, what’s possible, and what works. With 2020 just behind us, we’re all mentally maxed out. Now is no time to dwell on what’s wrong. On the contrary, right now, we could all use a good dose of positivity. 

The change of pace found in appreciative inquiry will foster creativity, goodwill, innovation and company culture like never before.

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