Appreciative Inquiry: An Innovative Approach to Change Management

Back in the day I participated in and even led change efforts that embraced the wisdom of the top few – where small groups of senior leadership were assembled and anointed planning “royalty”. Those expected to implement on the line carried no voice in the planning process, except to be accountable for whatever outcomes they didn’t achieve from the plan they didn’t buy into or believe in. Sometimes they beat the chest of the “big hairy gorilla” – as if fear-induced direction setting would ignite confidence, understanding, and inspired action.
For years I took on traditional approaches to “change management” and planning from the top-down… and the resistance, doubt, and time-consuming roll-outs that went with it. Then came Appreciative Inquiry.
Appreciative Inquiry, or AI, is grounded by two deceptively simple concepts:
(1.) First, what you seek, you find more of – The more positive and inspiring the planning and engagement process, the more innovative ideas that will be created and possibilities that can be explored. If you look for the strengths and assets that will be critical to the change desired, you’ll find and harness them. The opposite of this is also true; look for weaknesses and threats and you’re sure to find them. Which would you rather have as your arsenal for positive change?
(2.) Second, people commit to what they help to create – The more participatory and collaborative the planning process, the more committed people will be to supporting its success and sustainability.

Being a rather positive change force, the switch was a natural one for me. I traded in all my deficit-based, problem and threat-seeking approaches for a more positive lens on change. This required a great deal of focus and intentionality, particularly when the going got tough (which it does). But recognizing that “what I seek I find more of,” I went looking for what was right and working – past and present success stories, best practices, strengths and assets, moments of achievement and pride, etc. As a change agent facilitating the process with the organizations whom I supported, I helped them keep an eye on what they valued most and wanted to see increased (appreciated), versus the potholes or canyons to be avoided.
Secondly, I insisted on using an inclusive – even collaborative – approach to change, replacing top-down with more whole system invitations to the planning effort. This meant bringing implementers (anyone impacted or able to impact the effort) to the beginning of the planning process (rather than just at the end). It also meant welcoming the voice of the customer, partner organizations, policy makers, and more. In fact, the more, the merrier – because people commit to what they help to create.

I offer the following four lessons learned from putting these principles into practice:
Lesson #1: Shift the focus to the positive
In the fall of 2006, a public charity promoting biological conservation and ecological sustainability in Central America came to me seeking a strength-based, participative approach to their ongoing strategic planning efforts. They had recently conducted a SWOT analysis, only to find their daunting list of threats—many beyond their span of control—left staff with feelings of hopelessness and disinterest, stalling subsequent planning and implementation.
Nonetheless, they were hopeful to build on these labors. By shifting their prior focus on weaknesses and threats to aspirations and results using SOAR (Strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations, Results), they were able to articulate their goals around influence, innovation, and impact in a manner that focused on what’s right, while soaring beyond what’s missing or wrong into new realms of possibility. This resulted in the creation of an engaging strategy within 3 weeks that significantly elevated staff creativity and excitement for implementation, allowing the strategic plan to serve as a “living document” to guide the direction of the organization.

Lesson #2: Involve those who will impact and who will be impacted by the strategy
To maximize participation in an ambitious timeframe (3 months), headquarters staff, partners, field staff, and board members were invited to this non-profit’s planning summit. Persons unable to attend were encouraged to engage in appreciative interviews that probed for strategy input, such as best practices, opportunities for improvement, and aspirations for 2010.
While inclusive by design, some board members were unable to engage based on scheduling conflicts. In presenting the plan to the directors for approval, there was some disagreement with regard to plan layout and content, which was eventually resolved, but taxing nonetheless. Having not participated in plan development, commitment from this small, yet critical sampling of stakeholders, was not immediate.
In another example, a distribution and logistics holding company successfully recruited broad stakeholder engagement in their strategic planning process. Business partners, suppliers, and customers collaboratively engaged in the SOAR analysis and planning, resulting in the creation of breakthrough strategies a mere internal perspective could not have envisioned alone.

Lesson #3: Prototype and empower
Later that year we worked with an organization seeking a more future-focused approach to change. During a facilitated planning event, participants engaged in rapid prototyping of key opportunities/initiatives in which they were able to boldly test new—even wild—ideas together, gaining clarity on what might (or might not) work.
Within two weeks of the summit, many of these pilot programs had already taken shape in the office—even with the project manager away on vacation. By holding the image of results they most wanted to achieve—consistent with the organization’s mission/vision and supported by empowering leadership—participants naturally moved in the direction of their compelling goals, owning what they themselves created, and not needing leadership guidance beyond their own inspired authority.

Lesson #4: Sustaining the momentum – nurturing a “living” strategy
Which is more important, really: planning a great wedding or nurturing a great marriage? Often organizations spend so much energy scheduling the next planning meeting or offsite that they overlook the importance of engaging their workforce so that strategic decisions are made everyday, consistently throughout the system. Don’t get me wrong; planning events are important – and can be both productive and fun if facilitated well. But more important than the event is the journey forward: the consistent inquiry into leading practices and what gives life; the expansive search for bold, yet grounded and relevant possibilities; and the capacity to integrate these efforts into standard routines and practice.

In summary, to be a changemaker with sustainable momentum nurture a “living” plan that looks for the positive and welcomes the voices of many into its vision for success. You’re sure to get where you’re going faster, and really enjoy the ride.