​Our approach to organizational consulting balances the client’s need to achieve immediate results with its need to build an internal capacity to manage challenges or changes.  We use a structured Appreciative Inquiry methodology.

 

Based on the work of David Cooperrider, Appreciative Inquiry looks at what works well and uses that as a foundation for future development. It is essentially life-affirming rather than deficit-based and as a result, increases the amount of energy and enthusiasm for moving the organization forward.  With Appreciative Inquiry the focus is on what is happening in an organization when it is at its best. The objective is to learn from the successes and use that newly created knowledge to generate positive change and innovation.

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Appreciative Inquiry’s approach to strategy, change, development, and evaluation focuses on:

• Using a positive and strength-based approach

• Finding the best in people and the world around them

• Co-creating inspiring future images

• Focusing on what we want more of

• Finding and unleashing the positive core

 

Basic Appreciative Inquiry Principles

• Every organization has something that works well and is positive.

• AI is participative and engages everyone in an organization to work together.

• AI recognizes the importance of initial affirmative questions to set the scene.

• Organizations move in the direction of the perceived reality created by language and the concepts they describe.  AI sees what is possible and doesn’t limit people or organizations to traditional problem-solving.

• What we focus on becomes reality.

• Whatever you want more of already exists in your organization.

• AI creates positive energy within organizations.

 

The Appreciative Inquiry 4D cycle – Discovery, Dream, Design, Destiny

 

     1. Discovery: appreciating what’s best about the organization

     2. Dream: envisioning what might be

     3. Design: co-constructing the vision of what should be

     4. Destiny: how to empower, learn and improve

 

Organization effectiveness interventions include:

• Assessments

• Conducting dialogue and/or work sessions for:

  • Workgroups/teams to discuss and resolve specific issues, or build/repair relationships.

  • Organizations and their customers or between organizational components to build collaborative partnerships.

• Conducting team/department/organization workshops to respond to specific challenges such as tactical planning and tracking performance, intergroup conflict management, roles and responsibilities; interpersonal communication, leading change and managing transition, and conducting effective meetings. 

• Strategic planning and other working retreats.

• Team sessions to build team member relationships by developing an understanding of team members’ individual skills, communication, and work styles.  Teams develop “actions for success” linked to the team’s and the organization's strategic objectives.