Introduction

The Appreciative Inquiry (AI) concept were developed by David Cooperrider while conducting research as a doctoral candidate at Case Western Reserve University. In interviews conducted at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio he observed his subjects became demoralized when the focus was on problems at the clinic. When the focus was on what was working, the subjects showed increased energy and enthusiasm for their work. From this work, the AI approach to organizational change emerged.

AI is an approach to change based on an appreciative or positive approach ("strengths-based") rather than a problem solving ("deficit-based") approach.

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Appreciative Inquiry Websites

http://CenterforAppreciativeInquiry.net

http://appreciativeinquiry.cwru.edu

Additional Resources/Articles

appreciativeinquiry.case.edu/intro/definition.cfm - A collection of Appreciative Inquiry definitions.

appreciativeinquiry.case.edu/uploads/NCIAAIInCommunityColleges.pdf
Discovering and Growing What Life Gives: Appreciative Inquiry in Community Colleges" by Richard T. Henry, Unified Field Associates, Instructional Leadershp Abstracts, Vol. 3, Issue 1, February 2005. Example of AI applications at Centralia College in Washington including their interview process and the accreditation process.

practiceleq.com/whatisappreciativeinquiry.pdf - Coaching Leaders, Ltd., 2006. A briefing paper that includes: how AI works, a comparison to problem-focused approaches, the AI Change Process, and examples of "Appreciative" questions.

newhorizons.org/trans/henry.htm - Leadership at Every Level: Appreciate Inquiry in Education by Rich Henry. This article provides a general overview of AI.

www.exinfm.com/pdffiles/Appreciative_InquiryTapping_into_the_River_of.pdf by Herb Stevenson, Prsident and CEO, The Cleveland Consulting Group, Inc. Using the premise of a glass of water being half full, the article provides an overview and discussion of the five phases of the Appreciative Process.

www.clearlearning.ca/pdf/aplc.pdf - Developing an appreciative mindset for the Appreciative Leader requires letting go of a life-time of looking for problems, seeing what's missing and paying attention to the gap.