Unlock Positive Potential & Build System Strength: Essay Sample on Appreciative Inquiry

Introduction

Appreciative inquiry (AI) is the humane way of looking for the best qualities in people, their corporations, and the environment around them. It includes an organized discovery that provides a system strength when its efficiency is optimum and is in a position to uphold ecological, economic, and human terms. It comprises the practice and art of questioning that contributes to the strengthening of the system's capacity to improve the positive potentials. AI encourages enquiring by creating a simple positive query, usually including hundreds or thousands of people at times. AI transformed the sector of organizational development and the base to the origin of the strengths-oriented movement and positive corporation studies in many countries across the world (Cooperrider & Srivastva, 2017). The main aim of this essay is to discuss the definition, use, and importance of AI in change management and using it an organization.

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Uses

Implementing the 4D cycle in change management depict the uses of appreciative inquiry. The 4D represents discovery, dream, design, and destiny. The discovery phase is the first phase and is mainly concerned with data collection. It focuses on identifying the stronger sectors in an organization and the measures that energize it. Practice facilitators can utilize traditional performance statistics as the base of the discovery process. Following these incidences, the beginning point will be those sectors which are performing pleasantly and displays clear strengths. The starting point of the discovery phase in Appreciative inquiry is the personal stories or narratives. AI insists that an environment that is rich in anecdote, change is necessary. These narratives play a critical role in identifying the strength of an organization and the main contributor to this success. They act as a motivation for individuals as they establish changes that they are likely to launch in the organization (Watkins & Mohr, 2001).

The second phase is the dream. This phase encourages the practice to develop a vision of what it is hoping to be. It includes establishing new opportunities for how the corporation delivers care and functions. The process mainly focuses on setting a vision that should be accomplished in the future, but not the real implementation or design. The practice facilitators can integrate this process to facilitate discussions and meetings that emphasize on dreaming. Even when the AI full intervention is not in practice, some vision questions can be incorporated in the traditional work improvement within the exercises. Creation of a vision should be shared within an organization by observing creative approaches like designing a visual image or writing a letter to a member for him to explain the practice of the awaiting future. Innovative approaches to communication are considered in this process (Whitney & Cooperrider, 2011).

The third phase of implementing AI is the design phase. This process involves designing the clinical, administrative, and social infrastructure and the structures that are required in defining the vision during the dream phase. This consists of creating and defining the conventional procedures, processes, methods, policies, values, and norms that assist in realizing the vision. This phase mainly focuses on changing a concept into a plan. In this phase, it is critical to involve all people across the practice in a conversation. This enables them to design and define the infrastructure and ensure all sections of the system are addressed in the design. For this process to be effective, it has to conform with the general objective of change in practice and with the Appreciative theme created in the AI process. It is essential to incorporate all people who will be impacted by the changes which are put into considerations. Besides, it is significant to involve people with experience or unique expertise related to the changes (Hammond, 2013).

The last and the fourth phase is destiny. This process mainly focuses on implementation. It involves celebrating and reflecting on the progress that has been achieved to that point. In addition, it consists of identifying any improvisational changes that have occurred impulsively in the AI process. The process helps the organization in developing innovation teams to run the critical sectors recognized in the design and dream phase. This team should include persons who volunteer depending on their ambitions on the topic. The team is purposely meant for ensuring that the organization is tracking along with the set dream and design. Every unit is designed to work with the higher practice to gather ideas for action. It is necessary to have numerous innovation teams as required for the changes that are identified (Cooperrider & Whitney, 2001).

Importance

Appreciative inquiry is essential to change management since it focuses on what is right within the organization. It provides people with a life-centric medium that motivates them to move in the right direction, which they desire most. AI allows every client to assume and practice leadership duties. It encourages asking questions that are meant to strengthen the structure of the organization, predict and enhance positive potential. This framework enables people to value and recognize the successes, strengths, and existing capacities. It invites individuals to visualize a bright future through open collaborations that allow them to identify prospects that will help them get there (Hammond, 2013).

Memorandum

This memorandum is written to the societal organization, analyzing the Appreciative inquiry diagram inform of 4D cycle and methods. The 4D represents discovery, dream, design, and destiny. The discovery phase is the first phase and is mainly concerned with data collection. It focuses on identifying the stronger sectors in an organization and the measures that energize it. The second phase; dream, encourage the practice to develop a vision of what it is hoping to be. It includes establishing new opportunities for how the corporation delivers care and functions. The third phase; design, involves designing the clinical, administrative, and social infrastructure and the structures that are required in defining the vision during the dream phase. The last process; destiny, mainly focuses on implementation. It involves celebrating and reflecting on the progress that has been achieved to that point. In addition, it consists of identifying any improvisational changes that have occurred impulsively in the AI process.

Conclusion

Conclusively, Appreciative inquiry is a helpful way of looking for the best qualities in people, their organizations, and the environment around them. The AI process involves the 4D cycle, which represents discovery, dream, design, and destiny. Appreciative inquiry is essential to change management since it focuses on what is right within the organization. It provides people with a life-centric medium that motivates them to move in the right direction, which they desire most.

References

Cooperrider, D. L., & Whitney, D. (2001). A positive revolution in change: Appreciative inquiry. Public administration and public policy, 87, 611-630. Retrieved from http://www.tapin.in/Documents/2/Appreciative%20Inquiry%20-%20Positive%20Revolution%20in%20Change.pdf

Cooperrider, D., & Srivastva, S. (2017). Appreciative Inquiry in Organizational Life. In Research in organizational change and development (pp. 81-142). Emerald Publishing Limited. Retrieved from https://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/abs/10.1108/S0897-301620170000025003

Hammond, S. A. (2013). The thin book of appreciative inquiry. Thin Book Publishing. Retrieved from https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=X4JQAgAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PT3&dq=Hammond,+S.+A.+(2013).+The+thin+book+of+appreciative+inquiry.+Thin+Book+Publishing&ots=Ct9UkxP_J7&sig=JjKEFyCfk8nQltbICzpPUeRHJTs

Watkins, J. M., & Mohr, B. (2001). Appreciative inquiry: Change at the speed of imagination. Organization Development Journal, 19(3), 92. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/openview/4ae86b9fdd1b54f99c7625ae3c9fbf9d/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=36482

Whitney, D., & Cooperrider, D. (2011). Appreciative inquiry: A positive revolution in change. ReadHowYouWant. com. Retrieved from https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=bJBgktz2Oa8C&oi=fnd&pg=PR1&dq=Whitney,+D.,+%26+Cooperrider,+D.+(2011).+Appreciative+inquiry:+A+positive+revolution+in+change.+ReadHowYouWant.+com&ots=CLpfwqFruw&sig=PWDh400WET1XwiTfeN9iS3VHn7o