Comments on: Appreciative Inquiry – Tools and Methods

By: Dicki

Dicki — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 03:36:39 +0000

I like to use appreciative inquiry for building friendly relationship.I think the method is very effective and is allplied with the best results.

By: videostar

videostar — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 04:52:40 +0000

I used to make a collage to demonstrate what I want things look like.Then I forget about it.Now I intend to use it again coz the time is right for me and I must be very productive .Why not to use what I have already mastered and experienced.

By: Mike King

Mike King — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:48:16 +0000

@Todor, thanks for the feedback. As far as when to avoid?? I never thought about that yet and I guess there is some risk of it changing people’s thoughts from on-task to the dreamy sense. I guess I would hope that usual performance expectations would still be managed and maintained without any impact from the AI thought process. There is obviously a time to dream and a time to still deliver the day-to-day expected results. You don’t want only one or the other if you want this process to help the company instead of hinder it.

Good point!

By: Todor

Todor — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 10:28:43 +0000

Hi Mike,

Your articles on appreciative inquiry served me as a great introduction to the topic and actually sparked my interest. Thanks!

I was just wondering, are there situations at which one should avoid AI? For example, what if your technical team is daydreaming about what the organization/current project ideal is, instead of focusing on the job at hand (say… a nuclear plant monitoring software ?

By: Mike King

Mike King — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 04:35:29 +0000

@Beth – I feel the same as a novice in this as well. It’s great to be part of it as it grows though and I can only continue to encourage others to research it more themselves!

@Arswino – The language we use is a huge part of appreciative inquiry and I really like how changing a few things, especially questions seem to have such a drastic effect. That one is a BIG one, thanks for recognizing it again!

@Stephen – There are a bunch of books, handbooks and introductions to AI. One big web resource for it is at The AI Commons resource site and that page has many books. I’ve not got through any yet to make my own recommendations, but will if I read full books on the subject.

@J.D. – Once you know about it, it seems to pop up more and more, I’ve been seeing the same the last few weeks now that I know about it… Thanks for your comment!

By: J.D. Meier

J.D. Meier — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 02:58:28 +0000

How ironic – I was flipping through my notes the other day from one of my mentors and it’s focused on appreciative inquiry.

Very nice write up.

By: Stephen - Rat Race Trap

Stephen - Rat Race Trap — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 21:37:02 +0000

Mike, this is very interesting. I’ve never heard of it. I read a little from a Google search. Are there any books or other sites you recommend?

By: Arswino

Arswino — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 12:36:58 +0000

Mike, thanks for promoting me again.

I like when you said : “A great tip to respond in a meaningful inquiring way instead of simply, “Why Not?” is to ask.”
There is a big difference between the question “why not?” and “why?”.

Great article, Mike. Thanks.

By: Beth M

Beth M — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 01:07:31 +0000

As a total novice to this topic, I find this information most enlightening and helpful.

By: Mike King

Mike King — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 23:03:02 +0000

I absolutely see the power in this approach. I had a meeting today at lunch with a local facilitator for bringing more of this method to our workplace. Each of your commented points are keys in the process and I look forward to experiencing more of this system as we implement it into our workplace. I’ll surely come back and revisit this topic in a few months based on what I’ve learned from it.

Thanks for the added points and comments!