I recently did a piece of work with a team using the Appreciative Enquiry (AE) approach. I’ve used the approach before but being a solutions focused kind of chap it is not my preferred way of working. I’m happiest, and possibly at my best, finding and fixing problems.
However I found the approach helpful, constructive and interesting to use in this instance. By focussing on the good things that were going on (the positive core) the team was able to be, quite rightly, very proud of rather than defensive about what it did. The shift from what worked to why it worked was seamless and equally constructive.
It was particularly interesting to see how the team then started to unpick and question the positive core and to look at how it could be even better, how economies of scale could be applied and how important it was to be able to respond to local needs. The result, a realistic but stretching vision for the future.
Will I use the approach again? I rather think that I will.
Interspiral 