Positive Aspects In An Organization example essay topic

APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY AS A CHANGE MANAGEMENT STRATEGY This essay examines Appreciative Inquiry (AI) as a change management strategy, discusses the strengths and weaknesses of AI and the differences between AI and other change methods with the use of case study examples. Appreciative Inquiry (AI) is a modern change management strategy used to discover positive aspects in people and organizations; identifying and building on existing strengths to create a powerful, purposeful change. AI is a 'systematic discovery of what gives "life" to a living system when it is most alive, most effective, and most constructively capable' (Cooperrider, David. Whitney, Diana.

(2001). It is a humanistic approach which heightens our awareness of our own potential and the potential of others in an organization, allowing us to overcome limits we impose on our capabilities. AI is about identifying the best of 'what is' to pursue dreams and possibilities of 'what could be'. AI is the belief that we have a choice to see all possibilities, capabilities and assets and have the ability to ignite the 'best of the past and present' to create a future we desire. AI allows access to a transformational energy that provides us with confidence and the belief that we have the capacity to develop and pursue the kind of future we desire. AI is described as "a world where the impossible is non-existent" (Germany, Timothy (2003) In an AI change process the first step is designing appreciative interview questions for different areas of the organization.

For example, in the topic of teamwork questions could be "Think of the most successful team group you have worked in within this organisation. What were the aspects that made it so successful? Explain in a story what happened". It is essential that the organisational members realise that the process of doing the appreciative interviews is as important as the data collection. "While the "appreciative" part of AI is important, "the 'inquiry' is the key". (Cooperrider, David.

Whitney, Diana. (2001). The 4-D model is one of the many applications of AI - "a cycle of activities that guide members of an organization, group, or community through four stages" (Liebler, Claudia. J. (2001). In the first stage of the 4-D model, the discovery stage, people discuss with one another the times when the organization worked at its best. Core values and best practises are extracted from the stories and used to build on the desired future. The dream stage tends to work best in a large group involving as much as the organization as possible.

The data collected from the previous 'discovery's tage is used to create a vision of the future organization as if the peak moments discovered were the norm rather than the exception. In the design stage, a smaller team is then empowered to design ways to create the ideal organization with important elements such as structure, systems and the learning process being discussed. The delivery stage is the final phase used to create a strategy to implement the new changes in the immediate future. There are a number of both strengths and weaknesses to the modern approach of AI. The main strength is the central idea of AI, which is the idea of focusing solely on positive aspects in an organization, therefore creating a very positive working environment for members of the organisation.

It examines what gives life to human systems when it is working at its greatest potential. By paying attention to the strengths and positive aspects in an organization, the happiness of members in the organizations is reflected. Members will find themselves much happier in their work, by having their confidence built and feeling more included and important in their working environment, from cutting out criticism completely. "Instead of negation, criticism, and spiraling diagnosis, there is discovery, dream, and design" (Cooperrider, David. Whitney, Diana.

(2001). Receiving positive feedback on the aspects that are working well is an enlightening change to what society usually drags us down to. Until we value ourselves and realise our true capabilities and potential, we can help those around us. Using the AI approach, encourages people to be innovative and not afraid of trying new things or sharing new ideas in an organization. An AI approach encourages a far more creative environment as the feedback always focuses on positive aspects, allowing people to speak more confidently. AI proves to be a versatile strategy as it has a powerful effect on any human system - individual group, team, division, organization, community, country - and can provide transformation of systems at all levels, not just one.

AI has proved its success in any sized and aged organization, such as, international development organizations, corporations, universities and governments. "The approach will 'fit' with wherever an organization finds itself in its own evolution" (Liebler, Claudia. J. (2001). A weakness that is evident in the modern AI approach is that it relies greatly on the belief that employees will be willing to buy into it and try the new approach. If employees are not willing to do so, then it will be virtually impossible to implement this strategy in an organization. Employees in organizations that receive direct benefits will be more willing to accept AI than those who do not, as they will not be interested in being part of the team system otherwise. Elderly employees in an organization who are more traditional could be difficult to target in this modern approach and encourage them to accept AI.

It would also make implementing AI extremely difficult if these people where in senior positions in the organization, as other members, especially lower hierarchy members, would become wary and unwilling to accept this modern change strategy also. There can be great danger by not addressing the deficiencies in an organization when using this approach, as it could tend to make the organisations strong points stronger and weak points weaker. The Experiential Learning Model is a good example, where if performance always exceeds our expectations it causes us to become complacent, over confident and ceases learning as there is no felt need for change. In large hierarchical organizations this approach may be difficult to implement as interaction between the lower and upper hierarchies is separated making the implementation process hard to emulate throughout the organisation. In comparison to problem solving, AI is distinctly different.

The AI process begins with 'appreciating and valuing' certain aspects within an organization while the problem solving process begins to focus directly on 'identifying the problem' as the key step. The key question in AI is "What is working well around here?" while the key question in problem solving is "What problems are you having?" which is the opposite. 'AI is a strategy of hope, optimism and positivism, focusing on not what is missing, but what an organization has' (Nilikant, V. lecture notes (2003) AI is a strategy causing change depending on the direction of inquiry. Therefore if you inquire solely in an organizations problem, the problems will keep appearing, however if you inquire in a positive direction you will discover more positive aspects. If an organisation continues to identify problems over a long period of time, it can lead to negative culture in the organization.

With the many challenges individuals and organizations face today it can lead people to think there are too many problems to overcome, leaving them in a sense of hopelessness. "Most companies view organizational change 'as a problem to be solved', while appreciative inquiry views it as 'a miracle to be embraced'". (Cooperrider, David. Whitney, Diana.

(2001)

Bibliography

Cooperrider, David. Whitney, Diana. (2001) A Positive Revolution in Change: Appreciative Inquiry.
Liebler, Claudia. J. (2001) Getting Comfortable with Appreciative Inquiry.
web Lord, Jim. (2000) Appreciative Inquiry and the Quest.
web (downloaded 1/05/03) Germany, Timothy. (2003) Appreciative Inquiry - something out of the ordinary.
web (downloaded 1/5/03) Hall, Jo., Hammond, Sue. (2002) What is Appreciative Inquiry? web (downloaded 1/5/03).