Strategic SOAR-ing with Appreciative Inquiry STORIES FROM THE FIELD Loretta L. Donovan

5-D Appreciative Inquiry Cycle DEFINITION Decide what to learn about, how and who to involve in each phase DISCOVERY Conduct the inquiry, Establish and share insights Make public the inquiry results DREAM Envision desired results as if those insights and the positive core were fully alive DESIGN Invent the organizational architecture which will make your dreams inevitable Create Pilot Projects DELIVER (DESTINY) Enact Pilots And Improvise. Expand AI learning Competencies. D D D D D

Some Organizations Using AI… TDL Retail American Express British Petroleum US Agency for International Development (USAID) US National Intelligence Community YWCA Glaxo Smith Kline Major Private & Public Universities United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Metro Health Systems Schools (US, Canada, South America, Africa) Points of Light Foundation: Volunteer Center Natl Network American Red Cross Newark Beth Israel Medical Center

O rganizational Change Case Studies Shared Responsibility Agreements Community action plans AI approach and skills Negotiation Tables Indigenous Settings Pastoral planning Staff renewal Cluster planning Workshop AI in Catholic settings Renewal Catholic Settings Rural renewal Strategic alliances Mixed stakeholders Envisioning event Culture change Shared vision Community Engagement Agriculture Renewal Low cost – high impact Access Queensland 2 day summit Share integrated service delivery learning Government Service Delivery $5m revenue p.a. Participant Centered Process Workshop 4-D Interests/ Creative dreaming Create it Virtual Community 95% program cost savings ($400 000 / $20 000) Sustained behaviour change Germ busters program Hand washing routines – schools Mentor Change behaviour of school children Improved health outcomes Health Promotion Cabinet endorsed organisation Policy platform established Reference group Scope of inquiry – questions Workshops Strategic direction statement Strategic direction Organisational arrangements Merge cultures Government Department World class facility Zero industrial disputation Scope of Inquiry Workshops – space design Participant centered decisions New faculty Participative decision making University Effective business unit 5 years on Restructure / ABC Business planning Service realignment Staff engagement Business Unit Outcomes Consulting Need

Destiny Design Dream Discover Stavros, Cooperrider & Kelley, 2003 Inquire Imagine Innovate Inspire TRANSFORMATION POINT INTEGRITY INTEGRITY Co-create values, vision, and mission Use AI with customers, suppliers and partners to perform external analysis Use AI with employees to perform internal analysis Transform SWOT into SOAR Develop long-term objectives Develop strategic alternatives and recommendations Develop short-term objectives Develop tactical/functional plans and integrated programs Strategy implementation, deployment, control and continuous improvement TRANSFORMATION POINT TRANSFORMATION POINT

Stavros & Hinrichs, 2007

Appreciative Alignment

"Knowledge is information that changes something or somebody – either by becoming grounds for actions, or by making an individual (or an institution) capable of different or more effective action" Peter Drucker

Spreading the Stories Reports/Presentations : Circulate a written report in advance of large group meeting (Summit) – sets affirmative tone. Orientation : Build stories into new employee orientation meetings. Newsletter and/or Intranet: Create special column or site to recognize people and their best practices. Interviewer Focus Groups : Bring interviewers together to share stories – fosters cross-functional learning and collaboration.

Spreading the Stories Storytelling Teams : Employee groups available to attend internal or external (e.g., customer) meetings to share positive stories. Video Highlights : Interviewers share findings; played in company cafeterias, at staff meetings, and as part of training sessions. Story Wall: Visual depictions of stories displayed in prominent areas. Meeting Starters : Provide stories to executives for setting tone of creativity and cooperation.

AI Process: Knowledge & Skills Required A doptin g an appreciative mindset Professional obligation: Process Leadership Social Obligation: Partnering in change Managing diversity Life streaming Democratizing strategy Locating and maintaining the energy for change Getting the whole system in the room Empowering participants Integrating micro and macro issues Integrating strategy, structure and culture Facilitating a shared vision Creating social architecture for organizing Transferring ownership of the process Stimulating lots of little fires Sharing responsibility for organizational direction and quality with everyone

Albert Einstein “ No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it. We must learn to see the world anew.”