Assessment and Appreciative Inquiry

Yesterday (Sunday) afternoon, I attended the third in" rel="nofollow">in a series of workshops at my church aimed at addressin" rel="nofollow">ing long-standin" rel="nofollow">ing conflicts and confrontin" rel="nofollow">ing organizational change. These workshops have been facilitated by two professional consultants; and, up until yesterday, had focused almost exclusively on the “problems” of conflict and change in" rel="nofollow">in my church. Yesterday, however, the facilitators adopted a different approach. They drew a picture of a church buildin" rel="nofollow">ing on a large poster board at the front of the room, and then asked us to identify our aspirational vision of, and goals for, the church by callin" rel="nofollow">ing out one- or two-word phrases, which they wrote on the church that they had drawn. Phrases such as “engaged” and “family” and “meanin" rel="nofollow">ing” soon populated the poster board. At the end of the exercise, the church sketch was overflowin" rel="nofollow">ing with positive phrases. All of us had found this process to be exhilaratin" rel="nofollow">ing, especially when juxtaposed again" rel="nofollow">inst the “problem-oriented” sessions that had preceded it. The consultants never told us that they and we were engagin" rel="nofollow">ing in" rel="nofollow">in Appreciative Inquiry, although clearly that is what it was. Have you had a similar experience, whether or not it was designated as Appreciative Inquiry? If so, describe the experience. In your opin" rel="nofollow">inion, was the AI session successful; and why or why not? If you have not had a similar experience, describe a “problem-oriented” session you have experienced, and if and how it could have benefited from the AI approach.