It’s been a challenging eight months since the post entitled Attitude and Gratitude was posted to this blog, and it will likely be another three months before this one publishes for you to read, but for some reason, this stubborn lady is still struggling with having an attitude of gratitude and appreciation. What’s ironic, is that I truly believe as a Christ follower, that appreciation and gratitude should be my default mode, but instead it becomes a daily battle to Shift the Spiral of thought from one of deficiency to appreciating all the blessings that exist in my life.

Perhaps because this is a daily struggle for me both personally and professionally, the research on Appreciative Inquiry hits a little closer to home. The desire to create habits that lead to a flourishing life are rooted in the concepts of Appreciative Inquiry and strengths-based leadership; yet at times, actually implementing the principles seems like climbing a mountain, and I’ve yet to determine whether working on this aspect of my life is even worth the climb.

If the practice of Appreciative Inquiry (AI) is a novel idea to you, the concept is one that the authors of Conversations Worth Having describe as “an approach that values all voices, seeks to inspire generative theories and possibility thinking, opens our world to new possibilities, challenges assumptions of the status quo, and serves to inspire new options for better living.” Does that description not sound like an approach that a Christ follower should pursue in every aspect of their lives from within their homes, outside in their neighborhoods, and inside their vocational worlds? Would not all of the relationships in my life improve if I embraced an appreciative mindset in every conversation?

Although my current research relates to using Appreciative Inquiry to foster faculty growth, I’m finding applications to all areas of life from employee engagement to life satisfaction, and even an entire book on how Appreciative Inquiry has the potential to completely transform higher education. And if the principles of AI can be used to transform highly bureaucratic organizations such as higher education and a ship in the US Navy, I firmly believe that the concepts can be implemented into everything from faculty development to medical centers and from a college classroom to even athletic programs.

The following quote from It’s Your Ship summarizes for me the impact that an approach like Appreciative Inquiry can have in fostering the kind of conversations that drive excellence and embrace an Improve Mindset. More often than not these Conversations Worth Having occur in person, and not in formal evaluation settings, but in Side-by-Side Conversations between leaders and those with whom a relationship exists. Captain Abrashoff shares his successful strategies of not only engaging with all levels under his command but using appreciative questions to unleash innovative solutions to existing problems. Appreciative Inquiry is more than expressing appreciation for a job well done, it’s about adding value. Stravos, Torres, and Cooperrider share, “Adding value to a situation, person, or opportunity can show up in a number of ways: sharing ideas, augmenting other people’s contributions, suggesting possibilities, pointing out opportunities, responding to questions with new perspectives, and contributing to planning-these are all appreciative ways we add value through conversations.” When these added values are experienced, it creates a shift to an upward spiral that cascades through the entire organization.

“The more I thanked them for their hard work, the harder they worked. The payoff in morale was palpable. I’m absolutely convinced that positive, personal reinforcement is the essence of effective leadership. Yet some leaders seem to be moving away from it. They stay connected electronically with email and cell phones, but they’re disconnected personally, and many leaders almost never leave their offices. People seem to think that if you send somebody a compliment online, it’s as good as the human touch. It is not. It’s easier, but much less effective. Social interaction is getting lost in a digital world that trades more in abstractions than in face-to-face relations. It’s more than a shame-it’s a bottom-line mistake,” Abrashoff.

As I close this current conversation on Appreciative Inquiry and fashion an attempt for how it can be used in helping faculty to grow and develop their strengths, one particular request captures for me how to begin the shift from deficiency to gratitude; this question was posed to a medical center from their leader, “Come prepared to share a story of a best practice you’ve seen during the week.” This simple, yet appreciative request, allows conversations to emerge that highlight areas where the organization excels and where these successful practices can be repeated.

How have you experienced the benefits of Appreciative Inquiry either on a personal or professional level? Please feel free to share in the comments below so that I can continue to explore this approach.

References:

Abrashoff, D.M. (2012). It’s your ship: Management techniques from the best damn ship in the Navy. Grand Central Publishing.

Cockell, J. ,McArthur-Blair, J. & Schiller, M. (2020). Appreciative inquiry in higher education: A transformative force. Jossey-Bass. 

Stravos, J.M., Torres, C., & Cooperider, D. (2018). Conversations worth having: Using appreciative inquiry to fuel productive and meaningful engagement. Berrett-Koehler Publishers.