Extract from "Appreciative Inquiry in the Praxis of Reconciliation" by William A. Nordenbrock, C.PP.S.
(Pages 24-29)
The Discovery Phase
“The primary task in the Discovery phase is to identify and appreciate the best of
‘what is.’ This task is accomplished by focusing on peak times of organizational
excellence.”43 Using carefully crafted questions and interview guides, the participants
enter into a process of mutual interviews in which stories of organizational
accomplishment are solicited and recorded. Participants need to “let go” of analysis of
deficits and systematically seek to glean from these stories of past accomplishment the
core life-giving factors (leadership, relationships, structures, values, core processes, etc.)
which contributed to those successes.
In this phase the power of story telling gets unleashed as participants come to
know their organization’s history as the foundation for positive possibilities for the
future. Through positive dialogue and the celebration of past success, hope and
organizational capacity for effectiveness is heightened. Participants connect to one
another through a dialogue of discovery and often the seeds for a positive future begin to
emerge.44
The Discovery phase is for data collection and narrative exploration. “An important goal is to stimulate participants’ excitement and delight as they share their values, experience, and history with the organization and their wishes for the future.”45
The process itself has several key steps. It is necessary to identify the process participants, with a bias towards very broad participation. As previously noted, the questions to be used in the interviews need to be crafted to solicit the positive life-giving core. A guide is often needed to assist the participants in the interviewing activity. The method for doing the interview is determined by the situation. Often this is a mutual process, done one-one in pairs of participants at a process gathering.46 A plan also needs to be in place to collect and organize the data from those interviews. Working with the data from the interviews is part of the work of the core team and is used to continue the design and management of the AI process.47
The Discovery phase is for data collection and narrative exploration. “An important goal is to stimulate participants’ excitement and delight as they share their values, experience, and history with the organization and their wishes for the future.”45
The process itself has several key steps. It is necessary to identify the process participants, with a bias towards very broad participation. As previously noted, the questions to be used in the interviews need to be crafted to solicit the positive life-giving core. A guide is often needed to assist the participants in the interviewing activity. The method for doing the interview is determined by the situation. Often this is a mutual process, done one-one in pairs of participants at a process gathering.46 A plan also needs to be in place to collect and organize the data from those interviews. Working with the data from the interviews is part of the work of the core team and is used to continue the design and management of the AI process.47
The Dream Phase
“The Dream (phase) amplifies the positive core and challenges the status quo by
envisioning more valued and vital futures. ...The Dream phase is practical, in that it is
grounded in the organization’s history. It is also generative, in that it seeks to expand the
organization’s potential.”48
The Dream phase takes the data, the narratives that were told in the Discovery phase, and “mines” them to imagine the possibilities that they contain for the future. Here the participants dialogue about the potential of the organization to achieve greatness in the future by building on its rich history. Ordinarily, this dreaming generates its own energy and enthusiasm in the participants and the sharing of dreams and generation of excitement is the first goal of the Dream phase. The second goal is to begin to identify the common themes that are present within the dreams. The necessary stance for the process remains appreciation, not analysis and judgment. The dialogue is not to identify the ideal dream for the future, but to continue the process of mutual discovery of the life- giving forces that contribute to the organization’s success.
While the context and number of participants are determining factors, most of the work in this phase is done in small (<12) groups. Keeping together the two person teams used in the mutual interviews of the Discovery phase, they are grouped with others to form “dream teams.” It is here that the “dream dialogue” occurs and common themes are identified. They create a shared picture or dream of the future, which they creatively (skit, story, picture, mock newspaper report, mock panel presentation, etc.) present to the whole group of participants.49
The Dream phase takes the data, the narratives that were told in the Discovery phase, and “mines” them to imagine the possibilities that they contain for the future. Here the participants dialogue about the potential of the organization to achieve greatness in the future by building on its rich history. Ordinarily, this dreaming generates its own energy and enthusiasm in the participants and the sharing of dreams and generation of excitement is the first goal of the Dream phase. The second goal is to begin to identify the common themes that are present within the dreams. The necessary stance for the process remains appreciation, not analysis and judgment. The dialogue is not to identify the ideal dream for the future, but to continue the process of mutual discovery of the life- giving forces that contribute to the organization’s success.
While the context and number of participants are determining factors, most of the work in this phase is done in small (<12) groups. Keeping together the two person teams used in the mutual interviews of the Discovery phase, they are grouped with others to form “dream teams.” It is here that the “dream dialogue” occurs and common themes are identified. They create a shared picture or dream of the future, which they creatively (skit, story, picture, mock newspaper report, mock panel presentation, etc.) present to the whole group of participants.49
The Design Phase
While the Dream phase was involved with creating a macro-vision of the organization, in the Design phase the move is towards a more micro level of imaginative possibility. “The Design phase involves the creation of the organization’s social architecture. This new social architecture is embedded in the organization by generating provocative propositions that embody the organizational dreams in the ongoing activity.”50
An underlying step in the Design phase is to determine the elements that are going to be present in the social architecture of the organization. Examples of these elements are: leadership or management style, roles and relationships, organizational values, vision and purpose, operating processes, etc. The simple question that guides this phase is: What has to be in place for the organization to realize its dream?
“The Design phase defines the basic structures that will allow the dream (or vision) to become a reality. Like the other phases, the Design phase requires widespread dialogue about the nature of the structures and process. This is what is meant by co- constructing the organization’s future.”51 For this phase of the AI process, participants are invited work in self-selecting groups. Work group or design teams are formed around the dreams which have been articulated, which in turn reflect the topics of the AI process. The freedom given to the participants to choose their area of interest ensures that energy is maintained within the work groups and contributes to the transition to the next phase.
This phase is “driven” by the writing of provocative propositions or possibility statements. The design teams may begin with participants writing individual statements, but the goals is to arrive at shared statements. Always articulated in the present tense, these statement present a vision for the future by painting a picture of what the organization looks like when it positive core is being expressed in all aspects of the organization.52
A good provocative proposition stretches and challenges the organization, yet remains in the realm of real possibility. It points the direction for the organization to move from the best of “what is” to the best of what “might be.” They represented the desired future of the organization, which is stated in bold, affirmative terms.
The Destiny Phase
The Destiny phase takes the dreams for the future, which have been expressed and designed through the provocative proposition, and makes them a reality as the participants are “invited to align his or her own interactions in co-creating the future.”53
The Design and Destiny phase are significantly intertwined. In an open-space planning and commitment session, the Design teams present their provocative statements or vision for the future and ask for the support of those gathered. Individuals and groups discuss what they can and will do to contribute to the realization of the organizational dreams, which are presented in those provocative propositions. This creates a relational web of commitments that are the basis for future action. These self-selecting groups then plan the next steps for creating the social architecture required to sustain the institutionalization of the desired design.54
This (destiny) phase is ongoing. In the best case, it is full of continuing dialogue; revisited and updated discussions and provocative propositions; additional interviewing sessions, especially with new members of the organization; and a high level of innovation and continued learning about what it means to create an organization that is socially constructed through the poetic processes in a positive frame that makes full use of people’s anticipatory images.”55
The successful AI process results in a transformed organization. It creates an organization that has developed the competencies to sustain appreciative organizing. They are continually appreciating the best of their actions. They are willing to be self- challenging to achieve even greater life-giving possibilities. They have developed the ability to dialogue and collaborate in a manner that allows them to continue to co-create a desired future and to continually be the author of the book of their organization. In short, they have become appreciative learning cultures that function in the new paradigm in accord with AI principles and practices.56
Before I move on I want to add one final note on the AI process. The 4-D model has become one of the standard approaches for using the AI process. However, Watkins and Mohr have modified the approach to include a preliminary or initial phase. They have created a 5-D model by including a Definition phase. It is during the Definition phase that “the goals of the process, including the framing of the questions and the inquiry protocol, the participation strategy and the project management structure are developed.”57 I think that it is a significant modification in that it embodies two key AI concepts: All questions asked are fateful, in that they have an effect on the organization and the intervention begins (simultaneity) with the first question asked. Because of this, I think that my project began with the first conversation that I had with the pastor of the parish and the narrative in the next chapter will reflect this 5-D model.
42 A more complete description of the 4-D Cycle can be found in the Appreciative Inquiry Handbook, chapters 4-7.
43 Cooperrider, Whitley and Stavros, AI Handbook, 38. 44 Ibid., 39.
45 Ibid., 86.
46 Other methods for doing the interviews are possible.
47 Cooperrider, Whitley and Stavros, AI Handbook, 87-99.
48 Ibid., 39.
49 Ibid., 112-116.
50 Ibid., 40.
51 Ibid., 143.
52 Ibid., 142.
53 Ibid., 41.
54 Ibid., 41, 176.
55 Watkins and Mohr, Appreciative Inquiry, 45.
56 Cooperrider, Whitley and Stavros, AI Handbook, 181. For a more complete account of appreciative organizing competencies see: Frank Barrett, “Creating Appreciative Learning Cultures,” Organizational Dynamics 24, no. 1 (1995):36-45.
57 Watkins and Mohr, Appreciative Inquiry, 25.
43 Cooperrider, Whitley and Stavros, AI Handbook, 38. 44 Ibid., 39.
45 Ibid., 86.
46 Other methods for doing the interviews are possible.
47 Cooperrider, Whitley and Stavros, AI Handbook, 87-99.
48 Ibid., 39.
49 Ibid., 112-116.
50 Ibid., 40.
51 Ibid., 143.
52 Ibid., 142.
53 Ibid., 41.
54 Ibid., 41, 176.
55 Watkins and Mohr, Appreciative Inquiry, 45.
56 Cooperrider, Whitley and Stavros, AI Handbook, 181. For a more complete account of appreciative organizing competencies see: Frank Barrett, “Creating Appreciative Learning Cultures,” Organizational Dynamics 24, no. 1 (1995):36-45.
57 Watkins and Mohr, Appreciative Inquiry, 25.
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