Appreciative Inquiry: Creating Spiritual Resonance in the Workplace

JournalofManagement,Spirituality&Religion–publicationpending,2010

DianaWhitney,Ph.D. www.positivechange.org 1

AppreciativeInquiry:

CreatingSpiritualResonanceintheWorkplace

DianaWhitney,Ph.D.President

CorporationforPositiveChange

Appreciative Inquiry (AI) has been described as an invitation to apositive revolution in the field of human and organization changemanagement (Cooperrider and Whitney 2005). The purpose of thispaper is to suggest that it is also a vehicle for creating spiritualresonanceandenhancingperformanceintheworkplace.Since its origin in themid 1980s at CaseWesternReserveUniversity,AppreciativeInquiry(SrivastvaandCooperrider1990)hasbeenusedtocreatepositivechangeby thousandsofchangeagentsand leaders– inbusinesses, government agencies, health care systems, educationalinstitutions, religious organizations and communities – around theworld (Whitney and Trosten‐Bloom 2003; Cooperrider, Whitney, andStavros 2008). In the early years of Appreciative Inquiry as a socialinnovation managers and leaders called its viability as a process forlarge‐scalechangeintoquestion.AsthenewkidonthepracticefieldAIrepeatedly prompted questions such as, “Isn’t it naïve to ignoreproblemsandonlyfocusonthepositive?”“Ifwetakeafullyaffirmativestance what happens to the problems?” Experience has proven thesequestionsunwarranted.Now,twentyyearslater,thepositiveimpactofAppreciativeInquiryonorganizationsandonthefieldoforganizationdevelopment,fromwhichit emerged, is clearly recognized (Cameron, Dutton and Quinn 2003).Notable AI initiatives are now well documented. Consider large‐scaleculture transformation at GTE, now Verizon, and at Hunter DouglasWFD(WhitneyandTrosten‐Bloom2003);processimprovementatJohnDeere,HP,andGreenMountainCoffeeRoasters;strategicplanninganddirection setting for Nutrimental, Brazil, and Roadway Express,enhanced customer service in Native American Casinos and at BritishAirways (Ludema, Whitney, Mohr and Griffin 2003). Appreciative



Inquiryhascomeofageandhascontributedsignificantlytothepositiverevolution that has helped transform organizations, communities andthefieldorganizationdevelopment(BusheandMarshak2009).WiththesuccessofAppreciativeInquiryanothersetofquestions–withspiritual portent – have emerged. “Is Appreciative Inquiry a spiritualprocess?”“HowdoesAppreciativeInquirycreatesuchpositiveenergy?”“WhatisitaboutAppreciativeInquirythatenablesustotalkaboutwhatis really meaningful to us?” Repeatedly, in the course of leading orfacilitating an Appreciative Inquiry process or other AI activities aconversationsuchasthisoccurs:

Participant:“IsAppreciativeInquiryaspiritualprocess?”DW:“IwouldnotdescribeitasanexplicitlyspiritualprocessbutIbelieveitdoescreatespiritualeffects.Whydoyouask?”

Participant: “While my partner and I were talking about theorganizationandwhoweareatourbestatworkwehadaverydeepandmeaningfulconnection.Itwasspiritual.”

DW:“Itsoundslikeyouhadagreatinterviewexperience.”

Participant:“Yes,howdoesthishappen?Iwanttocreatemoreofthisatworkandathome.”

Followingappreciativeinterviews,whicharethestartingpointinanAIprocess, participants are asked to share aword or two that describestheirexperiencesdoingthe interviews.Theyrespondwithwordssuchas:informative,fun,positive,enlightening,spiritual,bonding,universal,caring,validating,safe,meaningful,hopeful,incommon,compassionate,educational, inviting, engaging, connected, authentic, and provocative.As thesewords suggest, there is indeedmuch about AI that strikes aspiritual cord. Their comments reflect the four dimensions ofspirituality as an organizing principle described by Whitney (1997):spiritasenergy,spiritasmeaning,spiritasepistemology,andspiritassacred. Something about Appreciative Inquiry leads people to call itspiritual,todescribetheirexperiencesasdeeplymeaningful,energizing



and connected to something grander and more universal than themselves.However,whileAIdoeshaveasignificantlypositiveimpactonbusinessresultsweseldomheartheinterviewprocessdescribedusingbusinessterms such as results oriented, strategic, efficient, or effective. Thisleads me to conclude that it is the spiritual vocabulary and spiritualresonancecreatedbyAIthat leads, inpart,asshowninChart1,tothebeneficialresultsthatorganizationsandcommunitiesexperiencewhenengaging in Appreciative Inquiry. In essence, I believe that it is thespiritual nature ofAppreciative Inquiry that contributes to the resultsachievedwhenitisused.

Chart1TheSpiritualNatureofAI:AContributiontoStrategicBusinessResults

AndsoItoowonder,howdoesthisoccur?WhatisitaboutAIthatwhenpeople are invited to talk with one another, about their work, theirorganization or community, that they experience it spiritually and theorganizationmovestowarditsmostdesiredstrategicresults?Howdoes



AIcreatebothapositivecollectiveconsciousness–whatIcallaspiritualresonanceandpositivebusinessresults?Thispaperisorganizedintofoursections.First,Iofferabriefoverviewof Appreciative Inquiry. Second, I put forth the concept of spiritualresonance.Third,IsuggestaframeworkforspiritualityatworkasalensthroughwhichtounderstandhowAppreciativeInquirycreatesspiritualresonance. And fourth, I offer a set of Appreciative Inquiry basedactivities – daily practices – to enhance spiritual resonance inorganizationsandcommunities.AppreciativeInquiry:PhilosophyandProcessforPositiveChangeAIasaphilosophyforhumanandorganizationalchangeisbaseduponasetof lifeaffirmingbeliefsabouthumannatureandhumanorganizing(WhitneyandTrosten‐Bloom2003,2).

1. Peopleindividuallyandcollectivelyhaveuniquegifts,skills,andcontributionstobringtolife.

2. Organizations are human social enterprises, sources ofunlimitedrelationalcapacity,createdandlivedinlanguage.

3. The images thatweholdof the futurearesociallycreated,and once articulated, serve to guide individual andcollectiveaction.

4. Through human communication (inquiry and dialogue)people can shift their attention and action away fromproblem analysis to lift up worthy ideals and productivepossibilitiesforthefuture.

5. The questionswe ask are fateful. They determinewhat islearnedandtheysettheagendaforaction.

The foundational assumptions of Appreciative Inquiry (Cooperrider,1990) have been substantiated by the research and writing in thegrowing fieldofpositivepsychology (Fredrickson2009;Keltner2009;Ben‐Shalhar 2007) and the booming strength based movement inleadership(BuckinghamandCliffton2001;Cameron2008).AI,positivepsychology and the writing on strengths all suggest that focus andinquiryintohumancapacities,potentialsanddreamsmorereadilyleadto high performance and the achievement of desired results than do



moretraditional,deficitbased,approachestochangemanagement.Thisshiftfrom“focusonproblems”to“focusonlifeaffirmingpotential”isakeystone of Appreciative Inquiry and one of the ways it invites andcreatesaspiritualsensibility.Appreciative Inquiry is a viable high engagement process for positivechange (Cooperrider and Sekerka 2003). It enables large numbers ofdiverse stakeholders to join with each other in dialogue about theirstrengthsandtheiridealfuturesfortheirorganization(Gergen,Gergen,Barrett 2004). It is a practice that amplifies and magnifies the mostpositive life giving possibilities for the future. (Whitney, Cooperrider,Trosten‐BloomandKaplin2002,vii).AsaprocessAppreciativeInquiryinvites the best of people individually and collectively. When thishappenspeopleexperienceakindofepiphanyatwork that theymostfrequentlydescribeasspiritual.

Chart2TheAppreciativeInquiry4DProcess



Appreciative Inquiry is most often applied in what has come to beknownas theAI4‐DProcess shown inChart2.WhitneyandTrosten‐Bloom(2003)provideanin‐depthexplanationofthe4‐DProcessalongwith step‐by‐step guidelines for applying it in organizations andcommunitysettings.As a fully affirmative action research process AI begins with theidentification of affirmative topics and moves through four phases ofinquiry and dialogue:Discovery,Dream,Design andDestiny (WhitneyandTrosten‐Bloom2003, 7). AI is the study and exploration ofwhatgiveslifetohumanenterpriseswhentheyfunctionattheirbest.Itdoesnotclaimthathumanenterprisesarealwaysattheirbest.Whatitdoespresumeisthatthebestwaytolearn,developandchangeisbystudyingwhatworkswellwhenpeople,teamsandorganizationsareattheirbest.Andso thestartingpoint forAIandpositivechange is theselectionofaffirmative topics for inquiry. Topic selection requires the articulationofwhatiswanted,whatisvalued,whatismostessentialtosuccess.Topicselectioninvitesaspiritualvocabularyandinsodoingcreatesthefieldforspiritualresonance.ParticipantsinanAIprocessareguidedbythenotion that “words createworlds.”Theyare asked to select topicsthatdescribewhattheywantmoreof,ratherthanwhattheydon’twant.Oneofthewaysthatmanagersunintentionallykeeppeopleinthedarkisbygivingdirectionsaboutwhattheydon’twant.Considerforexample,theprojectteamforamedicalschoolcurriculumredesign. When asked to describe the desired new curriculum, theirmost frequent responses were what they did not want: fewer largelectures,lessseparationofprofessions,nomorehavingweeksbetweena subject in the class room and clinical work. Their vocabulary wasproblemoriented.Theyknewhowtotalkaboutwhattheydidnotwant.They did not realize the value of and the need to speak in theaffirmative. When it was suggested that their wants described theproblems they wanted to avoid rather than designs for a newcurriculumalightbulbwenton.Theyweretheneasilyabletodescribewhattheyreallywanted:aninteractivepedagogy,smallerclasses,moreclinical experience and inter‐professional education. Once theydescribedwhattheywantedtheywereabletocreateaninterviewguide



andstudytimesandsituationswhenitwasatitsbest,intheiruniversityandatothers.By talkingaboutanddescribingwhat iswantedmanagersand leadersunleashatremendousamountoflifeaffirmingenergyandprovideclearguides for performance. When managers and leaders talk in thenegativepeople feelblamedandshamed.Andmoresignificantly,goodpeoplewhowanttocontributeandsucceedcannotunderstandhowtodo so. The capacity for appreciative intelligence (Thatchenkery andMetzker 2006), the ability to see the implicit positive potential in asituation, is at the heart of Appreciative Inquiry as well as effectivemanagementandleadership.The4‐DProcessenablesmembersofanorganizationtodiscover theirshared foundation of strengths – the positive core of the organization(CooperriderandWhitney2005).Bydoing thisbeforeenvisioning thefuture (dream), articulating designs for change (design), andestablishing a path forward (destiny) they create organization wideconfidence and hope for the future. Individuals experience pride andrecognition as they share their unique stories of success, and hearothers build upon them and weave them into dreams for the future.When people engage with each other in conversations about whatworks well, they learn each other’s capabilities and they gaintremendousconfidenceintheircollaborativecapacityforachievement.They create a spiritual resonance that fosters human well‐being andcontributestostrategicbusinessresults.SpiritualResonanceOftenwhenpeopleworkwell togetherakindof communionoccurs, aspiritual resonance. Described by Briskin, Erickson, Ott and Callanan(2009,20)ascollectivewisdom,apalpablesenseofconnectiontoeachotherandtolargerforces,itismorethanjustcollaboration.Spiritual resonance occurs when people working together share apurpose that is at the same time both task oriented and spirituallyoriented. It occurs when people truly honor each other as well asnatureaslivingbeings,andwhentheydotheirbesttocareforalllife.It



occurswhenpeoplerecognizevulnerabilitiesandstrengthsandworkinwaysthatbringoutthebestofpeople,personallyandcollectively.Most significantly, spiritual resonance is a collective spiritualexperience. Most understandings of spirituality at work areindividualistic. The most comprehensive explanation of spirituality intheworkplace,thetendimensionsofspiritualityidentifiedbyGiacaloneand Jurkiewicz(2003,8)describe thevariousaspectsofspirituality inpersonal terms: “capacity of individuals…growth and self‐actualization…pervades a person’s entire being…individual’s expertknowledge…whateverapersonconsiderstobemorethanoneselfasanindividualwithreason.”WhenpeopletalkaboutthespiritualnatureofAppreciative Inquiry they are describing a collective experience. Ibelievetheyaredescribingarelationalexperienceakintobeing intheflow together (Csikszentmihalyi 1990) or a mutual tapping into amorphic field (Sheldrake 1981; McTaggart 2002). Whatever theexperience it is deeply relational, mutually meaningful and highlyvaluedbyparticipants.Spiritual resonance is talked about in the plural and reflects anawarenessof“withness”andco‐creation.Itcarrieswithitasenseofthewhole, a sense of implicit interconnectedness and a sense of hope forthe future base upon trust in relational capacities. Performance soarsandenduresinthepresenceofspiritualresonance.Whenpeopleworkfrom their strengths and seek to understand and support othersworking from their strengths a seamless flow of activity and resultsoccurs,andpeopleconsider themselvespartofauniqueandpowerful“we.”Spiritual resonance inorganizationsandcommunitiescreatesanimplicitsafetynetthat invitescreativityandinnovation.It fostershighcollaboration, that is collaboration for the greater good, rather thansimplycollaborationtogetthejobdone.Itisakeysuccessfactorinanorganization’scapacity tobalance the triplebottomline:people,profitandplanetandtobeanagentofsustainableworldbenefit.Appreciative Inquiry makes a positive difference by deepeningrelatedness, fostering a positive emotional climate, and by creatingspiritual resonance in the workplace. It provides opportunities forpeople to explore and share with one another what gives energy,meaningandasenseofsacrednesstotheirlives.



SpiritualityintheWorkplaceTherehavebeenmanydefinitionsandunderstandingsofspiritualityintheworkplaceput forthover thepast twodecades.Theyrange fromadefinition of Dharmic management as the fusing of spirit, character,human values and decency in the workplace and in life as a whole(Hawley1993,1) toaconceptualizationof spiritual intelligenceas theabilitytobehavewithwisdomandcompassionwhilemaintaininginnerandouterpeaceregardlessofthecircumstances(Wigglesworth2004).Based upon a review of literature Giacalone and Jurkiewicz (2003, 7)offer a representative sampling of definitions of spirituality. All havesomethingtoofferourunderstandingofspiritualityatwork.Andallarepartofwhatisnowasignificantfieldofresearch,writing,teachingandpractice.TomorefullyunderstandhowAIcreatesspiritualresonanceIbelieveituseful to consider it through the lens of spirituality in theworkplace.ForthispurposeIturntoadialogicframeworkofspirituality(Whitney1997). It suggests that spirituality in the workplace is evident andtalked about in four ways; that within the workplace there are fourprimary conversations about spirituality: Spirit as Energy, Spirit asMeaning,SpiritasSacred,andSpiritasEpistemology.The four conversations, adapted from an earlier work by Whitney(1997)arebrieflyportrayedbelow;alongwithsomeof theways theyaregeneratedthroughthepracticesofAppreciativeInquiry.1. For many people spirituality in the workplace is about energy.SpiritasEnergyconversationsarethoseinwhichpeopledescribethefeeloftheplace,thevibrations,theemotionaltone,andwhatitevokesinthem.Theenergyofaworkplacemaybepositiveoritmaybenegative.Thewaypeople talkabout theirworkplacenotonly describes the energy it also creates it. When people saythingslike,“Itisadragtoworkhere,”“Regularly,Igointoastaffmeeting happy and I come out depressed,” “People give eachother the cold shoulder aroundhere.Nobodyeven stops to say



goodmorning” theyarereflectingandcontributing tospirituallynegativeenergy.When on the other hand people describe their workplace withcommentssuchas,“I likemyjob,”“IhadmoreenergyattheendofthedaythanIdidwhenIcametoworktoday,”“Thebestthingaboutworkingherearethepeople,theycareanditshows,”theyarereflectingandcontributingtoaspirituallypositiveenergy.LakotaSiouxHolyMan,HowardBadHand,saysthatspiritualityisabout living and working in the energetically positive. Spirit asEnergyintheworkplacecanbeassessedastheratioofpositivetonegative conversations in theworkplace. Themore positive theconversationsamongorganizationmemberswitheachother,andabouteachotherandtheirorganization,themorepositiveandlifeaffirmingthespiritualresonanceoftheworkplace.Appreciative Inquiry with its unconditionally affirmative stancetransforms negative conversations into positive life affirmingconversations and in so doing releases a gust of spirituallypositive energy throughout the organization. This happens atmany points in an AI process. It begins with the selection of acompelling change agenda, a set of affirmative topics and thecrafting of appreciative questions. When describing the AIPositive Principle, Cooperrider and Whitney (2005, 53) state,“Themore positive the questions we ask, themore long‐lastingand successful the change effort…We no longer need to behesitantaboutbringingaffirmativelanguageintobusiness…Itisamuch healthier and more effective way of approaching changemanagement.”ThelanguageusedinanAIprocessstimulatespositiveenergyandemotions. So too does the relational connections that aremade.Appreciativeinterviewsaremostoftenconductedin“improbablepairs.”Peopleareguidedtousetheinterviewasanopportunitytomeetandtalkwithsomeonewhoisdifferentfromthemself,whoworks in a different function, level or department of theorganization. When people seek out someone different andinterviewthemabouttheirstrengths,hopesanddreamsastrange



thinghappens.Theydiscoverandoftendescribewithexcitementand surprise that they have a great deal in common! During arecentAImeetinginauniversityhealthcenteraphysicianandanurse who were at the center of a cross departmental disputediscovered that they were both organists at their respectivechurches. Instantly, as if an invisible hand stirred the air in theroom, they became respected colleagues and role models forpositivechange.Appreciative Inquirydeepensrelationships inaway thatcreatesanenvironmentofsafety,curiosity,respectandinnovation.Allofwhichincreasestheratioofpositivetonegativeconversationsintheworkplace.CooperriderandSekerka(2003,232)suggestthatthese two factors 1) inquiry into the appreciative world and 2)deepening of relatedness, when occurring together, as in AI,createanactivationofenergy.

2. A second kind of conversation often heard in the workplacereflects theneed formeaning in life.SpiritasMeaning relates topurpose,principlesandvaluesatwork.CentraltounderstandingSpiritasMeaning is the recognition thatpeoplewantmore fromworkthanapaycheck.Thequestformeaningfulworkisheardinmany varied conversations in the workplace. The frequentlyexpressed desire for work and family balance is the tip of theiceberg in terms people wanting and expecting their work tosupportthemincreatingadeeplymeaningfullife.Thesearchformeaning in life, which was once a philosophical or religiousquestion, is now central to conversations about quality of worklife, job assignments and career paths; and even the business ofthebusiness.Peoplewanttobeengagedinworkwithaworthypurposethatiscongruentwith theirmost closely held values. Even now, in themidst of economic depression and uncertainty, organizationsloose bright and committed people when they do not findmeaningatwork.AyounggraduateofHarvard’sKennedySchoolrecently left her “dream job” because the meaningfulness shesoughtbyworkingforanorganizationdedicatedtohumanrights,wascompromisedbythewaypeopleweretreated.



Spirit as Meaning calls managers and leaders to attend to thealignmentofvaluesandwork.Ifthereisanythingthatunitesthemultiplegenerationsintheworkforcetodayitisthededicationtobusiness as an agent of world benefit, especially environmentalsustainability. People of all generations, roles and functionalresponsibilities are expecting and even demanding that theircompanies and communities attend to global environmentalwellbeing. People want work that is both meaningful to thempersonallyandthatcontributesproductsandservicesthatenablewise stewardship of resources – human, natural and financial.Conversations that reflect Spirit as Meaning place a priority on“thegoodofthecommon”asapathforcontributingtothetriplebottom line – the quality of human life, environmentalsustainability,andbusinesssuccess.Toappreciateistovalue.Initssimplestsense,AIisaprocessforstudyingwhat is valued, for inquiry into the appreciableworld.The AI Simultaneity Principle (Cooperrider and Whitney 2005)statesthatchangebeginsthemomentweaskaquestion;thatthequestions we ask are fateful – they determine what is learned.Consider the case of Connie, a customer service manager, whopriortolearningaboutAppreciativeInquirybeganstaffmeetingsbyengagingeveryoneinsettinganagendaofproblemsandissuestodiscuss.Herstaffmeetingswereboringtoeveryone,includingherself. She commented at one point, “We never got around totalkingaboutthegoodstuff,whatwereallywantedtoshareandtalk about. All we ever had time for were the problems. Staffmeetingswerenot fun.”Her staffmeetingswerenotmeaningfultoherortoherstaff.AftershelearnedaboutAppreciativeInquiryshe began an experiment. She started each staffmeetingwith aquestion about one of her values as a manager: delighting thecustomer,costcontainment,newbusiness,exceptionalteamworkor shared leadership.Shewassurprisedwith the results.Peoplelovedthequestions.Theyfoundthemmeaningful.Andtheyfoundthem helpful in understanding what was expected of them andhow they could improve. To everyone’s surprise staff meetingsbecame a meaningful time to share what was happening in the



business and to learn from each other’s successes how to dothingsbetter.LikeConnie,managersandleaderssettheconversationalagendafortheirorganizationsbythequestionstheyask.AIisawaythattheycanleadfromtheirvalues.The overall AI 4 – D Process generates organization widealignment about purpose andmeaning as peoplemove throughthe phases of discovery, dream, design and destiny. The AIConstructionist Principle (Cooperrider and Whitney 2005)positions AI as a process of social construction. It states thatmeaning is made in relationships; that words, language anddialoguearethetoolsofmeaningmaking.AIisahighengagementprocess, inclusive of all of an organization’s stakeholders. Itoperatesontheprinciplethatallofthepeoplewhosefutureit isneed to be in the conversations creating the future (Whitney,2008).Meaning making in Appreciative Inquiry is a collective process.Interviewersmeetwithstories,quotesanddreamsforthefuturethat they collected during the interview process. They sharesuccess stories and analyze them to identify strengths and bestpractices. As they do so, the positive core of the organizationemerges–acompositeofallthatismeaningfultomembersoftheorganization when they are at their best. The discovery andmappingofthepositivecorecreatesacollectiveconsciousness,asenseofcollectiveidentityandapositivespiritualresonance.

3. Forsomepeoplespiritualityisasacredpromise.Whentheytalkaboutspiritatworktheyreflectanimplicitunderstandingthatalllife is imbued with a spiritual presence, a potential awaitingdiscoveryandemergence.SpiritasSacredconversationsareabouttheessentiallifeforcethatflowsin,aroundandthroughall.Spiritisnotsomethingseparatefrommind,body,oractionbutisindeedan integral quality of being. Indeed, it is spirit that is theorganizing force of all life. Spirit as Sacred acknowledges whatAlexander (2002, 31) calls a broad conception of life when hesays, “each thing– regardlessofwhat it is –has somedegreeof



life. Each stone, rafter andpieceof concretehas somedegreeoflife. Theparticulardegreeof lifewhichoccurs in organismswillthenbeseenasmerelyaspecialcaseofabroaderconceptionoflife.” Recognizing that everything has life invites us to considerthateverythingalsohasuniquegifts tooffer thewhole.SpiritasSacred conversations are those inwhichwe seek to understandtheuniquenessofeachperson,theirgifts,abilities,hopes,dreamsandcallings.Theyareconversationsthataresincerelyrespectfulofdiversityandseektobringoutthebestofallpeople.Theyarealso conversations rich in a human vocabulary. They speak ofsupportandcompassionintheworkplace,positiveemotionsandhuman flourishing, and the cultivation of human potential andspiritualresonance.

Spirit as Sacred acknowledges the essential connectionof all lifesuch that actionsof thepart affect thewhole.With this comesadeep reverence for relationship and wholeness. Integrity, anespousedvalueinmostorganizationsgenerallyreferstohonesty,authenticity, and truth telling. Discussions about integrity inorganizational life seldom evoke the meaning of integrated orwhole. Organizations today suffer under the modern fiction offragmentation, functionalism, and division of labor. Spirit asSacredplacesrelationshipsatthecenterofsocialorganization.Itcallsforaradicalrelationalperspective,onethatnotonlyhonorsall life and relationships, but also honors the whole and itscollectivewisdom.

Appreciative Inquiry seeks to understand what gives life toorganizations and communities when they are at their best intermsofhuman,environmentalandeconomicdynamics.Itseeksto understand and bring out the best of people, personally andcollectively. The four questions often used at the start of an AIinitiative(WhitneyandTrosten‐Bloom2003)clearlyillustrateitslifecentricnature:a. Tellmeaboutahighpointexperience,atimewhenyoufeltmostalive,vibrantandengagedatwork.

b. Tellmewhatyoumostvalueaboutyourself,yourteamandyourorganization.



c. Whatisthecorefactorthatgiveslifetoyourorganization?d. Imaginethatyouhavethreewishestoenhancethevitalityandwellbeingofyourorganization.Whatarethey?

AI is based on the assumption that human systemsmove in thedirectionofwhattheystudy.Thequestionsmanagersandleadersaskdirect thediscussion, learningandactionof thepeoplewithwhom they work. When managers and leaders repeatedly askquestions about problems people become problem pros. Theybecomeproficientinthevocabularyofcause,effectandblame.Onthe other hand, when managers ask questions about strengths,and best practices people develop a vocabulary of capacity andtheknowledgeofhowtosucceedbybringingthebesttolife.In the practice of Appreciative Inquiry the word positive issomewhat of a codeword, standing for all that is life affirming,good,trueandbeautiful.TheAppreciativeInquiryPoeticPrinciple(Cooperrider and Whitney 2005) encourages us to choose ourwords andmetaphors carefully. It suggests thatwe replace themechanisticandmilitaristicmetaphorsweusefororganizations;that perhaps we stop talking about bullets and deadlines andinstead find a more human and life affirming language. Itproposesthatweconsiderorganizationsastexts,alwaysopentointerpretation.Andmostsignificantly,itoffers,thatmanagersandleaderscanchoosethelenstheyuseforinterpretation.Theycanchoosetostudywhatgiveslifetopeopleandorganizations,theirrootcausesofsuccess;ortheycanchoosetostudyproblemsandrootscausesoffailure.ThechoicetoapplyAppreciativeInquiryisachoicefortheenergeticallypositive,achoicetoinquireintotheappreciableworld,tolearnabouthumanstrengthsandcapacities,and to organize around what gives life. This is the implicitlyspiritualnatureofAI.

4. Sprit as Epistemology is reflected in conversations about thesource of knowledge in the workplace, about what constitutesvalid and useful knowledge. It is a conversation that awakenswhenmanagersandleadersopentoexploreoftheprocessesandpotentialsofbothquantitativeanalysisandqualitativeanalysis,ofboth facts and stories, of both empirically generated knowledge



andexperientiallygeneratedknowledge.Whenevermultiplewaysof generating knowledge are considered spiritual potential isstirred.Someofthemostimpactfulphysicalandsocialscientists,including Einstein and Jung, attribute their scientific discoveriestowonder and theworkings of spirit, themysterious or God asknowntothem.The conversation of Spirit as Epistemology moves deeper withconsiderationsoftheroleofalternativerealities,intuition,psychicknowledge, and faith in the workplace. Ways of knowing thatvalidate and affirm subtle presences, invisible yet knowninfluences, and the relationship of intention, action and faithcreateapalpablespiritualresonance.Globalizationanddiversityintheworkplacecreateanimperativefor managers and leaders to draw upon and honor alternative,spiritualways of knowing alongwith scientific, rationalways ofknowing.Diversityintheworkplacemeansincludingpeoplewithdifferentwaysofknowingaswell asdifferent stylesofworking,making decisions, speaking, thinking, celebrating and relating.The benefits of diversity can only come when managers andleaders discover and liberate the capacity of multiple ways ofknowing–fromtherational,totheintuitive,tothespiritual.

AI is an invitation for all of an organization or community’sstakeholderstotelltheirstory,intheirownway,andtobeheard.It is anopen invitation for thewisdomof theorganization tobeinformed and created by sharing among diverse people, withdiversewaysofknowing.Inthiswayitisaninvitationforpeopletomeetandget toknowthe logosandpathosofotherswhoaredifferent from them. Through the affirmative process strangersand/or estranged colleagues become friends, strengthencollaboration,andbuildcapacitytoalignstrengthsforresults.ConsiderarecentAISummitdedicatedtoenhancingeducationalopportunities for students who are deaf and blind. Among the160peoplewhowereintheroom,thereweredeafstudentsandadults, there were blind students and adults, there were signinterpreters, Braille recorders, parents, teachers, administrators,



representatives from the governor’s office, state legislators andleadersandmembersofadvocacygroups.Therewerealsoguidedogs in the room. It was a highly diverse mix of people, allcommitted to the same compelling cause and yet with manydifferingopinionsandwaysofknowing.Duringthecourseofthethreedaymeetingeveryonewasable toparticipant, first inone‐on‐one interviews, thenasamemberofasmall tablegroup,andfinally as a member of the plenary decision making body.Everyone was able to express them selves in ways that wereappropriate to their skills and abilities. Everyone was able toparticipate in crafting the future and putting forthrecommendations to the state board of education. AppreciativeInquiry generated a safe space for diverse people with diversewaysofknowingandcommunicating tocometogether.ThroughAItheycreatedavisionandmadeanumberofagreementsaboutthefutureofeducationforstudentswhoaredeafandblind.Attheend of three days the resultwas a euphoric spiritual resonancepulsatedthroughouttheroom.Everyonefeltitandsmiled.

Appreciative Inquiry produces a sublime spiritual resonance bypositively impacting each of the four spiritual conversation arenasdiscussed.It fostersupwardspiralsofpositiveenergyandemotions.Itenables large numbers of diverse people to share what is mostmeaningful to them, inwaysthatmakesensetothem. It facilitatesthecollectivearticulationofanorganization’spositivecoreofstrengthsandembeds life‐affirming language, metaphors and practices into it. Mostsignificantlyitliberatestheheartsandsoulsofpeoplebyengagingtheminstorytellingandcreativeenactmentsoftheirdesiredfuture(Whitneyand Trosten‐Bloom 2003) thus creating what Bright (2009) calls anappreciatinglife‐enhancingdynamic.AppreciativePracticestoEnhanceSpiritualResonanceManagers and leaders can enhance the spiritual resonance of theworkplace through theapplicationofAI and theuseofdailypracticesderived from it. The following four appreciativepractices canbeusedduring informalconversationsatworkorduring formalconversationssuch as staff meetings, coaching sessions, performance reviews and



teambuildingretreats.Theyareastartingpointforcreatingacultureofappreciationandenhancingspiritualresonanceintheworkplace.1. Appreciative Check In is the practice of starting a meeting byaskingpeopletocheckinwithanappreciativestoryorcomment.Whetheritisaface‐to‐facemeetingoraconferencecall,beginbyasking people to share a stories about something that they feelgoodabout, areproudof, aregrateful fororvalue. It isa simplepracticethatmakesabigdifference.Peoplewarmupastheytellabouttheirchildren’sactivities,sportsvictoriesandgraduations.They smile at each other as they mention awards andacknowledgments they have received. They relax as they tellstoriesofsuccessfulcustomerorclientvisits.Theopeninvitationtosharewhatyoucareaboutcreatesanappreciativedynamicatthe start of the meeting and builds momentum for positiveoutcomes.

2. Strengths Spotting is the practice of seeing, articulating, andaligningstrengthsofpeopleandsituations.Ithasthreesteps:one,gathering information and stories about success; two, analyzingthem to discover strengths and positive potential; and three,sharing the strengths and positive potential with the peopleinvolved.Byaskingpeoplewhat theyhavedone thatgives thempride, about times when they have been at their best, or abouthowtheyhavecontributedtosuccess,managersandleadersbuildtheir own capacity to strength spot, to see and hear highperformancepatterns.This is a call formanagersand leaders todevelop their appreciative eyes and intelligence – the ability tosee the implicit positive potential in any situation, to shift fromthe languageof failure andblame to the languageof affirmationand potential; and to regularly tell people what they are doingwell.

3. The Flip is the practice of talking about potential rather thanproblems, of inquiring into affirmative topics rather than deficittopics.Practiceflippingproblemstopotentialbyasking:whatisitthat we really want more of in this situation? For example, aproblem for many organizations is turnover. The flip, what isactuallywantedisretention.Thefliphelpsmanagersandleaders



express what they stand for and hope to accomplish. Consideranotherexample,adirectorofeducationhabituallyaskedwhyare18%ofourstudentsfailing?Byflippingherquestiontoask,whatarewedoingtohelp82%ofourstudentsexcelshe,andherteam,learnedwhatwas needed to help the failing 18%. By practicingthe flipandspeaking in theaffirmativemangersand leadersputforthpositive imagesofpossibility and inspirea compellingandcontagiousspiritualresonance.

4. The 4‐D Meeting Agenda is the practice of using the AI 4‐Dprocessasatemplateformeetings.The4‐Dprocesscanbeusedinaphonecall,foratwo‐dayworkshoporastheframeworkforayearlong change initiative. When using it as template for ameetingagendaratherthanlist issuesfordiscussioncreateyouragendabyasking:Whatdoweneedtodiscover?Whatdoweneedtodreamandenvision?Whatdoweneed todecideanddesign?Andwhatdoweneedtodo?Usingthe4‐Dsinthiswaykeepsyourmeeting focused in the affirmative. It also ensures that peoplewith differing learning styles will find a topic and time tocontribute.

ConclusionInthetwentyyearssinceitsinceptionAppreciativeInquiryhascomeofage.Applicationsinfieldsrangingfrombusiness,toeducation,tohealthcare and government show that AI is a viable process for large‐scalechange.InthecourseofthisworktheimplicitspiritualnatureofAIhasemerged as a key success factor. Appreciative Inquiry, when applied,creates a life affirming collective consciousness, a spiritual resonance,whichinturncontributestotherealizationofstrategicresultsinserviceofthetriplebottomline.Managers and leaders seeking to work from a consciously spiritualperspective can draw upon AI as a way of inviting spirituality to theworkplace. Its unconditionally positive stance aligns with spiritualvalues and virtues, deepens relatedness and awareness of theinterrelatednessofalllife.Itsfocusoninquiryawakensasenseofawe,wonder and sacredness amongpeople. Taken together thephilosophyandpracticesofAppreciative Inquiryaffordanevolutionary leap from



command and control leadership to appreciative leadership; frommechanisticmodelsoforganizationtolifeaffirmingself‐organizing;andfromdownwardspiralsofproblemsandperformancetotheco‐creationofgenerativeupwardspiralsofpositiveenergyandperformance.ReferencesAlexander,C.(2002).TheNatureofOrder:ThePhenomenonofLife.Berkeley:CenterforEnvironmentalStructure.Ben‐Shahar,T.(2007).Happier.NewYork:McGrawHill.Bright,D.(2009).“AppreciativeInquiryandPositiveOrganizationalScholarship.”ODPractitionerVolume41,No.3.Briskin,A.,Erickson,S.,Ott,J.andCallanan,T.(2009).ThePowerofCollectiveWisdomandtheTrapofCollectiveFolly.SanFrancisco:Berrett‐Koehler.Buckingham,M.andClifton,D.O.(2001).Now,DiscoverYourStrengths.NewYork:TheFreePress.Bushe,G.andMarshak,R.J.(2009).“RevisioningOrganizationDevelopment:DiagnosticandDialogicPremisesandPatternsofPractices.”JournalofAppliedBehavioralScienceVolume45.Issue3.Cameron,K.S.(2008).PositiveLeadership:StrategiesforExtraordinaryPerformance.SanFrancisco:Berrett‐Koehler.Cameron,K.S.,Dutton,J.E.,andQuinn,R.E.(2003).PositiveOrganizationalScholarship.SanFrancisco:Berrett‐Koehler.Cooperrider,D.L.(1990).“PositiveImage,PositiveAction:TheAffirmativeBasisofOrganizing.”AppreciativeManagementandLeadership.SanFrancisco:Jossey‐Bass,91‐126.Cooperrider,D.L.andSekerka,L.E.(2003).“TowardaTheoryofPositiveOrganizationalChange.”PositiveOrganizationalScholarship.SanFrancisco:Berrett‐Koehler,225‐240.Cooperrider,D.L.andWhitney,D.(2005).AppreciativeInquiry:APositiveRevolutioninChange.SanFrancisco:Berrett‐Koehler.Cooperrider,D.L.,WhitneyD.andStavros,J.(2008)AppreciativeInquiryHandbook.Brunswick:CrownCustomPublishing.Csikszentmihalyi,M.(1990).Flow:ThePsychologyofOptimalExperience.NewYork:Harper&Row.Fredrickson,B.L.(2009).Positivity.NewYork:CrownPublishers.Gergen,M.M.,Gergen,K.J.,andBarrett,F.(2004).“AppreciativeInquiryasDialogue:GenerativeandTransformative.”ConstructiveDiscourseandHumanOrganization.SanDiego:Elsevier,3–29.Giacalone,R.A.andJurkiewicz,C.L.(2003).HandbookofWorkplaceSpiritualityandOrganizationPerformance.Armonk:M.E.Sharpe.Hawley,J.(1993).ReawakeningtheSpiritinWork:ThePowerofDharmicManagement.SanFrancisco:Berrett‐Koehler.



Keltner,D.(2009).BorntoBeGood.NewYork:W.W.Norton.Ludema,J.D.,Whitney,D.,Mohr,B.J.andGriffin,T.J.(2003)TheAppreciativeInquirySummit:APractitioner’sGuideforLeadingLargeGroupChange.SanFrancisco:Berrett‐Koehler.McTaggart,L.(2002).TheField:TheQuestfortheSecretForceoftheUniverse.NewYork:HarperCollins.Sheldrake,R.(1981).ANewScienceofLife:TheHypothesisofFormativeCausation.London:BlondandBriggs.Srivastva,S.andCooperrider,D.L.(1990).AppreciativeManagementandLeadership.SanFrancisco:Jossey‐Bass.Thatchenkery,T.andMetzker,C.(2006).AppreciativeIntelligence:SeeingtheMightyOakintheAcorn.SanFrancisco:Berrett‐Koehler.Whitney,D.(2008).“DesigningOrganizationsasifLifeMatters:PrinciplesofAppreciativeOrganizing.”DesigningInformationandOrganizationswithaPositiveLens.Oxford:Elsevier,329–363.Whitney,D.(1997).“SpiritualityasanOrganizingPrinciple.”TheNewBusinessofBusiness.SanFrancisco:Berrett‐Koehler.Whitney,D.,Cooperrider,D.L.,Trosten‐Bloom,A.,andKaplin,B.S.,(2002).EncyclopediaofPositiveQuestions:UsingAppreciativeInquirytoBringOuttheBestofYourOrganization.Euclid:LakeshoreCommunications.Whitney,D.andTrosten‐Bloom,A.(2003)ThePowerofAppreciativeInquiry:APracticalGuidetoPositiveChange.SanFrancisco:Berrett‐Koehler.Wigglesworth,C.(2004).SpiritualIntelligenceandWhyitMatters.SelfPublished.

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Appreciative Inquiry: Creating Spiritual Resonance in the Workplace