How to Use Appreciative Inquiry to Ignite Positive Change
What if the key to solving your organization’s biggest challenges wasn’t fixing what’s broken, but amplifying what’s already working?
If you're like many leaders, you're constantly putting out fires, fixing inefficiencies, or managing resistance to change. And while those efforts are necessary, they often miss a powerful opportunity: to tap into your organization’s strengths and build change from a place of possibility, not just problems.
That’s where Appreciative Inquiry (AI) comes in; a strategic approach to change that centers on what gives life to your organization when it’s performing at its best.
At its core, Appreciative Inquiry isn’t about ignoring problems. It’s about shifting the conversation from “what’s wrong” to “what’s right” and leveraging those strengths to spark transformational results.
What Is Appreciative Inquiry?
Developed by David Cooperrider and Suresh Srivastva, Appreciative Inquiry is a collaborative and strength-based approach to organizational development and change. Rather than focusing on gaps or dysfunction, it starts by identifying the best of “what is” and imagining “what could be.”
The process typically follows a 5D cycle:
Define – What is the focus of inquiry?
Discover – What gives life to the organization?
Dream – What might the future look like?
Design – How can we align systems to that vision?
Destiny/Deliver – What commitments will bring it to life?
Why It Works for Leaders and Teams
Appreciative Inquiry builds trust, breaks down silos, and energizes teams. For small to mid-sized enterprises and government agencies facing tight budgets, high turnover, or low morale, this approach can reignite engagement and accelerate transformation without burning out your team.
Here’s how:
It engages everyone – From front-line staff to senior leadership, AI invites all voices into the conversation, creating buy-in from the start.
It reframes resistance – Instead of pushing people to change, it pulls them toward a shared vision of success.
It uncovers hidden assets – Every organization has strengths waiting to be uncovered, from informal influencers to underutilized processes.
Real Impact, Not Just Theory
Organizations that adopt Appreciative Inquiry often see measurable improvements in collaboration, innovation, and performance. It’s particularly powerful during:
Strategic planning efforts
Cultural transformation initiatives
Mergers and post-acquisition integration
Operational audits and redesigns
Imagine redesigning your workflows not by focusing solely on inefficiencies, but by learning what already enables flow, productivity, and success. The results are not only faster to implement but more sustainable.
Start Small. Think Big.
You don’t need to overhaul your whole organization overnight. Appreciative Inquiry can start with a single team, project, or initiative.
Ask:
When has this team been at its best?
What strengths made that possible?
How can we build on that success?
From there, momentum builds. And with the right facilitation and intention, this strength-based approach can fuel lasting, positive change.
