Appreciative Inquiry

Plan change by building on what already works

Why It Matters

Problem-focused meetings often stall in blame or fatigue, especially in organizations that have been through cuts, turnover, or rough audits. Appreciative Inquiry starts somewhere else: with moments when the organization performed at its best. Staff feel heard, leaders surface capabilities they had overlooked, and plans grow out of evidence of real success. For nonprofits, agencies, and teams in transition, that is a practical way to rebuild momentum without ignoring hard facts.

Course Description

Participants learn Appreciative Inquiry by running it. Working in pairs, they conduct a short appreciative interview about a high point in their own work, then pull themes from the group's stories. Each phase of the cycle follows: discover what gives the organization life, dream about what could be, design the structures and practices to get there, and deliver through commitments people own. Between phases, discussion addresses common concerns, such as how to handle real problems without slipping into deficit talk and how to adapt the method for a staff retreat, a board session, or a community meeting. Participants draft a set of appreciative questions and an agenda outline for a conversation they will lead in their own setting.

Key Focus Areas

Participants explore and practice:

The discover, dream, design, and deliver cycle and the purpose of each phase
Writing affirmative interview questions tied to a real topic
Turning success stories into themes and provocative propositions
Addressing real problems without slipping back into blame
Adapting the method for retreats, board sessions, and community meetings

Learning Outcomes

Participants will be able to:

Write a set of appreciative interview questions for a chosen topic
Lead a paired interview and draw themes from group stories
Draft design statements that describe a desired future in concrete terms
Outline an agenda for an appreciative planning session in their organization

Who Should Attend

Executive directors and senior leaders
Facilitators and organization development staff
Program managers leading change
Board members and committee chairs

Delivery and Customization

Examples, scenarios, and activities are adapted to your audience and goals. Delivery is available in person, virtually, or in a hybrid format, as a standalone session or as part of a series. Format and length are agreed during scoping.

Related Courses

Facilitation Skills · Facilitation & Adult Learning
Strategic Planning & Implementation · Strategy & Problem Solving
Change Management · Leadership & Management
Organizational Assessment · Strategy & Problem Solving

Bring Appreciative Inquiry to your team

Tell us about your audience and goals. We will follow up to scope objectives, format, and timing.

Request this training → or Back to all courses