Appreciating change
Imagine a roomful of people who are asked in unison to think, feel and talk positively; and appreciate and seek the best of what would help ignite the collective imagination of what might be.
You say, just another workshop aimed at self-development where you learn tips and tricks towards that perfect life and forget it all when you come out? Actually not true. Appreciative Inquiry (AI) workshop held recently for a select group from the IFMR Ecosystem was both inspiring and liberating, with sustainability beyond the closed corridors of the workshop, intrinsic to its basic principle.
Unlike a typical workshop where a point person leads the show, the attending group itself led the AI workshop, guided by a trained AI facilitator, Dr. Zeb.
AI aims to bring about a change in the way we think and perceive about people and situations. It is about identifying the strengths, the potentials and appreciating the best, rather than the drawbacks, of every person and situation and bringing about a positive revolution in change.
Natalie Colatosti, who was part of the workshop, writes: “It is absolutely true that once you start ‘problem-solving’ all you tend to find, are well, problems. But once you decide to change your thinking and focus on strengths, talents and successes you begin to change the entire culture of an organization. That is not to say there is no place for ‘problem-solving’ – but problem-solving is a tool to use occasionally – whereas appreciative inquiry is the culture and philosophy of how an organization operates.”
“Problem-solving is what we learn to do from kindergarten. It is a good skill but also causes you to think of everything as a problem to be solved, just like the adage ‘to a hammer, everything is a nail,’” adds Bree Bacon, CDF researcher, another participant of the workshop. She stresses, “AI provides the space and methods for an organization to identify and build on its strengths using an appreciative outlook and positive language.”
Towards this endeavor the group dwelled deep into the AI waters to figure out a roadmap for an ideal state that we would like to see in terms of knowledge sharing in the ‘IFMR ecosystem’. The method, known as the “5-D Process”, provided a step-by-step framework that the group had to move through. The 5 D’s being – Define, Discover, Dream, Design and Deliver.
Intensive brainstorming and participative dialog across the board were not a choice but an absolute must to make the AI process work, paving way for lively debates on each and every word discussed in every step while graduating from one ‘D’ onto another.
Collages made by participants to describe themselves
Wordstorming
Highlighting the connect between AI and Knowledge sharing, Asha Krishnakumar emphasized that “AI not only underpins very strongly the importance of each individual in achieving the organization’s goal, but it also stresses on synergies between individuals and groups to achieve the goal. Intrinsic to this is knowledge sharing.”
The workshop culminated with clearly laid down guidelines set within a definitive time frame for everyone to act upon in order to reach the agreed ideal state of knowledge sharing for IFMR – A state where ‘IFMR buzzes with the energy of passionate people sharing knowledge to transform lives’.
Dave makes a point, while Poorna pens them down
Natalie sums up by stating “Appreciative Inquiry leaves you with tangible, actionable goals – not lofty, overwhelming projects to think about. Piece by piece, person by person, AI puts together the strong foundation with which to build the success of not only the entire organization, but the individual as well”.
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Natalie Colatosti, Asha Krishnakumar of IFMR Advocacy and Bree Bacon of Centre for Development Finance contributed this post.
