Make 2010 a Year of Appreciative Inquiry

As I contemplate resolutions for the coming year, I can think of nothing better than to commit to the over-riding goal of making 2010 a year of appreciative inquiry. I resolve to look for moments in which I am performing at my best, and to cultivate more of those moments.

This is top of mind since we recently completed an employee engagement project for a client where they identified this same focus as the obvious next step in developing self-directed collaborative teams. The power of this approach is apparent in it's contrast to the traditional problem-focused gap analysis perspective so common in traditional management philosophy.

The shift is simple, but not easy. Individuals and organizations have been steeped in approaching problem-solving from a "what's missing" perspective for so long that our natural inclination is to try to "fix" what's wrong rather than build on what's right.

If you are interested in making 2010 a year to focus and build upon what's right, I recommend that you consider adopting the appreciative inquiry approach. An excellent introduction to Apprecitive Inquiry can be found in Sue Annis Hammond's Thin Book of Appreciative Inquiry, (2nd edition). We often recommend it as a great way to introduce leaders and managers to a new way of approaching organizational change and problem solving.

I am so looking forward to finding the best in 2010! Won't you join me?
Happy New Year!
Tom Rausch
Leadership Beyond Limits