Appreciative Inquiry

A couple years ago in a Graduate School class I was introduced to the idea of “appreciative inquiry.” The idea is that instead of focusing on what is bad and needs to be changed, we should inquire as to what positive resources are at play in any situation and harness what is positive to address what is lacking.

Last week I had a discussion with a friend about the stage that his toddlers are currently at. Even though their participation toward family goals is quite limited, he has chosen to live in the moment and enjoy the uniqueness of each stage as it comes.

Frustration is normal for leaders and it is easy to wish that things were different, but we should never allow our desire for a different outcome to make us grumpy, negative or bitter about our current  reality.

Can we find the positive in our current challenges? One blog author writes these observations.

Some observations I’ve made about those with a positive attitude:

1. They have a Positive Presence. They non-verbally communicate positivity.  They have energy, look excited, and their posture says, “I’m glad to be here.”
2. They take a Positive Approach. They think first of how we can before why we can’t. Their world view is can do.  Even when facing the impossible, those with a positive attitude believe in the possibilities.
3. They give a Positive Response. They’re teachable.  They own the results without making excuses.  Their first response is, “thanks for the feedback.”

Guest: Scott Rodgers - LifeChurch.tv : swerve

Let’s all sing together…”a little bit of sugar helps the medicine go down…”