Preface

Put Your Values into Practice

If you, like us, believe that organizations can be a source of community and meaning, a vehicle for creating a better world, and a place where human beings can thrive and grow, read on. You may be an executive, a manager, a consultant, a social activist, a human resources professional, or an informal leader in your own organization. You are part of a new generation of leaders, seeking tools and methods to put your values into practice.

This book is a practical guide to a new way of working—a way to achieve exceptional financial performance, leadership at all levels, and extraordinary employee performance and loyalty. That way is called Appreciative Inquiry.

Welcome to the Second Edition

Appreciative Inquiry has come of age. This book, described by readers as the most accessible text on Appreciative Inquiry, has played a significant role as a practical guide for those who wished to design and lead Appreciative Inquiry initiatives. We are delighted to introduce the Second Edition. New tools and information about Appreciative Inquiry have been woven into each chapter, and the book’s most important case—Hunter Douglas Window Fashions Division—has been updated. This edition also includes a short but sweet addition to Chapter 10, a new section called Sustainability: The Enduring Capacity for Positive Change, which responds to one of the most frequently asked questions: How do you sustain the positive momentum that Appreciative Inquiry creates? Finally, we are excited to include an entirely new Chapter 11, “Appreciative Inquiry: A Process for Community Planning,” which showcases three powerful cases and includes ten practical tips.

In keeping with the spirit of the original book and unanimous input from readers and reviewers, we have strengthened The Power of Appreciative Inquiry as a book for learning how to do Appreciative Inquiry. All in all, we believe we have made a great book even better. We look forward to your reflections on how you use it to create positive change in your organization or community.

How This Book Can Help You

By reading this book, you will learn the principles and practice of Appreciative Inquiry. You’ll learn how to use Appreciative Inquiry to build the kind of organization you’ve always wanted.

This book provides three kinds of information. Chapters 1 through 4 introduce Appreciative Inquiry, describing what it is and how it works. Chapters 5 through 10 explain how to do Appreciative Inquiry. Chapter 11 is the new chapter dedicated to community planning applications of Appreciative Inquiry. And finally, Chapter 12 tells the story of why Appreciative Inquiry works.

Throughout the book, theory and practice are illustrated with stories of successful Appreciative Inquiry initiatives around the globe. In particular, the “how-to” chapters feature the powerful case of Hunter Douglas Window Fashions Division. This case study demonstrates that organizations can build leadership and achieve significant increases in productivity, profitability, innovation, and employee loyalty when they engage all of their stakeholders by using Appreciative Inquiry to build more positive futures.

By reading this book, you will learn to apply the power of Appreciative Inquiry in unique and creative ways to transform organizations into centers of creativity, innovation, and life that can benefit the world and all living beings.