BUILD INSPIRED TEAMS WITH APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY
What might be possible if your team was fully engaged, inspired, and utilizing their strengths to collectively achieve shared visions? The Inspired Teams program is an introductory training that teaches key foundational concepts and processes of Appreciative Inquiry (AI) along with several strengths-based tools, techniques, and exercises designed to cultivate stronger relationships, promote meaningful engagement, and inspire positive change within teams.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW:
This training combines learning, practice, and application to build knowledge and skills in applying appreciative inquiry at work and at home. To maximize team and organizational learning, the Inspired Teams program consists of three distinct components: Core Team Development and Orientation Workshop, Inspired Teams Training, and AI Mentorship.
CORE TEAM DEVELOPMENT AND ORIENTATION WORKSHOP
The Appreciative Inquiry process can be used to reframe existing tools and processes, strengthen relationships, identify opportunities, and develop strategies. Determining how and where the AI process will have the greatest impact varies from organization to organization. Core Teams – a small group representative of the whole – help to clarify needs and perspectives, define a common language, gather data, and communicate information to/from the whole system.
The Core Team Development and Orientation Workshop utilizes the Appreciative Inquiry methodology and its supporting strength-based tools to explore the topic of “Inspired Teams” as it relates to the organization. Contributions made by Core Team during help formulate the Inspired Teams program by ensuring the content, language, and exercises are meaningful, timely, and relevant.
INSPIRED TEAMS TRAINING
Inspired Teams is collective team learning at its best. All members of the team, organization, or community are participants of the training and must attend all sessions.
Click the session titles below to learn more about each session’s overview and learning outcomes.
BUILDING A LEARNING COMMUNITY
To work collaboratively and synergize one’s work, it is critical to build a learning community. In this opening session, participants engage in an inquiry to uncover what best contributes to their learning. Using the information from their stories, participants work together to construct Appreciative Agreements needed for their ideal learning environment. This includes generating specific actions and practices to move the group towards those ideals and enable all participants to flourish and grow during the program.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
- Build our learning community by getting to know one another.
- Create shared Appreciative Agreements and understand their importance.
- Understand the framework that we will use in the sessions.
- Become familiar with Foundational Principles and Processes of Appreciative Inquiry.
- Understand how the AI concepts can be applied to your personal and work environment.
EXPERIENCING APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY
In this session participants learn about the 5D’s of Appreciative Inquiry by experiencing the process firsthand. Participants engage in paired interviews and group discussions designed to invite discovery and reflection into the power of words.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
- Experience the power of storytelling.
- Create inspiring images that unleash imagination and inspire action.
- Write provocative propositions that articulate the ideal future or outcome.
AN APPRECIATIVE VIEW OF SYSTEMS
Much of our time is spent executing tasks that are essential to work. While this is fundamental to success, it is also important to understand how our actions impact others. In this session participants are introduced to new tools to help them become even more effective in their relationships.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
- Understand the concept of “Systems Thinking” & how it informs how we interpret situations.
- Reframe situations using the tools – “Balcony and Dance” and “Problem to Opportunity.”
- Utilize positive, generative questions to gain clarity and provide assistance to others.
- Identify how these concepts can be applied in your work environment.
APPRECIATIVE PROCESS APPLICATION
At its most basic, Appreciative Inquiry is about asking questions that reveal and increase the value of what we are inquiring about. In this highly interactive session, participants learned the 3 key questions in AI, and practice developing AI questions by either 1) reframing existing inquiry tools currently used in their everyday work, or 2) generating new questions for topics of inquiry that may have emerged during previous training sessions. Through individual, paired, small group and plenary exercises, participants had the opportunity to field test, refine, and showcase the appreciative questions.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
- Apply the Appreciative Process to existing inquiry tools used at work.
- Craft generative questions that illuminate the ideal.
DEALING WITH CHALLENGES
Conflict transformation is about shifting an either/or way of thinking into an attitude of curiosity and openness to possibility out of which people can create solutions and increased awareness of others’ perspectives.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
- Increase understanding and awareness of how our reaction to conflict informs our actions.
- Apply an effective method for responding to conflict to increase trust and communication in relationships.
LIVING APPRECIATIVELY
Appreciative Inquiry (AI) is more than a methodology; it is a way of being in the world. Challenges and opportunities come in all shapes and sizes. Appreciative Inquiry invites exploration into existing strengths and successes within individuals and organizations to uncover new opportunities and inspire positive change from within.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
- Recount key foundational topics, tools, and techniques introduced during the program.
- Apply the ALIVE model to identify needs and build resilience.
- Consider how you might integrate Appreciative Inquiry into your personal and professional life using the Appreciating-Imagining-Acting (AIA) Process.
APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY MENTORING
Select members from Inspired Teams training will participate in the Appreciative Inquiry (AI) Mentorship program. The AI mentorship program provides individuals the opportunity for on-going learning, development, and understanding as they apply AI in different settings.
During each mentoring session, mentors will engage in conversations around topics that are of interest to the mentee. Using appreciative questions, mentors help mentees uncover new opportunities and find their own solutions while also offering their knowledge and expertise in appreciative inquiry. This allows mentors to customize the learning experience to meet the specific developmental needs and interests of their mentees.
ADDITIONAL PROGRAM INFORMATION
The Inspired Teams program consists of synchronous (live sessions hosted through Zoom) and asynchronous (assigned reading and activities outside of class time) learning. To accommodate various learning styles this course incorporates a mix of text, graphics, videos, and downloadable activities. All course materials and activities are located online and can be found on LearnDash, the Center for Appreciative Inquiry’s learning management system.
WANT TO TRAIN YOUR TEAM?
Inspired Teams can be delivered to your team, department, organization, or community in-person or virtually. We encourage a minimum of ten (10) team members to participate in the program. Please complete the CONTACT US form for more information.
QUESTIONS?
Do you have questions about this training? Please email your questions to Kelly Stewart at Kelly@CenterForAppreciativeInquiry.net.
