Appreciative Inquiry as a Management Strategy
used to create a strategy to implement the new changes in the immediate future.
There are a number of both strengths and weaknesses to the modern approach of AI. The main strength is the central idea of AI, which is the idea of focusing solely on positive aspects in an organization, therefore creating a very positive working environment for members of the organisation. It examines what gives life to human systems when it is working at its greatest potential. By paying attention to the strengths and positive aspects in an organization, the happiness of members in the organizations is reflected. Members will find themselves much happier in their work, by having their confidence built and feeling more included and important in their working environment, from cutting out criticism completely. “Instead of negation, criticism, and spiraling diagnosis, there is discovery, dream, and design” (Cooperrider, David. Whitney, Diana. (2001). Receiving positive feedback on the aspects that are working well is an enlightening change to what society usually drags us down to. Until we value ourselves and realise our true capabilities and potential, we can help those around us. Using the AI approach, encourages people to be innovative and not afraid of trying new things or sharing new ideas in an organization. An AI approach encourages a far more creative environment as the feedback always focuses on positive aspects, allowing people to speak more confidently. AI proves to be a versatile strategy as it has a powerful effect on any human system - individual group, team, division, organization, community, country – and can provide transformation of systems at all levels, not just one. AI has proved its success in any sized and aged organization, such as, international development organizations, corporations, universities and governments. “The approach will ‘fit’ with wherever an organization finds itself in its own evolution” (Liebler, Claudia. J. (2001).
A weakness that is evident in the modern AI approach is that it relies greatly on the belief that employees will be willing to buy into it and try the new approach. If employees are not willing to do so, then it will be virtually impossible to implement this strategy in an organization. Employees in organizations that receive direct benefits will be more willing to accept AI than those who do not, as they will not be interested in being part of the team system otherwise. Elderly employees in an organization who are more traditional could be difficult to target in this modern approach and encourage them to accept AI. It would also make implementing AI extremely difficult if these people where in senior positions in the organization, as other members, especially lower hierarchy members, would become wary and unwilling to accept this modern change strategy also.
There can be great danger by not addressing the deficiencies in an organization when using this approach, as it could tend to make the organisations strong points stronger and weak points [next page]