Appreciative Inquiry as Community Engagement · 2014. 3. 7. · The Appreciative Inquiry Summit ......

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Appreciative Inquiry is one of thetechniques highlighted in IAP2’sTechniques for Effective Public

Participation course. As a technique, it is knownfor fostering high levels of communityengagement and creativity. This articledescribes the technique and how it can best beused in public participation, and answersquestions P2 practitioners may be asking abouthow to weave this approach into their work.

What is Appreciative Inquiry?Appreciative Inquiry is both a

philosophy and a methodology. Asa philosophy, Appreciative Inquiryrecognizes that human systemsgrow in the direction of what theystudy. When we focus onproblems, we get more problems;when we focus on future hopes andpossibilities, we get newopportunities. AppreciativeInquiry advocates focusing onwhat gives life to human systemswhen they are at their best.

As a methodology, AppreciativeInquiry is a process for co-creatingpositive change. As stated by Diana Whitney andAmanda Trosten-Bloom in the The Power ofPositive Inquiry, “Appreciative Inquirymethodology begins and ends with valuing thatwhich gives life to an organization. It fosters

Appreciative Inquiry as Community Engagementby Barbara E. Lewis

See Appreciative Inquiry, page 7

InsideReport from the President ........................................................................................... p2

Appreciative Leadership and Participatory Planning ........................................................ p3

Einstein’s Vision: Appreciative-based Public Participation ................................................. p5

The Appreciative Inquiry Summit ................................................................................. p6

Rolling the Dice for Participation ................................................................................ p10

December 2007

Project of the Year Co-winner“Putting the Public in PublicHealth,” Centers for DiseaseControl and PreventionAtlanta, Georgia, USAConsultant: Keystone Center,Colorado, USA

Organization of the YearCalgary Board of EducationCalgary, Alberta, Canada

open inquiry and dialogue among all of anorganization’s stakeholders and leads to acollaboratively-created future.”

The method has four phases known as the4-D Cycle: Discovery, Dream, Design, andDestiny. This article describes each phase interms that relate to P2 processes and techniques.

Discovery – Appreciating the best of what is andhas been. This typically involves developing aninterview guide that hones in on the topics wewant to study and then using the guide to

interview people who represent a microcosm ofthe “whole system.” Topics are meant to beevocative and inspire curiosity.

Project of the Year Co-winner“Scorecard for Challenge 2014”Australian Capital TerritoryDisability Advisory CouncilWodon, Australian CapitalTerritory, AustraliaConsultant: Twyford Consulting,Wollongong, New South Wales,Australia

Teams draw future visions for their city during the CommunityConversations segment of the “Focus on Longmont” project.

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‘Bring your kilt’

International Association for Public Participation(UK and Ireland)

International ConferencePublic Participation

and Corporate Social Responsibilityfrom why to how

IAP23030 West 81st Avenue, Westminster, CO 80031 USA1-800-644-4273 (Toll-free in North America)303-451-5945 / E-mail: [email protected] / www.iap2.orgEditor: Carol Anderson / [email protected] and Design: Rust Graphics / [email protected]: We encourage all IAP2 members to share newsand information about the field of public participation inParticipation Quarterly. For submission guidelines anddeadlines, visit us online.Deadlines:February Issue: Inclusive Public ParticipationCopy deadline: December 1, 2007May Issue: My Rewarding Career as a Public ParticipationPractitioner: How I got into the Field, Memorable Projects,and Advice for New PractitionersCopy deadline: March 1, 2008August Issue: Public Participation for Transportation ProjectsCopy deadline: June 1, 2008

Participation Quarterly

As I prepared to write my finalreport to you as presidentof IAP2, I happened to check

my e-mail and found a message froma friend, Thaabit Albertus. I metThaabit, who works for the SouthAfrican parliament, at the recentIAP2 Skills Symposium in Scottsdale,Arizona, USA. Thaabit was kindenough to share photographs of hisexperience in Scottsdale. His

pictures say more about IAP2 than my words ever could. In onepicture, two experienced trainers – a French-Canadian and anAussie – hand a certificate to a young public involvementprofessional from North Carolina. Consider this tableau: aSouth African taking a photograph of a Canadian, anAustralian, and an American, all of whom have come togetherto deepen their practices in the field of public participation.This is what IAP2 does when it is at its best – it brings peopletogether from all walks of life and levels of experience to shareexperiences and learn from one another.

While the past year has provided many memories andmilestones, I believe the moments that will remain with me arethe moments when IAP2 created these networks, theseconnections among disparate groups of people who shared acommitment to public participation. I will remember sittingaround the coffee table in Scottsdale with Thaabit and hiscolleagues from South Africa, as well as other IAP2 membersfrom the US, Canada, Australia, and Scotland. I will rememberthat an IAP2 chapter in Ghana was conceived by localprofessionals in Acra, nurtured by a board member inMinnesota, mentored by a member in South Africa, andsponsored by a chapter in the Pacific Northwest of the UnitedStates. I will remember sitting in a café in Paris, a pub in

Report from the PresidentLondon, and a foundation office in Brussels – each timediscussing public participation through the prism of the IAP2Core Values. In each of these places over the past year, IAP2has been a convener of a vibrant and progressive dialogue thatwill no doubt advance the practice of public participation at atime when effective citizen engagement is desperately needed.

But make no mistake – we've done more than talk. Thishas been quite a year for IAP2. We are larger than we were1 year ago – both in terms of membership and chapters. Weare more international that we were 1 year ago – with athriving and independent affiliate in Australasia, a growingpresence in Europe, a new chapter in Ghana, and newconnections in South Africa. And we are positioned to makeeven more progress next year as we embark on a search for amanaging director to lead us into the next stage of ourdevelopment. Of course, none of these accomplishmentswould have been possible without the incredibly hard work of adedicated board and a cadre of active volunteers.

Before I close, I want to thank all who labored on behalfof IAP2 this year. Your contributions have been absolutelyessential – nothing happens in IAP2 unless someone steps upand says, "I'll do it." Lucky for us, we have scores of memberswho are willing to do just that. And I want to thank my fellowboard members – I doubt any nonprofit organization has amore dedicated group of volunteer leaders.

And finally, I want to congratulate and wish mysuccessor, Stephani Roy McCallum, good luck in her year aspresident. I have no doubt IAP2 will benefit from her passionand dedication.

Scott [email protected]

University of StrathclydeGlasgow UK August 27th - 29th, 2008

For more details contact:Diane CoyleTel: 44 (0) 141 950 3062 [email protected]

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Appreciative Leadership and Participatory Planningby Diana Whitney, Ph.D.

"The task of leadership is to alignstrengths in such a way thatweaknesses are irrelevant."

Management guru, Peter Drucker

T he foundation of leadership asit has been practiced fordecades is cracking. No longer

do the bricks and mortar of commandand control create solid ground fororganizing and directing the energyand effort of people. New

millennium processes for organization and communitydevelopment such as inclusive dialogue among stakeholders,collaborative inquiry, and participatory planning have chippedaway at the old practices of leadership and are loudly calling outfor new ones.

Appreciative Leadership is uniquely suited to answer this call.Derived from the principles and practices of Appreciative Inquiry,Appreciative Leadership is a relational process for bringing out thebest of people, organizations, and communities. The purpose ofthis brief essay is to introduce Appreciative Leadership as a viablemodel of leadership for participatory planning.

Whether you turn to the dictionary or Wikipedia seeking todefine leadership, the most common definition is "a person orprocess that provides guidance and direction." Appreciativeleadership is a process that is uniquely affirmative. As such, itprovides direction and guidance toward that which is mostpositive and life affirming. Dr. James Ludema and I defineAppreciative Leadership as:

The capacity to engage others in discovering, magnifying,and connecting all that is good and healthy in peopleand the world around them – in such a way that deepensrelatedness, inspires transformational conversations,and mobilizes cooperative action toward life affirmingsocial innovations.

As the definition suggests, Appreciative Leadership makes apositive difference. By discovering, magnifying, and connectinglife affirmative potential, Appreciative Leadership fosters thecreation of social innovations in support of a better world. Thefive practices of Appreciative Leadership are highly congruent withsuccessful participatory planning. They can be summarized as:inclusion, inquiry, illumination, inspiration, and integrity.

Five Practices of Appreciative Leadership1. Appreciative Leadership is Inclusive. The people whose

future it is are engaged in co-creating the future.Appreciative leaders ask, "Who else needs to be in thisdiscussion? How can we engage all of our stakeholders?Who has previously been silent that needs to be heard?

What are the many voices that constitute our organizationor community?"

When participatory planning includes all stakeholders,a transformation occurs. There is a shift from a few withauthority creating the future and "rolling it out" to "fullvoice authoring" of the future. Marv Weisbord and SandraJanoff, authors of Future Search, say that people committo what they help create. Appreciative Leadership invitescommitment through inclusion.

2. Appreciative Leadership is Inquiry Based. Recognizingthat human organizations and communities grow in thedirection of what they study, Appreciative leaders embedvalues in the questions they ask. Appreciative Inquiryteaches that the questions we ask are fateful.Appreciative leaders ask affirmative questions about thethings most valued and wanted. In this way, they focuslearning and development on what the organization orcommunity wants to be, rather than the problems theywant to overcome.

In the process of participatory planning, Appreciativeleaders asks questions to uncover stories of high pointexperiences, to reveal images of the future, and toarticulate compelling actions for organization andcommunity transformation. In this way, participants areguided through a strengths-based approach to planning.

3. Appreciative Leadership Illuminates the Best of People,Processes, Organizations, and Communities.Appreciative leaders express appreciative intelligence bydirecting dialogue and inquiry toward assets andstrengths. Professor Tojo Thatchenkery and ConsultantCarol Metzker define appreciative intelligence as "…theability to perceive the positive inherent generativepotential within the present. Put in a simple way,appreciative intelligence is the ability to see the mightyoak in the acorn." Appreciative leaders have a bias forstrengths and seek to help others discover and magnifyinherent potential. As the quote by Peter Druckersuggests, Appreciative Leadership is about the alignmentof strengths so that weaknesses are irrelevant.

Strengths-based participatory planning buildsindividual and collective confidence among organizationand community members. Chilean OrganizationalConsultant Carlos Aguilera Muga realized that a group ofcommunity women he was working with had strong visionsand little confidence in their own abilities to achieve theirvisions. When he had them interview each other touncover and define their individual and collectivestrengths, he watched their confidence soar.

See Appreciative Leadership , page 4

Dr. Diana Whitney

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Appreciative Leadershipcontinued from page 3

The process of "strengths spotting" gave these womenan opportunity to recognize their inherent abilities toachieve their most cherished vision – better lives fortheir children.

4. Appreciative Leadership Inspires Hope. Much is writtenabout the importance of vision. Confidence and hopethat the vision can be realized is of equal importance asthe vision itself. Without hope, people tend to lackenthusiasm, energy, commitment, and persistence.Positive change requires a great deal of positive energyand emotions: confidence, hope, belief, creativity andpersistence. Appreciative leaders inspire hope byensuring that visions are supported by a clear pathforward and a collective sense of efficacy. They do thisby engaging others in the process from vision to action.

Appreciative Leadership-guided participatoryplanning engages people in a process that includesthe discovery of strengths, the articulation of imagesof the future, a vision and path forward, and theallocation of resources needed for implementationand successful realization of the vision. AppreciativeInquiry-based positive change leads to successfulparticipatory planning.

5. Appreciative Leadership Exemplifies RelationalIntegrity. The inclusion of multiple stakeholdersdemands that Appreciative Leaders value and understanddiversity, that they encourage and find ways to create

harmony among differences, and that they define successas "everyone wins." Relational integrity challengesAppreciative leaders to be sure that all voices are heardand that all people are "whole" in the process and withthe results. Whenever one person or group of people iscompromised for the benefit of another person or group,the organization or community is out of integrity.Appreciative Leadership walks the essential line ofintegrity while balancing many diverse needs, akin to ajuggler on a high wire.

Successful participatory planning requires relationalintegrity. When organization or community members areinvolved in a process, they expect, and rightfully so, thattheir voices will be heard, their dreams will be considered,and their lives will be enriched.

The values embedded in Appreciative Leadership are congruentwith those of the field of participatory planning: engage all thestakeholders; use collaborative processes for inquiry, dialogue,learning, and decision making; discover and build upon assetsand strengths; and design programs, processes, and practices thatrender social justice and environmental sustainability inevitable.Used together, Appreciative Leadership and participatoryplanning can create a new foundation and hope for the future – afuture that works for all.

Diana Whitney, Ph.D., is Founder and President of the Corporationfor Positive Change (www.postivechange.org) in Chapel Hill,North Carolina, USA and a Founder of the Taos Institute. Shewas a keynote speaker at the 2004 IAP2 Conference in Madison,Wisconsin, USA and can be reached at 919-942-6832 [email protected].

Southern NevadaWater Authority,IAP2 Gold Partner

IAP2 has been fortunate tohave the Southern Nevada WaterAuthority as a Gold Partner for thepast 6 years. The Authority is a

cooperative agency formed in 1991 to address SouthernNevada’s unique water needs on a regional basis.Southern Nevada Water Authority officials are chargedwith managing the region’s water resources andproviding for Las Vegas Valley area residents’ andbusinesses’ present and future water needs. For moreinformation about the Southern Nevada WaterAuthority, please visit their Web site at www.snwa.com.

IAP2 Thanks its Partners!!

URS Corporation, IAP2 Silver PartnerIAP2 thanks URS Corporation for its support over

the past 4 years as a Silver Partner. URS is a global, fullservice organization, approximately 29,000 strong, with300 offices in more than 20 countries. Their professionalstaf f includes engineers, planners, architects,scientists, and program and construction managers. URShas a public involvement practice with over 60professionals supporting projects ranging from waterresources and chemical demilitar ization, totransportation and hazardous waste management. Formore information about URS, please visit their Web siteat www.urscorp.com.

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Einstein’s Vision: Appreciative-based Public Participation by Jim Ellsworth

Practitioners of publicparticipation, those who utilize ourservices, and those engaged in ourprocesses are well acquainted withdeficit-based public participation. Inthe deficit model, the catalyst for publicparticipation is a problem to beaddressed, while the purpose of publicparticipation is to generate responsesthat are technically and economicallyfeasible as well as socially acceptable.The outcomes generated throughdeficit-based public participation serveto address problems withcauses and solutions thatare within the mandateand the resources of thepublic participationsponsor.

When we attempt toaddress complex issueswith causes and solutionsthat are beyond themandate and the resourcesof a single organization orlevel of government,public participationmorphs into appreciative-based public participation.Public participation beginswith a reactive policyorientation of react and cure, whichmorphs into a preventative policyorientation of anticipate and prevent.The metamorphosis is complete when aproactive policy orientation emerges andparticipants focus their efforts onbuilding and sustaining those assetsthat characterize safe, healthy, andproductive organizations, communities,and environments.

As public participation processesbecome proactive and focus on buildingand sustaining assets, problems arereframed as affirmative propositions.For example, illness reduction isreframed as health promotion,environmental remediation is reframedas environmental stewardship, crime

reduction is reframed as building safecommunities, and poverty reduction isreframed as social inclusion. While thisreframing might appear as simplesemantics, it facilitates the integratedapplication of know-how and know-why.

Deficit-based public participationlargely limits itself to the generationand application of know-how and thequestion of whether or not the rightinterventions are being used in the rightway. While appreciative-based publicparticipation also focuses on know-how,

that focus is on whether or not the mostpromising interventions areimplemented using best practices.The latter enables participants toexpand know-how beyond knowledgederived from their own experiences toinclude the import of know-how fromother initiatives.

As appreciative-based publicparticipation moves into the realm ofknow-why, the purpose of initiatives isscrutinised. Specifically, the statedpurpose of an initiative is tested to see ifit is sufficiently reflective of the valuesand interests of stakeholders to generateand sustain collaboration. Conceptssuch as integrated coastal zonemanagement, ecosystem approach, and

integrated resource management relyheavily on appreciative-based publicparticipation, as they must generateand work from a multi-use, multi-valueperspective (know-why).

As stakeholders package multiplebeneficial outcomes within a singleinitiative, they generate newcollaborative models. For example, theCanadian Association of Chiefs of Policeand the Canadian Federation ofMunicipalities recognize that communitysafety, health, and well-being are

inextricably linked andchampion the integratedpursuit of all three within acommon framework. Theresulting frameworksreflect both know-how andknow-why.

Einstein maintainedthat science at its bestcould only explain the waythings are. It cannot tellus the way things shouldbe. He asserted that thelatter must be derivedfrom our values andinterests. Einsteinvisualized a future wherescience was used for much

more than reacting to problems andpredicted that some day science wouldbe used proactively to assist us inrealizing our preferred future – the bestof what can be.

If he were alive today, Einsteinwould be a strong advocate of advancingknow-how and know-why throughappreciative-based public participation.

Jim Ellsworth is a member of the St.Lawrence Chapter of IAP2 and a formermember of the IAP2 Board of Directors.He is Atlantic Regional Manager of theNational Crime Prevention Centre, PublicSafety Canada in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia,Canada. Jim can be contacted at 902-426-4456 or [email protected].

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The Appreciative Inquiry Summit: Unleashing HumanEnergy for Positive Organizational Changeby James D. Ludema, Ph.D.

The Appreciative Inquiry (AI) Summitis a method for accelerating positivechange by involving the entire

organizational system in the changeprocess. It is typically a single event orseries of events that bring together abroad range of internal and externalstakeholders to participate in: (1)reaffirming the organization's strengthsand identity, (2) exploring opportunitiesfor positive change, (3) generatingspecific ideas about how to enhance theorganization's health and effectiveness,and (4) implementing and supportingchange and making it work.

AI Summits have been usedeffectively with hundreds of organizations– corporations, non-profits, government,communities – in a variety ofapplications, such as strategic change,core business redesign, branding andculture change, quality and customerservice initiatives, organizationdevelopment and design, labor-management relations, valuesclarification, global learning, formationof joint ventures and collaborativealliances, and others. Some organizationshave even begun to use the AI Summit asa regular way of managing.

There are at least six reasons that AISummits prove to be more effective than

traditional approaches to change. First,they are quicker. They accelerate changebecause they produce a "critical mass" ofinvolvement throughout the organizationalsystem. They speed up the changeprocess by directly engaging the entireorganizational system in envisioning,designing, and implementing the change.

Second, they produce commitment.People will support what they help tocreate. When everyone is involved inthe decision process, it is implementedwith less resistance, and it is notnecessary to tell, sell, or force changeon organizational members.

AI Summits Enrich LearningThird, they provide immediate and

broad access to information andinnovation. In any organization,knowledge and information is widelydistributed, and people at multiplelevels throughout the organization havethe information most critical toorganizational success. AI Summits, byinvolving a broad spectrum of people,gain access to a wide range of ideas andinformation that enrich organizationallearning and spur innovation throughoutthe system.

Fourth, they promote a "totalorganization mindset" and more flexible

modes of organizing. In order to supportintelligently the success of the entireenterprise, organizational members needa clear understanding of how theirindividual contribution fits into the bigpicture. Rather than relying on the slowand disjointed process of passing thisinformation up and down the chain ofcommand, AI Summits create a forum inwhich organizational members gain adirect and immediate connection to thelogic of the whole system.

Mission and Values ReaffirmedFifth, AI Summits strengthen

corporate culture and brand awareness.As organizations become moredecentralized and diverse, the issues ofhow to maintain a clear corporate mission,strong organizational identity, and acoherent set of strategies becomeincreasingly critical. AI Summits help tosustain a strong organizational identity bybringing the entire organizationalcommunity together in face-to-facedialogue to reaffirm, in direct and personalways, the organization's mission, vision,and core values.

Finally, they result in inspiredorganizational action. Organizationschange most effectively and mostsustainably when all their members areunified behind a common image of thefuture. Much like a movie projection on ascreen, human systems are foreverprojecting ahead of themselves a horizonof expectation that brings the future intothe present as a causal agent. AI Summitscreate the human energy for action byconnecting individuals to theorganization's positive guiding image ofthe future.

James D. Ludema, Ph.D. is a Professor ofOrganization Development at BenedictineUniversity in Lisle, IL, USA and a Principal inthe Corporation for Positive Change. He canbe reached at 630-829-6229 [email protected].

Appreciative Inquiry Summits bring the whole system into the room to participate in the full 4-D cycle.

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Appreciative Inquirycontinued from page 1

See Appreciative Inquiry, page 8

Principles ofAppreciative Inquiry

The Constructionist PrincipleWords create Worlds.

The Simultaneity PrincipleInquiry creates Change. Themoment we ask a question, weinitiate change.

The Poetic PrincipleWe can choose what westudy…and what we choose tostudy makes a difference.

The Anticipatory PrincipleImage inspires action….Humansystems move in the direction oftheir images of the future.

The Positive PrinciplePositive questions lead topositive change.

The Wholeness PrincipleWholeness brings out the best.

The Enactment PrincipleActing “as if” is self fulfilling…be the change you want to see.

The Free Choice PrincipleFree choice liberates power…and commitment to action.

Summit participants prepare creative enactments of their hopes and dreams for the future.

The whole system is everyone whoaffects or might be affected by theorganization. This is similar toidentifying stakeholders or publics fora public participation program. In acommunity, the whole system involvesall different segments of thepopulation (i.e., age, ethnicity, gender,income, time in the community, etc.)and the many different interestsrelated to the topic at hand (e.g.,business, environmental,neighborhood, schools, faith-based community, etc.). For industry, the whole system mightinvolve employees, management, customers, and suppliers.

The “data” from the interviews are studied in a process called “meaning making,” whenpeople come together to share stories and images that organically inspire positive change.The difference between this process and what might typically happen in summarizing publiccomment data is that the focus is on stories and a microcosm of the public participates in aprocess to share the stories and make meaning of them. This process ends up producing anunderstanding of the positive core of an organization or community and it is important thatthe positive core elements are owned by the public.

Dream – Imagining what might be. The dreaming phase invites people to indulge in bigpicture “out of the box” thinking. To quote Albert Einstein, “Imagination is more importantthan knowledge.” In dreaming, people build upon the positive core identified in discovery tocreate generative and hopeful images of the future.

Often, dreaming begins by taking participants through a future dreaming exercise orhaving small groups discuss the dreams that were captured in the initial interviews theyconducted. Each small group discusses the dreaming elements and creates their collectivedream. To engage their right brains, groups use creative enactments to depict their dreams –in skits, murals, collages, songs, and poems that capture and dramatize the positivepossibilities for the future.

Design - Determining what should be. During Design, participants draw on discoveries anddreams to craft design principles that reflect their ideal organization. Design principles,which are also called provocative propositions, are compelling statements of what an element(e.g., leadership or infrastructure or communications) of the organization or community willbe like in its desired future. The principles are evocative and draw people toward the future,inviting the community or organization to redirect policies and operations toward them.

For example, local government might generate the following provocative propositionon communication:

Communication with our community is the cornerstone of a responsible localgovernment. We openly and honestly communicate with the residents of ourcommunity using equitable and participatory processes. We actively solicit ideasand feedback and guarantee a response. Systems within our organization aredesigned and redesigned with input from the community.

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Destiny - Creating what will be. In Destiny, we organize to getthe job done. Destiny is about putting ideas into action andmatching personal responsibility with passion. The technique ofOpen Space Technology is often used to help individuals connecttheir passions with commitments and action plans. Small groupswork on areas that require collaboration.

In Destiny, people sign up to work on the initiatives thatinterest and excite them. They plan the people, resources, and


See Appreciative Inquiry , page 9

Focus on Longmont CitywideStrategic Plan: TheAppreciative Inquiry processfor the citywide strategic planprovided a communityconnection to the plan,resulting in increasedcommunity awareness andcommitment to the plan’spolicies. New voices began tobe heard in city planningprocesses. New boundarieswere crossed, like giving thecity a strong message to play apart in improving area schools.(IAP2 2006 Core Values Projectof the Year)

Cameron Church FutureVisioning: This communitychurch is small but cohesive.Recognizing the trend in faith-based organizations to becomelarger and larger, the Cameroncommunity has twice usedAppreciative Inquiry tore-create itself – to strengthen

relationships, create newprograms, and foster newenergy. The previous inquiryled to programs that linkspirituality with the arts.The current initiative isexploring the relationshipbetween the congregationand the adjacent communityand the world at large.

City of Denver BudgetShortfall: Some people thinkthat Appreciative Inquiry onlyworks for feel-good communityvisioning projects. In fact, theopposite is true. Consider theCity of Denver’s project,“Thriving in Turbulent Times.”This initiative responded to thecity’s estimated $70 millionbudget shortfall. The initiativewas designed to generategrassroots commitment toaddressing the shortfall bystudying financial bestpractices and identifying

revenue-generatingopportunities in the city.A team of 200 people weretrained to interview cityemployees, local businesses,and community members.After completing 600interviews, they came togetherin a 1-day mini-summit toarticulate best practices,envision a stable financialfuture, and design and initiatecost-saving initiatives and newrevenue-generating programs.Outcomes included savingsthrough service consolidation,reduced fleet services, a newincentive retirement program,and employee commitment topotentially controversial cost-saving measures.

Knox Area Revitalization: TheKnox Area in Pennsylvania isusing Appreciative Inquiry inits effort to revitalize KnoxBorough and Ashland, Beaver,

and Salem townships inPennsylvania. The mission ofthis collaborative effort is:“To revitalize the Knox area, byenhancing the community inways to make our communityhighly desirable for businessesand families.”

Youth Engagement: We oftenspeak of wanting to engageyouth in our work. At the 2004IAP2 conference, Bliss Brownedescribed “Imagine Chicago,”where youth interviewed the 140leaders in Chicago about theirhopes and dreams for the futureof the city. The Imagine processis now a worldwide movement.(See www.imaginechicago.com.)In Hutchinson, Minnesota,Appreciative Inquiry is beingused to educate teams ofstudents about issues andopportunities related to energy.(See www.swmnfoundation.org.)

Sample Projects Using Appreciative Inquiry

People of all ages gather in small groups to share their stories anddiscover what gives life to Longmont at its best.

milestones that need to happen to make the initiative happen.They also plan celebrations to recognize progress along the way.Many different initiatives may be charted on a future timeline toreflect major steps along the way and explore how the differentinitiatives can coordinate.

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To Learn More:Suggested ReferencesBarrett, Frank J. and Ronald Fry.Appreciative Inquiry: A PositiveApproach to Building CooperativeCapacity. Taos InstitutePublishers, 2005.

Cooperrider, David, Jackie Stavros,and Diana Whitney. AppreciativeInquiry Handbook (Book and CD)Bedford Heights, Ohio: LakeshorePublishers, 2003.

Gibbs, Charles and Sally Mahe. Birthof a Global Community: AppreciativeInquiry in Action. Bedford Heights,Ohio: Lakeshore Publishers, 2004.

Hammond, Sue Annis. LessonsFrom the Field: Applying AppreciativeInquiry. Plano, Texas: Thin BookPublishing, 2001.

Kelm, Jacqueline B. AppreciativeLiving: The Principles of AppreciativeInquiry in Personal Life. WakeForest, North Carolina: VenetPublishers, 2005.

Lord, James Gregory and PamMcAllister. What Kind of WorldDo You Want? 2007.

Ludema, James, Diana Whitney,Bernard J. Mohr, and Thomas J.Griffin. The Appreciative InquirySummit: A Practitioner’s Guide forLeading Large-Group Change. SanFrancisco: Berrett-Koehler, 2003.

Watkins, J.M., and B.J. Mohr.Appreciative Inquiry: Change atthe Speed of Imagination. SanFrancisco: John Wiley & Sons, 2001.

Whitney, Diana, Amanda Trosten-Bloom, J. Cherney, and Ronald Fry.Appreciative Team Building.iUniverse, 2005.

Appreciative Inquiry Commons:www.appreciativeinquiry.cwru.edu/

AI Practitioner:www.aipractitioner.com

Case Western Reserve UniversityWeatherhead School of Management:www.cwru.edu

Corporation for Positive Change:www.positivechange.org

Imagine Chicago:www.imaginechicago.org

How initiatives are pursued will vary for different organizations, but the key is tomobilize action and plan a mechanism for coordinating the different initiatives.

When and How to Use Appreciative InquiryAppreciative Inquiry achieves high-level community engagement and mobilization.

Consider using Appreciative Inquiry when:

1. Different voices of the community or organization need to share perspectives andsee common ground. The interviews connect the community through their values andideals more successfully than traditional approaches. Intergenerational activities areespecially powerful.

2. The organization needs to regenerate and envision its future. The process ofsharing stories about when the organization is at its best is empowering andgenerates hope for the future.

3. We truly want new ideas and energy. Appreciative Inquiry is about co-creation. Itcreates new possibilities and builds momentum for action by connecting passions withpersonal responsibility. Following an Appreciative Inquiry process, organizations areoften delighted to hear new voices in community meetings and surprised to see whoemerge as the new community leaders. The process lays a strong foundation foraction within the community.

You can begin applying Appreciative Inquiry by thinking through how you can useappreciative questions in working with both clients and publics, and then build to using thefull 4-D methodology. Ask about times when public participation has been at its best. Askabout wishes for the future. Avoid questions about what went wrong. The Encyclopedia ofPositive Questions by Diana Whitney, David Cooperrider, Amanda Trosten-Bloom, and BrianKaplan is a good place to start.

Barbara Lewis is a member of the Colorado chapter and a Master Trainer for IAP2.She is the principal of Catalyst, Inc. and an Associate with the Corporation for Positive Change.Barbara can be reached at 303-871-8850 or [email protected].

The “Focus on Longmont” coordinating team share a moment of laughter as they use a fishbowl technique toselect topics for the Appreciative Inquiry process for their project.

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Rolling the Dice for Participation:Examining One Company’s Unique Board Gameby Katya McClintock

The nature of public participation inAlberta’s oil and gas industry isunique. Companies are required to

consult with stakeholders, who aremostly rural landowners. However, thegovernment directive does not indicatehow this consultation should be done,but rather leaves the interpretation toindividual companies. The magnitude ofoil and gas development in the provinceof Alberta is also producingmore informed landownerswho expect more from thecompanies seeking to dobusiness with them. Thus,the level of consultation isincreasing as companiesseek to comply not onlywith regulations, but tobuild more meaningfulrelationships with theirstakeholders.

Trident ExplorationCorp (Trident) is a privatecompany based in Calgary,Alberta, Canada. Foundedin 2000, it is dedicated tothe discovery andproduction of natural gasfrom coal, also referred toas coalbed methane. In theoil and gas industry, it isimportant to determinewhat a company’s messageto stakeholders will be, aswell as how it will becommunicated. In Trident’scase, building strong andmeaningful relationships isparamount. In buildingrelationships, Tridentbelieves it has a responsibilityto ensure their stakeholders are informedabout the oil and gas industry as itrelates to them. The CommunityEngagement and Social Responsibility(CESR) department was created in 2002

to address these corporate goals andfurther Trident’s commitment to publiceducation.

Building RelationshipsThe CESR department is tasked with

developing relationships in thecommunities where Trident operates andeducating people about its natural gasfrom coal operations. The CESR

department has created a series ofinnovative programs beyond theconventional project update newslettersand community open houses thatincludes a half-day workshop on natural

gas from coal and an accompanyinghandbook. Trident believes that elevatingthe level of public understanding of theindustry generally, and company practicein particular, is critical. Informedstakeholders allow for public participationand a more meaningful dialogue. Over thepast few years, as relationships havebeen developed in the surroundingcommunities, the CESR department

expanded its commitment topublic education bysupplementing the adultinformation they providewith information aimed atyouth. Youth are as affectedby oil and gas operations asadults; their opinions,concerns, and questionsmatter today and,increasingly, tomorrow asthey become landowners andbusiness partners.

Trident employees, fromgeologists to drillingsupervisors, give schoolpresentations or on-sitedrilling rig tours,supplementing Albertaeducation’s naturalresources curriculum.Students who participate arebetter able to put intoperspective the oil and gasactivity they see taking placein their communities.

As part of Trident’s driveto provide educationalopportunities, a CESRemployee and a geologistwith a passion for educationbrainstormed and came up

with fun and meaningful activities foryoung people, initiating an 18-month

See Rolling the Dice, page 11

11

long project that grew to involve theentire company. This effort resulted intwo board games aimed at reinforcingexisting knowledge of the oil and gasindustry while facilitating discussions.The game Race for the Rights waspresented at the 2006 IAP2 conference inMontreal to an audience of practitionersfrom around the world. The secondgame, Drills & Thrills, is designed foryounger ages and is a variation on Racefor the Rights.

Race for the Rights explores what isinvolved in the operation of an oil andgas company. The playing board consistsof mineral rights properties. Playersmove around the board andhave the opportunity tolease the mineral rightswhen they land on theproperty. As players movearound the board theycould land on other squaresthat offer more insight intooil and gas companypractice. Landing on thevarious squares teachesplayers details they maynot have otherwise thoughtabout when it comes torunning an oil and gascompany – with specialfocus on stakeholder issuessuch as noise, the environment, andsurface rights. As players acquiremineral rights, they are also able todrill wells on their properties. Theproduction component of the gameallows for discussions on the quantityof wells and their surface locations, aswell as the unknown elements associatedwith geology and drilling. At each stageof the game there are opportunitiesto discuss issues and questions thatmay arise.

Company Learns from PlayersThe game has been an enormous

success. Trident believes that this

success comes from players having anopportunity to increase theirunderstanding of the day-to-day detailsof running a company such as Trident.Race for the Rights has been played atschools and events across the province,with each session yielding changes andimprovements to game play andquestions. The fact that Trident is opento amending the games lends to theparticipatory process by providing aforum for young people and adults aliketo discuss concerns and questions withTrident staff. In addition, the companyhas the opportunity to hear some uniqueperspectives with respect to itsdevelopment plans.

In the summer of 2006, the CESRdepartment had two masters of teachingstudents from the University of Calgary

working on further improvements.Their input with regard to ageappropriate questions and themesproved to be incredibly valuable. Theyalso spent time working on Trident’ssecond game, Drills & Thrills. This gameremoves the elements of buying mineralrights and drilling wells and focuseson player’s basic knowledge of theearth, science, and oil and gas, as wellas the examination of specificstakeholder issues.

The board games created by Tridentare more than educational materials.While they do offer a unique way to

Rolling the Dicecontinued from page 10

encourage an understanding of the oiland gas industry, their true value lies inthe discussions they elicit and theunderstanding they encourage. Thegroup dynamics that emerge when playinga board game allow for opinions andconcerns to be expressed withoutfocusing on specific or personal issues.

Games are Powerful ToolsAs opposed to a more customary

question-and-answer session, playingthese games allows for activeparticipation as well as a chance todiscuss a wide range of issues. Although,the games were designed for youth, theyhave proven to be powerful tools fordiscussion among adults as well. AsTrident and CESR staff continue todevelop other ways to engage and

educate the public, thesegames continue to provideopportunities for collaboration,innovation, and fun.

The oil and gas industry isbeginning to change how itconsults with stakeholders.With a growing number ofcompanies exploring avenuesfor establishing moremeaningful stakeholderrelationships, Trident’s boardgames show how companiescan involve their stakeholdersin a unique way. Communityconsultation strives to involvean entire community, and by

creating these games, Trident has createdan alternative and interactive forum foreveryone potentially impacted by thecompany’s operations. IAP2 memberswho are interested in the specifics of thegames’ creation and how they are playedcan contact me by e-mail or phone tolearn more.

Katya McClintock is the Liaison for CommunityEngagement and Social Responsibility forthe Trident Exploration Corp. She is amember of IAP2’s Wild Rose chapter andshe can be contacted at 866-258-9151 [email protected].

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IAP2 Training CalendarJanuary 2008

Calgary, Alberta CanadaJanuary 21-22, Planning for Effective Public ParticipationJanuary 23, Communications for Effective Public ParticipationJanuary 24-25, Techniques for Effective Public Participation

Milwaukee, WI, USAJanuary 28-29, Planning for Effective Public Participation

February 2008

Washington, DC Metro Area, USAFebruary 4-5, Planning for Effective Public ParticipationFebruary 6, Communications for Effective Public ParticipationFebruary 7-8, Techniques for Effective Public Participation

London, UKFebruary 4-5, Planning for Effective Public ParticipationFebruary 6, Communications for Effective Public ParticipationFebruary 7-8, Techniques for Effective Public Participation

Madison, WI, USAFebruary 19-20, Planning for Effective Public Participation

Visit IAP2’s Web site for locations and registration information: www.iap2.org

March 2008

Madison, WI, USAMarch 5, Communications for Effective Public ParticipationMarch 6-7, Techniques for Effective Public Participation

London, UKMarch 10-11, Planning for Effective Public ParticipationMarch 12, Communications for Effective Public ParticipationMarch 13-14, Techniques for Effective Public Participation

April 2008

London, UKMarch 31-April 1, Planning for Effective Public ParticipationApril 2, Communications for Effective Public ParticipationApril 3-4, Techniques for Effective Public Participation

June 2008

Washington, DC Metro Area, USAJune 9-10, Planning for Effective Public ParticipationJune 11, Communications for Effective Public ParticipationJune 12-13, Techniques for Effective Public Participation

International Association for Public Participation3030 West 81

st Avenue, Westminster, CO 80031 USA

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