3-4 Paragraph Discussion question- Consulting

OL 635 Module Four 1

The Process of Inquiry

According to Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary (2009), appreciate means "to grasp the nature, worth, quality or significance of"; and inquiry is "an examination into fact or principles". Appreciative Inquiry is the search for what is valued and worthwhile. In an organization, the members seek to understand strength and success. Rather than focus on what is broken, Appreciative Inquiry experts emphasize what works.

In an Appreciative Inquiry approach, the consultant identifies circumstances where work is performed successfully and at its best. This might be, depending on the situation:

 where good decisions are being made

 where quality is excellent

 where customers are being satisfied

 where internal processes flow smoothly

 where morale is high, and motivation and commitment are strong

By inquiring about and studying these circumstances, the strengths of the people and their organization become the springboard for future success. Appreciative Inquiry helps people identify what they want more of, create a shared vision of the future, and turn that vision into reality.

Appreciative Inquiry follows the following process:

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Figure 4.1: Appreciative Inquiry Process

A successful Appreciative Inquiry specialist works with the group to:

1. Inquire using success based questions – simply ask what is working. So many people focus on what is not working that it is difficult for them to stay in the realm of positivity. Responses may be surprising.

2. Confirm what worked well – the next step is to investigate the responses and figure

out why they are working. This process might involve conducting an anonymous survey, holding focus groups and/or interviewing the people involved.

3. Formulate an overview of best practices – this is included in the written report.

Depending upon the size of the organization, communication of these best practices might not be available to everyone. Therefore, when creating the overview the consultant should also identify “who” is doing something right. This has a double win—the reader will get another perspective on how something can be done and the person who is doing it right gets recognized.

4. Disclose how to implement these best practices – next the consultant should

discuss, with the rest of the organization, how these learnings apply to their department. What may seem obvious to some, might not be obvious to another— application is the key.

5. Respond to key learnings – the consultant should then ask what each person has

learned and how they will apply these new learnings.

OL 635 Module Four 3

Flawless Consulting

Step 1 – Determine the problem being presented. Remember the problem being presented may not be the real problem. Therefore, it is important to ask many questions to determine what the real problem is that is inhibiting the organization.

Step 2 – Investigate how the problem is showing itself and what the cause(s) of the problem is. Ask qualifying question that start with who, what, where, when, why, and how?

Step 3 – Determine how the problem is being supported. What systems/policies/basic underlying assumptions are in place that keeps the problem happening? The people within the organization might want changes, but they know how to play the game under the current rule. Resistance to change may show itself clearly.

Step 4 – Clearly define the problem. After asking all the questions, state the real problem. Can the problem be stated simply so everyone in the organization can understand it?

Step 5 – Describe how the problem is being managed. What have managers/supervisors/line-workers, etc. done to address the problem? What’s been done in the past? Sometimes the “problem” is one person, but the leadership team is unwilling to directly communicate with that person. Try to avoid bringing in all the employees if only one person is affecting the problem. Conducting a training session that all must attend can cause animosity by some and the person who needs it does not get it.

Step 6 – Provide recommendations to change the situation from a problem to a solution. Some of the ways to intervene include: training, coaching, mentoring, or written job descriptions.

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References

References: Appreciate. (2009). In Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. Retrieved December 22, 2009, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Appreciate

Inquiry. (2009). In Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. Retrieved December 22, 2009, from

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Inquiry