Courageous Conversations

using
Appreciative Inquiry
Jan Connal
Counselor, Cerritos College &
3CSN Coordinator
Appreciative Inquiry
(AI)
A collaboration approach that:

cultivates hope
builds capacity
ignites collective appreciation &
imagination
brings about positive change
A Different Focus
Based on the simple idea that human beings
move in the direction of what we ask about.

When we study our
problems & conflicts,
we often inadvertently
magnify the very
problems we had
hoped to resolve.
When we study our
highest values &
achievements, i.e., best
practices & worthy
accomplishments,
these tend to flourish.
A Different Orientation
Problem Solving
People and organizations
are broken and need to
be fixed.
Creates a sense of threat,
separation, defensiveness
and deference to expert
hierarchies.
Appreciative Inquiry
People and organizations
are full of assets,
capabilities, resources, and
strengths.
These need to be located,
affirmed, leveraged and
encouraged.
Appreciative Inquiry Approach

Asks positive questions
around affirmative topics
to
spark constructive dialogue &
inspired action.
How Time is Spent
Appreciative Inquiry vs Traditional
Appreciative Inquiry Moves
Choose the positive as the focus of inquiry
conversation

Inquire into stories of life-giving energy

Find themes & patterns in the stories for
further inquiry

Create shared images of a preferred future

Collaborate on innovative ways to create that
future
Appreciative Inquiry Model
Using AI in Student Advising
AI Campus-wide at Los Medanos College
Imagine the Impact
Conversation #1
Recall a courageous
conversation WITHOUT
Appreciative Inquiry:
What did the approach
look and feel like?
What
comments/questions
surfaced?
What outcomes
occurred?
Conversation #2
Imagine courageous
conversation #1 WITH
Appreciative Inquiry:
What might the approach
look and feel like?
What
comments/questions
would surface?
What different outcomes
might result?