Appreciative Inquiry

Appreciative Inquiry (AI)

• AI is a managerial method to refocus attention on what works, the positive core,

and on what people really care about.
• It attempts to use asking questions and envisioning the future in order to foster
positive relationships and build on the present potential of a given person,
organization or situation
• The aim is to build – or rebuild – organizations around what works, rather than
trying to fix what doesn't.
• AI practitioners try to convey this approach as the opposite of problem solving.
Problem Solving and AI
Problem Solving Appreciative inquiry

"Felt Need," identification of Problem Appreciating & Valuing the Best of "What Is"

Analysis of Causes Envisioning "What Might Be"

Analysis & Possible Solutions Dialoguing "What Should Be"

Action Planning (Treatment) The implementation of the proposed design

Basic Assumption: An Organization is a Basic Assumption: An Organization is a

Problem to be Solved Mystery to be Embraced
AI Process

DISCOVER: The DREAM: The

DESIGN: Planning
identification of envisioning of
and prioritizing
organizational processes that would
processes that would
processes that work work well in the
work well.
well. future.

DESTINY (or DEPLOY):

The implementation
of the proposed
design.
The Survey Method: Gallup
On a five-point scale
The Survey Method
1. I know what is expected of me at work.
2. I have the resources I need to do my work right.
3. I can do what I do best every day.
4. I have received recognition or praise for doing good work.
5. My supervisor, or someone, seems to care about me as a person.
6. There is someone at work who encourages my development.
7. At work, my opinions seem to count.
8. The mission or purpose of my company makes me feel my job is important.
9. My associates or fellow employees are committed to doing quality work.
10. I have a best friend at work.
11. In the last six months, someone at work has talked to me about my progress.
12. This last year, I have had opportunities at work to learn and grow.
What is Employee
Engagement?
Concept of Engagement

• It is not really a new concept.

• It is precursor of Job satisfaction that was studied for decades
• The difference is job satisfaction is an attitude
• how you think of your job
• Engagement involves an emotional and behavioural component
• how your job makes you feel and what your job makes you do
• Thus, engagement is job satisfaction plus feeling and action
Concept of Engagement (Cont.)
Satisfaction
“ I am not unhappy with the
conditions of my employment “

Engagement
Intrinsic Motivation I care about what we are trying to
“I love what I do and I want to achieve and will go the extra mile
do it well” to ensure success

Extrinsic Motivation
“ I am stimulated and
encouraged to do my best”
 • High level of connectivity
• An amalgamation of
commitment, loyalty, productivity
and ownership
Concept of
Engagement(Cont.)
• “Say, stay & strive"

Types of employees
-Engaged
-Not engaged
-Actively disengaged
Factors of Engagement

Workplace Employee’s
Situation Traits Engagement
Major Dimensions of Engagement (Schaufeli
&Bakker, 2004)
• Engagement is a cognitive-affective motivation at work which is characterised by:
• Vigour: high level of energy, persistence even in the face of difficulties
• At my work, I feel that I am bursting with energy
• Dedication: being strongly involved in one’s work, and experiencing a sense of
significance, enthusiasm, pride, and challenge
• My job inspires me
• Absorption: fully concentrated and happily engrosses in one’s work, whereby
time passes quickly
• When I am working, I forget everything else around me
 DISCOVER: Identify organizational
processes that work well from AI process

Actions that DREAM: Envision of processes that

would work well in the future

foster
Engagement DESIGN: Plan and prioritize processes
that would work well

DESTINY (or DEPLOY): The implement

the proposed design
Actions that foster Engagement

• Make sure employees understand how their departments contribute to the

company’s success
• Make sure employees see how their efforts contribute to achieving the
company goals
• Make sure employees get a sense of accomplishment from working at the
firm
Secrets to Employee Engagement
(Rob Markey 2014)

Line supervisors, not HR, lead Supervisors learn how to hold Do regular ‘pulse checks’
the change candid dialogues with teams
Home Furnishing Stores (HFS) – A Case Study
• A large international retailer for several brands
• Operates in more than 20 countries with more than 40,000 employees
• Although the chain is very successful, top executives and HR team believed that
better performance was possible if the employees were more engaged
• The concept of engagement was pushed beyond just being engaged with work
but also being engaged with customers and community.
• The engagement would drive the four issues:
• Great place to work
• Great place to shop
• Great place to invest
• Great company for the community
 The Engagement Model
-Customer satisfaction
Customer -Customer loyalty
-Customer complaints
HFS Engagement experience
-My role -Sales
-My team -Profits
Financial
-My customer -Shrinkages
performance -Efficiencies
-My responsibility -Retention
-My career
-Environment
-My leadership Community -Health
-My community performance -Education
-Low income