Appreciative Inquiry for Self Worth & Growth

A flicker of hope in the mirth of darkness can be a very inviting sight to behold! Do you have the power to ignite that flicker for yourself at will? I bet you have!

"You become what you think about most... But you also attract what you think about most. (John Assaraf)” - Rhonda Byrne, The Secret

Our thoughts make our reality. Hence it is no brainer that we need to think positive, life-affirming thoughts about ourselves. Whereas our thoughts have the ability to create the world of our dreams, self-criticality can hurtle us to the path and situations worse than before.

There is a beautiful concept given by David Cooperrider in the field of Organization Change Development called ‘Appreciative Inquiry’ (AI).  It refers to the ‘search of the best in people, their organizations and the world around them.’’ Whereas a focus on problems highlights areas of incompetence and inadequacy producing a negative effect, AI assumes that organizations and individuals respond to success and affirmation.

Though created for Organizations, here’s an attempt to explore the 4-D Model of Appreciative Inquiry in the context of an individual.

1) Discovery Phase: With the understanding that appreciation and acknowledgement are the mainstays of AI, think about all your aspects - Relationships, Finances, Professional life, overall and ask yourself questions on the lines of those mentioned below. Remember – no negative self talk … only highlight the good… The purpose of this phase is to identify, appreciate, and value the best about yourself. Reflect on your personal stories, milestones, ask yourself questions like-

-       What do you value most about yourself – about your work, your actions, your attributes, skills and about your whole self?

-       Thinking about all your life stages till now – from childhood to now, ask what the peak moments in your life have been – when you have felt most alive, most energized, most committed, and most fulfilled?

As Buddha says,“The mind is everything. What you think you become”, inquire and bring your magnificence to the fore. My Coach Program Guru Peter J Reding rephrases magnificence as ‘Magnify the essence’. Such an inquiry with appreciative approach takes its inspiration from what’s working and builds toward what is possible. You can support this discovery by other methods of generating information about yourself also eg you may discuss with someone in your circle you feel comfortable with. To get a more holistic view of myself, I circulated an anonymous questionnaire to solicit feedback from my personal and professional network.

2) Dream Phase: In this phase

-       imagine and envision the future of your goodness discovered in the Discovery phase. While honoring your past experiences, just imagine what can possibly be done in the future with the foundation of your magnificence. Possibilities are endless, only your thoughts can limit the possibilities.

-       amplify your positive core and imagine, hope, dream and envision what could future be like. These images of the future emerge out of grounded examples from your positive past and these images are compelling possibilities precisely because they are based on extraordinary moments from your real life.

3) Design Phase:

   Now that you know what the possibilities ‘could be’, it is time for you to identify what your preferred future ‘should be’.

-       Write 4-7 statements in present tense on what your desired future should be like.

-       Articulate clearly “how will you know you are there?”

-       Clearly write / draw / present in any way you like how should your world be when your positive core is playing at its fullest potential in a limitless world. Basking in the luminescence of your positive core, this step ties your ‘best of the past’ to ‘immense possibilities of the future’.

4) Delivery Phase:

It’s time to commit to achieving the future articulated in the above step. You have in your head and heart a vision of what it will look like when things are right. To facilitate your preferred future - detail out

-         What’s your action plan and associated timelines?

-         How do you plan to prioritize items on your action plan?

-         What accountability measures and support system would you need?

The Delivery phase is ongoing and brings one back, full circle, to the Discovery phase. Continued appreciative inquiry may result in new affirmative topic choices, continuous alignment and continued learning.

We have seen above that when we work from the space of our identified strengths and our values, it generates a deep pocket of potential within us, where the possibilities are endless.  This creates energy that sustains the change over time and is deeply satisfying as it draws its vitality from the very core of our self. The key is to build an “appreciative eye” in our lives. Hence, the first step of discovery & appreciation is very important and should be regularly nurtured. Some techniques that can be very powerful in supporting this path of achievement through self-acknowledgement -

-         Starting the day with a smile and opening your arms to the abundance of the Universe

-         Doing ‘mirror work’ with positive affirmations (the statements from the Design phase)

-         Writing a journal at end of the day recognizing and feeling grateful for all that’s working.

-         Practicing creative visualizations for the preferred future as envisioned by you.

-         Coaching with a formal coach can be especially powerful.

A coach can help the coachee navigate through all the above steps in a consistent, structured way while clearing any blocks and limiting beliefs that may come along the way. The Fulfillment Coaching Model that I practice connects the coachee to her positive core by way of her core values and natural gifts and talents and thereby accelerates progress towards the desired goal.

All in all, focus on your inherent positive to cultivate more positive. Don’t be a rock when you are really a gem!