Appreciative Inquiry Transition Workshops

There are several options for delivery of these workshops depending on your timeframe. For example, you could run the process over 2 days or 4 1/2 days or 4 days spread over six weeks.

SAMPLE WORKSHEETS

Phase 1: DISCOVERY: Appreciating the best of 'what is'

Paired interviews

1. Reflect on your time with xxx..

What have been the high points for you?
Select one high point, a time when you felt most alive, most happy; a time when you felt you were making a difference and doing creative, useful, meaningful work. 
What was it about you that felt good, who else was involved, what were you doing, what did you feel you achieved? 

Describe the STORY around the moment

2. Co-operative relationships

Identify a scenario which you feel demonstrates the positive aspects of working together, co-operating to get something done. 
What was the scenario? 
Who was involved, why did it work? 
what were you doing? 
what were other people doing?

3. Types of communication

What different types of communication occur across the org . 
What do you value most about effective communication? 
When does this happen for you? 
Who and what is involved in the best types of communication? 
Why is effective communication good for you and the org?

4. Hopes for the future

What does the new org have the capacity to become? 
How could working together make a difference? 
What do you see as priorities? 
What part could you play in making these priorities happen?

5. What do you VALUE most about:

yourself 
the people that work with you (colleagues, clients, partners) 
the organisation

6. What are your positive IMAGES of the future function and form of the org? 

          3 wishes?

THEME/TOPIC SELECTION

Share stories with your group about your interview buddy in your small group

Enjoy reflective feedback and reflection

Identify compelling themes that emerge from your colleagues' stories. As a group decide what you care about, what you are curious about and what you want to pursue in 2000...

Identify 2- 4 themes/topics which your group feels strongly about

1.
2.
3.
4.

Phase 2: DREAM: Envisioning 'what might be'

Your group can begin the process of crafting PROVOCATIVE PROPOSALS of 'what might be'. These proposals will help you envision results and illuminate the new org focus and direction. They have the capacity to give form to the unit based on deep values.

Craft a provocative proposition that you'd like to be organised by. Remember, they come from the TOPICS you identified as VIP and they will inform the strategic and social intent of the org and the operating style adopted.

PROVOCATIVE PROPOSAL

Visualise yourselves in 2000 : what will you be best in the world at?
Note: Can you see yourselves in your propositions? Have you considered 'strategic givens'?

Phase 3: DESIGN: Dialoguing 'what should be'

What are the implications of these provocative propositions for the operating style of the organisation? Through dialogue, co-construct the future.

The 7 S model may be useful here eg: 
Shared values: Leadership and management 
Strategy: Decision making processes 
Structure: Organisation, self managing teams, management team 
Systems: Performance management and recognition 
Staff : Professional development 
Skills: Multiskilled: Advocates for streamlined processes 
Style: Communication and reporting protocols

Step 1:
Form cross functional concept teams based on voluntarism, expertise and interest to explore ways of designing processes to promote agreed operating style and strategic intent of xxx. In your group develop a transition ACTION plan...

Provocative proposal (write your group's proposal here)
 

Transition plan: Operating priorities

Immediate term (next two months)
What (Actionable steps) How/Who When

Short term
What (Actionable steps) How/Who When

Medium term
What (Actionable steps) How /Who When

Next year and beyond
What (Actionable steps) How /Who When

Step 2:

Form implementation teams to review application of design (and delivery of Transition Plan) towards the new organisation

Shared values: Leadership and management 
Strategy: Function and form 
Structure: Self managing teams, management team 
Systems: Performance management and recognition 
Staff : Professional development 
Skills: Multiskilled: Advocates for streamlined, multidisciplinary processes
Style: Communication and reporting protocols

Transition Implementation Strategy
What (Priorities) How /Who When 

Phase 4: DELIVER: Innovating 'what will be'

1. What decisions are we prepared to make as a group? 
    What are our STRATEGIC PERFORMANCE INDICATORS? 
    How will we know we've made the transition successfully?

2. How can we communicate these intentions? 
    To whom? 
    When?

3. What key achievements, initiatives, processes, products, services, relationships are we prepared to be measured on? 
   By whom and When?

4. What are the steps I need to take as an individual to contribute to org and where we're headed?

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