Steph Hawkins explores how Appreciative Inquiry offers a strengths-based approach to school improvement, enhancing performance and staff wellbeing by focusing on what works.
"This subtle but powerful shift in mindset has the potential to radically improve both school performance and staff wellbeing"
In the fast-paced, high-pressure world of education, school improvement planning often takes a deficit approach, focusing on identifying problems and devising strategies to solve them. Whilst intuitive in nature, and able to yield some results, there’s appears to be a growing appetite to shift the narrative towards a more positive, abundance focused strengths-based methodology. That’s where Appreciative Inquiry (AI) comes in. Rather than asking "What’s broken, and how do we fix it?" AI encourages us to ask, "What’s working, and how can we build on it? It’s a strategy for purposeful change that allows us to identify the best of “what is” to pursue dreams and possibilities of “what could be.” This subtle but powerful shift in mindset has the potential to radically improve both school performance and staff wellbeing.
What is Appreciative Inquiry (and, just as importantly, what is it not)?
Straight out of the blocks, I should make it clear that appreciative inquiry isn’t a clever rebrand for toxic positivity; it’s not advocating for the denial of problems nor is it suggesting there is no place for addressing deficits. It’s simply offering an alternative perspective on opportunities for growth, one that typically brings with it a more engaged, collaborative and motivated response from a wider range of stakeholders. AI simply leans into the benefits which can emerge from identifying and amplifying successes rather than holding focus on shortcomings. Honing in on strengths and opportunities inspires creativity and innovation, it’s like rocket fuel, it gets us where we want to go faster, better and stronger!
At its core, Appreciative Inquiry is a positive, collaborative, inquiry-based approach to leading organisational change, typically framed around the 4-D cycle:
- Discover: Identify what’s already working well in the organisation.
- Dream: Envision what the future could look like if these strengths were maximised.
- Design: Create strategies and structures to make this vision a reality.
- Destiny: Implement these strategies and ensure their sustainability over time.
It is grounded in the belief that every organisation has something that works well and, as Ashford & Patkar (2001) explain, it is a ‘cooperative search for the strengths, passions and life-giving forces that are found within every system – those factors that hold the potential for inspired, positive change.’
Fundamentally, schools are networks of people, and when people begin to talk with one another, sharing perspectives, they can co-create the structures, strategies and processes they need to move forward. In an educational context, this highlights the value of students, staff and governors collaborating in an inquiry that can inform the future strategic planning and direction of the school in which they each hold a significant stake. This collaboration may well provide a direction for change which could have been unintentionally omitted or overlooked by senior staff had those voices been missing from the conversation.
The Staff Wellbeing Connection
"When staff members are part of the discovery process and can recognise their own achievements and contributions, they feel valued, confident and empowered."
While Appreciative Inquiry has been widely applied in business and healthcare, its impact in schools is gaining traction. One of the greatest benefits of using Appreciative Inquiry in school improvement planning is its natural alignment with staff wellbeing. Research indicates that adopting an AI approach in educational settings can significantly boost staff engagement and foster a more collaborative culture. By shifting the focus from "fixing" to "building", schools have seen an increase in the collective ownership of the school's success.
When staff members are part of the discovery process and can recognise their own achievements and contributions, they feel valued, confident and empowered. They are better able to envision future possibilities, become more invested in the outcomes and feel a deeper sense of belonging.
In many school improvement efforts, the weight of change is felt as additional pressure on teachers and leaders as new initiatives are typically generated to ‘fix’ a range of problems, ultimately adding to the workload of already overburdened staff. In contrast, doing more of what works and is in alignment with our pre-existing strengths is more energising and motivational. By focusing on what’s working and building on existing success, AI reduces the stress associated with constant problem-solving and firefighting.
When teachers are engaged in co-creating the future of the school, they’re not just reacting to top-down directives; they’re shaping the strategies that will impact their daily work. This sense of ownership fosters an inclusive school culture - one where wellbeing is built into the fabric of improvement planning.
A Strengths-Based Path to Success
Appreciative Inquiry offers a powerful alternative to traditional school improvement planning. By focusing and building on collaboratively identified strengths, AI helps schools not only achieve their goals but also foster a more engaged staff culture.
As school leaders, the question we must ask ourselves is this: What would happen if we focused on what works instead of what doesn’t? The answer could be the key to not only improving your school’s performance but also creating an environment where the community comes together to create the conditions which enable everyone to thrive.
Let’s embrace the power of what’s possible.
References
Dickerson, M. S., & Helm-Stevens, R. (2011). Reculturing schools for greater impact: Using appreciative inquiry as a non-coercive change process. International Journal of Business and Management, 6(8), 66.
Ludema, J. D., Manning, M. R., & Johnson, A. A. (2016). Six questions that can lift your leadership, shape your strategy, and transform your organization.
Willoughby, G., & Tosey, P. (2007). Imagine Meadfield' Appreciative Inquiry as a Process for Leading School Improvement. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 35(4), 499-520.
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