The Power of Appreciative Inquiry: A Practical Guide to Positive Change, Second Edition

The Power of Appreciative Inquiry describes a wildly popular approach to organizational change that dramatically improves performance by encouraging people to study, discuss, learn from, and build on what's working, rather than simply trying to fix what's not. Whitney and Trosten-Bloom use examples from many different types of organizations to illustrate Appreciative Inquiry (AI) in action. A how-to book but not a manual, The Power of Appreciative Inquiry describes the newest ideas and practices in the field of Appreciative Inquiry since its inception in 1985. In updating the second edition, the authors conducted an appreciative inquiry with first edition readers, focusing especially on users in markets and universities. At the urging of these readers, the authors have included a new chapter on the community applications of Appreciative Inquiry, as well as a host of new examples and other enhancements.

About the Authors

Diana Whitney and Amanda Trosten-Bloom have been friends and colleagues for thirty years. They initially met in Philadelphia working for the Hay Group. They now lead Corporation for Positive Change, an international consultancy whose mission is to bring Appreciative Inquiry to the most pressing issues of our time. Diana and Amanda are highly regarded by clients and colleagues alike for their abilities to design and facilitate large-scale positive change. They are wise advisors, inspiring keynote speakers, and compelling educators dedicated to supporting executives and consultants in the pursuit of Appreciative Inquiry knowledge and skills. Their clients include Fortune 500 corporations, government agencies, religious organizations, health-care systems, and communities.

Dedicated to advancing the field of positive change through practical innovations, they offer public and customized in-house workshops specifically designed to build capacity in Appreciative Inquiry and positive change. They have also created a series of CDs and DVDs on Appreciative Inquiry, and the first fully strength-based process to deepen leadership self-awareness and appreciative intelligence, titled the Appreciative Leadership Development Program.

Diana is a founder and director emeritus of the Taos Institute, a Fellow of the World Business Academy, and a Distinguished Consulting Faculty member at Saybrook University. She lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where she offers workshops and writes.

Amanda is a certified consultant with Associated Consultants International (ACI), an associate with the Taos Institute, and an active participant in organization development and appreciative inquiry learning communities around the globe. She lives in Golden, Colorado, with her husband and daughter. There she hosts and mentors other Appreciative Inquiry consultants, teaches workshops, and works with local school systems, cities, and her Unitarian-Universalist community.

Diana and Amanda share a common spiritual practice based on Lakota traditions and Taoist philosophy, and they seek to integrate these principles and practices into their work. This commitment has led them to volunteer their time and talents to support the formation of the United Religions Initiative, a global interfaith organization dedicated to peace.