If you were searching for ways to describe the possible strengths of any organisation, what would you notice?
Firstly, that organisations vary tremendously in a wide variety of ways! And at the same time, the most successful, creative and dynamic of them also have many strengths in common. This conversation-building card set suggests 28 domains that might be seen as key areas for assessing and building strengths in any organisation. Each domain has four suggested indicators and a simple measurement scale that can be used to consider how your organisation shapes up.
This is an engaging, gently provocative tool created in the spirit of Appreciative Inquiry and other strengths-based approaches that provides non-prescriptive windows into ways we can assess our organisations for strengths rather than deficits.
28 full-colour cards, 140 x 140mm, polypropylene box with a 30-page booklet. Booklet author: Karen Vallence, Russell Deal, Karen Masman. Illustrator and designer: Robyn Spicer.
Tags: appreciative inquiry, conversational prompts, group work, team-building
A wonderful resource for all Appreciative Inquiry practitioners, What Works provides a strong foundation for generative conversations about organisational or community strengths.
These beautifully rendered cards align perfectly with an Appreciative Inquiry and can be used in a variety of ways.
Some examples:
- Distribute the full collection when planning with a Core Team, to expand thinking and Define the most appropriate/applicable topic of inquiry
- As a precursor or follow-up activity to Appreciative Inquiry interviews, use the cards to encourage further Discovery about ‘the root cause of success’
- During the Design phase, select cards relevant to identified themes and use the positive statements on each card as a starting point to develop Provocative Propositions
- When reviewing the success of the Delivery/Destiny phase, selected cards may be used to trigger conversations about progress made and further possibilities
The accompanying booklet also includes a range of other creative ideas and tips for using the cards.
An invaluable addition to the field of Appreciative Inquiry, What Works can be used to inspire the rich, transformational conversations so essential for success.
Sue James
BJ Seminars International
inspiring and connecting people
http://www.bjseminars.com.au