Appreciative Inquiry: The Other AI That Helps Workplaces Thrive!

AI is everywhere—but the AI I'm talking about today isn’t Artificial Intelligence, it’s Appreciative Inquiry! And unlike chatbots and algorithms, this AI is all about people—how they think, collaborate, and create lasting change at work.

This blog, we’re exploring how Appreciative Inquiry (AI) can help to flip our mindset—helping teams and organisations build on what already works well ((PDF) Appreciative Inquiry in Organizational Life). Appreciative Inquiry (AI) was developed by David Cooperrider and Suresh Srivastva in the 1980s. Their groundbreaking work challenged traditional problem-solving approaches in organisational development, arguing that focusing on strengths, successes, and what works well leads to more effective and lasting change.

Why Do We Default to Fixing Problems? Most workplace change starts with:

❌ What’s the problem?

❌ Where are we falling short?

❌ How do we fix what’s broken?

And while solving problems is important, this approach on its own often leads to short-term fixes, fatigue, and a focus on what's lacking rather than what's possible. Instead, consider this:

✅ What’s working well?

✅ Where have we been at our best?

✅ How can we build on our strengths?

This shift creates higher engagement, stronger innovation, and change that actually sticks. The Science Behind Appreciative Inquiry

🔹 Organisations grow in the direction of what they focus on—so shifting attention to strengths helps create sustainable success.

🔹 Strengths-based workplaces perform better—Gallup research shows that focusing on strengths increases performance, productivity, and wellbeing (How a Focus on People's Strengths Increases Their Work Engagement)

🔹 AI leads to stronger leadership and collaboration—leaders who use AI (the Appreciative Inquiry kind!) help create high-trust, engaged teams.

💡 How Can You Apply Appreciative Inquiry at Work?

You don’t need to overhaul your entire organisation to use AI—it starts with small shifts in conversations and leadership style, such as:

🔹 Reframe meetings – Instead of “What went wrong?”, ask “What worked well, and how can we build on it?”

🔹 Strengths-based leadership – Focus on developing what people do well, not just fixing perceived weaknesses.

🔹 Start with success – Open discussions with positive examples—research shows this leads to better problem-solving and collaboration.

Final Thought: What If We Focused on What’s Thriving? Workplaces don’t thrive by ignoring problems, but they also don’t thrive by only focusing on what’s broken. When we focus on what’s already working well, we create the conditions for success, innovation, and real change. I help leaders and teams move beyond deficit-driven thinking to strengths-based leadership.

If you want to create a workplace where people thrive, book a call with me to find out more.

Lis

Lis Cashin

www.liscashin.com #ThrivingAtWork #PositivePsychology #AppreciativeInquiry #PositiveLeadership #WorkplaceWellbeing #StrengthsBasedLeadership #LisCashin #PositivelyThriving