Think of the best thing that has happened to you today. If you did that, then you’ve experienced a moment of positivity. And you probably feel better. That’s what Appreciative Inquiry is all about. Connecting with people through what’s good.  Appreciative Inquiry is built on a deceptively simple premise: that organizations grow in the direction of what they repeatedly ask questions about and focus their attention on. Appreciative Inquiry does not focus on changing people. Instead, it invites people to engage in building the kinds of organizations, communities, and programs they dream of living and working in. 

 

Linking the positive core to any change agenda creates and mobilizes topics never thought before possible. Integrating this proven solution-focused Appreciative Inquiry approach along with positive psychology and trauma-informed principles allows us to seek out what’s good, what works and what will help you better engage with staff and clients. Focusing on leveraging the “positive core” of the system to design more effective services rather than focusing on overcoming its deficits helps to move from being stuck to moving towards healing-centered energy that promotes growth and success.

 

Debra Cady, founder and CEO of Silver Linings International, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a 30+ year career in behavioral health, highlighted by her experience as a trauma-informed manager. She utilizes her Appreciative Inquiry Facilitation Certification to deliver virtual solutions that create positive outcomes. Her training and support has given hundreds of people the tools they need to create better engagement in their workplaces and for the clients they serve.