Appreciative Inquiry (AI) was a lifeline when I first came across it in the early 1990s, and it continues to be a gift as circumstances change and new interpretations follow. It’s appeal was the new way of working. My consulting practice became more joyful and beneficial than the deficit-based practices common at the time. AI went from being a consulting practice to a way of life, one that stayed with me as I left work behind and moved to a different age and stage. Its as though nothing changed, but everything changed. Life now is about living life slowly. Where each breath and step is an important micro-moment.
Appreciative Inquiry: The Gift That Keeps on Giving
Thank you, AI, for finding me, This gift that keeps on giving.
Along my path from cynic to enthusiast, Where doubts became narratives, Dissonance harmonies.
Tender steps towards being a practitioner; A new world opened up. The surprise of mystery. An openness beyond predictability. New constructs Disrupting years of traditional thinking.
Risking the walk Alongside mystery As a regular companion.
Sometimes a stroll. A scary leap With a comforting quotation to lean on.
In this new phase, Without plans or agendas, The knowns and unknowns Bring new meanings Into the essence of what gives life.
Each moment emerges: A gentle improvisation, A newness, A connection to a larger consciousness. A different knowing Where timeless concepts Of Interbeing,
Interrelatedness And interconnectedness Become the new guides.
Each moment A carefulness, kindness and worldliness.
AI is still present With rich surprises, Continuing the mystery.
Walking the Way 2023, p. 28
Indra’s Net: Ancient Image of Oneness, Wholeness and Diversity
David Cooperrider brought the metaphor of Indra’s Net to those of us working on the AI Consulting Charter in the early 2000s. He offered it as a vision for AI Consulting, as a creative matrix of generous opportunity and rich relationship. It is a metaphor that stayed with me and connected even more powerfully when I started studying the interbeing and interconnection work of Thich Nhat Hanh.
Interbeing, Interconnection and Indra’s Net
Living slowly, Step by step, Breath by breath.
The subtle and silky joy of being in Indra’s Net. The knot of interbeing. The web of interconnection. Being aware of the spaces.
A different consciousness, A wider dimension Of humility and influence.
An infinite net. No beginning. No end. Nothing exists by itself. Everything reflects everything else.
The story of such a special gift Becoming an image. Transcending. Linking All our cultures, Where every moment is a beautiful moment.
Walking the Way, 2023 p. 32
This image of Indra’s Net was used in Walking the Way. Anne Radford (1944–2025) lived in London. Walking the Way and Walking the Way: A Coda give glimpses into her thoughts and musings on living life slowly.
Cook, F. (1989) The Jewel Net of Indra. In J. B. Callicott & R. T. Ames (Eds.), Nature in Asian Traditions Of Thought: Essays in environmental philosophy, pp. 213–229. SUNY Press.
Poems by Joan McArthur Blair
Blue Water Bridge
Look down into the blue, blue water, Stand close The eddies powerful as they curve in delight Rounding the struts and racing off Strive to see where the water has been And where it is going The curiosity relentless, The imagination unfurling A moment Just yours
Wonder
I believe in wonder Simple, jaw-dropping wonder: The rainbow after the rain The hang glider floating The ocean still and blue A human smiling So much wonder – just there. I call out to you See the wonder Let it feed you Let it slake your thirst Let it salve your sad soul. Believe in wonder.
Poems by Ada Jo Mann
Words Create Worlds
Words create worlds. What you focus on grows as mysteries unfurl to enhance what you know.
Shine the light on what works, Watch the problems recede. Find what underneath lurks and you’re sure to succeed.
Then celebrate strengths with all who have played and have gone to great lengths for a future that’s brave.
Follow the Sun
With AI as your guide you’ll Discover the light, For everyone knows what you focus on grows. Leave the weight of the past behind us at last, Try just for fun to follow the sun. Shine your sight on what works, Lay aside all the quirks, Find strengths galore for your Positive Core. Pick several key themes to enact as your Dream, Find peak moments to tap as you Design your roadmap. Now Delivery is key with results all can see: By keeping it real Destiny will prevail.
Positive Image, Positive Action
Behind every complaint there is the positive opposite yearning to be seen.
If you choose to you can turn any problem into an Opportunity.
People and flowers turn their heads toward the light.
If you strive for change, first create a bold image of the Future you most desire.
Then set your compass in the direction of your dream. Positive image, positive action.
Villanelle for Appreciative Inquiry
Appreciative Inquiry saves the day, just as a sunflower follows the light by shining on positive forces at play.
Focus on strengths and don’t let them say nay, often you’ll find them right in plain sight– Appreciative Inquiry saves the day.
Some folks hold back with their feet in the clay, others envision a future that’s bright by shining on positive forces at play.
Gather your stakeholders, please don’t delay, Though there might be some who put up a fight. Appreciative Inquiry saves the day.
You may find your problems will soon fade away as if they have vanished during the night by shining on positive forces at play.
Celebrate your successes in multiple ways, Insure this new found roadmap will stay. Appreciative Inquiry saves the day by shining on positive forces at play.
Thanks to Jane
With love from Ada Jo, August 12, 2019
Thanks to Jane, Almost 30 years ago I flew to Cleveland to meet a man named David.
Thanks to Jane, We created a different paradigm for international development building on existing strengths and celebrating local successes.
Thanks to Jane, We travelled the world for seven years spreading Appreciative Inquiry from Africa to Asia, Latin America and beyond.
Thanks to Jane, My life and the lives of thousands around the world is blessed with the will to first Find the best and go from there
When the sun shines I will feel Jane’s smile, When the moon rises Look for her among the stars.
In a time when climate anxiety threatens to thwart collective action, Shaun McInerney’s case study, “Applying Appreciative Inquiry to Our Own Climate Action”, offers a refreshingly hopeful and practical perspective through his use of Appreciative Inquiry (AI) in educational and sustainability contexts. Drawing on his experience as a school leader and facilitator of system-level change, McInerney explores how shifting from deficit-based narratives to strengths-based, system-aware engagement can reframe our approach to the climate crisis. His reflective account illustrates how the emergent principles of AI – Wholeness, Enactment, Free choice, Awareness and Narrative – can support personal insight and collective resilience. What makes this piece especially heartening is its ability to inspire possibility in the face of complexity, inviting us to act not from fear, but from a place of connection, curiosity and shared purpose. It’s a pleasure to welcome Shaun as a contributor to this issue of AI Practitioner, and I invite readers to engage with and enjoy his article.
Keith Storace is a registered psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia (PsyBA) and an associate fellow with the Australasian College of Health Service Management (ACHSM). He manages a private practice at Kiku Imagination where he applies the Appreciative Dialogue (ApDi) therapy program to assist individuals move toward, strengthen and enjoy what is meaningful while dealing with the challenges they encounter along the way. Keith Storace has been the editor of the Voices from the Field column for AI Practitioner since 2016.
Shaun McInerney | United Kingdom
Shaun McInerney is a former school principal with leadership experience in innovative inner-city schools in the UK and abroad. Now at the University of Worcester’s Institute of Education working as the Strategy and Programme Lead for the School Effectiveness Team, Shaun designs and delivers leadership development, coaching school and system leaders to meet the evolving needs of young people in a fast-changing, complex world.
Applying Appreciative Inquiry to Our Own Climate Action | A Case Study
As a former principal of an innovative school in England, I was once asked for one wish to shift us towards a more relevant, responsive and resilient education system. My attention immediately turned to the deficit-based thinking that currently dominates our policy and practice. Imagine if we could shift to more positive, asset-based, appreciative default setting. What might be possible then for the hopes, dreams and aspirations for all young people within schools, and for the collective regenerative action we need to shift wicked problems outside them?
Alex Arnold’s article in AI Practitioner in November 2023 brough me back to this moment because she applied the principles of Appreciative Inquiry (AI) to climate action. This resonated because in November 2023 I was engaged in a Sustainable Leadership Summit, organised by The Edge Foundation and Schools of Tomorrow in the UK, which convenes school leaders and their students to learn and co-create together. I was asked to contribute a plenary session to this day, informed by my role at the University of Worcester where I support school and system leaders to lead change in the education system and in my role as a trustee at The Impact Trust which supports our transition to a world of collective resilience. In this column I want to unpack my own motivations for engaging Appreciative Inquiry for this particular project; explore my choice of tools and reflect on my own learning and the emerging impact of the project.
Alex’s piece was framed around the five core principles of Appreciative Inquiry which I will use to consider my own enactment. These are summarised in Quinney and Slack (2017) as: the Wholeness principle; the Enactment principle; the Free choice principle; the Awareness principle and the Narrative principle. These emergent principles encourage us to use AI reflexively, i.e. as a way of understanding ourselves in relation to the wider system as we do our work in the world.
This seems an appropriate lens when applying Appreciative Inquiry to our own climate action because making our own contribution relies on us growing through the action we are taking so that we can both think and act differently as we address issues that are of common concern and need collective action. In this sense climate action isn’t solving a problem; we are the problem to be solved. Working with these emergent principles may help shine some light on this.
The challenge and choices
When it comes to the climate crisis, despondency is the default position for most people. However, young people can be powerful agents of environmental change and adults have a responsibility to support this while not passing the responsibility for an older generation’s failures onto this next generation to remedy (Bandura & Cherry, 2020). For this reason, Appreciative Inquiry has become my default approach when working with schools and young people around this issue. The wellbeing impact of AI is well documented (Orem et al., 2007). Moreover Schwarz et al. (2022) have outlined that collective action can act as a buffer against serious mental health issues arising from eco-anxiety.
The Free choice principle: Wake up, show up and grow up!
The focus of the 45-minute session I was asked to facilitate was ‘Designing a More Sustainable Future for Your School’. The purpose of the session was to use appreciation to help us reflect on our next steps so we can build on what we have learned and start to turn it into purposeful action. I organised the session in three parts using Appreciative Inquiry as an anchor.
Part 1 Grounding the learning from the day in positive appreciation;
Part 2 Setting up a “strengths, opportunities, actions resources” (SOAR) activity that enabled each group of young people alongside their teachers to plan forward; and
Part 3 Setting out a “promises activity” that invited participants to commit to a personal promise to themselves and one to their school.
I framed the session by drawing a link from the powerful learning that had occurred through the day and extending this into the realm of action. I used a provocation based on the choices we all face: to act or not act; to engage or not engage. We all, particularly the adults in the room, have a choice to “wake up; to grow up and to show up” – or not.
The Wholeness principle: Thinking in systems
I started the session with an image of traffic and the popular yet provocative aphorism: we are not “in traffic” we are the traffic. Reframing our perspective to encompass the wider systems of which we are a part is one of the most significant challenges of the current education system, which is focused on transmissive learning that largely ignores the appreciation of nested system within which we are all embedded (Sterling, 2007, p. 51). Addressing climate issues needs to adopt a wider and more holistic pedagogy.
Appreciative Inquiry is an ideal underpinning because it is grounded in social constructivism, which is also a core component of systems thinking. To see ourselves within the systems we inhabit, we first need to bring awareness to ourselves, then to the system, and then to integrate these so we can see ourselves within the system and imagine the potential contribution we might make. The Wholeness principle is evident in this reframe towards a more holistic, inclusive, integrated and deeper understanding of what is.
The Awareness principle: Appreciative post-its
The second phase of the session invited participants to identify one person who has inspired you today. What did they do? To frame the activity, my colleague Malika Dahl from Schools of Tomorrow related instances from her own life where the building of community through action helped her manage her feelings around the ecological and climate emergency. We used a sentence stem: “To…Thank you for…From….” and displayed participants’ post-its to help make the appreciation visible and build relationships through the activity. Making thinking visible is an important metacognitive learning strategy that allows us to surface the role of others in our own learning process. The Awareness principle opens up a deeper understanding because it introduces a relational dimension to our understanding; one that acknowledges our emotions and intuition.
The Enactment principle: SOAR
We become who we are with and through others. The core activity for this session was a SOAR activity that encouraged teachers and their students to identify what they wanted to build on from the learning that they had done that day. The questions were framed to foster collaboration, discussion and to be accessible to participants who ranged from age ten to adult.
Strengths What strengths do you have in your team that you can use?
Opportunities As you look at your own school, what opportunities might there be for you to make a difference?
Aspirations What difference would you like to make through this? What will be different after your project?
Resources What will you need to make this a success? Who can help you?
The Narrative principle: Promises postcards
We change the world one conversation at a time. Understanding that our reality is socially constructed affords us the possibility of creating our own narrative to support the action we want to take. The third phase was a “promises activity”’ suggested by my co-presenter, Malika, with the intention of helping people scaffold their own narrative. Offering time and space for the teams to agree promises for themselves and in relation to their school was a way of planning forward and encouraging them to build on their momentum for action.
The sentence prompts were: My promise to myself is … ; My promise to my school is … . This is reminiscent of the 5D process that connects us to the deeper purpose to our work by Defining, Discovering, Dreaming, Designing our preferred future, which is our Destiny. We invited each group to reflect on the Destiny phase of their project by sending them their promises postcards six months later.
Reflection and reflexivity
It is a rare opportunity for teachers and students to genuinely co-create. An appreciative approach creates conditions of mutuality and connection, and this was evident through smiles and animated conversation. Formative questions emerged, with participants enquiring: how do we give ourselves permission and seek permission from others to take this project forward? How do we engage people with influence to support us? How might we integrate our project into the day-to-day life of our school so it can impact our sustainability? Participating as facilitator, I sensed what was emerging in the Appreciative Inquiry field; I noticed how participants comments reflected this:
The space opened up a sense of wonder: “I appreciate the sounds of the nightingales and storks that have returned to East Sussex”.
Perspective-taking grows as we hear the experience of others: “It has inspired me to care more about the earth … I am grateful for the opportunity to zoom out and take a wider perspective”.
Collaboration builds individual confidence and collective efficacy: “I appreciate everyone’s emphasis on the importance of staying positive in the face of a climate crisis”. “I now feel confident to talk about sustainability in school.” “I appreciate the work others have already carried out to help guide others to get started on their sustainability journey – it inspires hope!”
Coping with the climate transition with fortitude needs to be a triumph of both hope and experience. The kind of hope we need is not one that creates false optimism, but a commanding hope that is astute and realistic (Homer-Dixon, 2021). And the experience of collaboration and growth is one that can, done well, give us connection, collective resilience and a sense of inclusive renewal.
More work needs to be done to create a deeper understanding of the potential for Appreciative Inquiry in schools. As an asset-based approach, it builds resources by strengthening the rich vein of learning and experience students and teachers have within them, and connects them to their own sense of possibility and agency. This lends itself to deeper and more holistic learning that is truly regenerative because it allows us to deepen our knowledge through action as we learn and grow, and renew, together.
REFERENCES AND FURTHER READING
Arnold, A. (2023). Climate Action Starts from Within. AI Practitoner, 25(4), 98–103. https://aipractitioner.com/2023/11/07/bringing-it-home-the-positive-principle-3-2/
Bandura, A. and Cherry, L. (2019) Enlisting the Power of Youth for Climate Change. American Psychologist, 75(7). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0000512
Homer-Dixon, T. F. (2021) Commanding Hope : The power we have to renew a world in peril. Vintage Canada.
Lertzman, R. (2019) How to Turn Climate Anxiety into Action. www.ted.com/talks/renee_lertzman_how_to_turn_climate_anxiety_into_action
Orem, S. et al. (2007) Appreciative Coaching : A positive process for change. Jossey-Bass/Wiley, 2007.
Schwartz, S. et al. (2022) Climate Change Anxiety and Mental Health: Environmental activism as buffer. Current Psychology, 42. link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12144-022-02735-6 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-022-02735-6
Quinney, S. (2017) REFLECTIONS : Realising the power of Appreciative Inquiry. Wordscapes.
Sterling, S.(2001) Sustainable Education : Re-visiting learning and change. Green Books.
Andrew Lynch is currently a student in the Masters-track OD program at Case Western Reserve University. He has contributed a blog related to the results of his research for his final “mastery project” of the program. He is grateful for the mentorship and guidance he received from Ron Fry, who was the faculty advisor for his project.
Using AI Tools and Methods to Successfully Transition a Company to a Divisional Organization Structure
Much has been written about the “Five (5) Ws” – the who, what, where, when, and why – in regards to companies transitioning to a divisional org structure. The how is significantly under-addressed, however. Appreciative Inquiry (AI) tools and methods were leveraged to create one potential “playbook” for how to lead a company through this process.
What did I do?
Whereas many corporate org structure transitions follow more abrupt executive mandates, I was recently fortunate to be able to help lead my company’s structural transition through a ~6 month, multi-phase, co-creation endeavor.
A full and detailed description of the overall approach would warrant a full article, but for the abbreviated purpose of this blog post, here were some key interventional tools that were used to very positive effect:
A formal org-wide announcement of the evolutionary need, reasons, and benefits for transitioning to a divisional structure at this time, and that we would be launching a formal project to undertake this effort.
Careful identification and recruitment of a highly diverse project team, ensuring representation from all levels of the org (Front-line, management, senior leadership, executive), all functional/departmental groups, and all country sites / cultures. Sought out project team members generally shared the qualities of being hard-working, self-motivated, team-oriented, flexibly-minded, and subject-matter experts within and adjacent to their domains.
A “best teams inquiry” exercise was completed, modeled after Gervase Bushe’s Meaning Making in Teams (2002), where we agreed upon the team’s shared values.
A “pre-mortem” exercise, where we preemptively identified reasons the project could potentially fail, for the purpose of then creating mitigating tasks to address them.
A nested SOAR Summit, leveraging Jackie Stavros and Gina Hinrichs SOAR methodology, where we created vision, mission, and purpose statements and SOAR tables – for the company as a whole and separately for each of the new divisions.
Recreation of the major processes of the company, re-tooled for each unique division (e.g. idea-to-product, engage-to-order, order-to cash, etc.).
Numerous communication tools were used throughout the project, such as weekly org-wide update emails, semi-regular (every 6-8 weeks) town hall sessions with more detailed updates and live Q&A, anonymous feedback channels, pulse surveys, various 1-on-1 conversations as warranted, and more.
What was the impact?
An early pre-launch survey to the entire org exceeded 65% favorability and 27% neutrality for moving to divisions based on the planning and build-out work of the project team, suggesting strong likelihood for org-wide support and success after “go live”. The new divisions had several markers for success, in no particular order:
Enhanced the customer experience
Allowed for seamless transition to the various stakeholders
Enabled separate and focused profit and loss statements (with all new divisions being profitable)
Included measurable KPIs and dashboards for the new divisions
Resulted in detailed process maps (value stream maps) for all major processes
Coexisted within the existing IS/IT structure with minimal retooling
Refreshed clear and referable org charts for the new divisions
Explained clearly to – and bought in by – the entire org
Developed a process to use as a guideline for the creation of new additional divisions in the future
Note that a post-launch survey and project post-mortem activity is planned for mid-2025 (a few months after this blog post was submitted), where we hope to learn even more about the overall impact of the project.
What did I learn?
I had three key learnings on this project:
Important changes – like transitioning org structures – deserve the extra time and effort. Spend the time and energy to maximize supporters (and neutrals) and minimize detractors. Allow the space and embrace the risk reward of co-creation by a diverse group – it can be incredibly powerful!
Communicate, communicate, communicate. Early, often, across all levels, and via different means (regular status updates, town halls, 1-on-1s, anonymous surveys, etc.).
SOAR Summits sometimes require detours of complementary work. Beyond “SOARing” at 30,000 feet, consider if you also need to spend time at 10,000 feet (e.g. process flows) and/or 1,000 feet (e.g. task-level assignments). Those extra insights might be key for untangling things, and/or for putting certain personality types at ease!
How will I apply this learning moving forward?
As a current student in a Masters-track OD program, I was thrilled to leverage AI tools and methods to help my company out with an ambitious project like this. I look forward to continuing to use AI for a whole host of change management needs that my company will have in the future!
I was happy to be invited, for a second time, as sometime-professor at the University of Valencia to work with students in the Erasmus program “European Master in Work, Organizational and Personnel Psychology (WOP-P) 2024” for the course Intervention in Organizations, Organizational Change and Development (see photo). My three-day lecture is about contemporary methods of organizational change and development: Appreciative Inquiry interventions.
This LinkedIn post by Bishal Sala gives an impression of how it went. AI, of course, is the perfect practice for a process of “learning by doing”. We designed our own AI-summit on the self-chosen – and essential – topic of Work-Life-Balance.
Fast forward to the individual assignment I created, inspired by Nick Heap and Random Acts of Listening initiative, which turned out to be a great success, highly rewarding for both teacher and students.
Appreciative Inquiry Reflection with a Stranger
Faith Sonia Wanyoike
The theme I decided to explore for the Appreciative Inquiry interview was ‘passions’. This is a topic that I think about.I feel as if I have already discovered what I am truly passionate about, but when faced with obstacles towards achieving this passion, I often feel like it is not truly what I want to do but what I think I should be doing. I hoped that the conversation I would have with a stranger would also help me reflect on how I really feel about my personal passions and it could also help open up this conversation in the mind of someone else.
Because of poor weather, I decided to go to my favourite café. A girl was ordering her drink in accented Spanish, but she spoke English fluently, helpful as I don’t speak Spanish well enough to interview someone. She was German,on an ERASMUS semester studying Literature and Linguistics and spoke four languages. After I explained the purpose of the interview and Appreciative Inquiry, she agreed to be my interviewee.
Interview questions
I designed the questions based on the content delivered during the classes and content from the book, attempting to. Because I had selected a complete stranger I tried to open up with energizing/exciting questions first, following the 5D approach.
Energizing
1. What activities or interests make you feel most energized and fulfilled? 2. When did you last feel completely absorbed in something you love doing? What made it so exciting? 3. Who or what inspires you to pursue your passions? Do you feel like their actions impact you in some way?
Discovery questions
1. Can you share a time when you were able to express your passion fully? What strengths did you use? 2. What do you consider your biggest accomplishment related to this passion? What helped you achieve it?
Dream questions
1. Imagine being able to live out your passion without limitations. What would that look like? 2. How would you like your passion to shape your future? What difference would it make in your life?
Design questions
1. What steps would you need to take to integrate your passion more fully into your daily life? 2. Do you think people in your life could support you pursuing this passion more actively? In what way could they?
Delivery Questions
1. What’s one small action you could take this week to move closer to living your passion? 2. What resources, habits, or support systems would help you stay committed to this passion long-term?
Preparation considerations
Because I was aiming to talk to a stranger, I thought about ways I could engage in someone naturally before opening into a conversation. I was hoping to find an English speaker, so I went to a café near the university I prepared an explanation of what the interview was for and how it might help them reflect on their personal lives. I also wanted to reassure them that they should feel comfortable sharing as much or as little information as they wanted.
I also felt very nervous and uncomfortable with the situation so I practised questions with my roommates to get a feel for how long the conversation could go on for.
What worked
The opening appreciative compliment worked well and allowed us to begin interacting. She seemed interested in what AI was and found the topic of passions interesting. We found a common theme in competitive rhythmic gymnastics, which she had competed in and which I used to enjoy watching in the Olympics. She became excited when explaining the pride she felt watching the Olympics this year, as a German gymnast had won the gold medal.
Asking more specific follow-up questions helped open up the conversation as well, as she was initially a little bit reluctant to be sharing so much with me as a stranger.
What surprised me
I was surprised by how much she had already reflected on this topic; her answers felt confident and well thought-out. At the end of the interview, I asked her what influenced her approach to passions. She explained that in Germany you select your life path from an early age, and she already knew that art and sports were key for her to feel fulfilled in her life. This was a bit of a cultural shock to me: in Kenya there is a greater focus on picking a stable career, rather than picking something that you are passionate about.
She also surprised me with how strongly she identified with her passion, in her words it is something “part of yourself” and something you simply do. She mentioned that perseverance to pursue your passion is more impactful than merely talent, a concept I also struggle with accepting and implementing in my own life. I found it surprising that someone similar to me in age had already grappled with these ideas and determined what their beliefs were.
As someone who also has a passion for the arts, I was really surprised by her effort to include that in her everyday life. She was also clear that it is her responsibility to push her passions forward even if there was no time or motivation to do it. I am still reflecting on how to push away my doubts and fears, and have this approach instead.
General experience and learnings
I found this experience a little uncomfortable at first, but after the conversation ended I felt like I had a new perspective on what a passion is. Once we discovered we shared similarities, the conversation felt more natural. The AI approach helped both of us reflect on how we can appreciate, build and maintain these passions in our everyday life. I also felt like I learned a lot about myself during the conversation.
This experience reminded me that I should not neglect my passions, particularly when I can still create time for what I love to do.
I appreciated the challenge of having to talk about this topic with someone I didn’t know. It was difficult, but afterwards it felt like an accomplished that I had approached a stranger and complete dthe interview.
At the end of the conversation my interview shared something I will try and incorporate more in my life regarding my passions: “If you love it, you will never give up.”
The business sector has been and can be, a force for good – lifting people out of poverty, raising the quality of life for so many and driving innovations to reduce or eliminate harm. But what is the world calling for now? Is it Regenerative Business? What does that mean? And what does it mean for us?
The guest editors of this special issue are drawn to the definition that both the enterprise and society will benefit when a business shifts from harm reduction/net zero to net positive restoration and revitalization of our social and natural worlds. Additionally, we think that appreciative/strengths-based approaches accelerate the collaborations, partnerships and innovations required for this shift.
We invite YOU to help clarify what this could look like!
This issue of the AI Practitioner seeks articles, interviews or videos that illuminate an “appreciative/strengths-based approach” to one or more specific Regenerative Business Practices.
Let us know of your interest in submitting an article, interview or video, by submitting a 250-word proposal by March 16, 2025.
Regenerative Businesses create profits not from creating the world’s problems, but from solving them.*Being a Regenerative Business is a destination – and for most businesses that destination is attained over time with the intentional use of Regenerative Business Practices.
1. Regenerative Business Practices:
• are outwardly focused, go beyond simply minimizing harm to the environment and society to actively work to restore and revitalize them.
• create and deliver value for shareholders/investors partners/suppliers, employees, customers AND additional stakeholders , such as societies, communities and nature.**
2. By appreciative/strength-based we mean approaches involving some form of:
• Co-creation between the enterprise and one or more of its ecosystem stakeholders of innovative practices that create value across social, enterprise and/or environmental values.
• Where the co-creation includes some form of generative inquiry that identifies Strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations and desired Results in the business and its stakeholder ecosystem (Note: the framework for strength-identification need not be SOAR).
Regenerative Practices are contrasted with “doing-less-harm” practices. Both are good, but regenerative practices actively restore/revitalize social and natural world. The table below shows examples of each.
NOTE The Regenerative Business Practices listed were not done from a “strengths-based” focus . That is what we are looking for from YOU – stories of how these and other regenerative business practices have been accelerated and reach higher impact using the principles and practices of Appreciative Inquiry.
Doing Less Harm Practices
Regenerative Practices
For Society
Using no child labor or slaves.
l Working with and supporting local communities, which can lead to stronger communities, increased economic opportunity and improved social wellbeing.
l Adopting fair labor practices can lead to improved working conditions and increased employee satisfaction.
For the Enterprise
By reducing waste and energy consumption, and improving resource efficiency the enterprise gains reduced cost of production.
l By constantly looking for new ways to improve their environmental and social performance, regenerative businesses create the culture and capabilities that support better business performance.
l By partnering with suppliers to support their efforts in Regeneration, the supply chains become more resilient and reliable.
For the Environment
Using renewable energy sources ( solar, wind, and geothermal, to power business operations, reduces carbon emissions
By designing products and services that are durable, repairable, and recyclable (i.e. circular economy) material consumption is reduced
Reducing waste can have a positive impact on air and water quality.
l Restoration of natural ecosystems – revitalization of damaged ecosystems, such as forests, wetlands, and oceans can lead to increased biodiversity, improved water quality, and enhanced carbon sequestration.
l Improved soil health – using regenerative agriculture practices can improve soil health, leading to increased fertility, reduced erosion, and enhanced water retention.
Proposals should describe specific strengths-based Regenerative Business Practices, and describe how the practice:
• Restored and revitalized social and natural systems.
• Generated both short and long-term value for traditional stakeholders (shareholders/investors
partners/suppliers, employees, customers) AND additional stakeholders – such as societies, communities and nature.
Ideally your submission will also highlight the use of networks, new partnerships and collaborative innovation processes, to transform the business ecosystems within which the business operates.
Final articles are expected to be in the range of 800 to 2500 words. Interviews and videos must be submitted in edited form.
For more info to help you submit your proposal, please email the editors for this special issue:
• BERNARD MOHR bernard@cocreatingmutualvalue.org
• SUSAN DONNAN susan@cocreatingmutualvalue.org
Please contact us – we want to answer your questions!!
Important Deadlines:
March 16, 2025 250-word Proposal or Overview/Outline of Contribution
May 15, 2025 First Draft Due
July 15, 2025 Final Submission Due
October 1 2025 AIP editor sends final versions back to authors for final corrections
November 1 2025 Publication
* Adapted from Net Positive Paul Polman, Former CEO, Unilever
** Adapted from Towards regenerative business models: A necessary shift? Jan Konietzko, Ankita Das, Nancy Bocken
I was happily invited, for a second time, as sometime-professor at the University of Valencia to work with students in the Erasmus program “European Master in Work, Organizational and Personnel Psychology (WOP-P) 2024” for the course Intervention in Organizations, Organizational Change and Development (see photo). My three-day lecture is about contemporary methods of organizational change and development: Appreciative Inquiry interventions.
This LinkedIn post by Bishal Sala gives an impression of how it went. AI, of course, is the perfect practice for a process of “learning by doing”. We designed our own AI-summit on the self-chosen – and essential – topic of Work-Life-Balance.
Fast forward to the individual assignment I created, inspired by Nick Heap and Random Acts of Listening initiative, which turned out to be a great success, highly rewarding for both teacher and students.
Charikleia Georgaki
Appreciative Inquiry Reflection with a Stranger
Dear Professor,
Before everything, I would like to thank you for this beautiful and outside-the-box individual assignment. I was initially skeptical about it, especially given my past less-than-positive experiences in Spain with strangers. Last year, I struggled to communicate in Spanish, which often led to a not-so-positive attitude toward me, despite my efforts to be polite. However, Arthur was an amazing person, and I am so happy I had the opportunity to talk with him. He is Irish, so he spoke English fluently, which maybe didn’t help me in communicating with a local person, but that facilitated our conversation.
Planning the assignment
Today, October 20th, 2024, I decided to visit a friend who runs a lab for creating Halloween mugs from clay near Rusafa, Valencia, which meant that I arrived late for class, which was full, and had to wait for approximately 40 minutes outside. While waiting, I found a comfortable table and opened my laptop to check on this assignment. I created a plan for my questions centered around appreciation in life, eager to discover what people value. My approach was based on Appreciative Inquiry and the five-step model of Define, Discover, Dream, Design and Deliver.
Initially, my plan was to find a student the next day at the university to conduct the interview with, as I felt psychologically unprepared to talk to a total stranger outside the university space due to language barriers.
During the wait a dog approached me, followed by a middle-aged gentleman. After a brief chat with my friend, who was facilitating the activities, he told me in English that he thought he needed to wait as well. He commented to me, “At least you have your laptop” and laughed. We engaged in a small conversation, discovering our shared appreciation for art and creation, despite our hesitance to pursue it ourselves. I also shared that I had prepared some general questions for an interview. In that moment, I felt brave and social, and I stepped out of my comfort zone when I suggested we conduct the interview together.
After considering my proposal, he initially seemed a bit stressed about taking a photo but ultimately agreed. He confided that his wife had asked for a divorce the previous day, which made him anxious. I clarified that if he wasn’t feeling up to it, we could wait for the class and forget about the interview idea, but he insisted on proceeding. He asked to start with a selfie to help him not dwell on the situation, and I happily agreed.
A peaceful state of mind
We began with the general question: “What does appreciation mean to you?” He replied, “Appreciation is to be thankful and to appreciate the things around you.” I then asked what he appreciated the most, and he said that it was a peaceful state of mind, noting that this requires financial stability, love from family and friends, and affection from a partner. Wanting to dive deeper and facilitate the conversation, I prompted him to consider smaller actions or specific events that he appreciates.
He mentioned his dog, Iris, (who I had already met) and his open-minded siblings, who were supporting him during this difficult time. Sensing he was becoming emotional about the divorce, I shifted the topic and asked what he appreciated in his job. He initially replied that he was jobless, but then clarified that he is self-employed, travels around the world, and works from anywhere. He noted, “I appreciate that I can travel around the world”, but also remarked that while he enjoys travelling, he feels that money mostly brings material things rather than meaningful experiences.
What has made you smile?
I then applied the model steps, starting with a first question (with intentions to define): “What has made you smile today?” After a moment’s thought, I followed up with “What makes you happy lately?” He mentioned his dog and reflected on how he had been struggling to smile since his wife had said she wanted to divorce him. I pointed out that he had smiled in the second photo we took during (he asked me to delete the first one, so I did) and during some parts of our conversation, which he said he hadn’t realised.
Next, I asked him to envision his ideal future in order to discover the desired future and dream the ideal one. He described wanting to find companionship, whether as a friend or partner, without necessarily seeking marriage. I inquired about how he thought this could happen. He expressed scepticism, stating that he needed to be more open to getting to know people and to move on from what had ended. He mentioned he was okay with not having children, since he has his dog, but wanted someone to spend time with.
Through the Doctorate in Educational, Child and Adolescent Psychology program at Queen’s University Belfast, Dr Carol Strahan and Dr Hassan Regan incorporated Appreciative Inquiry in nurturing the development of early-career Educational Psychologists. Their column examines their use of nature-inspired metaphors along with Appreciative Inquiry’s role in fostering growth by focusing on individuals’ positive cores and creating a collaborative ecosystem. The approach emphasises building on strengths, inclusivity and shared ownership of change, fostering a constructive mindset and enhanced communication among participants. It’s my pleasure to introduce Carol and Hassan as our voices from the field in this issue of AI Practitioner.
Keith Storace is a registered psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia (PsyBA) and an associate fellow with the Australasian College of Health Service Management (ACHSM). He manages a private practice at Kiku Imagination where he applies the Appreciative Dialogue (ApDi) therapy program to assist individuals move toward, strengthen and enjoy what is meaningful while dealing with the challenges they encounter along the way. Keith Storace has been the editor of the Voices from the Field column for AI Practitioner since 2016.
Carol Strahan | Northern Ireland
Dr Carol Strahan is both an occupational and educational psychologist. She is the director of Cavehill Psychology where she seeks to enhance staff and student wellbeing as well as growing potential through her training and supervision. Carol is based in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Hassan Regan | Northern Ireland
Dr Hassan Regan is an educational psychologist with the Education Authority in Northern Ireland. He also serves as a professional and academic tutor for the Doctorate in Educational, Child, and Adolescent Psychology programme, where he trains early-career Educational Psychologists. Hassan’s professional interests include equity, diversity and inclusion, the impacts of trauma, and supporting individuals seeking sanctuary.
Cultivating a Habitat for Early-Career Educational Psychologists to Thrive
Our collaboration using Appreciative Inquiry (AI) began with a unique opportunity to work with early-career Educational Psychologists (EP) through the Doctorate in Educational, Child, and Adolescent Psychology (DECAP) programme at Queen’s University Belfast. These psychologists, with a wealth of experience, skills and qualities were at a pivotal stage in their careers, and the DECAP programme was designed to nurture and develop their potential to make a meaningful impact on the people, systems and structures they encounter.
Although our paths to AI were different, they were complementary. Carol was drawn to AI with a focus on integrating its principles into organisational change and wellbeing training within her private practice. Hassan, on the other hand, was inspired to apply AI in supervisory relationships and in navigating challenging conversations about differences. Despite these different starting points, our shared goal has remained consistent: to harness the positive core of individuals and foster meaningful, lasting change.
This article delves into our experiences with AI, highlighting its transformative potential in educational psychology and beyond.
Stepping into the forest – The use of metaphor
We chose trees, forests and associated concepts for three key reasons: our shared love of nature, their vital role in our ecosystem, and their rich potential as narrative tools to explore and share our experiences.
We had the opportunity to work with the skills and expertise of early-career EPs to positively impact on the people and ecosystem around them throughout their lives. We consider our use of AI as a way of preparing and helping people grow rather than having the growing done to them or on their behalf of them – we consider this to be a collaborative and generative approach akin to cultivating.
Habitat reflects the idea of a natural home or state, as we believe that people’s natural states are inherently well intentioned and positive – the positive core.
Reforestation is the process of replanting an area with trees, an area that has once been forested; the term reflects how we are drawing on and using a resource that was already there, at least in essence. However, it is not just about replanting; we have to consider the diversity of the environment, the impact we have on those around us and then pick the right place to reforest.
As part of our training in AI, we worked together and supported each other in putting the principles and approaches into action through interrelated projects. There are parallels here with the natural phenomenon of inosculation where trees can grow independently yet together and become intertwined – in our case as practitioners, our separate paths to AI, and our use of AI together.
Making connections in the forest – Introducing AI throughout the DECAP programme
We wanted AI to take root in our practices as psychologists. With a supportive team around us, we had the opportunity to introduce early-career EPs to the approaches and principles underpinning AI through teaching and learning sessions. We also did this in other subtle ways: making use of the SOAR approach, for example, incorporating appreciative conversations during supervision sessions, and using AI to inform questions for feedback, interviews, surveys, research projects and so on.
An assisted, natural approach to reforestation – Using the AI 5D cycle
Focusing on one of the ways that we worked together to cultivate and assist reforestation, we used the AI 5D approach as an interactive way to learn about AI and contribute to the growth and development of early-career EPs on the programme. The framework provided a constructive and inclusive process for exploring student wellbeing.
During sessions, we shared our own experiences of AI and our journey as practitioners, discussed tools such as appreciative journalling, appreciative conversations, how we have used AI in our day-to-day interactions, and our use of SOAR. We made use of a range of AI-related materials and activities to promote thinking, talking and sharing with each other – we, as facilitators, modelled AI in our approach, our thinking and actions. Each cohort had a slightly different though related and ultimately connected area of inquiry:
Year 1 – Being the early-career EP we want to be
The beginning of the course focussed on what theparticipants brought to the course, what they hoped to learn and achieve and, most importantly, how they wanted to be as early-career EPs. This was one of the first things they took part in on the training course to encourage group coherence and integration, as well as being thoughtful and intentional about what they hope to achieve in their training.
Year 2 – Wellbeing: Developing a healthy culture in the DECAP programme
The midpoint of the course in which their area of wellbeing was identified by the trainees themselves. We opted to explore how to develop a healthy culture while in DECAP – looking at what they were already doing, what was working well and what else could be done. The reflective component of this is particularly important as our professional competencies and fitness-to-practise considerations include that we actively engage in ways to support and develop our own strategies for wellbeing. Recognising and addressing challenges can positively impact not only the individual student but also the broader educational community – their habitat.
Year 3 – Being the EP we want to be
The final year of the course in which the area of inquiry was reflecting on experiences and skills they have developed thus far, and considering what they wanted to bring from the past to their future role. We considered what steps people would be taking to become the EPs that they wanted to be. This was one of the last activities that they took part in on the programme, giving them a positive end point to their time on it before the next stage of their journey as qualified practitioner psychologists.
Did we cultivate a habitat for early-career EPs to thrive in?
We agreed that it is challenging to be sure that an individual will thrive in the long term; we remained mindful, hopeful and positive and were attentive to markers of engagement and change. We noticed how engaged people were during the activities. It was positive to hear them laughing and collaborating with each other during and after the activities. Hearing them discuss the AI principles, or talking in appreciative ways, was a positive experience for all of us – a marker that AI ideals were taking root, while helping to cultivate our own feelings of satisfaction and achievement, and to an extent self-efficacy.
Some early-career EPs remained sceptical about the AI approach; however, most were interested in pursuing training to equip them to practice AI themselves as they liked how it fitted with their world views and habitat. They could see how they could contribute to cultivating change in other situations.
Reforestation takes root
Applying AI’s 5D cycle to student wellbeing promoted a positive and inclusive approach, focusing on strengths and aspirations rather than problems and deficits, contributing to a supportive educational environment, something that could be brought forward into their careers. We considered these to be signs that the cultivation and reforestation had started to take root.
We encouraged them to develop personal action plans, important as part of being reflective and reflexive practitioners. We hoped they would become self-sustaining. We also emphasised the importance of considering their plans and revisiting them, reflecting on their responsibility for their own habitat as well as contributing to reforestation in their ecosystem. We hope that they will be sufficiently empowered to do so.
Minimising the climate chaos in our own habitat – Some further reflections
We have ourselves learnt much on the journey of incorporating AI into our work, in navigating and minimising some of the climate chaos inherent in our own habitats and ecosystems. Some key learning points include:
The importance of framing questions positively to elicit constructive responses; the power of storytelling in conveying values and experiences; and the need for ongoing communication to sustain positive change.
By focusing on what was already working well, early-career EPs learnt to appreciate and build upon existing strengths rather than dwelling on problems. It created a more constructive mindset among students.
It encouraged open communication, active listening and shared problem-solving. It fostered a sense of inclusivity and a shared ownership of the change process rather, than the responsibility being with the tutors.
Being part of early-career EPs development emphasised the AI values of diverse perspectives and experiences and reminded us how the strengths of an organisation lie in its people and thei diversity. We also learnt to acknowledge and accept that AI may not suit everyone.
Actively facilitating the AI process has honed our facilitation skills. We have developed a deeper understanding of group dynamics, communication strategies and effective ways to guide participants through each stage of the inquiry, ensuring meaningful engagement and collaboration.
The project has been a transformative learning experience, enriching our AI practice through hands-on application, adaptability, ongoing reflection and an expanded toolkit. We had the opportunity, the means and the motive to do our best to cultivate a habitat for early-career EPs to thrive, and we sincerely hope that we have gone some way to achieving this.
I was happily invited, for a second time, as sometime-professor at the University of Valencia to work with students in the Erasmus program “European Master in Work, Organizational and Personnel Psychology (WOP-P) 2024” for the course Intervention in Organizations, Organizational Change and Development (see photo). My three-day lecture is about contemporary methods of organizational change and development: Appreciative Inquiry interventions.
This LinkedIn post by Bishal Sala gives an impression of how it went. AI, of course, is the perfect practice for a process of “learning by doing”. We designed our own AI-summit on the self-chosen – and essential – topic of Work-Life-Balance.
Fast forward to the individual assignment I created, inspired by Nick Heap and Random Acts of Listening initiative, which turned out to be a great success, highly rewarding for both teacher and students.
Vasiliki Salvanou
Preparation
Since I was going to Turia Park, my goal was to choose someone who seemed approachable. I wanted to focus on strengths, successes and possibilities through my questions, rather than on problems.
Possible questions for an appreciative inquiry
1.“Hi, I’m a master’s student of organizational psychology in university of Valencia, and I’m doing a project on how people create and try to maintain positive changes in their lives. Would you mind if I ask you a couple of questions about this topic?”
2. Life moment “When you felt you were at your best? Was it special for you?”
3. Specific experience “How did your strengths shape your experience?”
4. Future goal “What’s something positive you hope to achieve in the future? What will help you get there?”
5. General “How could you focus more on positive outcomes rather than on obstacles?”
After the conversation
Before going to Turia Park, I felt both curious and hesitant.
I felt uncomfortable asking if I could take a picture because it seemed a bit intrusive. By focusing on creating a respectful and meaningful exchange, I chose to prioritize the connection over the photo, which allowed the conversation to flow more naturally and authentically.
My overall impression of the conversation was as follows: I introduced myself and described my project to a person seated on a bench. The stranger was open to talking, so we talked about a time when she felt most herself. We started a conversation about her strengths with her sharing a story of her own personal development. Generally, the conversation had a smooth and upbeat flow. Even though I was a bit anxious, it was simple to keep going because of the emphasis on advantages and positive elements.
From this experience I took away the importance of posing inquiries that prompt individuals to consider the positive parts of their lives. The talk flowed more naturally than I had expected, and it felt more like an interaction than an interview. Plus,I found out, it’s also not too difficult to strike up a (positive) conversation with a random girl at Turia Park.
I was happily invited, for a second time, as sometime-professor at the University of Valencia to work with students in the Erasmus program “European Master in Work, Organizational and Personnel Psychology (WOP-P) 2024” for the course Intervention in Organizations, Organizational Change and Development (see photo). My three-day lecture is about contemporary methods of organizational change and development: Appreciative Inquiry interventions.
This LinkedIn post by Bishal Sala gives an impression of how it went. AI, of course, is the perfect practice for a process of “learning by doing”. We designed our own AI-summit on the self-chosen – and essential – topic of Work-Life-Balance.
Fast forward to the individual assignment I created, inspired by Nick Heap and Random Acts of Listening initiative, which turned out to be a great success, highly rewarding for both teacher and students.
Bishal Saha
Inspired by Random Acts of Listening, I wanted to connect with someone entirely different from myself – a true “unusual suspect”. I headed to a nearby park, a serene setting where people often find quiet moments with nature. I noticed an elderly lady, likely in her seventies, walking gently with her small dog. She had an air of calm that captivated me. I decided to approach her. My goal was to engage in an Appreciative Inquiry conversation that would encourage her to share meaningful life experiences, aiming to uncover the insights and wisdom she might offer.
Before speaking to her, I prepared questions that might elicit rich reflections, including:
• “What’s something you’re grateful for at this stage of your life?”
• “What has been a defining lesson or value that you try to live by?”
• “If you could share a piece of wisdom with someone younger, what would it be?”
These questions were designed to create a safe, open space for conversation, allowing her to share insights from her life experience.
The conversation
After gathering the courage, I approached her with a smile and introduced myself, explaining that I was doing a project that involved talking to someone with different life experiences. She smiled and introduced herself as Elaine, introducing me to her dog, Max. Her warmth made it easy to begin, and we started strolling together through the park.
I started by asking, “Elaine, I’d love to hear about something you’re grateful for at this stage of life.” She paused for a moment, watching Max sniff around the grass, and then responded, “I’m grateful for simple joys, like these quiet walks with Max. They’re small moments, but they give me peace and remind me to be present.”
Encouraged by her openness, I asked, “How did you come to appreciate these small moments?” Elaine laughed softly and shared that, as a young mother juggling work, family and household responsibilities, she had rarely had time to slow down. “Back then, I was always running,” she said. “But I learned that life is richer when you stop and appreciate what you already have.” Her words struck a chord, a reminder of the importance of slowing down amidst life’s busyness.
No day is ever wasted
Next, I asked, “Is there a piece of wisdom or life philosophy that has guided you over the years?” Elaine nodded thoughtfully and shared a beautiful piece of advice: “No day is ever wasted if you have loved someone, felt joy, or learned something new”. She explained that this was a principle she’d held close throughout her life, even during hard times, like when she lost her husband a few years ago. “It’s not about achieving something big every day,” she said, “but finding beauty in the little things that make life meaningful.” Her words were profound, revealing her deep appreciation for life’s fleeting moments and connections.
Curious to understand her perspective on relationships, I followed up by asking, “How did kindness and compassion play a role in your relationships?” Elaine’s face softened as she talked about her marriage, her children and, now, her grandchildren. “I’ve always believed in treating people with kindness, even when they’ve hurt you,” she said. “It keeps you at peace with yourself and, I think, in the end it’s what people remember about you.”
At this point, I noticed how Max would look up at her with what seemed like admiration, and I could see how Elaine’s calm presence must have brought comfort to many people in her life. I was moved by her selfless approach to relationships, and her words made me reflect on the importance of kindness in my interactions.
Reflection and learning
After the conversation, I sat on a nearby bench to jot down my thoughts, surprised at how Elaine’s wisdom had affected me. Her life philosophy and simple joys offered a fresh perspective on happiness and contentment. I realized that true fulfillment doesn’t necessarily come from major achievements, but often from small, everyday moments we sometimes overlook. Her statement, “No day is ever wasted if you loved someone, felt joy or learned something new,” has stayed with me as a powerful reminder to seek out joy and learning each day.
This conversation taught me the importance of being present and appreciating life’s little pleasures – a lesson I might not have learned so profoundly if I hadn’t engaged in this appreciative inquiry. Elaine’s openness and willingness to share her experiences as a stranger highlighted the strength of empathetic listening and the connection it fosters, even in brief exchanges.
Conclusion
This exercise was both challenging and rewarding, as it pushed me out of my comfort zone and connected me to someone from a different generation with insights far beyond my own. Through Appreciative Inquiry, I gained a deeper appreciation for the wisdom that comes from lived experience, and I left the park that day with a renewed outlook on life’s small, joyful moments. Elaine’s wisdom on kindness, presence, and love enriched my understanding, and I hope to carry forward her lesson: to slow down, cherish small joys, and make time for meaningful interactions.
I was happily invited, for a second time, as sometime-professor at the University of Valencia to work with students in the Erasmus program “European Master in Work, Organizational and Personnel Psychology (WOP-P) 2024” for the course Intervention in Organizations, Organizational Change and Development (see photo). My three-day lecture is about contemporary methods of organizational change and development: Appreciative Inquiry interventions.
This LinkedIn post by Bishal Sala gives an impression of how it went. AI, of course, is the perfect practice for a process of “learning by doing”. We designed our own AI-summit on the self-chosen – and essential – topic of Work-Life-Balance.
Fast forward to the individual assignment I created, inspired by Nick Heap and Random Acts of Listening initiative, which turned out to be a great success, highly rewarding for both teacher and students.
Appreciate Inquiry Reflection with a Stranger
Rhens Rio Emil D. Guevarra
One Friday evening at the park while I was reflecting on “the week that was” after school, I overheard a man who seemed to be speaking Latin American Spanish. He also seemed so different to me. I was intrigued. I like to wear earthy, pastel colours, while he was all in black. I approached him and asked if I could ask a few questions for a project. I told him “it’s going to be a quick conversation about life”. He agreed.
We began with the question “what moment in your life you have felt most alive?”. He smiled, but seemed so stunned by the question. What we agreed would be a quick conversation turned out to be an hour of appreciation about life. As we spoke, I learned more about this stranger’s passion for kickboxing and how it helps him cope with life. He described his love for his friends back in Honduras. His longing for his mom’s cooking. How music keeps him alive.
Then he talked about the challenges of living in Spain. He shared how, day by day, despite his effort to keep friendships going, he is starting to lose contact with some of his friends back home. But life goes on. He has started meeting new people and building a life here. We realized how when one moves to a different place, so much of ourselves changes.
What started as a simple inquiry turned into a conversation about hope, and this is the part that really got me emotional. Both of us are students in Spain. Next year, we are graduating from our Master’s programs. Ramon (him) and I, despite missing home, prefer to stay in Spain. It’s not so easy for people like us. But there is always hope. And it is up to us to design the life we want. This was a difficult conversation, but something I needed at that very moment. The past few weeks, I’ve started to feel anxious about my future and it was comforting to have this conversation with a stranger.
You see, at first, Ramon was so different to me. I am soft-spoken and he was “a bit of force”, I would say. We have different hobbies, are from different cultures. But deep within, we are not so different. Such experience is a beautiful reminder of the interconnectedness of the human life, no matter where we come from. For an hour, we turned from strangers into, well, strangers who happened to know more about each other’s lives. Maybe we can become friends in the future if we hang out together more. We exchanged Instagrams and told each other we’d go out for a coffee sometime.
As I left the park that evening, I reflected on how every conversation has the potential to energize us, even when shared with a stranger. I found myself wondering: what if I make this a more regular practice? Instead of spending hours scrolling through social media, what if I engage in conversations with people at the gym or in my community? If social media often feels superficial, then these genuine interactions could be the true social energizers we crave.
Table 1. Questions I prepared to set the structure but I kept the conversation fluid and flexible.
Section
Questions
Energizing Question
What are the moments in your life where you felt most alive and fulfilled?
Define
What core values or passions define who you are and what you want to achieve?
Discovery (What gives life?)
What experiences or activities make you feel energized and connected?
Dream (What might be?)
What dreams or aspirations are you most excited about pursuing?
Design (What should be?)
What would need to change or grow in your life to make your dreams a reality?
Destiny (What will be?)
What small actions could you take now that align with your dreams?
Andrew Lynch
Cees Hoogendijk
Keith Storace | Australia
