Appreciative Inquiry

Diana Whitney Biography

Dr. Diana Whitneyis President of Corporation for Positive Change, an international consultancy bringing Appreciative Inquiry to the most pressing issues of our time. She is a cofounder of the Taos Institute, a non-profit organization focused on furthering the relational theory and practices of “social construction” for the benefit of businesses, communities and families around the globe. Diana is an acclaimed consultant, keynote speaker and thought leader on the subjects of Appreciative Inquiry, Positive Change, Appreciative Leadership and Spirituality at Work. She is the author or editor of fifteen books and numerous articles related to Appreciative Inquiry and Organization Development including the best selling The Power of Appreciative Inquiry. Her newest book is Appreciative Leadership: Focus on What Works to Drive Winning Performance and Build a Thriving Organization. Dr. Whitney is a Distinguished Consulting Faculty at Saybrook University and a Fellow of the World Business Academy. She teaches and consults to business, healthcare, religious, interfaith and governmental organizations in the Americas, Europe and Asia. Her work centers upon large-scale positive change, strategic planning and transformation, leadership development and the creation of appreciative organization.

Ralph Weickel Biograpy

Ralph Weickel is a Consulting Partner with Corporation for Positive Change and the Principal of Performance Management, an appreciative business consultancy that amplifies performance by engaging the spirit and unleashing the passion of all stakeholders. Ralph brings 25 years of experience working across a broad range of industries including financial institutions, utilities, defense contractors, hospitals, publishing and small businesses. He guides businesses and individuals to identify core strengths and build on those strengths to permanently improve performance. He utilizes Appreciative Inquiry as the basis for strength development, performance improvement, and achievement of collective goals. Ralph specializes in working with organizations in the areas of team development, change management, sales/customer service program development and implementation, strategic planning, employee engagement, executive coaching and fostering/developing an entrepreneurial spirit. A native of Germany, he is fluent in German.

Enhance your capacities to design and facilitate positive change

Appreciative Inquiry (AI) is recognized worldwide as a revolutionary process for high engagement positive change. This 1,5-days Master Class is for people new to AI as well as for people who are actively using AI as leaders and consultants.

Faculty for the workshop—Appreciative Inquiry thought leader and master consultant Diana Whitney, and innovative practitioner Ralph Weickel—will guide you through the foundational steps of Appreciative Inquiry. They will provide an overview of the theory, principles and research related to AI, along with an experiential clinic on key practices. They will share examples and supporting materials, illustrating how the AI 4-D Cycle has been applied to a wide range of issues, situations and organizations: strategic planning, leadership development and culture transformation.

You will leave the AI Master Class with enhanced capacities to design and facilitate key steps in the AI process: forming and facilitating a core team, articulating a change agenda, selecting affirmative topics, crafting and conducting appreciative interviews, making meaning of narrative data, envisioning and enacting positive futures, drafting provocative propositions and supporting innovation teams. And you will leave with a wealth of ideas for using AI to create positive change in your organization or community.

This AI Master Class is based uponDiana Whitney and Amanda Trosten-Bloom’s best selling book, The Power of Appreciative Inquiry, 2^nd Ed. We suggest you read it before attending.

Corporation for Positive Change is dedicated to the design and development of appreciative organizations - those capable of sustaining innovation, financial wellbeing and market leadership by inspiring the best in human beings. We provide organizational change consultation and training based on the principles and practices of Appreciative Inquiry.

Current services include:

· Appreciative Inquiry Consultation, a purposeful partnership with executives and employee teams to create high engagement innovation and sustainable positive change.

· The Appreciative Inquiry Summit, a process for whole system transformation;

· Executive Coaching in Appreciative Leadership, the application of Appreciative Inquiry and the creation of Appreciative Organizations;

· Keynote Speeches related to Appreciative Inquiry, Positive Change and Appreciative Leadership;

· Public and In-House Workshops on Appreciative Inquiry and Appreciative Leadership Development.

In addition we offer the following resources: a Foundations in Appreciative Inquiry CD set; an Advances in Appreciative Inquiry workshop DVD; and a train-the-trainer program for facilitators of our Appreciative Leadership Development Program.

For more information, see overview of Master Classes, Our Speakers or General Overview of Agenda and Detailed Agenda.
For the Fees of the Master Classes, see Registration.