I'm reposting an e-mail sent from a former business partner/vendor introducing me to the concept of "appreciative inquiry"... It was an unexpected but nice sentiment in line with the spirit of Thanksgiving. For a number of friends and myself, there is plenty to be thankful for this year (more on that tomorrow)...
Dear Lynn,
Recently I have been introduced the concept of Appreciative Inquiry or AI, as a simple method of recognizing the extraordinarily wonders that fill my world and more importantly, of appreciating and engaging the opportunities that are continually present around me. Imagine how much of our awareness of our world is created through the conversations we have describing it.
We have the remarkable ability to describe situations and events by either what was missing or what was there… by what went right or what went wrong…by what we want or by what we don’t want. One of the principles of AI is that our conversations play a significant role in what we experience in our life. The inquiry part of AI says that it is the questions we ask that shape the direction of our conversations.
You are such a welcome part of my life. As either a friend, a client, or a colleague, your conversation has brought light to my world. It has shown me new opportunities and new ideas. It has brought energy to my work. It has added color to my vision.
I thank you so much for how you have touched my life. Imagine how many other people you have touched with your conversations. What if you could see the differences you have made in all of those lives?
Have a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving!!