Bring sunshine to your business with Appreciative Inquiry
Our brains are wired to notice the negative. It is our survival instinct. Unfortunately it is not useful anymore in the world we live in. At work, this leads to criticism, resentment, overwhelm, discouragement, and employees working against each other instead of together. The good news is that anyone can learn new habits and responses to challenging situations.
As the owner of a small business, you have a choice in the kind of leader and role model you want to be.
Appreciative Inquiry (AI) is more than a process, it is a way of life. It is rooted in the science of positive psychology that has been booming for the last 30 years. Its reach goes far beyond the traditional use of psychology to address disorders or unwanted behaviors. Positive psychology, and Appreciative Inquiry in particular, has been embraced by communities, non-profits, and large organizations including Apple, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, the United Nations, the US Navy, and even His Holiness the Dalai Lama. It is often referred to as a strengths-based revolution —now you can be a part of it too!
Three options are available to bring you the power of the Appreciative Inquiry approach. Do it as a personal challenge, on your own time, with an online, self-paced course. Or tackle your challenges as a team, showing your employees that you care about their wellbeing as much as your business goals. Or work directly with a coach to apply guiding principles and practical tools to the situations you are facing right now.
Appreciative Inquiry is life giving. It is about curiosity, creativity, collaboration, and fun!
Regardless of which option you choose, you will gain tools to bring sunshine into your life and your business
—no matter what the situation is.
The Sunshine Course
A 6-week, online, self-paced course introducing the Appreciative Inquiry principles and practices: a strengths-based approach to living and working. If you take it yourself, it will change your mindset, what you pay attention to, the questions you ask, and the way you lead others (with benefits to your personal life too). If you take it as a group, like a book club, it is sure to generate powerful conversations with immediate and lasting positive impacts on your team's morale, motivation, and productivity.
The Sunshine Workshop
Similar to the Sunshine Course, the workshop introduces your team to Appreciative Inquiry principles and practices. It provides the added benefit of having an experienced coach guide your group through the content and reflections to maximize their impact. Plus, you get to customize the experience to your unique needs: pick your schedule, pace, goal, and even your price. Doing it together improves compassion, collaboration, and creativity —at home and at work!
The Personal Plan
Positive changes in business start with inspirational leadership —that's you! Choose your goal and your style: do you need immediate, practical tips to lift you up; support to achieve a long-term goal; ideas to shift your team's attitude; clarity on how to integrate business (especially if working from home) and the rest of your life? Appreciative Inquiry can be as practical or as philosophical as you want it to be. Individual coaching lets you pick the destination, and I'm here to accompany you on the journey.
