Inspiring Impacts Cooperrider Center for Appreciative Inquiry at Champlain College

Who’s Inspiring Impacts today? It’s the one and only, Dr. David Cooperrider, the first person to coin the term “Appreciative Inquiry”! David Cooperrider, PhD, is a professor and Founder of the Center for Business as an Agent of World Benefit at the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University. As we wrap up Season 1 of Inspiring Impacts, David joins host Dr. Lindsey Godwin to share his definition and perspectives on three decades of global f Appreciative Inquiry work.
David shares stories of how  Appreciative Inquiry first developed, how he’s applied it in his own life, and how he’s seen others use AI to create positive change in their lives and the world for over 30 years. Highlighting many of the themes we’ve discussed throughout this season, he answers questions you’ve likely been wondering. He also details the powerful role of language in bringing people together in a creative mode, practicing Appreciative Inquiry, and realizing transformation.
David Cooperrider, PhD, is the Fairmount Minerals Professor of Social Entrepreneurship at the Weatherhead School of Management, Case Western Reserve University. Currently David serves as Faculty Director of the Center for Business as an Agent of World Benefit. David is best known as the co-creator and creative thought leader of Appreciative Inquiry (AI). His founding work with AI is creating a positive revolution in the leadership of change; it is helping institutions all over the world discover the power of the strength-based approaches to multi-stakeholder innovation and collaborative design. Cooperrider’s work is especially unique because of its ability to enable positive change, innovation, and sustainable design in systems of large and complex scale.
Episode Highlights:
The origin story of the term “Appreciative Inquiry”.
Why the “whole system” approach is so important in the Appreciative Inquiry model.
“Words create worlds.” – What is the meaning behind that phrase?
Reframing as a core principle of Appreciative Inquiry & how David brought reframing to life in his own health journey.
Why storytelling is a powerful tool and a core part of any appreciative process.
Appreciative questions you can take with you into work, relationships, personal health, and more.
Join us next season for more conversations, stories, and guests who are Inspiring Impacts all over the world!
Did this episode inspire or impact you? Want to make an impact on us? If so, SHARE this episode with a friend, leave us a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts, and follow Inspiring Impacts wherever you listen to podcasts!
Resources & Previous Episodes Mentioned:
More about David's work and writing: https://www.davidcooperrider.com 
David's commentary on the original AI article he and Suresh Srivastva published https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/S1475-9152(2013)0000004001/full/html
UN Global Compact Appreciative Inquiry Summit: https://aicommons.champlain.edu/educational-material/united-nations-global-compact-leaders-summit/ 
Making Change Easy: The Tiniest Ai Summit in the World.  This article details David's personal health journey using AI reframing as an approach
AI and the United Religions Initiative (URI) http://www.theinterfaithobserver.org/journal-articles/2019/5/13/appreciative-inquiry-and-the-united-religions-initiative
Ame Lambert: add link when live
Jackie Wong: add link when live
Liz Vogel: https://bit.ly/43IjfSz
Luc Verheijen: https://bit.ly/43KO7Sg
Tojo Thatchenkery: add link when live
Ellen Drolette: https://bit.ly/44HAgOc
Yabome Gilpin-Jackson: https://bit.ly/47aQjWc
Ronald Fry: https://bit.ly/44GXN1F
Inspiring Quotes:
“Appreciative Inquiry is all about the search for the true, the good, the better, the possible.”
“We grow and we become what we most deeply, frequently, and most powerfully ask questions about.”
“There’s a big difference between eliminating something and enabling something and you can’t enable what

Who’s Inspiring Impacts today? Cindy Stull! Cindy Stull is the Chief Revenue Officer at Dealer Tire. Listen in as Cindy joins host Dr. Lindsey Godwin to shed light on how she’s spearheading large change initiatives and moving organizations in inspirational directions through Appreciative Inquiry.
Cindy inspires us to foster a company culture that’s rooted in Appreciative Inquiry and thoughtful questions. She highlights the powerful benefits of hosting an Appreciative Inquiry summit along with how Appreciative Inquiry can improve every aspect of leadership and business.
If you’re looking to drive strategic and cultural advancements across your organization, this episode is one to take notes on!
Cindy Stull is Partner & Chief Revenue Officer at Dealer Tire in Cleveland Ohio. Dealer Tire is a value-added distributor that manages tire programs for over 20 automotive manufacturers. Cindy joined the company in 2006 and is responsible for leading a team of over 500 people who help auto dealerships to be more profitable and drive customer retention. Previously holding the positions of Chief Sales Officer and Chief People & Strategy Officer, Cindy plays a key role in shaping the strategy and culture of Dealer Tire, while ensuring top-notch execution.
Episode Highlights:
How Cindy uses Appreciative Inquiry to solve problems, increase engagement, and achieve long-lasting change in organizations like Dealer Tire.
What is an Appreciative Inquiry summit and how do these AI summits impact employees and customers?
How Appreciative Inquiry can improve talent management, safety programs, and diversity and inclusion in leadership.
Why  Cindy choose to adopt an appreciative approach to leadership
Resources Mentioned:
Co-Creating Roadmap for Inclusion: Dealer Tire’s Inclusive Leadership (COIL) article 
Inspiring Quotes:
“If we’re asking questions that are more focused on the strengths and what we want to be and how we grow, then we find that we accelerate the pace of change and the change is actually much more long-lasting.”
“Learning more about Appreciative Inquiry has given me the structure and science behind why it works and helped me to leverage new methodologies, new tools, take what might have been a natural collaborative style to just a whole different level based on the research that’s out there.”
“I can envision that we are probably going to have a real opportunity to have a summit around the customer experience and ensure that we are galvanizing our leaders to every level, including our frontline technicians.”
What is Appreciative Inquiry?
Appreciative Inquiry, sometimes referred to as “the other AI”, is one of the best kept secrets behind meaningful and lasting change at organizations. The AI approach is strength-based, meaning it focuses on identifying and leveraging successes to solve problems, rather than focusing on trying to fix individual failures.
Did this episode inspire or impact you? Want to make an impact on us? If so, SHARE this episode with a friend, leave us a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts, and follow Inspiring Impacts wherever you listen to podcasts!

Who’s Inspiring Impacts today? Tojo Thatchenkery! Dr. Tojo Thatchenkery, PhD, is a professor, author, and Founder of the Appreciative Intelligence® Model, which is based on Appreciative Inquiry and mindfulness. Listen in as Tojo joins host Dr. Lindsey Godwin to detail the concept of Appreciative Intelligence and share how you can develop your own Appreciative Intelligence® with just three simple techniques.
From doctors to economists to parents, everyone can benefit from growing their Appreciative Intelligence®! Tojo says a big part of that is practicing mindfulness and positive reframing. Tune in to learn more about the power of Appreciative Intelligence® and even how it  helped Tojo transform his relationship with his daughter.
Tojo Thatchenkery, PhD, is a professor and director of the Organization Development and Knowledge Management program in the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University. He is an internationally known speaker, consultant, and educator and is featured as one of the leading change thinkers in the Palgrave Handbook of Organizational Change Thinkers. Thatchenkery’s research has been funded by agencies such as the United States National Science Foundation, National Security Agency, and the U.S. Postal Service. He is the author of more than a dozen books and hundreds of articles.
Episode Highlights:
The difference between Appreciative Inquiry and Appreciative Intelligence®.
How leaders, individuals, and organizations are using Appreciative Intelligence® (plus their results).
Why reframing is a crucial part of Appreciative Inquiry and Intelligence.
How to develop your Appreciative Intelligence® and reframing skills.
The 4 qualities of people with Appreciative Intelligence®.
How Tojo has used Appreciative Intelligence® and reframing in his personal life.
What is the circular economy and how do you see it as reframing in action?
Resources Mentioned:
http://www.appreciativeintelligence.com/
Appreciative Intelligence®: Seeing the Mighty Oak in the Acorn (book) by Tojo Thatchenkery and Carol Metzker
The Development and Validation of the Appreciative Intelligence ® Scale (article) by Brian Whitaker, Tojo Thatchenkery, and Lindsey Godwin
Inspiring Quotes:
“Appreciative Inquiry is a systematic way of building on those core values, competencies, assets, etc. thereby creating a much better and healthier organization.
“We also find mindfulness as one of the best examples of a practice for reframing and seeing the positive because in mindfulness, you are accepting the present as good without judging.” 
What is Appreciative Inquiry?
Appreciative Inquiry, sometimes referred to as “the other AI”, is one of the best kept secrets behind meaningful and lasting change at organizations. The AI approach is strength-based, meaning it focuses on identifying and leveraging successes to solve problems, rather than focusing on trying to fix individual failures.
Did this episode inspire or impact you? Want to make an impact on us? If so, SHARE this episode with a friend, leave us a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts, and follow Inspiring Impacts wherever you listen to podcasts!

Who’s Inspiring Impacts today? Jacqueline Wong! Jacqueline Wong is a Singapore-based Appreciative Inquiry Practitioner and Founder/Managing Director of Sequoia Group. Listen in as Jackie shares with host Dr. Lindsey Godwin how she’s been integrating Appreciative Inquiry into Singapore’s labor movement, healthcare system, community engagement, and more!
In this episode, Jackie sheds light on the powerful impact of intentionally seeking where things are working and asking new questions to figure out how we can sustain success together. She breaks down some prime examples of how she has used this Appreciative Inquiry methodology to bring positive change to the people and systems of Singapore (and how you can, too!).
Jackie Wong is an Appreciative Inquiry Practitioner and Founder/Managing Director of Sequoia Group, a management consultancy specializing in Leadership & Organizational Development (OD). She is the Founder of Imagine Singapore and board member of the International Appreciative Inquiry Journal.
Episode Highlights:
How Jackie first used Appreciative Inquiry to help transform Singapore’s labor movement.
The behind-the-scenes of Imagine Singapore, which aims to create hope and possibility through AI and meaningful conversations.
Reimagining Singapore’s Healthcare: How Appreciative Inquiry fueled a quest for a sustainable, relationship-based healthcare system.
Resources Mentioned:
Learn more about Imagine Singapore: https://www.sequoia.com.sg/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Synopsis_on_Imagine_Singapore_Age_Unlimited_Inquiry_Summit.pdf
The Sequoia Group: https://www.sequoia.com.sg/about-us/ 
Imagine Chicago: https://www.imaginechicago.org
Inspiring Quotes:
“I have infused Appreciative Inquiry into every single intervention.”
“I want to say how important it is to understand the principles of AI, not just the tools and the techniques and the questions.” 
What is Appreciative Inquiry?
Appreciative Inquiry, sometimes referred to as “the other AI”, is one of the best kept secrets behind meaningful and lasting change at organizations. The AI approach is strength-based, meaning it focuses on identifying and leveraging successes to solve problems, rather than focusing on trying to fix individual failures.
Did this episode inspire or impact you? Want to make an impact on us? If so, SHARE this episode with a friend, leave us a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts, and follow Inspiring Impacts wherever you listen to podcasts!

Who’s Inspiring Impacts today? Dr. Ame Lambert! Dr. Ame Lambert is the Vice President for Global Diversity & Inclusion at Portland State University (PSU). Tune in as Ame speaks with host Dr. Lindsey Godwin about the generative power of Appreciative Inquiry in the field of diversity, equity, and inclusion at universities and beyond.
Ame describes how Appreciative Inquiry helps bring diverse groups together across cultures, races, and ethnicities, making it a powerful tool for seeing the universal humanity in all of us and bringing out the best in each of us.
You’ll learn how Ame and her colleagues are using an appreciative approach to co-create a racially just and equitable future for the Portland community. She notes how the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, along with a similar tragedy at PSU, fueled her action-focused diversity and inclusion summit called Time to Act. Listen in to learn about the powerful impact of this summit and the work that continues to unfold at PSU.
In her role as  Vice President for Global Diversity & Inclusion at Portland State University, Dr. Ame Lambert  leads the embedding of equity into all university operations, and supports the thriving of minoritized students and employees. Her goal and core purpose is to close the gap between potential and thriving for students and the university as a whole.
Episode Highlights:
What pushed Ame to use Appreciative Inquiry in her diversity and inclusion work.
How to use Appreciative Inquiry to fuel action in people who feel hopeless, angry, and frustrated.
The Appreciative Inquiry framework that informed the design of the Time to Act Summit.
Dream and Discovery questions that encourage people to imagine a more inclusive, equitable future.
Goals and action items of PSU’s Time to Act Plan.
How PSU is infusing diversity, equity, and inclusion into leadership and infrastructure, student education, scholarship and service, and the performance review process.
Resources Mentioned:
Time to Act Summit: https://www.pdx.edu/diversity/equity-summit
Inspiring Quotes:
“I see AI as a methodology that really activates the best in us to work for the best of us.”
“Every year we’re getting better.”
“What pain and anger of frustration actually are communicating is that in my core, I have a sense of how it should be.” 
What is Appreciative Inquiry?
Appreciative Inquiry, sometimes referred to as “the other AI”, is one of the best kept secrets behind meaningful and lasting change at organizations. The AI approach is strength-based, meaning it focuses on identifying and leveraging successes to solve problems, rather than focusing on trying to fix individual failures.
Did this episode inspire or impact you? Want to make an impact on us? If so, SHARE this episode with a friend, leave us a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts, and follow Inspiring Impacts wherever you listen to podcasts!

Who’s Inspiring Impacts today? Pru Sullivan! Pru Sullivan is the former Director of Continuous Learning and Organizational Development at Green Mountain Coffee Roasters. Tune in as Pru speaks with host Dr. Lindsey Godwin about how to integrate Appreciative Inquiry principles into the core of your company and with employees.
Pru sheds light on how Green Mountain Coffee Roasters leveraged Appreciative Inquiry to grow from a small shop to the billion-dollar company it is today. She describes the different ways you can adopt an appreciative approach at a growing organization, from leadership onboarding and project management to accelerating employee and collective performance and beyond.
Pru Sullivan is a Founding Partner of The Change Factory and a Practitioner in Residence Emeritus at David L. Cooperrider Center for Appreciative Inquiry at Champlain College-Stiller School of Business. For over a decade, Pru has been co-creating, designing, and delivering strength-based growth initiatives based on Appreciative Inquiry methodology. Her mission is to be an inspirational catalyst for personal, team, organizational, and community breakthrough growth and strength-based transformation.
Episode Highlights:
How Bob Stiller’s philosophy of strength-based Appreciative Inquiry impacted Green Mountain Coffee’s culture.
How Appreciative Inquiry creates shared ownership in organizational change.
Green Mountain’s AI Summit: Where their core principles were born.
Tips for onboarding new leaders and ensuring they’re aligned with your organization’s core values and culture.
The critical impact of appreciative training for frontline supervisors.
How to use Appreciative Inquiry in employee performance reviews to accelerate individual and collective performance.
Building Appreciative Inquiry into project management and product development.
Resources Mentioned:
The Joy of Appreciative Living by Jackie Kelm: https://www.amazon.com/Joy-Appreciative-Living-Happiness-Incredibly/dp/1585426601
Inspiring Quotes:
“What’s wonderful about Appreciative Inquiry is that when you make that shift, the evidence shows up.”
“A performance review cycle often acts as a demotivator and an upsetter that takes months to often recover from. And so, we formed a cross-functional team… to say, our task is to redesign this process and redesign the software that’s coming in to reflect how we want performance management to be managed.”
“It’s not a nice-to-have, it’s a must-have if you want to be a high-performance organization that is making a positive difference in the world.”
What is Appreciative Inquiry?
Appreciative Inquiry, sometimes referred to as “the other AI”, is one of the best kept secrets behind meaningful and lasting change at organizations. The AI approach is strength-based, meaning it focuses on identifying and leveraging successes to solve problems, rather than focusing on trying to fix individual failures.
Did this episode inspire or impact you? Want to make an impact on us? If so, SHARE this episode with a friend, leave us a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts, and follow Inspiring Impacts wherever you listen to podcasts!