Appreciative Inquiry Handbook: For Leaders of Change, 2nd Edition, The

Training & Development, Jul 2008 by Llorens, Juana

The Appreciative Inquiry Handbook: For Leaders of Change, 2nd Edition By David L Cooperrider, Diana Whitney, and Jacqueline M. Stavros (Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 654 pp., $49.95)

The Greek philosopher Diogenes Laertius gave us the quote, "Nothing endures but change." And for modern business leaders, from McDonald's to NASA, the first edition of this book has served as a map for using appreciative inquiry (Al) to engage employees to affect change across their organizations.

This edition has been revised and updated from the 2003 version with current case applications and several mini lectures defining the Al philosophy, plus a new lecture explaining "The Liberation of Power," or the six reasons why Al works.

The updated book delves further into the "4-D" concept surrounding discovery (interview), dream [organizational vision), design (understanding possibilities), and destiny (declaring intent) phases of an initiative. The companies used to illustrate the 4-D process in the first edition are back, with additions and updates on practical usage of Al. A new chapter titled "The Spirit of Designing," offers new insight on the design phase with examples from graphic and architectural designers.

The heart of the book provides worksheets, slides, and tools that relate Al's pertinence for business leaders, and that, too, is broadened in the update.

Juana Llorens