For the curious mind: What is Appreciative Inquiry? and what is an Appreciative Coach? (me!)

I get asked sometimes what is what I mean with being an 'Appreciative Career Coach' and once people get the notion that what I do comes from Appreciative Inquiry, then the follow up question about what this is arises.
I am going to try to summarize it based on what I've learned myself and others have written about it either in books or internet sites.
Let's start by saying that Appreciative Inquiry is a positive approach to change. It is about the power of the question. It was created in the Academia world - Case Weatherhead School of Management -I'll share with you a little tiny piece of what its 'founder' has shared on this regard:
“It all starts with Inquiry…the questions we ask, the things we focus on, the topics that we choose determine what we find. What we find becomes the data and the story out of which we dialogue about and envision the future. And so, the seeds of change are implicit in the very first question we ask.”
Cooperrider, 1995

So, basically, what have you done that's worked out really well for you? Let's do more of that!" - how to discover things that have been successful -- What have you done that's worked out really well for you?
Instead of discovering what the client - you - is "doing wrong" and telling them - again you- how to do it right, my process as an Appreciative Career coach becomes to discover what is what you are doing right (what your particular talents are), reminding you that those things are enjoyable, and suggesting that you do more of that.
Does it make more sense now?
OUR IMAGE OF THE FUTURE DRIVES OUR ACTION! or as Peter Drucker put it: The best way to predict the future is to create it.
Not falling too much more into the details of how it works I can tell you that there are very solid examples of AI success stories around the world. I'll share the one that is the closest to my heart as I worked at the particular Business Unit in which the story took place where I learned a lot about the AI application and potential for success. (BP case: http://aradford.co.uk/images/stories/ODJournalFall2007_DG_and_AR.pdf ).

Now, go, take a look and if wanting to open an inquiry about your career that is what I am here for. My offer for you is a free introductory complimentary session either face-to-face , over the phone or by Skype .
Enjoy the ride and go and start creating that future you want.

"Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it.
Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it".
(Goethe)