More and more I am witnessing the power that leveraging our strengths has in the nonprofit sector. This approach, which identifies what is working well within any given system or organization and builds upon this knowledge, is at the heart of Appreciative Inquiry. This method builds a constructive union between strengths and opportunities through the mobilization of inquiry, which seeks to construct the best and highest future of an organization by liberating its capacity.

For many, this approach is likened to a new mental metabolism, which moves the process of organizational development and strategic planning away from a deficit-based approach to strengths-based approach. It is widely recognized that organizations will move in the direction of the questions asked. A strengths-based approach does not seek to ignore challenges but rather seeks to address challenges as opportunities to leverage what is working well within any system.

Leverage is key to sustainability and to impact, as noted by the authors of Forces for Good: The Six Practices of High-Impact Nonprofits.

“Being an extraordinary nonprofit isn’t about building an organization and scaling up. It’s not about perfect management or outstanding marketing or having a large budget. Rather, it’s about finding ways to leverage other sectors to create extraordinary impact. Great nonprofits are catalysts; they transform the system around them to achieve greater good.”

Asking the powerful question that moves an organization, a program or even one’s own leadership in a direction that capitalizes on strengths moves groups away from subsistence strategies to develop strategies that support deeper needs and opportunities for impact. In many regards, the process and outcomes of an appreciative inquiry framework fundamentally changes our view of the present, and thereby holds possibilities for the future. The authors of Getting to Maybe: How the World is Changed observed the connection between a deliberate perspective and its influence on the process of change.

“We believed that ways of seeing could change ways of doing, that influencing practice in turn could influence groups.”

The authors go on to connect the importance that inquiry, not certitudes, plays in the process of change within complex situations.

“In complex situations there are no final answers. But certain key questions illuminate the issues of social innovation. Social innovation both reveals and creates tensions. Once understood, these tensions can then be engaged — not simply managed — in the interests of amplifying the desired changed. Relationships are key to understanding and engaging with the complex dynamic of social innovation. It is what happens between people, organizations, communities and parts of systems that matters — ‘in the between’ of relationships. A certain mindset is crucial framed by inquiry not certitudes, one that embraces paradoxes and tolerates multiple perspectives.”

Many of the cultural norms within the nonprofit sector have been driven by funder requirements to ensure accountability of public funds spent. However, an over importance placed on pre-determined outcomes has resulted in a narrowing of innovation within the sector through a dramatic decrease in inquiry and an over dependence on certitudes. This has contracted innovation on the organizational, programmatic, sector and personal leadership fronts. Changing this culture will first rely on individual leadership to strategically leverage the learning that is taking place in the “in the between of relationships” space, in order to unleash the innovation that is waiting to be seen.

Pattie LaCroix has provided strategic engagement services to support leadership that ignites innovation in the social sector. As CEO of Catapult Media she provides strategic planning and professional coaching services to a wide range of organizations. You can reach Pattie at www.catapultmedia.ca.