From SWOT to SOAR: a credible alternative for innovation and commitment

Appreciative Inquiry is an approach and a method of collective and individual support, which was born at the end of the 1980s in the United States and which has been developed in France since the 2000s thanks to the first experiments carried out by IFAI (French Institute for Appreciative Inquiry).

Based on a broad background of experimentation nourished by scientific research, produced by neurosciences and positive psychology, it renews the traditional approach to management on the basis of the principle that leading teams and steering activities can also starting from what already exists, from what works, from the successes, strengths and positive energies of the company.

Conducting an appreciative exploration to discover the ingredients of an organization’s success, define a motivating future, make engaging decisions and act to obtain the desired results and not to eliminate a problem, these are the principles that underlie Appreciative Inquiry . These structured and rewarding exchanges create a positive dynamic, which itself generates realistic optimism and lasting commitment to concrete action plans.

Appreciative Inquiry is deployed in fields or sectors of activity as varied as health, organizations, companies, associations, public service, communities, education, family, social, ecological transition , etc.

Its concrete applications are numerous: management, innovation, cohesion, cooperation, project management, recruitment, governance, coaching, mediation, etc.
Appreciative Management is thus built on the basis of scientific work that has demonstrated the ability of people, teams and organizations to grow, develop and perform, when they rely on what works well, their strengths, their talents and achievements.