Coach coach go!
The coaching method appreciative coaching was presented in Leer, Germany.
These are the handouts of the workshop and some general infomation on appreciative coaching:
What is appreciative coaching?
The difference between appreciative coaching (or appreciative inquiry) and other forms of coaching is that AI does not start from a problem, but rather from a positive idea: things the coachee is good at, things that go well, that the coachee likes, a success story... This first stage of the 4-D model, called Discovery, sets out to find the strong points or so called core qualities of the coachee.
These qualities are discovered by both the coach and the coachee on the basis of a success story told by the coachee. However, to receive more information on the coachee's strengths, we combine the 4D-method with an online test of the Belbin team roles. After completing the test, the result will show two preferential team roles and one 'opposite' role of the coachee. This will give the coach an indication of the strengths (and potential weaknesses) of the coachee and will support the conversation. You can find more information on core qualities and the Belbin team roles below.
Back to appreciative inquiry and the 4D-model: in a second phase, the Dream phase, the coachee is asked to describe their dream (working) situation. The coachee can do away with any obstacles and practicalities, dream up anything they like or think useful and give themselves dream tasks requiring dream qualities. Some people are 'fantastic' dreamers, others are more realistic in their description. That too is part of their core qualities. The coach keeps an open mind and is curious about whatever the coachee says.
This dream situation will provide a metaphorical goal for the coachee: this is where the coachee should be heading, even though they might never reach the goal (eg because the destination is fantastic or irrealistic or because there are too many external hindrances in the present reality). Still, the question in the third phase is: what is stopping you from pursuing the dream? What are the ways to your dream? What are the obstacles and how can you do away with them or avoid them? In other words: how can you Design your path towards the dream?
When this is clear, the coaching moves on to a fourth stage, called Destination, in which the coachee chooses what they will move forward with. Often, coach and coachee agree on the first very concrete steps to be taken: what will you do tomorrow, or when you leave this room?