What’s the smallest change now that can make a sustainable impact?
This powerful question invites us to be in the moment, real and responsible.
We use it successfully in Appreciative Inquiry workshops after the dream / imagining step. (See 4-D graphic)
Why is this important? Asking what can you start right now after collectively dreaming about a shared, preferred future brings the energy back to the present – the here and now.
Remember,
- We open an appreciative inquiry with discovering best stories from our own past.
- Next,we project our collective strengths and successes – our positive core – into the future as we dream what’s possible together. Example:
Say, we’re inquiring into the topic of “protecting and valuing our environment for future generations”.
- The smallest change I can do right now is to stop using plastic bags. I will now take my own reusable shopping bags to the stores.
- Similarly, in the office I can stop using plastic or styrene cups by using my own glass and mug.
The act of asking the individual what small thing he or she can do right now that will impact the future serves as a great transition to the
third and forth steps in the full appreciative inquiry process: Design and Destiny.When we recognize it’s within our own power to start with a seemingly small action step, it opens us up to begin the co-creative process of
designing a future we care about, and, with our own actions can be sustained. - The smallest change I can do right now is to stop using plastic bags. I will now take my own reusable shopping bags to the stores.
- Then before moving to the next steps we ask, what is the smallest change you can do right now, in the present that will have an impact going forward?
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Good to be reminded. With spring upon us, I’ve been thinking that thinking under abundance is so different from thinking under scarcity.
We’ve been brought up to stress all thing things we must do today, to worry about wasting time, etc.
I had been thinking about choosing the tasks that satisfices – much as I learned to do when I was travelling – just go into the first restaurant with locals on it and point to something lots of people seem to be eating.
What you suggest is a little more complicated but less deflating. It invokes a little snigger of glee that I don’t like but a matrix of impact and cost – I use stickies on the card that backs a writing pad anyway – The pick any task that is easy to do and has a large impact.
Yep! As the post on the Practice of Positivity states the small positive actions far exceed the negative ones in the world. It is time we started to focus on those.
Thanks for your comment.
Another appreciative inquiry mini-case study: