Creating a Healthy Workplace Culture Using an Appreciative Inquiry 4-D Cycle

Abstract

This study describes the second year of an ongoing partnership between an urban drug court (UDC) and a research university with very high research activity. The purpose of the second year of our study was to engage an appreciative inquiry (AI) Learning Team in all stages of the AI 4-D Cycle to discover the positive core of their work history and work relationships to create a healthy UDC workplace culture. Nine purposively selected participants were engaged in all four stages of the AI 4-D Cycle. There were four findings. Participants (a) developed a strong sense of personal and collective empowerment; (b) created a compelling vision for healthy workplace culture; (c) created a blueprint to achieve their vision of a healthy workplace culture; and (d) generated important action steps to implement a healthy workplace culture. The application to practice of using an AI 4-D Cycle provides managers in both private and public organizations with strategies to create healthy workplace cultures.