Appreciative Interviews
A structured paired interview process from Appreciative Inquiry where participants interview each other about peak experiences and what they value most. Unlike problem-focused discussion openers, appreciative interviews generate positive energy, build connection, and surface the conditions that produce excellence — making them powerful as workshop openers or community-building exercises.
Comment l'animer
- 1
Prepare 3–4 open interview questions focused on peak experiences and strengths: 'Tell me about a time you felt most alive and engaged at work. What made it so? What were you contributing?'
- 2
Pair participants. Person A interviews Person B for 7–10 minutes, listening deeply and taking brief notes on what stands out.
- 3
Switch. Person B interviews Person A.
- 4
Each person shares one key story or insight from their partner with the larger group.
- 5
Harvest themes: what do the stories reveal about what makes us thrive? What conditions were present?
Conseils
Listening without interruption is essential — resist the coaching reflex to ask follow-up questions.
The interviewer's job is to draw out the story and note the life-giving factors.
Stories, not opinions, are the unit of data.
Variantes
Use as the 'Discover' phase of a full Appreciative Inquiry cycle. Run 'appreciative exit interviews' to capture what made people's best work possible before they leave the organisation.
Contextes d'utilisation
Questions fréquemment posées
Quand utiliser Appreciative Interviews ?â–ľ
Utilisez Appreciative Interviews lorsque vous souhaitez: Workshop openings; Community building; Team culture exploration; Change management kick-offs.
Combien de temps dure Appreciative Interviews ?â–ľ
Appreciative Interviews dure généralement 20–40 minutes.
Pour combien de participants Appreciative Interviews convient-il ?â–ľ
Appreciative Interviews fonctionne mieux pour des groupes de 4–100 participants.
De quels matériaux ai-je besoin pour Appreciative Interviews ?▾
Pour animer Appreciative Interviews, vous aurez besoin de : interview guide with 3–4 questions.
Quel est le niveau de difficulté de Appreciative Interviews ?▾
Appreciative Interviews est classé débutant — facile à animer même sans expérience préalable.
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Essayer gratuitementMethod descriptions on Workshop Weaver are original content written by our team, based on established facilitation practices.