Client Stories

Looking for specific examples of how we apply appreciative inquiry in a particular organizational context? The following client stories are typical of our work. They illustrate how we customize the Appreciative Inquiry process to meet a client's unique needs and circumstances. Click on the appropriate links to learn more about each example.

Lighthouse Community Center (community building and visioning process)—This volunteer-run Center serves the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered community in Southern Alameda County, California. Our work with them has focused on building community among a variety of stakeholder groups and creating a shared vision of their desired future for the LCC. We conducted an initial half-day community meeting and continued to support their "Appreciative Inquiry Team" in moving the AI process forward.

"The community meeting you facilitated using appreciative inquiry was the most successful ever! It was great to leave feeling both productive and energized, with a renewed sense of collaboration among these disparate organizations.
  Frank J. Howell, President of the Board
  Lighthouse Community Center

"This (Appreciative Inquiry) process was incredibly powerful…. I've never left one of these community meetings feeling so positive or hopeful!"
  Unidentified participant in the community meeting

Home of Truth Spiritual Center (strategic planning process during leadership transition)—This metaphysical church was hiring a new minister and chose to use that transition as a time to explore and redefine their strategic direction. After an extended planning process, we led an Appreciative Inquiry Summit in a week-end retreat format. The theme was "Under the Stars, Into the Future: Co-Creating a Vibrant Home of Truth."

"An immeasurable 'thank you' for your facilitation of our retreat. Your team put on a well-received program with excellent results. We left with a clear direction and a unified focus. The four innovation teams created were a crucial asset to our church and an incredible gift."
  Janet Schaeffer, Minister
  Home of Truth Spiritual Center

From Surviving to Thriving: A Collaborative Summit for Nonprofit Leaders (capacity building and collaboration process) —Inspiring Results planned and convened this event for leaders in nonprofits to learn from each others’ successes in overcoming challenges and moving their agencies from surviving to thriving. Participants spent a full day sharing success stories, extracting best practices, and developing plans for implementing changes in their own organizations.

“I came out of the Collaborative Summit saying ‘YES!!! – I can do whatever it takes to make this (organization) work for our clients.’ It really pumped me up! I’ve already implemented some of the ideas I got for increasing our visibility.”
  Johnnie Lewis, Executive Director
  SISTERS

“The experience of really getting to know someone else through the appreciative interview process has helped me to deepen my listening with staff and given me more empathy. When people are complaining, I hear them out and then help them focus on what’s working and how to build on that.”
  Lanita Johnson, Hayward Clinic Services Manager
  Planned Parenthood of the Golden Gate

South Hayward Parish (training)—This coalition of local congregations provides a variety of social and educational services in the south Hayward community. Inspiring Results designed and conducted nine hours of training on stress management for members using an AI approach. We helped participants imagine the balanced, centered life they wanted to create, and then to develop strategies for manifesting it.

“I’ve attended many other stress management workshops, and this was by far the best! The self-talk cycle was an invaluable tool, and I feel confident that I will make changes more easily by staying focused on what’s working and what I want to create in my life.”
  Unidentified workshop participant

Ala Costa Centers (strategic planning and team building process)—This after-school program for children and youth with developmental disabilities had recently hired a new Executive Director and a new Site Director. The ED wanted to develop a new strategic plan for the Center and build teamwork among the new staff and the Board of Directors. Inspiring Results gathered input from staff and teachers, parents, and children in the program, then designed and facilitated a two-day strategic planning process with the Board of Directors and senior staff.

As the Executive Director of Ala Costa Centers, I highly recommend Nancy Ogilvie. Inspiring Results does exactly what its name says: it truly inspired results in our organization. Thanks to Nancy’s guidance and facilitation in our strategic planning process, Ala Costa has clear and focused goals that will guide our future direction!
  Ron Halog, Executive Director
  Ala Costa Centers