The artist's appreciative eye

David Cooperider at Case Western University is the man credited with first describing and 'discovering' that when you look at what works in a system it grows i.e. you get more of what works and even better it leads to all sorts of creative collaborations when people discover what they really care about.When you focus on what is not working i.e. the problems and try to 'fix' them, a different energy is involved and different ways of thinking and talking which can impact on your actions with not so positive and generative results.

I recall discovering that David's wife was and maybe still is an artist and in his discussions with his wife at the time he was doing his initial research, they talked about the artist's appreciative eye! I am lucky enough to know and talk with a number of artists in Scotland and to see their work. It is very varied, they have different perspectives or artist's appreciative eyes. In any situation we will find many perspectives and meet people who 'see' things differently. Try thinking of them as artists with different styles. A bit like this selection of artists here. Enjoy the images - appreciative inquiry is also about the power of inspiring images whether they be paintings or pictures in our mind i.e.imagined. Click here for different artists perspectives. artslideshow