At the conclusion of a large-scale project, there can be a tendency for leaders to reflect solely on things gone wrong. Rather than focusing exclusively on problems, why not adapt a strategy from Appreciative Inquiry as a way to replicate desired outcomes? Appreciative Inquiry is an organizational approach that encourages leaders to seek out and pursue successes as opposed to failures.

At your next project debrief meeting, try implementing these 2 steps from the 4D cycle of Appreciative Inquiry to steer your performance improvement efforts in a new direction.

1. Discover. Create questions about a current challenge that inspire your team to identify and affirm successes. Remember, carefully constructed questions have a way of influencing the people or groups to which they are directed.
2. Dream. Explore ways to duplicate exceptional performance. Collectively determine a process that could be successful in negating the challenge in the future.