Trauma-Informed Appreciative Inquiry: Unlocking Resonant Transformation with Dr. Yabome Gilpin-Jackson

Who’s Inspiring Impacts today? Dr. Yabome Gilpin-Jackson! Yabome Gilpin-Jackson, PhD, is an award-winning scholar, executive coach, organizational development practitioner, and thought leader. Tune in as she speaks with host Dr. Lindsey Godwin about how she’s using trauma-informed Appreciative Inquiry to create resonant transformation in organizations.

Yabome sheds light on how Appreciative Inquiry can be used across a diverse spectrum of situations – from sparking innovation to solving conflicts to creating positive transformation in the face of dysfunction. She busts the misconception that Appreciative Inquiry can’t be used in difficult situations or where people have had trauma. Then, Yabome shares real examples and stories that illustrate the inspiring impact of this work.

Dr. Yabome Gilpin-Jackson is an Organization Development Professional [Leader, Consultant, Executive Coach, Facilitator and Scholar] with a mission to inspire the development of people and groups through transformative learning. Her passion and expertise is helping leaders, teams, organizations and communities make progress in uncovering possibilities and igniting transformation in the complex issues they face. She has worked with corporate, non-profit/social profit and public sector organizations, internationally. She is also adjunct/sessional faculty for undergraduate and graduate courses in her areas of expertise.

Episode Highlights:

• How Appreciative Inquiry can be used in difficult and traumatic situations.
• Creating resonant transformation through Appreciative Inquiry – Why should we focus on resonance?
• How Yabome first discovered the power of resonance in Appreciative Inquiry.
• Trauma-Informed Appreciative Inquiry in Healthcare: How to shift a group into a positive future mindset through group disclosure and collective processing.
• Questions you can use to create resonance through trauma-informed Appreciative Inquiry.
• How Yabome & We Will Lead Africa are using storytelling to solve challenges and unlock the past, present, and future of African leaders.
• Advice for using Appreciative Inquiry in your organization or personal life: You must first ask yourself resonance questions before you ask others. Don’t be intimidated. Learn as much as you can. Use your resonance to chase the possibilities.

Resources Mentioned:

We Will Lead Africa: https://wewillleadafrica.com

• (Book) Transformation after Trauma: The Power of Resonance  https://www.amazon.com/Transformation-after-Trauma-Power-Resonance/dp/1433172178
• What's Trauma Got to Do With it? Facilitating our Giant Leap through Resonant Transformation and Trauma-Informed Appreciative Inquiry: https://tinyurl.com/5bub3rw3

Inspiring Quotes:

“Where I’ve used [Appreciative Inquiry] often is when, very intentionally in that space of innovation and transformation, where I’m not just looking for a positive future, but I’m looking for a positive future that’s radically different, that’s transformative.”

“[Resonance] is about connecting to a core identity part of ourselves that when we connect to that core, we find a place of internal inspiration and motivation that is not easily shaken.”

“Appreciative Inquiry is about asking different questions that open up the possibility of us looking at the challenges we’ve faced in new, different, and positive ways, but that search starts with us.”

What is Appreciative Inquiry?

Appreciative Inquiry, sometimes referred to as “the other AI”, is one of the best kept secrets behind meaningful and lasting change at organizations. The AI approach is strength-based, meaning it focuses on identifying and leveraging successes to solve problems, rather than focusing on trying to fix individual failures.

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