Sam Walton, founder of Walmart, once said: “Outstanding leaders go out of their way to boost the self-esteem of their people. If people believe in themselves, it’s amazing what they can accomplish.” In a similar spirit, coach Tony Robbins stated: “Any fool can spot a problem.”
These two quotes lead us to a topic we’re passionate about: Appreciative Leadership, one of the three core service areas at Madavi—Business, Human Resources, and Madavi Academy (Appreciative Leadership).
Appreciative Leadership focuses on the strengths, potential and successes of people and organizations, rather than dwelling on problems and weaknesses.
What makes Appreciative Leadership different?
Appreciative Leadership stands out from other leadership styles in several key ways:
- A focus on strengths: It begins by identifying and leveraging what already works. This is an abundance mindset—we don’t try to fix what’s missing; we work with what is present (and there’s a lot!) and amplify its impact. In other words, we strategically replicate what we already do well.
- Aligning individual strengths toward shared goals. Growth stems from abundance (what we already have) and simultaneity (many people moving forward at once).
- A positive, shared vision of the future: Appreciative Leadership draws from past successes—no matter how small—to build toward a better future.
Imagine what’s possible if we channel everyone’s potential toward a shared vision, co-creating a compelling image of what’s next.
Then, we design opportunity areas that propel us toward that future. That’s how the dream comes to life.
- A collaborative process: Appreciative Leadership follows a journey of Discovery, Dream, Design and Destiny. It encourages active participation and creates a synergy that strengthens the team’s ability to shape the future they aspire to.
- Empowerment: This approach empowers team members by making them active participants. It builds trust and autonomy, which fuel initiative and personal ownership during change.
At the heart of Appreciative Leadership lies a core belief: the key to unlocking a company’s potential is its people. When they are the ones identifying, promoting, and expanding opportunities, results become more solid and sustainable.
- A culture of appreciation and recognition: Appreciative leaders create a space where contributions, achievements, and talents are recognized and celebrated.
- Positive communication: It promotes meaningful conversations based on curiosity and generative questions—to discover people’s strengths, achievements, and potential.
For example: “What do you enjoy most about your work?” or “What are you most proud of?” These open the door to constructive, future-oriented dialogue. - Genuine engagement: Appreciative Leadership understands that when people feel like they play a meaningful role in a company’s success, they engage more and are ready to offer creative solutions.
Other leadership models take different approaches:
- Autocratic leadership relies on top-down decision-making.
- Transformational leadership seeks change and innovation, but often struggles to implement it quickly and effectively due to the lack of collective action.
- Democratic leadership includes team members in decisions, but often focuses on problems, a space where people may feel less motivated.
The Value of Appreciative Leadership
In today’s business environment—marked by uncertainty and constant change—Appreciative Leadership adds powerful value:
- It strengthens resilience: By focusing on past wins and current strengths, it helps teams face challenges with confidence.
- It drives innovation: It creates a space where people feel safe to share bold, creative ideas.
- It boosts engagement: People who feel appreciated are more committed to their work and the organization.
You can find real stories from engaged employees in our Clients section on the website.
- It fosters cohesion: Teams that work to amplify the positive build trust and cooperation.
- Innovation, engagement, and collaboration translate into measurable improvements in productivity, performance, and efficiency.
- It accelerates real change: By focusing on what already works, change feels less threatening and more inspiring. And when decisions come from an inclusive, strengths-based process, they’re more sustainable over time.
This leadership approach is deeply motivating and fosters environments of collaboration and high performance—naturally.
Want to unlock the potential of people and situations to achieve your boldest goals?
If you feel like you’re spending too much time putting out fires and following up, come join Madavi Academy—let’s talk!
You’ll learn, hands-on, how to tap into your team’s collective intelligence, and unleash collective action.