Sometimes something is broken, and you have to fix it. Such is life. But how do you know that you’re fixing the real problem? How do you know what the fix is? Are you applying the same fix that you’ve tried before?

If you’re applying the same kind of fix you always did, you will get back to baseline. Yes, the problem will be solved, and the process / thing / experience will be working as it should. But that’s it – nothing more.

So how will you unlock new possibilities? How will you drive innovation and creativity? What if you want to solve for something bigger?

To get beyond baseline, use Appreciative Inquiry

Appreciative Inquiry (AI) is a collaborative, high-energy set of techniques that can be used to create compelling visions for the future and then frame the steps required to create that future. In Appreciative Inquiry, you’re bringing together the people that live your business day in and day out to come up with the ideas that will get you to the next level. You are focused on defining what it is that you’re really trying to create, that is, what you want more of, rather than just focusing on what you want to fix.

You are getting beyond baseline.

For example, maybe your problem is that your organization has grown too big for your current HR system to handle. Getting back to baseline might lead to hiring more HR staff. Problem solved? Maybe, maybe not. Using AI, you can explore how to get more of what you really want, which is organizational structure and processes that are flexible and scalable. The beyond baseline solution with AI might be to cross train existing staff to handle more of your organization’s HR needs. Not only does this fix the immediate problem but you are also building capacity, adding flexibility, and doing more with less. Getting beyond baseline is a win!

Using traditional methods gets you back to baseline, where things are operating as they should.

Using AI, gets you beyond baseline into the realm of the possible, where things are operating as they could.

At Barrington, we’ve turned Beyond Baseline into one of our key planning approaches that we’ve used for strategic planning, operational planning, and team development for many clients. We’ve recently finished a strategic planning process with Laing House, a not-for-profit organization in Halifax that supports youth and young adults living with mental health issues.

We used Appreciative Inquiry and Beyond Baseline to identify what was working well and how they could grow into more of those strengths into the future. We worked with an amazing Laing House Core Team to engage members, staff, and the Board to help co-create their vision of the future. We used our Appreciative Inquiry toolkit throughout the project.

We are proud of the work we’ve done with our clients using Appreciative Inquiry and we get excited when we see these teams meaningfully get Beyond Baseline!

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Rolene Pryor is Barrington’s Strategy & Advisory Lead, bringing a thoughtful, collaborative approach to helping organizations move forward with confidence and clarity. She is passionate about working alongside clients to navigate change, solve complex challenges, and create practical strategies that deliver lasting value.