We propose an alternative view of strategic planning – that its value is as much in the process of creating the plan as in the ultimate content.  We suggest that strategic planning offers an ideal context for holding an extensive, in-depth conversation across stakeholder groups.  The shared vision (a general plan), mutual understanding and enhanced relationships that emerge from this process will be more robust resources for the organization – applicable across a wider range of business environments and less susceptible to obsolescence – than the contents of an overly detailed quantitative plan.  Appreciative Inquiry (AI) is a methodology for organizational change – for planning, improvement, and relationship building – that is ideally suited to a participative, relationship-oriented approach to strategic planning.