Eight solution focused training principles I've formulated recently are:
1. Support the student’s autonomy regarding formulating her own goals. Solution focused training implies that the student has the freedom to choose what she wants to achieve and that the trainer does not impose a goal upon the student. When people feel they are making an autonomous choice, they are more likely to be intrinsically motivated to achieve their goal.
2. Provide choice regarding the usefulness of external solutions. Solution focused training implies that there are external solutions available and that these are offered by the trainer. However, the student is free to choose which solutions are useful to her. By providing choice the trainer supports autonomous decision making, which will increase the likelihood that the student feels the solution could work for her.
3. Offer advice and help when requested by the student or when the student appreciates being advised. Solution focused training implies that advice is only offered when the student asks for advice or when the trainer has explicitly asked for permission to offer advice. When the student asks for advice (tips, information, knowledge etc) the trainer offers his advice and subsequently asks if this could be useful to the student. If the trainer thinks he has valuable advice to offer, he asks for permission to give this advice and formulates it tentatively, so that the student is still free to decide whether or not the advice is useful to her.
4. Activate the student. Solution focused training implies that the trainer activates the student by asking questions and offering an opportunity to experience something. Theory is linked to the student’s experience and is preferably offered in an interactive manner. Questions activate a thinking process. By letting the student explain herself what she already knows about the topic of the training, she will understand it better and remember it better. Explaining something also helps to be actively involved and to make your knowledge explicit.
5. Enhance a feeling of competence by focusing on the platform. Solution focused trainers acknowledge that the student is already competent to a certain extent and help the student to become aware of this level of competence. The platform consists of the knowledge and skills the student already possesses.
6. Focus on usefulness for the student. Solution focused training focuses on what is useful to the student by asking usefulness questions at the start (What would make this training useful to you? How would you notice afterwards this training has been useful to you?), in the middle (Has it been useful to you so far? Is this being useful to you?) and at the end of the training (Was it useful? If so, what was most useful to you? How can you use that which you find useful?).
7. Provide positive process feedback. Solution focused trainers give direct and indirect process compliments, so that the student becomes aware of what she did that worked well. This sort of feedback stimulates a growth mindset. Solution focused trainers avoids giving compliments regarding intelligence or personality traits as well as negative feedback regarding intelligence, personality traits or errors made by the student, since this sort of feedback stimulates a fixed mindset.
8. Help the student to improve her reasoning for herself by asking leading questions and normalising. If the student makes a mistake, the solution focused trainer asks questions which invite the student to go through her thinking process step by step (How did you arrive at your answer? How could you improve your answer even more?), so that the student improves her thinking herself. The solution focused trainer avoids pointing out errors directly but instead ask questions which imply that improvement is possible. The solution focused trainer also normalises errors (That’s what most people would think at first….)
Do you recognise these are important principles in solution focused training?
Are there other training principles you find important?
vrijdag 9 maart 2012
zondag 29 januari 2012
More is not always better?
The “what is better”-question can be a very useful question in counselling sessions. The client starts to mention something that is better and the counsellor asks questions like: ”What went better? How did you do that? How was that beneficial? How can you do that again in the future?”
Clients often are able to provide more examples of what is better than the counsellor would think possible. The question “What else is better” and “What else” may therefore be repeated several times.
However, is it better when the client comes up with 4 examples of what is better, than when she comes up with 2? I always thought it was good to keep on asking the question “what else is better”, even if it took the client longer to think and come up with something. Not anymore.. Because of the “psychology of availability.”
Paradoxically, the psychology of availability says that more positive examples are not always better than fewer positive examples…Why?
1. people believe they cycle less frequently when they have to come up with more occasions in which they cycled, than when they have to come up with fewer examples.
2. people are less certain of their choices when they have to come up with more reasons why they have made their choice
3. people are less convinced a certain event could have been prevented when they have to list more ways in which the event could have been prevented
4. people are less impressed by a car when they have had to list a lot of advantages of the car
5. people who have been asked to give 12 examples of their own assertiveness value their general assertiveness more negatively than people who have had to give 6 examples of their own assertive behaviour.
6. people who have been asked to give 12 possible improvements of a training course value that course more positively than people who have had to list 6 improvements
Counter-intuitive or what? How does this work? It turns out that fluency has a lot to do with it. The first few examples spring to mind relatively easily, but after the first few people find it harder to come up with more examples. The fluency in finding examples or arguments diminishes. Even though in the end they might come up with the requested 12 examples, the effort it took to think of those examples bothers them. They think: “If it was so hard to come up with those examples of when I was assertive, I can’t be very assertive at all”
Might this indicate that asking “what is better” is ok as long as the client can come up with examples easily? As soon as the client needs more time to think about what is better, could it be counter-productive to give more time to think about it and to repeat the question? The psychology of availability surely seems to point in that direction.
More is not always better?
Clients often are able to provide more examples of what is better than the counsellor would think possible. The question “What else is better” and “What else” may therefore be repeated several times.
However, is it better when the client comes up with 4 examples of what is better, than when she comes up with 2? I always thought it was good to keep on asking the question “what else is better”, even if it took the client longer to think and come up with something. Not anymore.. Because of the “psychology of availability.”
Paradoxically, the psychology of availability says that more positive examples are not always better than fewer positive examples…Why?
1. people believe they cycle less frequently when they have to come up with more occasions in which they cycled, than when they have to come up with fewer examples.
2. people are less certain of their choices when they have to come up with more reasons why they have made their choice
3. people are less convinced a certain event could have been prevented when they have to list more ways in which the event could have been prevented
4. people are less impressed by a car when they have had to list a lot of advantages of the car
5. people who have been asked to give 12 examples of their own assertiveness value their general assertiveness more negatively than people who have had to give 6 examples of their own assertive behaviour.
6. people who have been asked to give 12 possible improvements of a training course value that course more positively than people who have had to list 6 improvements
Counter-intuitive or what? How does this work? It turns out that fluency has a lot to do with it. The first few examples spring to mind relatively easily, but after the first few people find it harder to come up with more examples. The fluency in finding examples or arguments diminishes. Even though in the end they might come up with the requested 12 examples, the effort it took to think of those examples bothers them. They think: “If it was so hard to come up with those examples of when I was assertive, I can’t be very assertive at all”
Might this indicate that asking “what is better” is ok as long as the client can come up with examples easily? As soon as the client needs more time to think about what is better, could it be counter-productive to give more time to think about it and to repeat the question? The psychology of availability surely seems to point in that direction.
More is not always better?
donderdag 15 september 2011
Solution focused dialogue
An example of a solution focused dialogue between a coach and a manager is the following:
© 2011 Gwenda Schlundt Bodien
Client I have just started with this major project which has to transform a large part of our city into a more liveable environment and I have come to the conclusion I have bitten off more than I can chew and the goals are not feasible.
Coach Indeed? That sounds like an important project. And now you have come to the conclusion that the goals are not feasible?
Client I have been asked by the managing director and was flattered that he trusted me with this major project. We had a couple of very inspiring meetings together and we were both very enthusiastic….about the goals of the project and about working together…one great idea after the other…but now that I have actually started the project it turns out that our key players are not ready to change…I get very little cooperation…and very little means….
Coach I see…so you and the managing director are very inspired and inspire each other….and now that you have started things prove to be harder then expected….little cooperation, little means…how is this situation a problem to you?
Client Erm….I doubt if I can substantiate what I promised…I seriously doubt it…..we have been way too ambitious, I’m afraid…..
Coach Yeah…yeah….so you doubt if you can substantiate the ambitions….how does that bother you?
Client Well…..what mainly bothers me is that the managing director still believes everything will be as we thought it would in the early enthusiastic days… I guess that’s what bothers me most….that he is still on the same track as before….I fear he will be very disapointed when I tell him we can’t do it the way we set out to do it…no way we can achieve those ambitious plans…it won’t do our reputations any good and he’ll be most upset by what I have to tell him….That’s what bothers me most…that it is entirely my problem right now…
Coach Yeah, I can understand you want to change things in that respect…
Client Exactly….yeah, I realy do want to change that….You see, you can’t expect everybody to get positively involved in a major change like this one…but it can’t be that I have to realise all the ambitions while the facts are so much more tenacious than we expected… yeah….I really want to do something about this….
Coach That I understand…so you don’t want to have to realise all the ambitions while the reality is so much more tenacious than you both expected…how would you like things to become?
Client Yeah yeah….erm…that’s a tough one…Preferably I would have all the cooperation of all the key parties….more budget…more means….but erm…....
Coach Hmmm..?
Client Well…you know….good cooperation takes time and I’m sure I can pull that off in time….but it takes some patience….But I’m thinking….what I really would like is for the managing director and me to have a more realistic outlook.. together…
Coach Aha, how would you notice that the two of you had a more realistic outlook?
Client Well…when I see him these days he is still so impassionate about the huge metamorphosis of our city…as if everybody is going to live in Utopia…and I’m thinking…you’re not stuck in the mud like I am…
Coach Yes…that sounds hard….how would you notice that the two of you had a more realistic outlook when you see him and speak with him?
Client In that case…I would have the space to tell him about the major problems I’m facing….I wouldn’t have to be so optimistic and positive all of the time….He would have an open ear for reality and for things that are blatantly bad…
Coach I understand…you two would discuss the major problems and he would have an open ear for reality and you wouldn’t have to be so positive all the time as you are not always so optimistic….what would be the benefit of that?
Client Such an honest man to man could be very beneficial…sure! We would be able to make a much more realistic projectplanning.. with the same ambitions, just taking much more time to achieve them..we would talk about all the obstacles and come up with better plans…and communicate the same ideas everywhere…
Coach Sounds good! What would be better for you then?
Client That would lift a weight from my shoulders…I would probably be inspired again to go for it….and enjoy the meetings with the managing director again..….because we both know and understand that our ambitions take time and resources…. Yeah…that would be good…but that’s not where he is at now…he still has his head in the clouds…tells everyone how pleased he is I am leading the transformation of our city...
Coach No…that’s not where he is at yet….So, imagine a scale of 0 to 10 where 10 is the situation in which the two of you share more realistic ideas and plans and you are inspired to go for it again, and 0 is the situation in which none of that was realised yet….where are you now on that scale?
Client Not very high…I guess a 5 or so…
Coach Not very high...a 5 or so….what makes you say it’s a 5?
Client Let me think….I still enjoy working on the project…and I do believe in our ultimate goals…I also agree with the managing director I’m the one to manage the project…I’m good at these sorts of major change operations…I can really pull people together and make things happen…People trust me because I walk my talk..
Coach Oké, sounds good…you still enjoy it, you believe in the goals, you know you’re the right person and people trust you because you walk your talk.. Good…what else have you done to get to 5?
Client Erm…I know how to approach the managing director..I have known him for a long time and I just know how to hit the right keys…we understand eachother, we’re carved out of the same wood… we want the same thing..we really go for it once we believe in it...
Coach That’s useful, that you know how to approach him...
Client Yeah, that’s right….it’s ok actually…I have already achieve stuff…yeah…by the way, now that I am thinking about it, the other day the managing director dropped by and mentioned this interest group which is being very difficult…I forgot about that….he didn’t have the time to discuss it properly, but looking back at it I guess it was the first time he came up with a problem himself…
Coach Interesting…Right….so that’s how you managed to get to 5…I can see why you say you have already achieved stuff……
Client Yes, yes, indeed!
Coach May I ask you something…what is the highest you have been on the scale?
Client You mean….the highest I’ve been….let me think now…I’m sure I’ve been higher than a 5….yeah…I would say there have been moments that I’ve been an 8!
Coach Aha…an 8! When was that?
Client When we just started the project….I was attending the first steering group meeting, kick-off meeting…He was firing off this impassionate speech and I took over from him with the same passion…There were a few critical comments…and it turned out we weren’t on the same wave length with regard to some of our answers…so in the next brake we quickly exchanged our concerns about this and we levelled with eachother… that was good, because it was quite a profound issue…
Coach Wow, sounds really interesting…how did you do that, to level with each other so quickly on such a profound issue?
Client Good one…good one….how did we do that again….erm…I just signalled we had to have a brake and he immediately responded to that…we stepped outside, so that others couldn’t see us…I remember explaining my views and concerns…I was very convinced this was a crucial decision…I think I took my time to explain myself clearly….he’s a good listener by the way…He’s very good in understanding when he needs to listen….I’ve noticed that before actually… He then explained things to me I wasn’t aware of..he had more information than I did.. so then it was easy and we came to some conclusions quickly..
Coach That’s good, that you can solve those sorts of situations so well together….
Client Indeed! Maybe now you understand why I have high hopes to solve this problem with him as well….we’re both reasonable people……
Coach Yes, I do understand that there are many indications that you can solve this…!
Client Yeah yeah…
Coach Is it being useful to talk about this?
Client Sure!
Coach What’s been useful so far?
Client Well…I am much more clear about what needs to happen…
Coach Yeah?
Client Yeah…you see, I want to focus on levelling with the managing director as
soon as possible..because once that’s done, I’m sure we’ll find ways to solve the other problems as well..more time, better communication, less ambitious targets….you know..
Coach I see…so how would you notice you’re one step higher on the scale?
Client One step higher…that would be when the managing director and I have had are first exchange of concerns…
Coach Sounds good... what ideas have you now got to take a step forward?
Client Well, you don’t know this but he’s going on a holiday tomorrow..so my idea is to organise a “step outside” moment today during our last staff meeting where we both will be…just tell him we need to talk about some major obstacles after his holiday..in such a way that I still show my dedication and enthusiasm..
Coach I can see that that could work well….
Client Thanks for this, it’s been worthwhile!
Coach How would you like to go about a possible next session?
Client I’d like to call you in a few months time, is that ok?
Coach Absolutely!
© 2011 Gwenda Schlundt Bodien
Client I have just started with this major project which has to transform a large part of our city into a more liveable environment and I have come to the conclusion I have bitten off more than I can chew and the goals are not feasible.
Coach Indeed? That sounds like an important project. And now you have come to the conclusion that the goals are not feasible?
Client I have been asked by the managing director and was flattered that he trusted me with this major project. We had a couple of very inspiring meetings together and we were both very enthusiastic….about the goals of the project and about working together…one great idea after the other…but now that I have actually started the project it turns out that our key players are not ready to change…I get very little cooperation…and very little means….
Coach I see…so you and the managing director are very inspired and inspire each other….and now that you have started things prove to be harder then expected….little cooperation, little means…how is this situation a problem to you?
Client Erm….I doubt if I can substantiate what I promised…I seriously doubt it…..we have been way too ambitious, I’m afraid…..
Coach Yeah…yeah….so you doubt if you can substantiate the ambitions….how does that bother you?
Client Well…..what mainly bothers me is that the managing director still believes everything will be as we thought it would in the early enthusiastic days… I guess that’s what bothers me most….that he is still on the same track as before….I fear he will be very disapointed when I tell him we can’t do it the way we set out to do it…no way we can achieve those ambitious plans…it won’t do our reputations any good and he’ll be most upset by what I have to tell him….That’s what bothers me most…that it is entirely my problem right now…
Coach Yeah, I can understand you want to change things in that respect…
Client Exactly….yeah, I realy do want to change that….You see, you can’t expect everybody to get positively involved in a major change like this one…but it can’t be that I have to realise all the ambitions while the facts are so much more tenacious than we expected… yeah….I really want to do something about this….
Coach That I understand…so you don’t want to have to realise all the ambitions while the reality is so much more tenacious than you both expected…how would you like things to become?
Client Yeah yeah….erm…that’s a tough one…Preferably I would have all the cooperation of all the key parties….more budget…more means….but erm…....
Coach Hmmm..?
Client Well…you know….good cooperation takes time and I’m sure I can pull that off in time….but it takes some patience….But I’m thinking….what I really would like is for the managing director and me to have a more realistic outlook.. together…
Coach Aha, how would you notice that the two of you had a more realistic outlook?
Client Well…when I see him these days he is still so impassionate about the huge metamorphosis of our city…as if everybody is going to live in Utopia…and I’m thinking…you’re not stuck in the mud like I am…
Coach Yes…that sounds hard….how would you notice that the two of you had a more realistic outlook when you see him and speak with him?
Client In that case…I would have the space to tell him about the major problems I’m facing….I wouldn’t have to be so optimistic and positive all of the time….He would have an open ear for reality and for things that are blatantly bad…
Coach I understand…you two would discuss the major problems and he would have an open ear for reality and you wouldn’t have to be so positive all the time as you are not always so optimistic….what would be the benefit of that?
Client Such an honest man to man could be very beneficial…sure! We would be able to make a much more realistic projectplanning.. with the same ambitions, just taking much more time to achieve them..we would talk about all the obstacles and come up with better plans…and communicate the same ideas everywhere…
Coach Sounds good! What would be better for you then?
Client That would lift a weight from my shoulders…I would probably be inspired again to go for it….and enjoy the meetings with the managing director again..….because we both know and understand that our ambitions take time and resources…. Yeah…that would be good…but that’s not where he is at now…he still has his head in the clouds…tells everyone how pleased he is I am leading the transformation of our city...
Coach No…that’s not where he is at yet….So, imagine a scale of 0 to 10 where 10 is the situation in which the two of you share more realistic ideas and plans and you are inspired to go for it again, and 0 is the situation in which none of that was realised yet….where are you now on that scale?
Client Not very high…I guess a 5 or so…
Coach Not very high...a 5 or so….what makes you say it’s a 5?
Client Let me think….I still enjoy working on the project…and I do believe in our ultimate goals…I also agree with the managing director I’m the one to manage the project…I’m good at these sorts of major change operations…I can really pull people together and make things happen…People trust me because I walk my talk..
Coach Oké, sounds good…you still enjoy it, you believe in the goals, you know you’re the right person and people trust you because you walk your talk.. Good…what else have you done to get to 5?
Client Erm…I know how to approach the managing director..I have known him for a long time and I just know how to hit the right keys…we understand eachother, we’re carved out of the same wood… we want the same thing..we really go for it once we believe in it...
Coach That’s useful, that you know how to approach him...
Client Yeah, that’s right….it’s ok actually…I have already achieve stuff…yeah…by the way, now that I am thinking about it, the other day the managing director dropped by and mentioned this interest group which is being very difficult…I forgot about that….he didn’t have the time to discuss it properly, but looking back at it I guess it was the first time he came up with a problem himself…
Coach Interesting…Right….so that’s how you managed to get to 5…I can see why you say you have already achieved stuff……
Client Yes, yes, indeed!
Coach May I ask you something…what is the highest you have been on the scale?
Client You mean….the highest I’ve been….let me think now…I’m sure I’ve been higher than a 5….yeah…I would say there have been moments that I’ve been an 8!
Coach Aha…an 8! When was that?
Client When we just started the project….I was attending the first steering group meeting, kick-off meeting…He was firing off this impassionate speech and I took over from him with the same passion…There were a few critical comments…and it turned out we weren’t on the same wave length with regard to some of our answers…so in the next brake we quickly exchanged our concerns about this and we levelled with eachother… that was good, because it was quite a profound issue…
Coach Wow, sounds really interesting…how did you do that, to level with each other so quickly on such a profound issue?
Client Good one…good one….how did we do that again….erm…I just signalled we had to have a brake and he immediately responded to that…we stepped outside, so that others couldn’t see us…I remember explaining my views and concerns…I was very convinced this was a crucial decision…I think I took my time to explain myself clearly….he’s a good listener by the way…He’s very good in understanding when he needs to listen….I’ve noticed that before actually… He then explained things to me I wasn’t aware of..he had more information than I did.. so then it was easy and we came to some conclusions quickly..
Coach That’s good, that you can solve those sorts of situations so well together….
Client Indeed! Maybe now you understand why I have high hopes to solve this problem with him as well….we’re both reasonable people……
Coach Yes, I do understand that there are many indications that you can solve this…!
Client Yeah yeah…
Coach Is it being useful to talk about this?
Client Sure!
Coach What’s been useful so far?
Client Well…I am much more clear about what needs to happen…
Coach Yeah?
Client Yeah…you see, I want to focus on levelling with the managing director as
soon as possible..because once that’s done, I’m sure we’ll find ways to solve the other problems as well..more time, better communication, less ambitious targets….you know..
Coach I see…so how would you notice you’re one step higher on the scale?
Client One step higher…that would be when the managing director and I have had are first exchange of concerns…
Coach Sounds good... what ideas have you now got to take a step forward?
Client Well, you don’t know this but he’s going on a holiday tomorrow..so my idea is to organise a “step outside” moment today during our last staff meeting where we both will be…just tell him we need to talk about some major obstacles after his holiday..in such a way that I still show my dedication and enthusiasm..
Coach I can see that that could work well….
Client Thanks for this, it’s been worthwhile!
Coach How would you like to go about a possible next session?
Client I’d like to call you in a few months time, is that ok?
Coach Absolutely!
Managers die doen wat werkt…..
• ….begrijpen dat medewerkers de voorkeur hebben om hun eigen keuzes te maken en autonoom te zijn. Oplossingsgerichte managers bieden daarom de vrijheid waar mogelijk, zodat medewerkers zoveel mogelijk hun eigen keuzes kunnen maken.
• ….begrijpen dat medewerkers graag ervaren competent te zijn en zij sturen medewerkers op zo’n manier dat zij hun competenties kunnen inzetten en ontwikkelen.
• ……begrijpen dat medewerkers zich verbonden willen voelen en creëren daarom de omstandigheden waarin mensen ervaren dat hun inspanning en bijdrage belangrijk zijn en worden gewaardeerd.
• ……geven ruimte aan de aanwezige intrinsieke motivatie van medewerkers door de leiden van achteren waar mogelijk, door de eigen oplossingen van medewerkers te exploreren en door indirecte proces complimenten te geven
• …..stimuleren de ontwikkeling van geïnternaliseerde extrinsieke motivatie door de waarde van het werk van de medewerker voor de organisatie expliciet te benoemen en de waarde van het werkt van de medewerker voor de medewerker zelf te exploreren..
• ……evalueren het gedrag van medewerkers in de specifieke context waarin het gedrag zich voordoet in plaats van het gedrag toe te schrijven aan vaststaande persoonlijkheidskenmerken. Hierdoor gaan managers die doen wat werkt ervan uit dat mensen zichzelf kunnen verbeteren.
• …….exploreren eerst het perspectief van de medewerker op een aanmoedigende en uitnodigende manier, wanneer er problemen zijn of wanneer de medewerker niet goed functioneert. Door het perspectief van de medewerker te erkennen en de medewerker serieus te nemen, wordt een yes-set gecreëerd en wordt de kans op een constructief gesprek groter.
• …..formuleren precies wat ze verwachten van medewerkers en waartoe ze dit verwachten (positieve opbrengsten), want managers die doen wat werkt blijven gefocust op de positieve doelen en hebben gevalideerde redenen als ze een doel opleggen aan een medewerker.
• …..kiezen voor een begripvolle, vriendelijke en doelgerichte mindset in de interactie met de medewerker en houden hun eigen negatieve emoties zoveel mogelijk buiten de interactie met de medewerkers.
• ….begrijpen dat medewerkers graag ervaren competent te zijn en zij sturen medewerkers op zo’n manier dat zij hun competenties kunnen inzetten en ontwikkelen.
• ……begrijpen dat medewerkers zich verbonden willen voelen en creëren daarom de omstandigheden waarin mensen ervaren dat hun inspanning en bijdrage belangrijk zijn en worden gewaardeerd.
• ……geven ruimte aan de aanwezige intrinsieke motivatie van medewerkers door de leiden van achteren waar mogelijk, door de eigen oplossingen van medewerkers te exploreren en door indirecte proces complimenten te geven
• …..stimuleren de ontwikkeling van geïnternaliseerde extrinsieke motivatie door de waarde van het werk van de medewerker voor de organisatie expliciet te benoemen en de waarde van het werkt van de medewerker voor de medewerker zelf te exploreren..
• ……evalueren het gedrag van medewerkers in de specifieke context waarin het gedrag zich voordoet in plaats van het gedrag toe te schrijven aan vaststaande persoonlijkheidskenmerken. Hierdoor gaan managers die doen wat werkt ervan uit dat mensen zichzelf kunnen verbeteren.
• …….exploreren eerst het perspectief van de medewerker op een aanmoedigende en uitnodigende manier, wanneer er problemen zijn of wanneer de medewerker niet goed functioneert. Door het perspectief van de medewerker te erkennen en de medewerker serieus te nemen, wordt een yes-set gecreëerd en wordt de kans op een constructief gesprek groter.
• …..formuleren precies wat ze verwachten van medewerkers en waartoe ze dit verwachten (positieve opbrengsten), want managers die doen wat werkt blijven gefocust op de positieve doelen en hebben gevalideerde redenen als ze een doel opleggen aan een medewerker.
• …..kiezen voor een begripvolle, vriendelijke en doelgerichte mindset in de interactie met de medewerker en houden hun eigen negatieve emoties zoveel mogelijk buiten de interactie met de medewerkers.
dinsdag 13 september 2011
What works when directing?
Managers who do what works:
.....understand that employees prefer to be autonomous and to make their own choices. Solution focused managers therefore provide freedom whenever possible so that employees can make their own choices.
....understand that employees prefer to perceive themselves as competent and to become more competent and direct people in such a way that they can use and develop their competencies.
……understand that employees prefer to feel connected and therefore provide the conditions in which people feel their effort and contribution are valued and appreciated.
……accomodate the existing intrinsic motivation of employees by leading from behind whenever possible, exploring employee’s own solutions and giving indirect process compliments.
...stimulate the development of internalised extrinsic motivation by exploring the value of the employee’s work for the employee himself and explaining the value for the organisation.
……evaluate the behaviour of employees in the specific context in which it occurs, instead of attributing the behaviour to a fixed personality trait. By doing so managers who do what works presume people can improve.
.….first explore the employees perspective in an inviting and encouraging way when there are problems or the employee doesn’t perform well. By acknowledging the perspective of the employee and taking him seriously, a yes-set is created in which constructive cooperation is more likely to happen.
…..formulate precisely what they expect from an employee and why they expect this (positive results), because managers who do what works stay focused on the positive goals and have valid reasons when imposing a goal.
…..choose to maintain an understanding, friendly and goal directed mindset when interacting with employees and keep their own negative emotions as much as possible out of the interaction with the employee.
.....understand that employees prefer to be autonomous and to make their own choices. Solution focused managers therefore provide freedom whenever possible so that employees can make their own choices.
....understand that employees prefer to perceive themselves as competent and to become more competent and direct people in such a way that they can use and develop their competencies.
……understand that employees prefer to feel connected and therefore provide the conditions in which people feel their effort and contribution are valued and appreciated.
……accomodate the existing intrinsic motivation of employees by leading from behind whenever possible, exploring employee’s own solutions and giving indirect process compliments.
...stimulate the development of internalised extrinsic motivation by exploring the value of the employee’s work for the employee himself and explaining the value for the organisation.
……evaluate the behaviour of employees in the specific context in which it occurs, instead of attributing the behaviour to a fixed personality trait. By doing so managers who do what works presume people can improve.
.….first explore the employees perspective in an inviting and encouraging way when there are problems or the employee doesn’t perform well. By acknowledging the perspective of the employee and taking him seriously, a yes-set is created in which constructive cooperation is more likely to happen.
…..formulate precisely what they expect from an employee and why they expect this (positive results), because managers who do what works stay focused on the positive goals and have valid reasons when imposing a goal.
…..choose to maintain an understanding, friendly and goal directed mindset when interacting with employees and keep their own negative emotions as much as possible out of the interaction with the employee.
dinsdag 30 augustus 2011
Solution focused questions to use the flow chart
In a previous post I described the solution focused flow chart, see here. In each of the phases of the flow chart numerous solution focused interventions are applicable. Below you find a few examples, following the flow chart from the top.
Structuring a solution focused interaction
The terms visitor typical, complainer typical and client typical are widely used by solution focused practitioners. However, often the terms become labels for the client’s behaviour, instead of a description of the interaction between the professional and the client. The problem is that with labeling the client as a visitor or a complainer or a client one loses sight of one’s own part in the interaction. A client who finds a conversation useless may become visitor typical, but if the practitioner accepts the perspective of the client and regards him as cooperative (no matter how resistant he may appear), he will try and find out what the client does want to achieve and as a result the interaction may become client typical fairly quickly. Another down side to labeling clients is probability of getting exactly the sort of response you think you will get. If the practitioner has labeled the client as complainer typical, chances are that the conversation will unfold that way.
Of course this is not what solution focused practitioners plead for. Very often I’ve heard myself explain to other people that the terms refer to the interaction and not to the client. But maybe, if you have to explain yourself so often, there is a better way of talking about the sort of interaction that is going on. The below flow chart, which Coert Visser and I came up with, aims to describe the interaction between the client and the solution focused professional, without using the terms visitor, complainer or client typical.
The flow chart starts with the question “does the client see the usefulness of having the conversation?”. If the answer is no, then the solution focused interventions are to explore what would make the conversation useful. If the client does come up with a topic, then you start exploring what it is he wants to achieve. Sometimes this involves talking about his problem (FORWARD step 1) and sometimes it is possible to immediately ask about the client’s goals (FORWARD step 2). If the client has described his desired situation the solution focused interventions are aimed at helping the client to perceive himself as part of the solution to achieve the desired situation. Sometimes clients may feel powerless. They know what they would like to achieve, but they don’t feel they can influence getting there. They feel dependent on other people or they feel they don’t have the strength or competence to make the desired situation reality. Questions like “what would you do differently is the problem had disappeared?” invite the client to describe his own positive behaviour. This helps to focus on his own behaviour, resulting in him feeling less powerless and more able to do something himself. Maybe he will come up with ideas as to what he can do to achieve the desired situation, but often it is useful explores helpful experiences in the past (previous successes and positive exceptions). By talking about these experiences and by analysing what worked well then, the client will often get ideas regarding his next step forward.
Of course this is not what solution focused practitioners plead for. Very often I’ve heard myself explain to other people that the terms refer to the interaction and not to the client. But maybe, if you have to explain yourself so often, there is a better way of talking about the sort of interaction that is going on. The below flow chart, which Coert Visser and I came up with, aims to describe the interaction between the client and the solution focused professional, without using the terms visitor, complainer or client typical.
The flow chart starts with the question “does the client see the usefulness of having the conversation?”. If the answer is no, then the solution focused interventions are to explore what would make the conversation useful. If the client does come up with a topic, then you start exploring what it is he wants to achieve. Sometimes this involves talking about his problem (FORWARD step 1) and sometimes it is possible to immediately ask about the client’s goals (FORWARD step 2). If the client has described his desired situation the solution focused interventions are aimed at helping the client to perceive himself as part of the solution to achieve the desired situation. Sometimes clients may feel powerless. They know what they would like to achieve, but they don’t feel they can influence getting there. They feel dependent on other people or they feel they don’t have the strength or competence to make the desired situation reality. Questions like “what would you do differently is the problem had disappeared?” invite the client to describe his own positive behaviour. This helps to focus on his own behaviour, resulting in him feeling less powerless and more able to do something himself. Maybe he will come up with ideas as to what he can do to achieve the desired situation, but often it is useful explores helpful experiences in the past (previous successes and positive exceptions). By talking about these experiences and by analysing what worked well then, the client will often get ideas regarding his next step forward.
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