The Solutions Focus: The Simple Way to Positive Change

More than 15 years ago, I picked up a copy of Getting to Yes by Roger Fisher and William Ury and was immediately excited by their ideas and the thought of applying these concepts in the field. I felt the same attraction and enthusiasm while reading The Solutions Focus last month. The logic and ethics of the approach are refreshing and, unfortunately all too rare in the corporate world where I do most of my work. It makes so much sense to identify and work with what works. Also, I greatly admire the fact that an essential foundation of the approach is based on respect for the human being as a knowledgeable individual, who is capable of making intelligent changes, rather than a cog in a system to be manipulated and disdained for not embracing inherently irrational changes which are forced upon him.Not only do I welcome working with this kind of positive energy but, I see time and time again that it actually does work. The kind of dialogue that SF fosters is constructive, rewarding and democratic.In my work as an independent consultant in management, negotiation, creativity and intercultural issues, I have tapped somewhat similar methods of interaction. SF creates a wonderful coherent whole which I'm excited about applying.

This innovative book could be the skeleton key that unlocks the solutions to many of your organisational, team or managerial problems.The authors effectively challenge the old paradigm of "cause and effect" as the best approach to problem solving, demonstrating instead a "theory of no theory" in which every case is treated on its merits. They draw on their extensive experience as consultants and trainers in large companies in the UK and abroad, revealing an approach that has clearly proved inspirational to their clients.In organisations, they argue, no problem happens all the time, so try focussing first on those times when things are going well. Do more of what you have identified that works, and see what happens.People in organisations constantly rise to challenges, providing evidence of "counters" - gold-dust resources of cooperation, talents and corporate know-how, all of which can be tapped into when needed. Conversely, evidence of resistance to change can be a gift; a message that you have yet to find the best way to cooperate with colleagues.They don't claim great originality, positioning their solutions approach with its roots in systems thinking, psychotherapy, patient care and family therapy. They have, however, drawn from their sources a simple model, creating a 'How To' book with enough flesh on the bones for you or me to use in teams or coaching scenarios. The reader is shown how to define solutions in ways to help move forward directly; spot helpful events and resources; and avoid major pitfalls on route.The Solutions Focus is a big idea about small steps that maximise success: it's simple without being simplistic. Five of the fourteen chapters develop the model and draw on all manner of experts, notably Milton Erickson and Peter Senge to reinforce the messages. The authors also illustrate the power of the model with real examples from organisations as well as everyday issues such as pub licensing hours, parents and schools, food and the weather.Further chapters show how to apply the approach to coaching, team and organisation settings, and finally the authors share how they developed the ideas in the book.I found this an enjoyable read, which is undoubtedly a serious contribution to people and change in organisations. It offers a way to influence those in control - even those who sometimes see their position as a reward for past effort and the future as a holding operation rather than a regular revolution. In my view, it is a must for optimists, intuitives, and the up-and-coming who thirst for success at work and in life generally. It will equip them for the challenge of providing stimulating uplift to bosses and others whose feet may appear to be stuck in problematic mud.

The Solutions Focus: The Simple Way To Positive Change, collaboratively written by business management consultants Paul Z. Jackson and Mark McKergow, is a powerful, "reader friendly" guide that focuses entirely on a pragmatic approach to modern business dilemmas. From making use of proper organization, to the importance of teamwork to a simple and useful focus technique to get to the heart of any problem in short order, The Solutions Focus is very strongly recommended as a dynamic, practical, and straightforward guide to streamlining efficiency and improving business sense.

Several years ago I left a major consultancy firm to start my own little consultancy. I had not been happy for quite some time with the traditional ways of working within consultancy, which I had observed to be ineffective very often, and was determined to do things differently. The only problem was I did not precisely know how. I had reflected on which had been my best and most successful moments as a consultant and came to the following conclusion. I had been most successful when I asked my clients what they wanted to achieve, listened a lot, asked a lot of questions, checked if I had understood my clients right, listened more, asked more questions etc. My confusion was great, what kind of consultancy was this? Then a colleague of mine told me about solution focused brief therapy. This was a brilliant approach making it possible to make therapy more respectful and effective. It resembled how I wanted to work as a consultant. My colleague and I were convinced that the principles behind it were quite applicable in management coaching and in quite a lot of other sub-fields of consultancy as well. We read almost everything there was on the topic (which was almost entirely focused on therapy) and started to apply it in our work as organisational consultants. It felt like pioneering. We experienced that it is a highly positive, pragmatic and effective approach, which is highly applicable in the world of business. After some time we discovered two English guys who were travelling on the same road: Mark McKergow and Paul Z. Jackson. Only, I hate to admit, they were several miles ahead of us... They had a great website, they had started an international network of SF consultants, had started a mailing list, and delivered solution focused training programmes. We were thrilled and impressed. And then they published The Solutions Focus: The S.I.M.P.L.E Way to Positive Change. We expected the book to be great and were right. This great book clearly and pleasantly describes the basics of working solution focused: first define your goals and then move directly toward them, without looking for problem causes, by focusing on finding out what works and doing more of that. If something does not work, stop doing it and try something else. The authors have found a very suitable acronym to explain the basics of the solution focus: SIMPLE: Solutions - not problems, Inbetween - the action is in the interaction, Make use of what's there - not what isn't, Possibilities - past, present and future, Language - simply said, Every case is different - beware ill-fitting theory. The acronym is terrific because it captures the most essential elements of the solution focus well and at the same time points at an important feature of the solution focus: that it is simple. But, no matter how simple it may be, the authors stress that to practise it, you do need quite some skills and discipline. They explain it can be especially hard to resist the temptation to go back to analysing p