Solution-focused Coaching

In the beginning of the eighties, the Solution-Focused Model was designed by Steve de Shazer and Insoo Kim Berg for use in the world of psychotherapy. Nowadays there seem to be rather too many than too few types of coaches available but we would like to demonstrate how the solution-focused approach can be highly effective in a business environment.

The essence of the solution-focused approach is to work with the person, looking for strengths, highlighting hopes for the future as opposed to evaluating current problems. Concentrating on what’s wrong usually drains people’s energy, makes them feel guilty and distracts them from focusing on the future.

SFC is a short-term process which helps people identify clear and specific goals. When consideration is given to the preferred future, it often becomes clear that aspects of this future are already happening. These exceptions become the basis for initiating change and moving forward.

This approach adheres to the principle that the client is an expert on themselves and that any person is competent to come up with their own solutions, this ensures that each session fits the client’s agenda as opposed to that of the coach. Evaluation of progress is also a fundamental principle.

During a solution-focused session you also ask the client to describe what is going well. The interesting thing with problems is that they are not continuously present so if they are struggling with their current circumstances they are asked to think about a time when they weren’t struggling.

A solution-focused coach frequently compliments the client, both directly and indirectly. A direct compliment might be: `I think you handled that fantastically! `An example of an indirect compliment is: ´how did you manage to accomplish such a difficult task?´ Indirect compliments are as it were invitations to the client to compliment himself on what he has achieved, knowing this will help the client to be even more successful in dealing with the problem. Compliments highlight the client’s resources and solutions. They are intended to point to the fact that they have handled a challenging situation well and they help coach and client to explore such situations further and identify what works.

Solution-focused coaching is highly respectful and collaborative.

The client directs the process.
The client’s own perspective, beliefs and goals are fully respected and acknowledged in the coaching process.
The coach doesn’t try to change the client but uses the beliefs and goals that the client already has as helpful.
The approach is non-judgmental and the coach is curious and interested in the solutions of the client accepting they do not necessarily know what is best for someone else. It is a process of ‘leading from behind’.

Solution-focused coaching can often be brief. One reason for this is that the coaching is very much focused on achieving specific goals. A second reason is that most clients pick up this simple (but not easy) way of dealing with problems quite fast. Having dealt with one problem, lots of clients are able to deal with other problems by approaching them the same way.

Solution focused-coaching is gaining popularity rapidly and for a good reason: it works!