Coaching – reduced to the maximumby Peter Szabó

Introduction toSolution-focused BriefCoaching

Dr. Peter SzabóCoach and Trainer of CoachesUnterer Batterieweg 73CH-4059 BaselSwitzerlandphone: ++41 61 361 11 88e-mail: szabo@bluewin.chwww. weiterbildungsforum.ch

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Here and Now

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1. Desired Future

3. Experimental phase

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2. First sings of reaching the goal

Coaching – reduced to the maximumDr. Peter Szabó

Short, simple and successfulLike other service providers, especially in thesetimes of rapid change, coaches must ensure a highlevel of performance and excellent results. Profes-sionals undertaking coaching are looking for thequickest possible success. And the personal skillsclients can develop through coaching are among themost sought-after qualities in the modern businessworld.

More than enough reason, therefore, to examine theefficiency of the coaching process in greater detail.Which factors are crucial in achieving coachingsuccess as simply as possible?Which assumptions will help you to reach the goal asquickly as possible?Which activities should you avoid to maximize yourefficiency as a coach?

It is in response to these questions that solution-focused brief coaching (see Fig. 1) emerges as aparticularly interesting alternative to traditionalproblem-solving methods.

In solution-focused brief coaching, questions are asked insuch a way as to move the client's attention to the level ofsolutions. Instead of discussing problems, difficulties andcauses, the coach explores with the client desired goals ,exceptions which have led to success in the past (times whenthe problem did not occur), and solutions (the changes thatwill have occurred once the goal is reached) as well asexisting resources .

Figure 1: Solution-focused brief coaching

This procedure is especially suited to the businessenvironment, because these clients are already fami-liar with many of the questions you will ask, eg,about defining goals and visions, best practices, orknowledge management. But the mix of questions isunusual, the order in which they are asked issurprising, and, best of all, the step-by-step solution-focused procedure is truly unique.

Three stages in reaching solutionsIn the first stage, clients and coach discuss thedesired future (Figure 2) and the changes thatwould be involved in reaching them. This goaldefinition phase is similar to other coaching approa-ches. However, particular attention is focused on themoment when the goal is reached. The clientdescribes their vision of the future, in the greatestpossible detail. In contrast, no information is gathe-red about the problem.

In the second stage, clients and coach discuss therecent past, looking for early existing signs ofchanges in the direction of the desired state. In thisphase, the coach only asks questions about what isalready working well. This helps the client toidentify possible steps forward and strengthens theirexisting resources.

In the third stage, clients attempt to put into practicewhat has been discussed so far. Usually, an experi-mental phase is agreed upon, which involves minorchanges in everyday activities. The experiments aredefined so as to focus the client's attention on solu-tions that will work.

Figure 2: The three stages of solution-building

Identifying solutions rather than solvingproblemsIn our culture, it is most common to focus on prob-lems and their causes, analyzing and diagnosing so

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that a solution can be found. The solution-focusedprocess dispenses with problem analysis. Instead offocusing on understanding the problem better, thetime available is spent learning as much as possibleabout goals, solutions and resources. As a rule, onceclients have put discussing the problem behind them,they are surprised how much they have to say aboutthe solution. It almost feels as if they did not havethis information earlier, and only discovered itduring the conversation.

Albert Einstein is supposed to have said, 'Noproblem can be solved by the same consciousnessthat created it'. Solution-focused coaching thusavoids drawing attention to the problem. It prefers todraw clients' conscious attention to solutions. TheMiracle Question is typical of this process, 'Let usassume that a miracle has happened and that yourproblem has been solved. What will you then...?'

Avoiding questions about the details of the problemoffers the following advantages:• Coaching requires less time.• Clients find it easier to work out appropriate

solutions. The greater the detail and the moreprecisely clients speak of past and future solutions,the more choices they realize are available to them.The coach can help to build the clients solutionawareness in such a way that it is solid enough foreveryday use.

• Clients' confidence in trying out solutions isincreased. The more their resources and abilitiesare discussed, the easier the situation appears, andthe more motivated clients are to put their solutionsinto practice. After all, words create reality.

• Mor eover , solution-or ie nte d aw a re ne ss he lps c lie ntsincreasingly to see themselves – and to behave – asexperts. If the person who is searching can find thesolution themselves, the coach only needs to helpthem identify options, goals, resources, andsolutions.

An attempt at explanationNaturally, such a paradigm shift seems a littlestrange in the beginning. It may even seem to lackwhat, up to now, and based on our own experience,we have considered logical and effective. But thesolution-focused approach is the result of empiricalstudies on the question, 'How does counselingwork?'. Results showed that concentrating on solut-ions, and only on solutions, enabled participants toreach their goals in less time and just as efficiently asother methods.New theoretical findings from other fields of sciencesupport these surprising results and make it easier tounderstand them.

• Chaos theory: Complex systems in an unstablebalance develop most efficiently when they controlthemselves. The complexity of the influencingfactors is so great that our linear way of looking atthings from the perspective of cause and effectreaches its limits. Why not leave out the analysisand the reduction to the causes of the problem andconcentrate instead on identifying the smallestchanges which have led in the desired direction,thereby becoming aware of the forces that supportthem.

• Constructivism: If there is no objective reality ,and if each of us constructs our reality on the basisof our subjective awareness, why not help ourclients to construct as helpful a reality for them-selves as possible? The Miracle Question, forexample, often helps clients leave old andrestrictive ways of thinking behind, and developsolutions in an unencumbered and creative manner.The more 'exceptions' that the client can identify assigns of the miracle having already begun to takeshape, the more confidence he will have in hissolution constructions.

• Cybernetics: The logic of the failure of themanagement of complex systems has been suffi-ciently investigated. It is easier to prevent what wedon't want than to achieve precisely what we dowant. Thus it is fairly simple for a coach tointerrupt the problem awareness that is preventingthe solution of the problem. Instead of doing moreof the same thing that does not work, ('try harder'problem awareness), focusing on solutions ('trysomething different' solution awareness) makesroom for new approaches. Based on experience,the results are positive. Even if the solutions do not(immediately) hit the spot, they are a step in theright direction.

• Systems theory: Every change in any part of asystem influences the future interactions ofeveryone involved. If clients begin to describe theirgoals and solutions, as well as how other peoplewill react, differently, their relationships with otherpeople will also change. If clients concentrate onsolutions within a system and become aware ofthem, useful changes are easier to introduce andmaintain.

• Communication theory: As coaches, we realisethat we can never fully and accurately understandwhat our clients wish to tell us. So, since we areanyway going to interpret subjectively, why notassume that whatever our clients say aboutsolutions makes sense? The coach should alwaysconsider what the client says useful and helpful.Investigations into very different forms of coun-seling have shown that appreciative and client-centered coaches are especially effective.

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Practical examples – simple, but not easyThe solution-focused procedure is simple. But con-sistently adopting the appropriate attitude whencoaching is not. To conclude therefore ... someexamples from my own experience as a solution-focused coach:• A close friend told me about a serious quarrel he

had had with a colleague. I was very tempted todiscuss the problem and to learn more about thecircumstances and details of the conflict. Thechallenge for me was to awaken his solution-oriented awareness and to ask him, for example,what he thought should remain the same in hisrelationship with his colleague. Or to help himdecide what response was most likely to besuccessful. I was unable to do either of these.Because of our friendship, I felt his pain andsorrow strongly. Switching to the 'solution level'seemed too harsh for me as a caring friend.

• Another client was a victim of bullying. I wastempted to concentrate on and solve the bullyingissue with her. The challenge for me was to keepfocusing on the day after the 'miracle' hadhappened, to help her talk about how self-assuredand proactive she would be then. With everymeeting, she was able to give me more examplesof situations where she had been able to assertherself – at least partially – which helped her toregain self-confidence. However, finding suchexamples and helping her to become aware of themwas hard work. At the beginning, because of theenormous amount of external strain, she answeredalmost all my solution questions with moreinformation about the problem. However, by ourfifth meeting, she had built up enough energy andmotivation to apply successfully for a new job.Until then, despite her excellent professionalqualifications, she had been unable to get a newjob because she had seemed so desperate anddefeated in interviews.

• A manager came to me before a very importantsales negotiation. He asked me to provide him withguaranteed strategies for success. It looked as if hewanted pure professional advice. I had majordoubts whether my coaching questions would beable to achieve the desired results. I made a largenumber of suggestions, especially because hisnegotiation tactics looked somewhat clumsy to me.Naturally, he ignored my advice. Because I wasgetting desperate, I asked him about his goals forthe negotiation, whereupon we began to discoversuccess factors from earlier negotiations he hadled. Our meetings suddenly began to bear fruit. Wewere able to identify useful and suitable behavioralpatterns very clearly and in great detail. In the end,the manager approached the negotiations withgreat inner self-assuredness and justifiable confi-

dence. Later on, he told me that what had helpedhim most was that I had shown him so clearly thatI trusted in his abilities.

• A quality assurance team wanted to improve theirinternal communication. A two-day communica-tion-skills workshop had been budgeted for and Ihad a large number of communication exercisesthat I had used many times in the past. With someeffort I persuaded myself to hold only two or threetwo-hour meetings instead. At my first meetingwith the team, at one of their regular meetings, weapplied the progression scale. This helps membersof a team to evaluate the quality of their currentinternal communication. (This team's estimate wasan average of 3.9 on a scale of 10.) They thendefined what they would do differently if theywere at 4.9 on the scale. Finally, I asked them togive me a personal (and confidential) prognosis ofwhere they would be in two week's time (our nextmeeting) and how this could be measured. I alsoasked them to keep observing and noting downthings that were already happening that wouldfulfill their prognosis. At our next meeting, threeweeks later, I asked them 'What is better aboutyour internal communication?' They reported ontheir observations and agreed that many thingswere even better than their prognosis. They all feltthat their team communication had now improvedsufficiently and that they would be able to maintainthis improvement. I had fulfilled my task in twoshort meetings without using any of the oldcommunication-skills exercises I still had storedaway in a drawer.

• A service industry merger. For two years, 300employees had been battling with the conse-quences of a merger. It seemed as if the differencesbetween the two corporate cultures were insur-mountable. One process that is often used in thissituation is to work out new, shared corporateguidelines using pin boards and cards. We took amajor risk and suggested a leap forwards in timeinstead. We divided all 300 employees into smallmixed groups and asked them to pretend that twoyears had gone by, and that, during this period, co-operation had improved significantly. This hypo-thetical approach towards finding a solutionexceeded all our expectations. The participantscommunicated with one another in a way thatwould have been inconceivable before they tooktheir mental time leap. They went on to observenew and sustainable changes their everyday work.The next intervention has yet to take place. It willbe about helping them to perceive the progressthey have made and to maintain it.

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For c oac he s, it re quire s muc h self- discipline to r e ma insolution-f ocuse d a nd clie nt- ce nte re d. N ever t-hele ss, itis alw ays a w or th- while a dve ntur e , be c ause it he lpsc lients find the ir ow n ef f ec tive solutions ve r y quickly.Fur the rmor e , it fr ee s c oa c he s f rom the burden of proble m- solving, the r eby trustf ully plac ing r espon-sibility in the ha nds of the tr ue e xpe rt – the c lie nt!

Orthopedic medical rehabilitation combined withsolution-focused counseling.A comparative study carried out by the insurance industry in theUS achieved remarkable results. The investigation focused onindustrial workers who were unable to do their jobs due to backinjuries. The study compared healing success rates in injuredworkers who had had solution-focused brief counseling, and inthose who had not.

G r o u p i n v e s t i g a t e d

C o m p a r a t o r y g r o u p

6 weeks

6 hours

64%

6 weeks

0 hours

4%

Medical therapy

Solution-focused briefcounseling

Take-up of workafter 6 weeks

A solution-oriented discussion on the subjectof coachingAn experienced coach (C) has a solution-orienteddiscussion with a coach in training who takes on thepart of the client (K)in this conversation. The coach'squestions reflect the typical structure of a solution-focused discussion. The client's replies are not allprinted in full.

First stage – Expectations of the futureC: What needs to happen here today, so that later on,you will be able to say that it was worthwhilediscussing coaching with me?K: If I acquired new ways and methods of becominga very effective coach. If I could put my fingerquickly on what is essential, in order to be able toconcentrate only on useful questions (...).

C: How would that be different for you?.K: I would appreciate what I do as a coach more if Icould see that my clients were making progress. Iwould be sure that I was doing things right.

C: And how would your clients know that you aredoing things right?K: They would experience success more quickly.They might gain more confidence in their powerdesigning a solution. And they would also have morechoices (...).

C: My next question may seem a little strange. Ittakes some imagination to answer it. Suppose thatyou go home after our meeting, that you go to bed

tonight, and that, while you are sleeping, a miraclehappens. And the miracle is, that the reason why youcame here is solved – just like that! But since you areasleep you will have no idea that the miracle istaking place. How will you begin to discovertomorrow morning that a miracle has happened andthat you have reached all your goals as a coach?K: I haven't a clue... (long pause)... It would onlybecome clear to me shortly before a coaching sessionthat I have tomorrow. I would probably feel rested,calm and confident that the coaching will go well.

C: And how will your client know that the miraclehas happened?K: She will think that my welcome is especiallywarm this morning. (...) She will realize that I lookdifferent, that I lean back, that I am very self-confi-dent and nevertheless interested and curious aboutwhat she has to say.

C: How will you know that your client knows?K: I think I would see her feel more relaxed. Shewould be able to develop interesting new ideas andwould realize that her ideas are really good.

C: And what would you do then?K: I would pay special attention to solutionstrategies and my client's existing abilities, andwould draw her attention to them. (....) I think Iwould also be able to let go of my own ideas aboutwhat she should do more easily.

Second stage: Signs that the goal is beingreachedC: Looking back over the last few days, when wasthere a coaching situation in which you already felt alittle bit the way that you will feel on the morningafter the miracle?K: Last Thursday, only for a moment, I had aconversation that made me feel really good.

C: How did you do that?K: I spontaneously thought of two questions thathelped the other person to get on to the right track.

C: How did you know that you should ask preciselythose two questions?K: The first question was easy: I asked her, 'What doyou wish to achieve now?'. I had already had goodexperiences with asking that question in the past andI asked her quite automatically.With the second question it was actually the clientherself who gave me the idea. She said, 'I'm sure myboss doesn't want it the way I tought'. So I asked herwhat her boss wanted instead. And at that momenteverything fell into place. I don't even know whatidea she came up with, because all she said was 'Oh,right!' and she grinned and walked away.

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C: What would you say you did to make things fallinto place for her?K: I didn't feel as if I had to suggest any good waysforward. I just listened attentively to her answers.She is someone I really like and admire, so I justtrusted her to find a solution all by herself.

C: OK, great. Now, on a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being themoment you realized that you had certain qualities asa coach, and 10 being the morning after the miracle.Where would you place your current coachingqualities on this scale?K: At about 4, I guess.

C: OK, so what makes it a 4 already?K: I have improved my skills in not offering advice.I can listen attentively and pay full attention to whatthe client says. I can also trust in my abilitysometimes to ask truly helpful spontaneousquestions.

C: Great. Now back to the conversation that tookplace last Thursday. Where would you place yourcoaching on the scale?K: That was a 9, I guess.

C: And how will you realize that you have taken astep forward and that you have reached 5 on thescale?K: If I actually begin to look forward to the meetingthe next day and can sit through it calmly and relax.Then I will have reached a 5.

C: On a scale of 1 to 10, how confident are you thatyou will be successful tomorrow?K: 9.

Third stage: Experimental stageC: I am very impressed by how important it is to youto let go as a coach, and also by your ability to betruly client-centered. I would like to suggest a smalle xper ime nt. I t w ill r equir e about a minute pe r day andwill be fun. Would you like me to tell you about it?

K: Sure, it sounds exciting.

C: Good. Make a list which you update everyevening. Let us say for the next five days. Note downeverything that happens during your coachingmeetings that you want to continue happening in thefuture.

K: OK, but I would prefer to update the list in themorning. That would be a nice way to start the day.C: Sure, good luck!

Second sessionThe standard focus for the second and the followingsessions is on solutions and resources that popped upin the meantime:• What is better? What else? What would other

people say?• How did you manage to do that?• How can you maintain your progress?

Less coaching, greater success

A group of scientists, working with sociologistsSteve de Shazer and Insoo Kim Berg in the USA,investigated the art of reducing counseling to themaximum very intensively and with great success.Over the course of about twenty years, the teamexamined and identified what is especially useful inclient / counselor conversations in order to provideclients with a successful way of reaching theirgoals.

This resulted in the development of solution-focusedbrief counseling, a simple procedure which leads tothe rapid identification of sustainable and effectivesolutions. In concrete terms, this means that, bysystematically refraining from counseling activitiesthat are of little use, the time investment can bereduced to an average of three meetings, eachlasting 50 minutes. This form of counseling hasproved to be sustainable and effective, with asuccess rate of 86%, as shown by studies carried outafter 6 and 18 months. This research has led to asilent revolution in the world of therapy. The teamhas been active at the Brief Family Therapy Center(BFTC) in Milwaukee since 1978.

Additional Linkswww.brief-therapy.org is the original website of thefounders at the BFTC in Milwaukee.www.thesolutionsfocus.com contains information onsolution orientation in business environmentswww.reteaming.com applies a simple solution-focused procedure with teamswww.appreciative-inquiry.org presents solution-focused work in OD

Suggested ReadingThe Solutions Focus – the simple way to positivechangeby Paul Z Jackson and Mark McKergowNicholas Brealey Publishing, London, 2002.