SOLWorld

Sharing and building Solution Focused practice in organisations

Uncovering Treasure: Influencing with Solution Focus - Report on SFCT UK Chapter call

Uncovering Treasure: Influencing with Solution Focus

Recently we had an SFCT UK call discussion on an article by Loraine Kennedy and Colin Coombs entitled “Uncovering Treasure: Influencing with Solution Focus.” This was printed in InterAction Volume 3 Number 2. We suggest you read this if you have not already done so.

Loraine pointed out that the article was a workshop paper and that it captured the learning from 3 workshops of 2 hours duration on the topic of Influencing Others.

Reason for Workshop

Loraine explained the thinking behind the workshop, which was to identify how she and Colin could:

  • Incorporate an SF Approach in to influencing
  • Design a workshop in an SF manner
  • Deliver a workshop with an SF approach
  • Explore the use of SF based evaluation processes

Clarifying Questions

Those on the call clarified some points with Loraine:

QUESTION: “Did you encounter anyone saying they had no influence?”

RESPONSE: “Generally people were a reasonable way up the confidence scale; we used numbered spots to retain confidentiality in scaling”

QUESTION: “How did the workshop come about?”

RESPONSE: “There was frustration amongst the team at not being able to influence upwards”

What did the callers find of value in the work?

Those on the call identified what they found of value in the article and in the workshop.

  1. Discovering the PRESS tool and being able to use it with clients immediately. PRESS is:
  • Prepare: for any meeting in which you need to influence and focus on your best hopes for the meeting
  • Relationship and Rapport: important to build these elements and win trust so that you can achieve a “win, win” outcome
  • Enquire: Ask useful questions to build the platform
  • Search for common ground and a way to move forward together towards a solution
  • Step forward together: appreciate the contribution of all and agree next steps
  1. How PRESS could be used in conflict management. This led to a discussion about how it could be done:
  • Finding common ground
  • Agreeing what you are here for in terms of job role
  • Creating future perfect together and agreeing how would we know we got it?
  • ….and what would be better?
  • Pointing out value of listening skills
  • Obtaining feedback from those involved on what is important
  1. Doing evaluation of the session on a chart was courageous as was sharing later evaluation. Sending a reminder of PRESS after the event.
  2. Dot scaling of confidence was valuable
  3. Having participants mind map what influencing is so eliciting their understanding
  4. The inclusion of “the least that could happen”
  5. Having participants feedback how their partner in the workshop will be better influencers – good use of affirmation
  6. One caller identified the value for influencing customers:
  • Where do you put yourself on the scale of influence
  • Where might customer put you on the scale of influence
  • What could customers do to move you up the scale

How would the callers affirm Loraine and Colin?

  1. The thoroughness of the work and total focus on using SF
  2. The simplicity of the work
  3. The generosity in sharing
  4. PRESS
  5. Giving others the ability to apply the work
  6. The varied activity in such a short workshop

Views: 204

Add a Comment

You need to be a member of SOLWorld to add comments!

Join SOLWorld

Badge

Loading…

Notes

Jumpstart into Solution Focus

You want to learn more about "Solution Focus"?

You prefer a "step by step" introduction instead to start with reading some
voluminous books?

You would appreciate to have a complete "helicopter view" on SF after the first step…

Continue

Created by Hans-Peter Korn Dec 25, 2009 at 10:25am. Last updated by Mark McKergow Nov 3, 2014.

Making the most of SOLWorld.ning.com

If you’ve just arrived at SOLWorld.org (the SOLWorld ning group), you may be looking at all the features and wondering where to start.  This note might be helpful…

 …

Continue

Created by Mark McKergow Jun 3, 2008 at 4:55pm. Last updated by Jesper H Christiansen Aug 22, 2017.

Open Space at SOLworld conferences

SOLworld Open Space instructions as it was used at the 2011 conference, by Mark McKergow

Continue

Created by Katalin Hankovszky Dec 30, 2015 at 10:18pm. Last updated by Katalin Hankovszky Dec 30, 2015.

SOLWorld Resources

Welcome to the SOLWorld Resources section.  This part of the site features information about the SOLWorld network, our past events and materials from our previous website.  It will take some time to update all the information, so thanks for your patience. 

Information in this part of the site is 'read-only'.  If you want to start discussions, please go to the Forum or Groups. …

Continue

Created by Mark McKergow May 12, 2008 at 4:08pm. Last updated by Mark McKergow Dec 2, 2022.

© 2024   Created by Mark McKergow.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service