A Guide To Solution-Focused Problem Solving

“Focus on the solution, not on the problem.”
 
(Jim Rohn)

Introduction

Generally, when we have a problem, the focus is on what’s missing – what is wrong.

The problem is that in doing so, we risk getting lost in the deficits, which may lead to more challenges and fewer solutions.

The solution-focused model looks at problem solving from a more positive perspective – rather than focusing on deficits, the focus is on strengths, skills, experiences, resources, and support.

This problem-solving method helps us home in on what we bring to the problem and ways to address it, rather than the ways in which we are lacking.

The problem therefore becomes manageable and the process empowering.

This guide helps you to:

1. Discover the steps in the solution-focused model and ways to apply it to your daily life. The process lends itself to most issues and the more you apply it the easier it is to use.
2. Use questions to identify details, thus leading you step-by-step to think through your experiences and draw from your repertoire of strengths to address the challenge.

The result is less time focused on the many aspects of the issue and more time actually getting to a solution.

In addition, you will learn more about the questions you can use to find your solution and how to apply each one:

1. The Stages of Change
2. The Basic Concepts Of Solution-Focused Problem Solving
3. The Exploring Change Question
4. The Coping Question
5. The Scaling Question
6. The Miracle Question

Let’s begin – and don’t forget there are activity sheets and worksheets you can download, in the Additional Resources section at the end.

Stages Of Change

Before problem solving, it’s helpful to get clear about your intentions. In other words, what are you looking for from the process, and what changes will you need to make as you apply your solution?

There are many stages in the change process, so being clear about what you need from the experience is important, and it may save you a lot of time.

There are costs and benefits involved in making changes.

Let’s follow the story of Karen as she uses the information to start an exercise program.

Cost And Benefits Of Change

When Karen considers the costs and benefits of starting and returning to the exercise program, it helps her make the necessary changes – she is aware of the negative consequences she experienced before she began and the positive consequences after she began exercising.

By keeping these costs and benefits in mind, she is more motivated to keep it up (maintenance stage) even when it became difficult.

Relapse is something to bear in mind because it happens in many situations.

But if you plan for how to deal with relapses in advance, it is easier to get back to the action stage faster.

Karen knew she needed support and encouragement to return to the regimen, and by asking for help when she needed it, she was back to her classes without further delay.

“The problem contains the solution.” (Michael Bierut)

Basic Concepts Of Solution-Focused Problem Solving

The underlying premise of the solution-focused method is empowerment – solution-focused problem solving emphasizes solutions to problems, and not the problem.

These tools help you focus on the times when things are better.

Knowing that you have these skills to address obstacles, you will be more confident in your ability to resolve your challenges.

The Strengths Perspective

Solution-focused problem solving is based on a strengths perspective – you focus on your strengths, skills, experience, resources, and support, rather than getting lost in the problem.

It may require a shift in your thinking, but the process you’re learning here makes that easier.

And if you slip back into focusing on the problem, it may mean that you’re not ready to make a change yet.

Layers Of Support

In this model we will explore support and resources that can make a solution doable, and there are two layers of support to consider:

1. The Inner Circle. The inner circle of support includes those you’re close to – your friends, family, and neighbours – and people like your babysitter or nanny, housekeeper, pet-sitter – others that you rely on and could call on for help most of the time. These are your go-to people for quick responses.
2. The Outer Circle. The outer circle of support includes others that you may be less involved with. This may include those you work or go to church with. Your medical provider, the doorman at work, and more are also included in this outer circle of support.

There may be times when you come up with a possible solution that has worked before but need to find a support person to make it happen, so checking these layers of support will help you identify possibilities.

“If you define the problem correctly, you almost have the solution.” (Steve Jobs)

Tools For Solution-Focused Problem Solving

In this section, you’ll learn how to apply the tools of the trade, and there are four questions you can use to walk through the process.

There are times when you need somebody to bounce things off of or get another perspective. Coaches and counselors are often helpful in those situations, so don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it – it’s the smart thing to do!

The questions are designed to help you identify what you have available to solve the problem by looking at a time when things were better.

The Exploring Change Question

This is fairly basic, but it is worth starting off with this before using one of the other questions.

What you should do is make a list of things you’ve done to address the issue.

In Karen’s case of finding a way to get more exercise, the list may look like this by the time she is ready to take action:

• Talked to friends about their exercise routine.
• Explored the workout room in the building.
• Looked at websites for local programs.
• Called somebody at work about a walking club during lunch.

With these things in mind, Karen will recognize that she has made some steps toward her goal.

This allows her to continue to move forward without beating herself up for lack of progress.

The list also gives her a chance to note anything of interest she discovered in each step.

Staying motivated can be difficult, so anything you can do to acknowledge progress is helpful, especially when it’s in writing.

The Scaling Question

The Scaling Question is perhaps your most versatile question because:

• It is content-free and not related to the problem.
• It makes no assumptions about the direction you need to take.
• You can pick from the infinite possibilities available.

Karen may have used this in the contemplation stage of change regarding her physical discomfort before the exercise program.

Karen may ask: “On a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being as good as things get, and 1 being as bad as things get, where am I today?”

And respond: “Today, I am at a 3.”

Then Karen may ask: “What will it look like when I am at a 4 – what will be different?”

And respond: “I will walk up the stairs with less pain and keep up with my friends when we are shopping.”

Here’s another way to use the Scaling Question…

Karen may ask: “On a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being as good as things get, and 1 being as bad as things get, where am I today?”

And respond: “Today, I am at a 3.”

Then Karen may ask: “When things were better, what was going on? What was I doing that worked?”

And respond: “I was walking a mile each day after work with my husband. But, it is winter now, so that is not an option.”

In this scenario, Karen would need to ask another question since that solution is not possible at this time.

She would ask: “What did I learn from walking after work that I can apply to finding a way to exercise now?”

And respond: “I found that if I went as soon as I got home, it gave me the energy to make dinner, clean the kitchen, and I slept better.”

With this new information, Karen may decide to join a class after work instead of after dinner.

Another way of using the Scaling Question is to measure something on a daily basis and look at what was helpful on the days that things were better.

Karen monitors her energy level after lunch (2:00 pm) and after she gets home (6:00 pm).

Question: What was different on the days my energy was higher in the evening?

Response: Days of exercise class

The Coping Question

This question is great for getting out of crisis mode or when you’re overwhelmed by the problem.

Its purpose is to change the focus from overwhelming elements of the problem to strengths, skills, and experience you have to solve the challenge.

You recall how you coped with similar experiences. What worked? What you can apply from that situation, even if it’s not the total solution to your current issue.

Consider Lara’s issue: Lara’s husband is going out of town on business for two weeks. She has two school-age children who have to be dressed, fed, and on the bus by 7:30, and she has to be at work by 8:30. Her husband always gets the kids ready in the morning, and she is overwhelmed by the thought of doing all of this on her own for two weeks.

Lara starts with the Exploring Change Question: “What have I tried to solve the problem?”

1. Joe (her husband) spoke to his boss about sending somebody else. That won’t work.
2. I asked to work from home those two weeks. My request was denied.
3. I tried to find a short-term nanny with no success.

The Coping Question might be a good one for this situation. She then asks herself:

“Have I ever dealt with something like this before? How did I cope with it?”

“When Joe was in the hospital for a week two years ago, Jamie (her sister) came over and stayed with us the whole week. She took care of the kids in the morning while I got myself ready for work. Since she moved, that won’t work now.”

This is a possible solution, but another support person will be needed to make it work. When looking for support people, you begin by thinking about your inner circle – friends, family, and neighbors.

If there is nobody in the inner-circle, you check the outer circle of support, a less personal support network. That is usually professional organizations, a medical team, people you work with or go to church with, online communities, and more.

“Is there somebody else who can help? Any other family, friends or neighbours? Who else is in my network that may be able to help?”

“All my family live out of state now. My friends have jobs and most of the neighbours also work. There is a girl (Susie) who lives down the street that has babysat for us before. It might be possible to get her to come over or stay at night to help.”

Ultimately, your goal is to develop a plan of action.

The final question is: “What happens next to explore this possibility?”

“Call Susie’s mom to see what she thinks. If she agrees, talk with Susie about details.”

Do it!

If you have no previous experience that applies to a situation, think of others you know that have coped with similar issues and talk to them about it to get ideas.

And if necessary, ask online if there’s a community page in your area.

Get creative!

The Miracle Question

The Miracle Question is a way of getting outside the problem by suspending reality for a few minutes to dream of a time when things will be better.

Note that this can go astray, so follow up questions may be necessary.

Chris has been struggling with health-related challenges for a few years. He’s taking his medication, but the side-effects are very difficult to tolerate. He feels hopeless about getting long-term results.

In Chris’s situation, the Miracle Question would go something like this:

“Suppose tonight, after you go to sleep, you wake up and your health issues are gone. What would that look like?”

“My blood sugar would be 120 – no pain in my feet – I would have lots of energy and no more depression.”

Dig deeper: “What else?”

“I would be working in my shop with Lincoln, my dog, looking at the mountains, and listening to Colorado Public Radio.”

Then: “Who else would notice this change?”

“My wife would notice. She would notice that I’m not on the couch watching TV all weekend. I am not as grumpy. I’m finally working on things she asked me to do six months ago.”

And: “What difference would all this make?”

“I would get more done and feel good about it. My wife would be happy and when she is happy, everybody is happy. Maybe we would even have sex!”

And: “What was going on in your life the last time things were like this for you?”

“I was getting a lot of exercise, preparing for a two-day bike tour. I spent several hours each week training for that. I felt better and got more done – barely watched TV all week. I was definitely less grumpy because I felt better. And my wife and I were more involved in things together.”

Finally: “How can you recreate some of this in your life now?”

“I could dust the bike off and plan a day to ride on the weekend. I would have to put some thought into it since we have moved, but there are a lot of riding trails nearby. Maybe the wife would come with me, even if she doesn’t ride.”

“Every problem has a solution. You just have to be creative enough to find it.” (Travis Kalanick)

Putting Solution-Focused Problem Solving To Work For You

This is a lot to digest at once, so just remember to choose which question seems right for your situation.

Here are some reminders:

1. Consider where you are in the change process – what stage are you in?
2. Remember, this process helps you look for experience, strengths/skills, support, and resources you can use to solve the problem.
3. Always start with the Exploring Change Question. Make a list of what you’ve already accomplished.
4. The Coping Question is good to use when you are feeling overwhelmed or in crisis. Remember to dig deeper when necessary: ask yourself what, when, how, and why.
5. The Scaling Question works with things you want to measure and/or compare. What is going on now? When it was better, what was happening? How can I do that again?
6. The Miracle Question is not right for every situation. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, use the Coping Question. When you need to look at concrete information about things, use the Scaling Question.
7. The Miracle Question requires a lot of work and some finesse to get to the realistic aspects of what is better. Why is it important to you? How are you or have you made this happen before? Can you do any of that now?
8. Come up with your next steps and do it! If it doesn’t work, try again.

Try this solution-focused problem solving method with your next challenge and resolve your issue faster and with less stress!

“Whatever the problem, be part of the solution. Don’t just sit around raising questions and pointing out obstacles.” (Tina Fey)

Additional Resources

These are suggestions for those who wish to delve deeper into any of the above:

1. Costs And Benefits Worksheet
2. Inner Circle Of Support Worksheet
3. Outer Circle Of Support Worksheet
4. Stages Of Change Activity
5. The Coping Question Activity
6. The Exploring Change Question Activity
7. The Miracle Question Activity
8. The Scaling Question Activity