Strength-Based , Solution-Focused Leadership

1. Strength-Based, Solution-Focused Leadership University of Pittsburgh, School Of Social Work The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Training Program June E. Fisher, LSW

2. Miracle Question Imagine IF…overnight something happen to all the staff at the agency… Then…you woke up and came to work the next day and everyone was cooperative and wanting to find solutions together to resolve any agency challenges.

3. Follow-Up Questions How would you notice that something was different at the agency? What might other staff at the agency notice different about the agency? What would be different for you? Who might notice that something was different for you? What would that be like?

4. Past Successes Question Can you recall a time at the agency when overall staff was motivated to work together to develop solutions for the agency?

5. Follow-Up Questions When was that time? What do you think motivated staff at that time? What resources did you have that lead to staff motivation? Who were the leaders?

6. Scaling Questions On a scale of 1 to 10, • 1 being things will always be the same as now • 10 being you know the agency will be exactly like you would like in 1 year, What number would you give your agency’s ability to change?

7. Follow-Up Questions What does your number look like? What would you need to improve your number by 1 or 2 points? Have you had success in the past obtaining what you would need to improve your number? What might result in lowering your number by 1 or 2 points?

8. Agenda • Explain, Demonstrate, Skill Practice and Feedback of Strength-Based, Solution-Focused Techniques • Evaluation and Next Steps

9. Objectives: When you leave this training you will: • Connect the Strength-Based, Solution-Focused approach with leadership tasks; and • Identify when and how to use the following skills when leading organizational change efforts: • Facilitating a positive vision of the future; • Identifying strengths in a problem situation; • Exploring past successes, • Scaling questions; • Encouraging commitment; and • Developing action steps.

10. Solution-Focused Core Principle If what you are doing doesn’t work, stop doing it and do something else. If what you are doing is working, do more of it.

11. The Child Welfare Undercurrent “A change to a different way of thinking.”

12. Funnel to See Success Learning to ask questions in such a way that assists individuals and groups to recognize strengths and successes. Success

13. Types of Strength-Based, Solution-Focused Strategies/Questions We will Learn and Practice • Miracle • Past Successes • Scaling/Follow-Up

14. How We Will Learn So We Can Incorporate Techniques Into Our Practice TOMORROW • Explain - What is the technique, how will it help me and staff. • Demonstrate – How do I do it? • Practice – Let me try this. • Feedback – This is what I did right. This is what I can improve. • Follow-up -Practice again at the agency – It’s up to you!

15. Miracle Question The “Miracle Question” is the opening piece of the process of developing well-formed goals. It provides an opportunity to think about an unlimited range of possibilities for change. It begins to move the focus away from current and past problems and toward a more satisfactory future.

16. Miracle Question It literally asks individuals/groups to disregard current challenges and for a moment, imagine what it would be like in a successful future. It creates a vivid image or vision of what things will be like when a problem is solved and develops hope that things can be improved.

17. What You May Learn by Using this Technique: If individuals/groups can visualize and even begin to see the solution to the problem; If they have any hope; and If they want an improved situation.

18. Example Miracle Question  ”Now, I want to ask you a question. Suppose that while you are sleeping tonight and the entire house is quiet, a miracle happens. The miracle is that DPW decreased the paperwork requirements for agencies.”

19. Example Miracle Question “However, because you are sleeping, you don’t know that the miracle has happened. So, when you wake up and go to work tomorrow morning, what will be different that will tell you that a miracle has happened and the paper work requirements have been decreased by half?” (adapted from de Shazer, 1988)

20. Miracle Question Key possible follow-up questions: • If the miracle happened, what will be the first change you will notice? • If it occurred, what would you notice different around the agency? • What desired future state would like for your agency? • How would this miracle improve the services you provide to children and families? • What would clients notice is different? • Would you be willing to work with your team to make part of this miracle come true?

21. Miracle Question Skill Practice On a flip chart sheet, each table group complete the following: • Think of the desired future state you would like for your agency. • Develop 1 miracle question that you could use with your management team to assist them to envision the end state. • Write at least 2 possible follow-up questions.

22. Past Successes Questions By focusing on past successes, you can learn when things were functioning well. The goal is to help individuals and groups draw on their successes so they can use those successes upon which to build. It is empowering for individuals and groups to realize that there was/are times when success is experienced.  

23. Past Successes Question  Was there a time when the agency was required to implement a new practice and did so successfully? Key possible follow-up questions: • What was the key to the success? • What existing resources were used to be successful? • What do you think the agency would need to be successful with implementing a new program?

24. What You May Learn by Using this Technique: The strengths, resources, and supports that can lead to success. Those strengths, resources and supports that can be transferred and used again. Both you and staff will learn about what may work to improve a situation.

25. Past Successes Skill Practice On a flip chart sheet, each table group complete the following: • Develop 1 Past Successes Question that you could use with your management team. • Write at least 2 possible follow-up questions.

26. Scaling Questions • Scaling Questions are a clever way to make complex features of a situation more concrete and accessible for both you and your staff.  

27. Scaling Questions • Scaling Questions can be used to assess confidence, commitment, and optimism and to prioritize problems.

28. Scaling Questions • They can also be used over a period of time to assist you and staff in assessing the level of change that may have or may not have occurred.

29. Scaling Questions • Accompanying follow-up questions can be used to develop action steps and encourage staffs’ commitment.

30. Scaling Questions • They usually take the form of asking an individual/group to give a number from 1-10. • The number represents where an individual is at some specified point. • Ten (10) is the positive end of the scale, so higher numbers are equated with higher levels of confidence or commitment. • It is critical that you provide anchors for each end of the scale.

31. Example of a Scaling Question • On a scale of 1-10, with 10 meaning you have every confidence and 1 meaning that you have no confidence at all, how confident are you that you will be able to use Strength-Based, Solution-Focused questions after this training? Key possible follow-up questions: • What might increase your number a point or two? • What might decrease your number a point or two?

32. What You May Learn by Using this Technique: • How others view a situation; • How various people in a group may view a situation; • What is needed to increase success (action steps) and what barriers may impact success; and • That you are increasing staffs’ commitment to change.

33. Skill Practice Following the example that was provided, on a flip chart sheet, each table group; • Develop a Scaling Question that you could use to determine commitment to agency change. • Develop at least 2 follow-up questions.

34. BIBLIOGRAPHY • Berg, Insoo Kim; Kelly, Susan (2000). Building Solutions in Child Protective Services. New York: W. W. Norton & Company. ISBN 0-393-70310-X. • Berg, Insoo Kim (1994). Family Based Services: A Solution-Focused Approach. New York: W. W. Norton & Company. ISBN 0-393-70162-X. • DeJong, Peter; Berg, Insoo Kim (1998). Interviewing for Solutions. California: Brooks/Cole Publishing Company. ISBN 0-534-23160-8. • Shazer, SD. (1982) Patterns of Brief Family Therapy: An Ecosystemic Approach. Guilford Press. • NASW Code of Ethics, Revised 1999.

35. Web Resource: • Solution -Focused Brief Therapy Association www.sfbta.org Go to “Research Page” and download SFBT treatment manual for working with individuals. Website also includes links to Solution-Focused research and outcome studies.