How to apply Solution Focused Approach with stories? Victoria Spashchenko & Joanna Sell dive deeper

Have you ever wondered how to solve problems without discussing them?

I have, especially, as in the corporate world, where I very often encounter the problem talk... First, people gather information about the problem, then analyze the causes, then focus for days, weeks and months on everything that does not work and not seldom look for people to blame.

What if we started to ask „miracle questions“ and triggered conversations on what is possible instead?

My precious guest, Victoria Spashchenko, who is based in Kyiv, Ukraine has wondered how to change this dynamics for a long time. This wondering brought her to a community of practitioners of the SOLUTION FOCUSED APPROACH and resulted in writing a fantastic book „Solution focused approach for Managers and for others, too“.

In our conversation, Victoria generously shares how she works with the SOLUTION FOCUSED APPROACH to support people in her country, to talk to the media makers, journalists and leaders and how much such an approach impacts our thinking and our behavior.

We also focus on possibilities to construct the desired futures, on becoming aware of the situation’s strengths and learning potentials and on working with the solution focused approach to share stories of hope and wishes in turbulent times.

And, of course we touch the intercultural field as well. What if we tried out something else instead? What if we moved beyond talking about cultural differences and finally started to co-create cultures we want to be part of? What if we focused on how we want to work together, leveraging differences and seeing them as a source of enrichment, which they are, and not the source of challenges all the time? What if we focused on SOLUTIONS?

[EllaDeJong]

Such a wonderful and valuable interview Joanna! I enjoyed your 'respectful silence' so much, Joanna! I think I've never experienced this before, for me it adds so much to the positive experience of listening. Your non-verbal 'small' communication gave Victoria all the space she wanted to use for sharing her inspiring thoughts. Yes, Victoria, I agree it's not a 'positive approach' it's much more and above all: a practical approach (in doing and in thinking and feeling). About the Solution Focused Approach we cannot learn enough, thank you both!