📚 Homework: Solution & goal orientation

Think about a particular case with either an employee or colleague, that is suitable to apply solution oriented communication for problem solving purpose; alternatively you can role-play with a  team member.

Important for a successful problem-solving interview is a coaching-based attitude. Leaders help employees identify self-help solutions and identify a problem-solving strategy.

In the group task you will lead a problem-solving talk with your tandem partner (employee). Use the interview guide for orientation. Please choose a role in advance:

A = manager (asks questions)

B = employee (gives answers)

C = observer (gives feedback)

Assess current situation

• Thank you for taking the time for our appointment today. There is a problem and we would like to talk about how to fix it in a solution-oriented way. “Please explain to me briefly what it is about and focus on the facts.”
• Since when does this problem exist?
• Who is involved in the problem and how it came into being?
• How are you in the current situation?

Route cause analysis

• What have you already done to fix the problem?
• How did you handle this problem so far?
• Which solution strategies have helped so far?

Goal oriented questions to reach the goal (problem solving)

• What do you want to achieve?
• What can you do for it?
• What instead? What ideas and suggestions do you have?
• Who could support you?
• Where do you get the necessary information from?
• When do you want to reach your goal?
• What would be the first step?

Resource-oriented questions to solve the problem

• What do you need to solve the problem?
• What do you need to reach the goal?
• What or who could help you in this matter?
• What could you do to make the situation better?
• What have you done so far so that the problem did not increases

Next steps & commitment

• “What are your next steps, how can I support you?
• “When will we talk about progress?”

Note your observations:

What are your main important learnings from the practice?