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Solution-focused Coaching
Barb Ann Pierce,
BEng, MBA, PCC
Drawing on more than
2,500 hours of coaching
experience, Barb has been
teaching coaching skills to
coaches and leaders since
2008. Based on her unique
background and experiences,
she has integrated a holistic
approach to coaching that
creates a safe foundation for
exploration and growth. Barb
recently published Become
a Coach Leader—One
Conversation at a Time
(Coaching Horizons, 2014).
Her book is available in print
and e-book form worldwide
via all major distributors.
“Leaders can provide visible evidence of enabling and supporting their
employees by conducting continuous Appreciative Coaching conversations
showing how the strengths of the person are aligned to the results of the
organization. People then understand how they fit into the organization’s
vision and mission, but create a powerful energy for excellence.”
—James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner, The Leadership Challenge (4th ed., Jossey-Bass, 2008)
Although much effort has been invested in improving problem-solving models, there
has been significant research in the past 50 years regarding the benefits of positive
thinking. One area of discovery via the world of psychology has been the development
of Appreciative Inquiry (AI). Initially developed for the medical field, AI has been gaining
traction in the business world. A 2012 study by Anne Selcer, Gerald Goodman and
Phillip J. Decker found that leaders who use appreciative coaching have significantly
greater impacts on developing a common vision, and in empowering and supporting
their work teams.
Learning about AI sparked an “aha” moment that forever changed how I interact with
others—especially with my clients. I started implementing AI right away with excellent
results and found that approaching coaching conversations through the lens of AI created
a more optimistic tone. It also moved the discussion from a focus on what was wrong to
what was possible; this helped my clients get to a place of understanding and possibility
much more quickly. Simply put: You get more of what you choose to focus on.
Like many people, I used to focus on solving the problem during coaching discussions.
I now know that focusing on the problem brings even more attention to it—often at the
expense of the solution. For example, when you are biking on a trail, the more you focus
on the big rock that you want to avoid, the more likely you are to hit it. To successfully
navigate the obstacle, you instead look beyond the rock to the place where you want your
wheels to go. The same thing is true of work or personal problems. The more you focus
on the thing you don’t want, the more of it you’re going to get.
24 Coaching World