焦点解决管理

高德明团队 译编

什么是焦点解决管理方法，是什么使得焦点解决实践不再仅限于咨询场景，而是涉及所有管理领域？

从概念形成的起源上看，焦点解决管理可以被看作是：

-使企业获得控制的概念，包括持续不断地关注微小的正向差异（在员工个人层面、团队以及企业整体层面）

-这些正向差异主要指那些能够得到更好匹配或协作的内容。

-因此，当没有起效时，就采取更多措施获得有效的信息，或者采用不同的做法。

-最后，观察和筛选那些能够产生积极差异的措施和活动，等等。

假设通过实施这些观念，以咨询为导向的焦点解决实践经验的有效机制就能够被转移到各个管理情境中。尤其是以下效果：

-通过关注正向差异就能够建立和形成一种欣赏文化，而这是建立信任的基础

-动用全公司的资源和力量了解什么是有效的

-从整体观上考虑相关性和协调问题

-关注少量但重要的内容（“简易”）

                                           过去　　　                                   现在　　　             未来

图2：匹配和解决方法的动态发展

当使用以上方法时，我们是假设一个更好的未来已实现，可能是企业与市场/外环境有一个更好的匹配，企业内部形成一个更和谐的氛围，等等。就像是按了“气球”的开始键，当关注正向差异时，气球就充满了“能量”，于是就创造了一个向上的未来。不过将面临的一个重要挑战是，焦点解决管理工具和企业内的“文书工作”。如果正向差异也体现在工具和过程中，那么这会在企业内产生一种广泛效应。

有趣的是，与以上所提到的相似内容正越来越多地在管理概念中进行探讨。特别是实践导向的概念（Malik 2001）和资源导向的管理概念呈现出相似的趋势(Hamel/Prahalad 1994)。

在我看来，除了起源之外，实践焦点解决管理方法也存在一些新的和进一步的机遇。这在本书中会被提及（毕竟，本书包含了可能应用焦点解决模式的多领域案例）。

企业组织中一个重要的任务是传达一些报告或演讲信息，而这往往是单方面交流。在“正向差异理论”指导下，信息应被置于最显著的位置吗，以清晰地表达当事情好转时，会有什么不同之处。举例来说，如果管理者想要激发员工重视“才能”的概念，那么他需要呈现以下内容：

-具体、详细地阐述才能如何会在企业发挥作用

-员工怎么样才能够理解提高才能的积极意义

-如果才能匹配会产生什么不一样的效果

-什么是需要被加强或做更多的，比如重视那些有用的、微小的内容等。

在商业领域，这样一种出其不意的方法是较为常见的：详细描述才能不匹配的场景（往往被员工误认为付出努力即可），诸如消费者的投诉数据、引用竞争对手等问题细节。

然而，传达信息的潜在方法也包括e-mails。与关注正向差异的背景所不同的是，一份邮件可以用一种更符合焦点解决的方式进行陈述。也就是说，不仅仅提问技术、而且陈述和信息都能产生积极的差异。

另一种潜在应用是，“企业激励”领域。基于上述概念，作为一位管理者，可以想办法找出不同的动机。关于动机问题的最重要内容是，我们不是试图解释为什么一个人会失去动力（这是员工闲聊时最受欢迎和常被讨论的话题），而是如果一个人能够变得更有动力一点，那会有什么区别。管理者需要在环境中细细地观察、收集信息，以及与员工交谈，找出当事情好转时会有什么不一样（员工的需求和工作环境的特点）。如果管理者采取这样的方法并获得了员工的高承诺，那么他就需要做更多一样的事情。

本书还将提到大量理论性概念和例子、个案研究及企业内实践焦点解决方法的项目。在我个人看了，这是一种寻找和利用积极差异的模式。这些应用方法已在实践中得到验证，并涵盖领导力、市场和销售、项目管理、工作设计、人力资源、组织发展和学习、培训和教练，以及冲突管理。

亲爱的读者，如果你能在阅读过程中收获应用于你企业的灵丹妙计，那么我们将会兴奋不已。作为焦点解决实践原则的最后一条，我们会告诉你情境的重要性：“每个案例都是不同的”。关键是要在一个具体的场景下比如你的企业中找到正向差异，而这些方法可能并不适用于其他场景。肯定的是，这些方法能够为你找到属于你的有用方法提供一些新思路，并祝你最终能够找到。

——高德明焦点解决高效教练督导团队译编

附：原文　

Solution-Focused Management

How can the outlines of such a solution-focused management-approach be described, which enables solution-focused work not just in settings "close to consulting", but in all functional areas of management?

Against the backdrop of the concept developed here, solution-focused management can be seen as a concept for control in enterprises that includes a consistent focusing on those aspects that resemble small positive differences (at the level of the individual employee, in groups and the whole enterprise),

-with these differences mainly referring to those aspects that fit better

-thus taking measures to get more out of the things that work and to do things differently when they don't work

-finally, observing and screening which of these measures and activities led to positive differences etc.

It can be assumed that by implementing such a concept, the favourable effects from the consulting-oriented experiences with solution-focused work so far can also be transferred to many settings of every-day management. The following effects are particularly likely:

-Establishing and developing a culture of appreciation by focusing on positive differences, which builds trust

-Using resources and strengths of company-wide knowledge about what works well

-Focusing on "doing" and“something” such as objectives

-A holistic view through taking into account interdependencies and the question of coordination

-Focusing on few but essential things(“Simplicity”)

                                       Past                                              Now                         Future

Figure 2: Dynamic development towards more fits and solutions

When using the approach described, it can be assumed that a positive development towards a better state is achieved, thus, mainly a better fit of the enterprise with the markets/environment, but also a more favourable fit within the enterprise is likely. Like at the startof a "balloon", by focusing on positive differences, the balloon is filled with "energy" and this creates an upwards development. One important challenge in this context is a solution-focused design of management instruments and the“ paperwork” in enterprises. If positive differences are also reflected in instruments and processes, this would quickly lead to abroader effect in enterprises.

Interestingly, similar aspects as those mentioned above are increasingly mentioned in the discussion of management concepts. Especially practice-oriented concepts (see e.g. Malik 2001) and resource-oriented management concepts (Hamel/Prahalad 1994) show a similar leaning.

In my opinion, against this background there are new and further opportunities of using solution-focused management that will be outlined briefly now (this book, after all, contains a multitudeof examples for possible use).

One important task in an enterprise is to pass on information in connection with presentations or speeches, where the setting is one of one-way communication. Following the "theory of positive differences”, that information should be foregrounded that makes clear what is different when things work better. If the managing director wants to motivatethe assembled employees towards tackling the concept of "quality", hecan, for example, present the following aspects:

-Specific details on where quality works well in the enterprise

-How people can make out that quality develops positively

-What is different if quality fits well

-What can be intensified or done more often, with a focus on small steps certainly being helpful etc.

It is not uncommon in business life to find a different approach in such cases: detailed descriptions of situations where they quality is not right (which employees see as a degradation of their efforts), details about problems such as statistics on customer complaints,references to the competitors etc.

The potential applications for passing oninformation, however, in the author’s opinion also include e-mails. Against the backdrop of focusing on positive differences, an e-mail can be written in a much more solution-focused manner. The elements mentioned here show that it is not just questioning techniques but also statements and messages that can be orientate towards positive differences.

Another potential use can be found in the area of “motivation in enterprises”. Based on the concept described, the approach of a superior would focus on finding out about differences in motivation.The most important question with motivational problems is not an attempt at explaining why a person is demotivated (which is a very popular and oft-discussed question round the water cooler), but what is different if a person is a little bit more motivated. A superior would observe exactly these situations more closely, gather information and, in conversation with the employee, work out together what is different when things works better (the needs of the employee and the characteristics of the work situation). If the superior takes an action resulting in a higher commitment of the employee, he will look for opportunities to do more of the same.

The rest of this book contains a multitudeof conceptional ideas and especially examples, case studies and projects involving solution-focused work in enterprises. In my opinion, they also follow the pattern of finding and making use of positive differences. These applications have been proven in practice and cover the areas of leadership, marketing and sales, project management, work design, human resources,organisational development and learning, training and coaching, as well as conflict management.

It would be gratifying if you, dear reader, find inspiration here for applying this approach in your enterprise. At this point a final principle of solution-focused work is to be mentioned that is important in this context: “every case is different”. It is essential to develop the die positive differences in a particular context, that is your enterprise, and so these projects do not provide recipes for other contexts.They definitely do provide ideas for new approaches though and we sincerely hope they will be of use for you.

学习、练习、实践、反思、督导，是一个SF取向工作者的快速成长之路。敬请期待下期分享。