5 reasons why researchers (and skeptics) should pay attention to what works

I’ve been listening a lot to researchers for a long time. In my long-ago advertising days researchers were not very well regarded because in their drive to be useful, (i.e., objective), to our marketing clients they would often tell you what was wrong with the ad being tested, but there seemed little regard for the whole. They would break it down into its component parts and explain which parts were OK, then move quickly the parts which ‘needed some work’. On an analytical basis they could have been right about the pieces that didn’t work. The problem was that our pressured clients who were anxious to avoid risk would hone in on the negatives, and that would be the end the concept – we’d go back to the drawing board oblivious to any learning except for what not to put in the next concept. Hence, the next idea would be dumbed down only to struggle for attention among other equally commoditized ad messages.

I’ve also been listening to bunch of experts in various fields, many of the in the NGO, not-for-profit area. The too are good at telling what what’s wrong, often in great detail. Like the researcher, they struggle to come up with insights about what would work. A while ago I listened to a very senior NGO leader say that the group of clients we’d just listed to were wrong about their beliefs because they were too optimistic about the issue we were exploring. The leader thought we should be talking to people ‘at risk’ in order to understand their problems!!

So, what’s this to do with Solutions Focus? In the SF model for change we look for the exception to problems among our clients. When we stop looking at the problem clients have a better chance of finding out what they want and do something about it.

• When we discuss problem at any length it keeps the person, the group or the organization in a state of being stuck

• Our interest in their problem means we are not being helpful to them

• Problem discussion usually leads to us wanting to rescue them. They won’t make progress being rescued

• Instead, remember it’s not buttercups and butterflies to ask about what’s working in their lives and help them do more of that – it just works

• Enjoy the risk of getting odd looks when you ask about things that work – they’ll thank you afterwards