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The purpose of this paper is to explore the differential effects of problem‐focused and solution‐focused coaching questions by means of a literature overview and results of an exploratory pilot study.

In a problem‐focused coaching session 39 participants complete a range of measures assessing self‐efficacy, their understanding of a problem, positive and negative affect, and goal approach. They then respond to a number of problem‐focused coaching questions, and then complete a second set of measures. The 35 participants in a solution‐focused session complete a mirror image of the problem‐focused condition, responding to solution‐focused coaching questions, including the “Miracle Question”.

Both the problem‐focused and the solution‐focused conditions are effective at enhancing goal approach. However, the solution‐focused group experience significantly greater increases in goal approach compared with the problem‐focused group. Problem‐focused questions reduce negative affect and increase self‐efficacy but do not increase understanding of the nature of the problem or enhance positive affect. The solution‐focused approach increases positive affect, decreases negative affect, increases self‐efficacy as well as increasing participants' insight and understanding of the nature of the problem.

Solution‐focused coaching questions appear to be more effective than problem‐focused questions. Although real‐life coaching conversations are not solely solution‐focused or solely problem‐focused, coaches should aim for a solution‐focused theme in their coaching work, if they wish to conduct effective goal‐focused coaching sessions that develop a depth of understanding, build self‐efficacy, reduce negative affect, increase positive affect and support the process of goal attainment.

This is the first study to explore this issue.

Innovation originally meant ‘change’ or ‘renewal’. Over time, it became associated with creating new products, methods, materials, markets, and forms of organisation. Today, in everyday language, innovation is used as a much broader term that encompasses non-materialistic, non-economical ideas such as social, educational, philosophical, political, environmental, or spiritual innovations. What makes something innovative is subjective and depends not only on the perceived novelty of the content but also on the co-constructed meaning of what is possible or what it changes in our lives. Therefore, innovation leaders must also become experts in co-constructing meanings with their teams. In this chapter, a structured solution-focused framework will be introduced with the intent to support innovative teams in maintaining effective team dialogue, foster more innovative team collaboration, better innovations, or an improved innovation process. In fostering an interactive and dynamic team process, solution-focused leaders engage in deliberate interactions that often initiate a positive dynamic leading into an even more innovative future.

The purpose of the paper is to present the background to solutions focused coaching and to describe the various components and features of the process that are associated with its use.

The approach the authors have adopted is to explain the basis of solutions focused coaching and describe how some of the SF (solutions focused) techniques can be incorporated in a coaching, development or feedback session.

Those who utilize the solutions focused process have found that the technique will only work if the coachee is prepared to change in a behavioral sense or at least be prepared to try something differently. More simplistically – but not necessarily more easily, the coachee needs to do more of what is working and less of what is not.

A manager, coach or anyone else involved in the development and motivation of others – both within and outside the work situation – will find value in understanding and, with some practice, applying solutions focused techniques in their day to day people interactions.

The purpose of this study was to describe teacher candidate perceptions of the influence of solution-focused brief coaching (SFBC) sessions on movement toward self-identified outcomes. The SFBC approach emanated from the London-based organization BRIEF: The Centre for Solution Focused Practice (BRIEF, n.d.).

This qualitative study engaged ten participants in two SFBC sessions. In the first coaching session, participants identified a “preferred future” and described what would be happening when it came to fruition. Coaches employed SFBC elements such as the “miracle question,” scaling questions, descriptions of strengths and recognition of resources already in place (Iveson et al., 2012). In the second session, following coaching, participants shared their perceptions and experiences of the SFBC process.

All participants reported movement toward desired outcomes, and their perceptions of the SFBC process revealed five themes: an increase in positive emotion, enhanced self-efficacy, value in the co-construction of their preferred future, the coaching process as a catalyst for actualizing their preferred future and adoption of a solution-focused lens in other contexts.

This study answers the call for additional research in three areas: it provides data from completed SFBC sessions, examines participant follow-up on progress toward their preferred futures and provides insight regarding the coaching relationship dynamic. In addition, it provides qualitative findings for the SFBC approach, which have traditionally been dominated by quantitative results.

There has been a significant expansion of secure psychiatric service provision in the UK, but little discussion about the most appropriate principles on which to base these services. There is longstanding tension between security and treatment that can be difficult to resolve. Solution‐focused ideas may provide a bridge between these two issues, by improving multi‐disciplinary working and providing an appropriate relationship style that optimises the delivery of care to forensic patients.

This chapter provides an in-depth understanding of the cognitive processes that facilitate creativity from a multi-level perspective. Because cognitive processes are viewed as residing within the individual and as an individual-level phenomenon, it is not surprising that a plethora of research has focused on various cognitive processes involved in creative production at the individual level and the factors that may facilitate or hinder the successful application of these processes. Of course, individuals do not exist in a vacuum, and many organizations are utilizing teams and groups to facilitate creative problem solving. We therefore extend our knowledge from the individual to the team level and group level, providing more than 50 propositions for testing and discussing their implications for future research.

Value-based selling (VBS) is increasingly a key success factor in business to business (B2B) settings, but its relationship with digital solutions selling (DSS) has not been explored. This study aims to develop a motivation-opportunity-ability (MOA)-based model that shows how an individual salesperson’s task-specific motivation to implement DSS affects personal capabilities to engage in DSS-related internal coordination, customer networking and ultimately VBS behavior. The authors also account for the supervisor’s DSS-focused behavioral control as the opportunity variable, potentially influencing all other variables in the framework.

The authors test the model and hypotheses using data of 178 salespeople from a B2B company growing its digital solutions business. Path modeling and SmartPLS software are used to estimate the model.

The results demonstrate the key importance of DSS implementation motivation to implement VBS. The findings emphasize the mediating role of salespeople’s ability to collaborate with colleagues and engage in customer networking to configure the right idiosyncratic digital solutions and demonstrate these solutions’ economic value. Supervisors have a fundamental role in directly and indirectly stimulating DSS motivation, DSS-related customer networking ability and VBS.

The study has several limitations. The authors examined a single company. In addition to internal coordination and customer networking, other relevant abilities of salespeople could be considered as mediators between DSS and VBS. Similarly, other opportunity factors may be analyzed in the future, such as supervisors’ risk orientation and ability to stimulate team spirit. Future research could also investigate other salespeople’s individual talents and additional organizational support variables that predict a salesperson’s behavioral and outcome performance in DSS and VBS.

Companies willing to adopt VBS should acquire, develop and retain salespeople characterized by strong motivation to implement DSS. Supervisors should adopt a DSS-focused behavioral control, and companies should support supervisors through appropriate training on how to manage detailed feedback to salespeople constructively and sales performance management systems that systematically track DSS-related sales force activities and results. Companies should also facilitate DSS-related teamwork, for example, through team incentives, and DSS-related customer networking, for instance, through appropriate sales enablement platforms and tools.

The research addresses the communalities and differences between solutions selling and VBS, suggesting a causal relationship. While prior research has analyzed solutions and value mainly as corporate strategies at the organizational level, the current study considers implementation at the individual salesperson level. The study focuses on digital solutions, which are more uncertain and complex to sell than traditional solutions.

There are four to six children with chemically dependent parents in an average classroom. Only 5% of these children receive any supportive services. Children of substance abusers attend school less often, are often late for school, and have a higher incidence of learning disabilities. In an effort to address the needs of this vulnerable population, many school districts offer school‐based support groups (SBSG). Consistent with the principles of solution‐focused therapy, the SBSG focuses on the strengths and resiliency of these youth and helps them develop problem‐solving strategies and find solutions. This study was a qualitative evaluation of SBSG for adolescents with an addicted parent.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the strategic and organizational difficulties of multidivisional corporations with solution business (product service bundles). Most large multidivisional corporations are organized in a way that supports independence and market orientation of their organizational units. Solutions, however, require a high level of interaction and cooperation between corporate units. The authors collect evidence for this contradiction and resulting difficulties and propose a shift in the value creation strategy towards corporate headquarters having a stronger steering influence.

The authors analyze the economic performance of the largest semiconductor suppliers and relate these results to their product and solution focus. They then derive initial strategic recommendations based on the findings and organizational strategy literature.

Multidivisional companies that just add solution business onto their existing product‐based strategy experience difficulties. To overcome these, strategic adjustments are proposed that will lead to a stronger steering influence by corporate headquarters.

This paper shows the necessity of adjustments to corporate strategy when solution business is pursued. Companies need to actively support the interaction of their corporate units in the light of solution business.

It is recognized that solely solution‐focused companies require a different business model to product‐focused companies. However there has been little discussion on strategic adjustments by companies that supplement their existing product business with solutions.

Siemens Medical Solutions (SMS) offered innovative products and systems, clinical solutions, and services for medical professionals. Its latest project, transforming a hospital to digital records and processes, was experiencing serious delays that had damaged the relationship with the client. Management believed the underlying problem was that SMS was not using the correct approach to organization and processes for solutions marketing. The executives in charge of on-time completion and successful delivery of the project must now agree on a different recommendation.

Students will examine the infrastructure, customer offerings, and competitive landscape for Seimens Medical Solutions, as well as evaluate three potential organizational models (transient solutions, solutions streamlined enterprise, and adaptive solutions) to determine which represents the ideal structure for SMS. They will be able to identify the role of leadership in the organization, recommend how SMS should prepare for this change, and recommend how it would measure the transformation's success.