A solution-focused approach incorporates the premises and techniques of social constructivism, empowerment-based practice, and a strengths perspective – and is well suited for responding to the needs of clients of diverse backgrounds with respect for their values and practices. With its focus on pragmatic change and encouraging clients to create development solutions for themselves, in addition to avoiding the shame that clients in diverse populations might feel in seeking professional assistance, the approach fits well in culturally diverse contexts. This post looks deeper into the importance of incorporating a client’s worldview, empowering the client, and utilising a client’s strengths in cross-cultural coaching practice.
Client’s world view A coach who understands social constructivism does not assume having a priori expertise sufficient to categorise and solve clients’ problems objectively. Consequently, the coach who holds a ‘not knowing’ stance is free to enter into the client’s subjective experiences of his/her life situations and collaboratively engage in a solution-building process that is viable and responsive to his/her cultural context. A constructivist view of coaching practice allows a solution-focused coach to understand better a client’s motivation and values underlying their behaviour. Such an understanding is conducive to collaborative dialogue in which the client and the coach work together to arrive at a meaning that a problem has for the client and work together on a solution.
Empowering the client A solution-focused approach shifts the balance of power in the coaching relationship, acknowledging clients as knowers of their experiences and the coach’s view of reality as no more correct than the client’s. This fosters further conversation in which the coach talks ‘with’ the client instead of ‘at’ the client to co-develop new meanings and new realities through a dialogue of ‘solutions’. The client becomes the centre and the causal agent in defining and solving the problem. The client’s self-determination is fully respected. The ultimate goal of a solution-focused coaching process, therefore, is consistent with that of empowerment: to increase clients’ personal and interpersonal power so that they can take relevant and culturally appropriate action to improve their situation.
Utilising the client’s strengths Building on cultural strengths and resources more efficiently and effectively helps clients find solutions relevant to and viable in their unique sociocultural milieu. Clients are most invested in development solutions that they arrive at themselves and with which they feel comfortable. The task of the solution-focused coach is to assist a client in noticing, amplifying, sustaining, and reinforcing the identified cultural strengths and resources, regardless of how minor or neglected. In doing so, a solution-focused approach is conducive to a strengths-based process of developmental change in which the focus of dialogues is on strengths and solutions rather than on problems and deficits.
Face-saving techniques Negative association with seeking help should be understood in the context of the likelihood of a client from a different culture being devalued by the dominant society. These clients are at higher risk of internalising a deficit view of self and coming to feel personally inadequate, incompetent, and powerless. By emphasising talk about solutions rather than confrontational talk, a solution-focused approach exemplifies face-saving techniques that focus on what a client can do to contribute to the solution (instead of dwelling on and analysing problems) and that complement personal motivation and effort in realising the solutions. The help route is to establish a goal determined by the client and attained by the client. Goals that are specific, clear, and small provide clear indicators of development and change. Eliminating negative associations caused by shame or embarrassment, which can often lead to defensive behaviours and denial, face-saving techniques help clients overcome habitual behaviours that may have contributed to or maintained the problem. Consequently, face-saving, non-confrontational techniques (goal and problem-solving orientation, clear indicators of progress, and strength and empowerment-based focus) are conducive to fostering enhanced motivation and feelings of success.
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