One of the best things about the solution-focused approach is that you don’t need any special training to use its basics in everyday management conversations. A few well-chosen questions are enough.
1. “What’s already working here?”
Even in the hardest situations, something — at least partly — is already working. Finding that is a much more useful starting point than listing what’s wrong.
2. “What would be the first small sign that we’re heading in the right direction?”
Instead of one big change, it helps to look for a small sign visible within days — that gives a much more manageable goal.
3. “What can you do about this right now?”
This action-focused question helps shift the conversation from discussing the problem to concrete, small-scale action.
These questions won’t magically solve everything — but they help turn the conversation toward the future and toward possibilities, instead of dwelling on past setbacks.