Wellbeing | SFiO.org

Welcome to SOLWORLD 2025

Tue, 10 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Mechelen, Belgium on 15-16-17 May 2025

SOLWorld 2025: A Celebration of Being In Good Company

The SOLWorld 2025 Conference in Mechelen, Belgium, brought together a vibrant community of professionals who use the Solution Focused (SF) approach in organisations around the world. Over three energising days, we explored fresh developments in SF practice, took part in interactive workshops, and reconnected with the joy of learning together. This video provides a flavour of the event.

This year’s theme, IN GOOD COMPANY, truly captured the spirit of the event. Whether in sessions, side conversations or spontaneous moments of inspiration, we were reminded of the power of being seen, heard and valued. As SF practitioners—coaches, trainers, leaders and change-makers—we also reflected on how we help create “good companies”: workplaces that foster collaboration, well-being and purpose.

Since its founding in 2002, SOLWorld has been about sharing and building solution-focused practice, in organisations. With more than 50 SOLWorld events held globally, the community continues to thrive through open participation and a culture of co-creation—where everyone is both teacher and learner.

We’ve put together a short video to capture some of the energy, warmth and insight from this year’s gathering. We hope it brings a smile, a spark, or an idea—and perhaps inspires you to join us next time.

Watch the trailer and enjoy a taste of what it means to be truly in good company.

The Solution Focused approach is a simple way to positive change. It aims to discover “what works” in a given situation, simply and practically. The focus on what’s wanted (not what’s wrong), what’s going well (rather than what’s gone badly) and practical progress (rather than explanatory theory) leads to a positive and pragmatic way to work with organisations and individuals. SF has its roots in the therapeutic approach devised by Insoo Kim Berg and Steve de Shazer at BFTC Milwaukee and others.

In Good Company

Sun, 06 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

SOLWorld 2025: A Celebration of Connection, Curiosity and Community

Two years on from the SOLWorld Conference in Vienna, Anton Stellamans introduced this year’s SOLWorld Conference in Mechelen, which lived up to every expectation and beyond. As Anton said, “Dreamwork is what makes the teamwork” and this team dreamed creatively!

Held under the warm and welcoming theme “In Good Company”, the 2025 edition brought together 142 passionate professionals from around the world—coaches, trainers, consultants, and changemakers—each contributing their unique energy, experiences, and insight to three unforgettable days of learning, laughter, and collaboration. Whether it was your first SOLWorld or your twentieth, the spirit of generosity and genuine connection made everyone feel immediately at home.

Throughout the conference, the theme “In Good Company” resonated deeply—not only as a description of the experience, but as a call to action. As professionals committed to creating better workplaces and healthier human systems, we were reminded that being in good company—where people feel seen, valued, and heard—is both the goal and the path. The discussions, ideas, and inspirations shared will ripple outward, touching organizations and communities around the world.

As we return to our work, we carry with us not only notes, handouts, and jazz-infused metaphors—but also the renewed sense that we are not alone. We are part of a global learning community, generous in spirit and rich in possibility. Thank you, SOLWorld 2025, for reminding us what’s possible in good company.

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SFiO - Solution Focus in Organisations · Introduction to SOLWorld 2025

In Good Company @ SOLWorld Conference

Yi Feng’s testimonial of his first SOLWORLD Conference

First-time nerves, dissolve
In warm hugs and honest laughs
No airs, just presence
We pass gifts, not pedestal
The action is connection.

It’s my first conference. I came with curiosity and some anxiety. But from the warm hugs at the pre-conference reception to the playful tone of every session at Het Predikheren, Mechelen Public Library, I knew this wasn’t your typical professional gathering (hugs to Wendy).

Malaysian SF Coach Alex Tan welcomed me with a ‘warning,’ that SOLWorld “has no airs” — and he was right! Off the train, I bumped into Janine Waldman and Paul Z Jackson. I found myself blurting, “Are you THE Janine Waldman?” She chuckled and replied something like, “I’m not sure I’m THE, but I’m definitely Janine.” Paul kindly signed my book, and we bonded over improv. Dr. Haesun Moon’s charmingly chill vibe perfectly reflected the soul of SOLWorld.

There’s a certain magic when formality steps aside, and humanity steps inside. Without name tags, we normalised asking names (repeatedly). We sat where we wish rather than with assigned seating for ‘Greats’. We go where our feet wishes to bring us to. We passed gifts to honour speakers instead of calling them to the stage. The action was, quite literally, in the interaction. Interacting as peers, not personas; was refreshing for me, coming from status conscious environments.

We may come from different worlds, but the central theme of being in good company is connection. From experiencing the intersectional HOPfEar polarities through Annie Bordeleau and Ania Smolka’s ‘Weaving the Threads of Fear and Hope’ activity, to participating in Alex Steele’s electrifying experiential ‘Experiment of Organisational Flourishing’ by seeing leadership through the lens of jazzy improvisation to comedic cabaret buffet of talent showcase (think bagpipes, jokes, Bibi’s flips), SOLWorld reified my heart-head-hand SF connection.

Even though it’s my first, I felt seen. I felt welcomed. I felt I belonged. SOLWorld wasn’t about showcasing or one-upmanship. It was about showing up and friendship. The brilliance came not just from what was said, but how it was shared. Humanness took centre stage. And that, to me, is the heart of being in good company. The action, is truly in the InterAction. And I was, In Great Company.

Three Photos Side by Side

PS: Thank you, Anton Stellamans, Vonneke Beeker, Wendy Van den Bulck, Ciska de Pillecyn, Chris Aertsen, Lily Deforce and Wim Sucaet for organising such a transformational conference.

Since its founding in 2002, SOLWorld has hosted over 50 events around the world. It’s a community of solution-focused professionals who come together to share and build SF practice in organisations. Sharing is at the heart of it all—there’s no divide between presenters and participants. Everyone brings something valuable, and everyone learns.

Experiments in the Art of Organisational Flourishing

Mon, 05 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Alex Steele & Mark McKergow Benny-Van-Acker & Chryster Aerts

Introduction

At SOLWorld 2025, Alex Steele and a group of professional jazz musicians invited participants into a 90-minute workshop like no other; part performance, part improvisation, and wholly transformational.

Through the rhythms and relationships of live jazz, the session offered a vivid, visceral experience of what it means to be in good company.

Participants didn’t just watch, they stepped inside the system. Some were invited to interact with, influence, and even disrupt the musicians, gaining powerful insights into trust, flow, empathy, and resilience in action.

This wasn’t simply about music. It was about leadership, collaboration, and what happens when we loosen control, listen deeply, and co-create in real time. As the musicians improvised, so did the participants, reflecting together on best practices in Solution Focused coaching and organisational development.

The result? A joyful, thought-provoking journey into the heart of creative teamwork.

So pull up a chair, press play, and discover what collaboration and flourishing can sound and feel like.

Alex Steele would like to thank everyone for sharing your energy and love during the jazz experience at SOLWorld 2025. “It was a great joy to design and deliver the session, and to play some great jazz with the musicians, Mark McKergow, Chryster Aerts, and Benny Van Acker.”

After the jazz session, he had many beautiful conversations with members of the audience and thought: “Wow! Wouldn’t it have been great if I could have captured the thoughts, feelings and experiences of the SOLWorld participants?”. So he has a request for everyone.

Would you be happy to send Alex an email (alexsteele@improwise.co.uk) with your spontaneous thoughts and reflections after watching this jazz experience?

He would love to hear your reflections on:

What did you love the most about the jazz session?
Which ideas resonated the most with you? And why?
Are there specific ideas that you might try to put into practice – in your life, or in your professional work? How might you do this?
What else?

Reclaiming Stillness

Tue, 10 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Janelle Kwok & Kenneth Kwan & khoo-yi-feng

When was the last time you experienced a true retreat? Not a strategy session disguised as rest. Not a remote working trip dressed up as a break. But a space where your body finally catches up with your soul.

As organisational consultants running a fast-paced business in Singapore, “SOLWORLD Retreat” often feels like a luxury we can’t afford. There are deadlines. Decisions. Deliverables.

But here’s the truth we’ve come to embrace:

A retreat isn’t a distraction—it’s a necessity. That’s what the recent SOLWorld Retreat at Land Aan Zee, in the coastal Netherlands, offered us.

For three gentle, unhurried days, we — a group of solution-focused practitioners and friends — stepped away from doing, and leaned into being. We traded hustle for healing. Deliverables for dialogue. Structure for silence.

Slowing Down with Purpose

The retreat wasn’t defined by any single activity, but rather a series of intentional pauses and shared moments that reminded us what it means to be present. We walked in silence along coastal paths in the early morning winds. With each footstep, a question seemed to arise from the path itself: Who has been your safe harbour? Who will walk with you next? There was no pressure to respond. Only permission to notice. Some found meaning in:

A quiet walk with others.
The laughter of spontaneous singing and dancing during review sessions.
Tasting thoughtful vegan meals, crafted with care by the Land Aan and Zee team — where sustainability wasn’t just spoken about, but served on the plate.
Sharing those meal times in the presence of everyone.
Hearing about the vision for LaZ.
Spontaneous chat in the kitchen while washing up.
Exploring meaning of names during the introduction.
Hugging.
Reconnecting with people.
The improvisation of poems around the campfire.
Fulfilling wishes.
Walking on the beach and dipping their toes in the wet sand.
Cycling on traffic free paths.
Planting wishes written on seed paper in the garden to flower.
The lightness of co-creating the programme.
For one person, it was hearing a real frog’s croak for the first time.
For another, it was plunging into the 15°C pond with a breathless grin.
For someone else, it was finding harmony in a choir.

For us, it was sitting under a crisp, clear night sky — a quiet wish for beauty, gently granted.

What Difference Did That Make?

In a solution-focused frame, we often ask: “What’s better?” or “What difference has that made?” At Land Aan Zee, better showed up not as answers, but as presence.

Around fires and in soulful circles, we heard each other’s hopes, jokes and read poetry together. And as each person voiced their version of meaning — no matter how small — the space itself shifted. People leaned in, not to fix, but to listen.

Someone said quietly one night, “This is what I needed.”

I simply nodded — not out of agreement, but from recognition.

We had touched something vital.

Rest as a Resource, Not a Reward

The retreat was not about escape. It was about returning — to clarity, to courage, to connection. In organisational settings, the idea of “slowing down” is often seen as indulgent or inefficient. But in solution-focused work, we know that slowing down is often where noticing begins.

In resting, new questions arise. In stillness, forgotten resources resurface. In community, the next small steps emerge more naturally.

We left Land Aan Zee not just refreshed, but reminded — of how powerful it is to pause, to witness, to wish out loud.

When will you give yourself permission to rest — not because you’ve earned it, but because you need it?

Maybe the next SOLWORLD retreat is something to consider.

Yi-Feng’s testimony of a first SOLWORLD experience

Set against the peaceful backdrop of Lisolette’s thoughtfully curated resort at Land aan Zee, the SOLWorld Retreat was a rejuvenating pause — with homemade meals, forest hike, beach walk, open space activities and the best kind of company.

Beyond the chill, resides quiet richness. As SF practitioners, we know that sparkling moments are like butterflies — fleeting unless photographed. Inviting retreat-goers to join a flip-chart “brain dump” to gather our favourite retreat takeaways, we created a gift not just to ourselves, but to those who couldn’t be there — a tangible “Here’s What We Did” from our time together. We reflected on Alex Steele’s soulful jazz improv, Annie and Ania’s powerful Hope & Fear weaving, and the laughter and lightness that punctuated every conversation.

Facilitator-led ‘rituals’ like co-creating our Retreat best hopes in flowing art-scroll, ‘secret Santa’ surprise and planting our best hopes meaningfully brought me to the present and Participant-led sessions from Tai Chi to yoga to Si Le Le singing to poetry-recital beside the campfire to topical discussions. they refreshed me physically, emotionally and spiritually.

The retreat was a restful reminder that stillness is fertile ground for growth and deep connection — with ourselves, with nature, and with one another — creates the wellspring of meaningful practice.

In chilling together (at our own pace, in our chosen space(s)), we let our SF broth simmer and thicken. We are ready to serve the goodness …

Thank you, John, Annie, Eva and retreatants, for co-curating space.

The Power of Glimmers

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Victoria Spashchenko & Julia Kalenberg

Introduction by Yi Feng Khoo

When was the last time you went glimmer-hunting?

Victoria Spashchenko (Ukraine) and Julia Kalenberg (Switerland) invite us into a heart-opening session where micro-moments of safety, joy and connection gently reshape our nervous systems. Positive sensory experiences serve as the functional opposite of triggers.

What moved me most was Victoria’s perspective on finding glimmers during ‘dark times,’ such as hearing birdsong during a pause in shelling in Ukraine. By exercising our muscle of noticing, we can facilitate emotional healing and preferred change.

In this video, you’ll explore the ‘Glimmer Hunt’ and the ‘Bean Experiment,’ practical tools which help clients (and ourselves!) anchor hope using all five senses. Want to add a somatic, soulful layer to your SF practice and learn how to create a ripple effect of glimmers? This session is a must-watch.

Now, back to glimmer hunting in my photo gallery and journaling! Join me?

Short presentation & learning experience

Glimmers, a term pioneered by Deb Dana, are small positive cues that help our nervous system feel safe and connected. They often appear quietly—sunlight on a surface, a familiar sound, a kind smile—yet they can make a powerful difference in how connected, grounded and resourceful we feel.

In this session, Victoria and Julia introduce the concept of Glimmering, share how they use Glimmering personally and professionally — and demonstrate how well it works with a solution-focused approach.

Participants will explore their own Glimmers through simple exercises, noticing what already supports them and how small moments can create meaningful shifts. They will leave with practical ideas to spark a gentle, positive ripple effect in their daily lives and work.

The Presentation

This content was originally presented at the 2026 SF24 Conference

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SFiO - Solution Focus in Organisations · The Power of Glimmers

The Interview on Glimmers at the SOLWorld Conference in 2025

Practicing Glimmers for Resilience and Wellbeing – with Victoria Spashchenko

Glimmers are those little sparks of joy or calm we sometimes overlook — like the scent of a flower, the sound of rain, or a smile from someone we like. They’re the gentle opposite of triggers. Instead of weighing us down, they lighten us up. When we notice these moments, our bodies relax, our minds settle, and we feel more connected. In this lovely interview, Victoria explains glimmering to Annie and how we can generate glimmers more often.

Feel like a glimmer now? Take a look at Victoria’s presentation.
Download her session presentation here.
And read her article in JSFP:
Practising Glimmering on: journalsfp.org

Video:

Listen on SoundCloud:

From Crisis to Capability

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Olayinka Madamidola

Introduction by Annie Bordeleau

Olayinka Madamidola is a Solution Focused practitioner, facilitator and founder of Family Matters Plus, where she supports workplaces in navigating crisis, conflict, and transitions through practical, strengths-based approaches.

In this 30 minute conversation, Olayinka Madamidola invites us into the heart of the Solution Focused stance. She beautifully demonstrates what it means to slow down and notice: create enough space for the unexpected to emerge and discover what is easily overlooked. Her reflections are a reminder that as SF practitioners, awareness is something we continually cultivate.

Throughout the exploration of disruptions in our work environments, Olayinka illustrates how paying attention to small shifts and subtle moments enables new possibilities to surface. Rather than rushing to solutions, she models the quiet discipline of staying present while gently widening our awareness. Her presence is a wonderful example of the Solution Focused stance in action.

Equally inspiring are the reflections and conversations that emerge from the participants. Together, they explore how disruption and steadiness is experienced and how exceptions become the foundation for meaningful change. As the conversation unfolds, we witness a shared inquiry where understanding is co-created and the Solution Focused stance comes alive through dialogue.

To create a stronger sense of connection with the speakers, some sections of the video have been digitally zoomed in, which reduces the image quality. We hope, however, that you’ll enjoy the richness of Olayinka’s presence, her thoughtful pacing, and the depth of reflection shared by everyone involved.

This content was originally presented at the 2026 SF24 Conference

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SFiO - Solution Focus in Organisations · From Crisis to Capability

Creating and running an energised SF Support Group

Tue, 15 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Wendy Van den Bulck & Julia Kalenberg Jan Marklund and Sandra Rosa-Collins

Photo by Dustin Humes on Unsplash

Introduced by John Brooker

Welcome to this enlightening exploration of the Solution Focus Support Group, a remarkable collaboration among Wendy Van den Bulck, Jan Marklund, Sandra Rosa-Collin, and Julia Kallenberg, affectionately known as the “four-leaf clover.” They share their journey of mutual support, personal growth, and professional achievement, offering guidance on how you might establish your own SF Support Group.
This support group emerged organically at a retreat in Switzerland, originally aimed at helping members enhance their online visibility. Over five years, their meetings evolved from a sole focus on professional projects to fostering deeper personal connections. The group adopted a structure inspired by the success teams of Business and Professional Women (BPW). Each session follows a clear and effective format, making it easy for others to replicate:

Kick-off Meeting: Members introduce their chosen topics and share their desired outcomes.

Regular Meetings: Held every six to eight weeks, these meetings are structured into 15-minute segments for each person. They cover recent achievements, areas needing feedback, open questions, and next steps.

Resource Gossip: A unique and uplifting practice where participants positively "gossip" about a member’s strengths, fostering a supportive and reinforcing atmosphere.

Reflection and Preparation: Members set aside time before each session to reflect on their progress and prepare discussion points, ensuring focused and meaningful interactions.

The group emphasises adaptability, regularly assessing what works and refining their methods accordingly. This flexibility is exemplified in their evolution from “SF Onliners” to “Solution-Focused Progress Team,” eventually transforming into the “Solution-Focused Support Group,” which reflects their changing focus and collective identity. Each participant brings diverse experiences—writing and publishing books, teaching yoga and breathing therapy, developing online platforms, and navigating personal challenges. This diversity enhances their discussions, offering broad perspectives and practical solutions.

The video illustrates how easy it is to create similar groups. Participants encourage viewers to start small, choose members from existing networks or events, maintain consistent meeting logistics (such as using a recurring Zoom link), and keep interactions both structured and flexible. Ultimately, the video encourages you to directly experience the benefits of peer support, community engagement, and structured collaboration. By adopting their strategies—clear structures, regular reflective preparation, positive reinforcement through “resource gossip,” and a commitment to consistent meetings—viewers can create their own effective, resilient support groups.

The session wraps up with breakout discussions, empowering viewers to immediately visualise and begin planning their support communities, thus fostering a broader, solution-focused ripple effect. Join us in exploring how structured collaboration can profoundly influence both your professional projects and personal growth.

If you have experience in setting up a Solution Focus Support Group, please let us know at zoom@sfio.org.

This online Global Chapter was supported by Solution Focus in Organisations (SFIO), a global group of SF practitioners, and Netzwerk Lösungsfokussiertes Arbeiten (NLA), which serves German-speaking SF professionals across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

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SFiO - Solution Focus in Organisations · Energised SF Support Group

SF – "Biggest Bang For Your Buck"

Sun, 19 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Introduced by Carola Baxmann

Quick, simple, easy and helpful for achieving goals – that’s how Caiden and Rafferty, two pupils at Beechen Cliff School in Bath, UK, summed up their experience of the school’s wellbeing project. These words perfectly describe the story you’re about to see or hear.

This feature presents a remarkable Solution Focus case study for how to go about supporting the wellbeing and mental health of pupils in schools. It was launched in 2018 by Tara Gretton (school counsellor/consultant) and Susie Ingram, then pastoral manager at Beechen Cliff School.

It stands out for: • Being a long-term case study over seven years, thoughtfully designed and realised through small, organic steps • Involving the whole system: pupils, teachers, parents and leadership • Starting with pupil wellbeing, revealing clear benefits for teachers and leading to a cultural shift • Achieving significant measurable improvements in mental health and pupil attendance

The video brings together the voices of the project’s initiators, teachers, the headteacher and pupils. Interviewer John Brooker, co-editor of InterAction, guides us through the story: • How it all began • Challenges over the years • Outcomes – including surprising ones • Key statistics and conclusions • Best hopes for the future

For anyone working in education, leadership, community projects or other organisations, this is more than a case study – it’s an inspiring example of creating lasting change through the solution-focused approach.

For me, watching this video feels like closing the circle. When I started working with young people in conflict with the law, my colleagues and I searched for a method that was appreciative and focused on what they really wanted, rather than what was wrong – something they heard often enough already. Thus, I discovered the solution-focused approach.

More than 30 years later it’s incredibly encouraging to see that a cultural shift in education, supported by Solution Focus, is truly possible! At the end of the video, Annabel a Year 12 pupil at Beechen Cliff School, was asked for advice for those considering SF for their schools. Her answer: “Just go for it.” I’d like to pass that on to you – just go for it and watch the video. It’s really worth your time.

Listen on Soundcloud

SFiO - Solution Focus in Organisations · Solution Focused Listening

Download a synopsis of the case study here

This is a synopsis, based on the transcript.

Beechen Cliff - A Seven-Year SF Case Study

Interviews with Session Leaders

Wed, 10 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Introduction

SFiO Financial Contributors supported the filming of several sessions at SOLWorld 2025. While not every session could be recorded, we interviewed many of the presenters whose sessions were not filmed.

Below you’ll find their interviews — with video, audio, and in some cases slides or an article — offering a window into the ideas they shared. The conversations were hosted by Annie Bordeleau and John Brooker.

We hope you enjoy exploring them. Click on a title to open the interview.

The Interviews

Using the SF Decision Circle to Enhance Collaboration - with Sonali Kumarakulasinghe and John Brooker

In this conversation, Sonali and John share how the SF Decision Circle builds on SF principles to guide diverse teams, helping them clarify goals, find resources, and co-create constructive solutions and decisions.

For a greater understanding of the Decision Circle framework and its uses, see the article. Download an article on the Decision Circle here.

Video:

Audio:

Practicing Glimmers for Resilience and Wellbeing – with Victoria Spashchenko

Feel like a glimmer now? Take a look at Victoria’s presentation.
Download her session presentation here.
And read her article in JSFP:
Practising Glimmering on: journalsfp.org

Video:

Audio:

Every Key is the Right Key - with Haesun Moon

What if every conversation, no matter how tricky, could feel like the right one? In this chat, Haesun Moon takes us inside her SOLWorld 2025 workshop and shows how the Dialogic Orientation Quadrant (DOQ) can help us tune in to what’s happening and respond with creativity and care. Haesun invites us to explore how we can accompany others with warmth and curiosity, even when we don’t have a clear map.

Video:

Audio:

Small Steps to Big Changes: Driving Optimistic Change in Large Organisations - with Kenneth Kwan

What if the smallest steps could unlock the biggest changes? In this conversation, Annie Bordeleau chats with Kenneth Kwan about his session at SOLWorld 2025 and how simple, doable actions can spark momentum, build hope, and strengthen collaboration. Kenneth brings real stories and practical ideas that show how progress — not perfection — can make lasting transformation possible.

Video:

Audio:

Want to see a video of Kenneth in action online? Find it here.

Scramble Your Session - Aikido and Dice for Coaching Mastery - with Nishida Hiroaki (Hiro)

In this interview, John Brooker talks with Nishida Hiroaki (Hiro) about his playful blend of Solution Focused coaching, Aikido-inspired movements, and coaching dice. Hiro shares how simple body-based experiments and cross-language pairings can open fresh ways of listening, lighten coaching, and make it both fun and effective. Along the way, he encourages non-native English speakers to join international conversations with confidence, reminding us how supportive the SF community can be.

If you wish to capture the essence of Hiro’s session, you can download his slides here.
Download his slides here.

Video:

Audio:

Co-creation of an SF Survival Guide for Our Work Life - with Sandra Dietrich and Susanne Buchberger

In this interview, John Brooker chats with Sandra and Susanne about how they co-created a “Solution Focused Survival Guide” to help people stay well and effective at work. Born from real everyday challenges, the guide gathers simple SF practices—like taking small steps, noticing resources, and celebrating progress—that make a difference. What mattered most was the co-creation itself: colleagues sharing ideas, exchanging tips, and experiencing the strength of collective wisdom. The result is less a finished book and more a living reminder to keep SF alive in daily working life.

If you wish to see their session notes, you can download them here. Download slides here.

Video:

Audio:

Solution Focused Listening

Sun, 10 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Roy Marriott

In this workshop, filmed at SOLWorld 2025 in Mechelen, Roy Marriott invites us to reflect on what it means to listen in a Solution Focused way. He begins with Michael Ende’s story of Momo, the little girl whose extraordinary gift was not advice or wisdom but her capacity to listen. From this starting point, Roy weaves together story, mindfulness, and practice to explore how listening can be both deeply simple and profoundly transformative.

Participants are guided through a short meditation, noticing their own attention and the cycle of focus and wandering. This opens the way to connect listening with qualities such as kindness, curiosity, and presence. The session then moves into practice, including an innovative “fishbowl” exercise structured around Roy’s CORE model: Customer for Change, Outcomes, Resources, and Experiment. Listeners practise reflecting back words with precision, noticing how even the simplest echo can create connection, and how the act of listening can itself generate new awareness.

What emerges is an appreciation of listening not just as a coaching tool but as a way of being — attentive, respectful, and human. The workshop closes with the shared word kindness, a reminder that listening well is always both a gift to others and an act of care towards ourselves.

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SFiO - Solution Focus in Organisations · Solution Focused Listening

Improving Productivity and Team Spirit in the UK National Health Service

Sun, 20 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Introduction

In this compelling and practical session, Andrew Gibson shares the remarkable story of how Solution Focused Practice (SFP) is driving culture change within a Trust of the UK’s National Health Service (NHS).

Working with a Mental Health and Community Care Trust, Andrew has introduced SFP not just as a coaching tool, but as a whole-organisation approach. The result? Improved productivity, boosted team morale—and, most importantly—better care for clients and patients.

What you’ll take away:

A practical organisational model…
Real evidence — both numbers and stories…
Ideas for how SFP practitioners can use this model…

Format:

This is an inspiring talk, brought to life with real-world stories and a clear, actionable presentation. It’s relevant for anyone using SFP in organisations, especially in health and care systems—but the lessons are transferable across sectors and countries.

Whether you’re a consultant, trainer, or simply curious about scaling positive change—this session offers insight, hope, and a practical path forward.

Listen on Soundcloud

SFiO - Solution Focus in Organisations · Improving Productivity and Team Spirit in the NHS

Download the slides below

Andrew Gibson slides

The Music Goes On

Tue, 10 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Introduction

The closing plenary of SOLWorld 2025 was a joyful celebration of connection, reflection, and renewal. After days rich with learning and laughter, participants gathered to share what had surprised them most, whose good company they would cherish, and what small changes others might notice in them when they returned home – even the family cat, dog or horse. These warm conversations echoed the idea that, like music, the spirit of Solution Focus keeps playing even when we pause.

The hosts expressed heartfelt thanks to the presenters, organisers, and venue team who created such a welcoming atmosphere, and to the video sponsors, contributors of Solution Focus in Organisations, who ensured the event’s stories and videos will live on as a multimedia “treasure box” for the future.

In the closing words, the attendees were reminded that the energy of the conference may fade but its seeds – courage, kindness, and collaboration – will keep growing in the world. The gathering ended with the symbolic candle passing ceremony. The cherished candle, in its Bristol blue glass holder, was passed to the organisers of the post-conference retreat at Land aan Zee. Its light continues the shared inspiration, carrying the spirit of Solution Focus into what emerges next.

The event ended with a well-deserved standing ovation for the organisers.

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Weaving the Threads of Fear and Hope

Tue, 10 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Ania Smolka & Annie Bordeleau

Introduction

Fear and hope are powerful forces that shape how individuals and organisations respond to change. In Solution Focused practice, we often lean into the energy of hope, exploring what’s possible, what’s working, and what we want more of. Yet fear also carries valuable energy. It signals what’s at stake, clarifies what matters most, and prompts us to prepare and protect. The real art lies not in choosing between them, but in holding both as part of the same landscape of human experience.

In this session, Annie and Ania invited the audience to explore how Solution Focused practitioners can work with the polarity of fear and hope by harnessing the energy within the struggle to fuel the momentum of hope.

Participants playfully experienced how stories of the future can be woven through the tension between these two forces in solution-focused conversations. Together, the facilitators unpacked this “weaving experiment” to further examine how to navigate the polarity with skill and empathy, so that both fear and hope become catalysts for meaningful, sustainable change.

As practitioners, we can be tempted to bypass fear, rushing toward the clarity of hope or the vision of a preferred future. But what if, instead of avoiding fear, we chose to integrate it, using its energy to enrich the conversation? This begins with a gentle shift: acknowledging struggle with empathy whilst opening the space with SF questions. Asking “What helps you get through moments like these?”, “If …(the fear) could talk, what would it be warning you about, and how might you respond to that wisely?” or “What would be a small sign that things are beginning to shift?” reconnects clients with their inner resources, past successes, and emerging possibilities. In this way, agency arises from the tension between fear’s grounding roots and hope’s unfolding wings.

Intertwining fear and hope is just one example of how Solution Focused practice embraces the interplay of polarities to craft new, empowering narratives, stories that transform tension into movement, meaning, and renewed possibility. This session might gently challenge a familiar SF instinct: the rush toward hope. Instead, it invites you to pause, linger, and even use the dynamic tension between the two, tapping into the full energy each offers.

As you watch, notice how this balance can open richer conversations, deeper connections, and more sustainable change. Enjoy (and don’t miss the surprising ending!)

Yi Feng Khoo

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

With over seven years of experience across public service, social service, and healthcare sectors, I nurture psychologically safe, high-performing and life-giving workplaces.

I speak the HR language of talent acquisition, organizational learning and development, workplace relationship management, compensation and benefits, and HR technology through hands-on projects, case studies, and mentorship by HR leaders.

My vision is to uplift mental health in Southeast Asia through workplaces. My mission is to nurture inclusive and thriving organizational cultures by leveraging evidence-informed practices, systems thinking, and a human-centered approach.

I bring a strong background in workplace well-being, employee engagement, and organizational development adjacent experiences, with a focus on translating data into actionable leadership strategies. I am passionate about fostering collaboration across Southeast Asia to create healthier, more connected workplaces.

Wellbeing | SFiO.org

Welcome to SOLWORLD 2025

Mechelen, Belgium on 15-16-17 May 2025

SOLWorld 2025: A Celebration of Being In Good Company

In Good Company

SOLWorld 2025: A Celebration of Connection, Curiosity and Community

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In Good Company @ SOLWorld Conference

Yi Feng’s testimonial of his first SOLWORLD Conference

Experiments in the Art of Organisational Flourishing

Introduction

Sharing your impressions

Reclaiming Stillness

Janelle Kwok & Kenneth Kwan & khoo-yi-feng

But here’s the truth we’ve come to embrace:

Slowing Down with Purpose

What Difference Did That Make?

Rest as a Resource, Not a Reward

Yi-Feng’s testimony of a first SOLWORLD experience

The Power of Glimmers

Introduction by Yi Feng Khoo

Short presentation & learning experience

The Presentation

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The Interview on Glimmers at the SOLWorld Conference in 2025

Practicing Glimmers for Resilience and Wellbeing – with Victoria Spashchenko

From Crisis to Capability

Introduction by Annie Bordeleau

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Creating and running an energised SF Support Group

Introduced by John Brooker

This online Global Chapter was supported by Solution Focus in Organisations (SFIO), a global group of SF practitioners, and Netzwerk Lösungsfokussiertes Arbeiten (NLA), which serves German-speaking SF professionals across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

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SF – "Biggest Bang For Your Buck"

Introduced by Carola Baxmann

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Download a synopsis of the case study here

Interviews with Session Leaders

Introduction

The Interviews

Using the SF Decision Circle to Enhance Collaboration - with Sonali Kumarakulasinghe and John Brooker

Practicing Glimmers for Resilience and Wellbeing – with Victoria Spashchenko

Every Key is the Right Key - with Haesun Moon

Small Steps to Big Changes: Driving Optimistic Change in Large Organisations - with Kenneth Kwan

Scramble Your Session - Aikido and Dice for Coaching Mastery - with Nishida Hiroaki (Hiro)

Co-creation of an SF Survival Guide for Our Work Life - with Sandra Dietrich and Susanne Buchberger

Solution Focused Listening

Roy Marriott

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Improving Productivity and Team Spirit in the UK National Health Service

Introduction

What you’ll take away:

Format:

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Download the slides below

The Music Goes On

Introduction

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Weaving the Threads of Fear and Hope

Introduction

Yi Feng Khoo