Lily Deforce & Vonneke Beeker
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Introduced by Katalin Hankovszky In times of debate and division, this dialogue format is a true treasure to experience. Lily Deforce and her colleagues at Ilfaro embraced an initiative that brings people together around significant, yet divisive, questions. With their solution-focused approach, they designed the “Different Opinions Dialogue,” a structured process allowing any two people to listen deeply to each other and understand one another’s perspectives. In less than an hour, a truly enriching experience unfolds. The purpose of these dialogues is to enter a mode of listening and discovery—not to convince someone with opposing views or resolve a conflict. The structure is beautifully simple:
Anton Stellamans & Mark McKergow ↗
Introduction by Mark McKergow This talk is vitally important in taking a more detailed and inclusive view of Solution Focused (SF) practice. While some are content to insist that there is no theory in SF, this is not a view which will help us expands and develop the field and engage with academics and thinkers from other fields.
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.
Annie Bordeleau Synopsis In this Open Space session, the group explored the British Columbia First Nations Principles of Learning to discover just how deeply intertwined they are with the Solution Focus (SF) approach and our efforts to create a more sustainable world. These Principles are shown below: Exploring the Principles Here we explore the Principles in more depth from two perspectives - sustainability and Solution Focus. We also suggest example questions the SF practitioner might ask.