UK

Ayse Adil & Joe Lettieri ↗ Introduced by Jenny Clarke Who better to bear witness to the value of SF than the client? In this video, we hear a powerful testimony from four clients of Family Based Solutions (FBS), an organisation based in Enfield, London, who works collaboratively with families using the solution focused approach. They share what their journey with FBS has meant to them, their families, and their wider communities.

Carey Glass Reviewed by Carey Glass The Next Generation of Solution Focused Practice is Mark McKergow’s magnum opus. Since discovering SF’s world-changing paradigm shift in practice and thought, Mark has maintained his steadfast determination, insatiable curiosity and exceptional single-minded focus to explore and unearth understandings of what makes SF so powerful and how that happens so uniquely. His new book brings the fruits of this exploration into print. You can feel the years of thought in its pages.

Morgan Lewis ↗ Introduced by Annie Bordeleau In this talk, Morgan Lewis shares his SF journey to support young athletes in finding their confidence and connecting to their excellence. Using solution focus questions when coaching the athletes, he engages in a quest to gather evidence of competence, to nurture their self-confidence and self-belief.

Gill North, Sarah Charlton, Natasha Adams & introduced by Luke Goldie-McSorley Introduced by Luke Goldie-McSorley Learning Space, a service that is part of the Surrey (UK) Mindworks Alliance Partnership, is a mental health charity working across Surrey to improve the emotional wellbeing of children aged 5 – 18 years old. Learning Space has centres in Guildford, Redhill and Tadworth and adopts a strengths-based, solution-focused approach to meet the needs and interests of children, young people and families.

Mark McKergow & John Brooker ↗ Introduced by John Brooker Do you, like me, long for more of a community feel in your local area? Like Mark McKergow, I spent much time travelling before COVID came along and, when home, created connections locally as best I could, e.g. as a dad meeting parents at the school gates, as Chair of my local scouts. Sadly that connection ended when no longer involved in school or Scouts. Being part of these communities felt good, and while there is much to love about our SFiO communal Zoom activities, I long to catch up in person over a coffee and a hug!

Mark McKergow Read or download the full article after the synopsis. Article Synopsis Mark’s article introduces and explores “rutenso”, a concept he coined to describe the art of thriving amidst constant and ceaseless change, inspired by Japanese cultural attitudes toward impermanence. Originating from the Japanese word “ruten,” meaning continuous change, “rutenso” emphasises proactively working with ongoing shifts instead of resisting them. This approach contrasts sharply with traditional “koteiso” management methods, which presume stability and prioritise fixed goals and detailed plans. Rutenso advocates for appreciating and leveraging differences, taking measured and thoughtful actions rather than rushed responses, and viewing leaders as facilitators who enable change instead of controlling it. Drawing parallels with contemporary political events and leadership styles, the article suggests that rutenso principles - such as looking widely, slowing down to observe during difficulties, and hosting rather than driving — are especially pertinent in the current global climate marked by unpredictability and shifting alliances. Ultimately, rutenso aligns closely with Solution-Focused practices, emphasising incremental steps, adaptability, and building collaborative relationships to foster constructive outcomes amid uncertainty.

John Brooker & Marika Tammeaid Reviewed by Marika Tammeaid ColLab is an interaction blending relationship and task When I learned that John Brooker is writing a new book, I started looking forward to it with confidence and joy. It had already been a while from his last book The Creative Gorilla (2013), and we all had been able to enjoy his fresh, creative, and well-packaged tools in various SF conferences. So, that gave good grounds for anticipating a great book giving food for thought and action for working in SF way with organisations. And I must say, all these expectations were rewarded, and even more.

Helping a client to create a 5 year business plan for a charity with input from her team and trustees

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A practical solution-focused guide to inspire and guide you through the creation of a collaboration that achieves sustainable relationships and results.