A Solution Focused Approach To Behavior

All our actions, words and habits offer a window into what’s going on inside and we should use that information to understand one other better.

Understanding behavior isn’t always straightforward

This process of revealing the communication behind the behavior is not always straightforward: it requires us to ‘join the dots’ and look beyond the immediate situation, rather than react to what’s in front of us. It demands a ‘puzzle-solving’ approach, using a range of information from a variety of sources. After all, we all see different things in different moments, so it is only by drawing on experience and evidence over time that we can reliably understand what is going on inside a person’s mind, and what the root cause of their behavior might be.

That’s where a ‘solution focused, culture’ comes into play.

Building up a picture over time

A solution focused culture is driven by a desire to view all behavior as communication, and a need to understand the underlying complexity of emotions and feelings that shape this behavior. In settings where we support individuals who can become dysregulated, this approach is vital to ensure the best outcomes and to plan for the most appropriate support. It’s really easy to label individuals but what we want to do is understand them.

When we start to focus on solutions it encourages us to look beyond the ‘here and now’, and to piece together what we know about an individual, based on current and past behaviors. This understanding helps us anticipate future behaviors and allows us to formulate appropriate and timely support. And by ‘behavior’, of course, we can mean a number of things, such as verbal interactions, sleeping and eating habits, avoidance, and friendship choices, to name but a few.

Putting the puzzle pieces together to see the bigger picture

A ‘solution focused culture,’ requires all behavior, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant, to be examined and interpreted in relation to the ‘bigger picture’ by a number of parties: leaders, staff, parents and the individuals themselves.

Think of it like a jigsaw puzzle: only by slotting the various pieces into place (bearing in mind we may not have all the pieces at any given time!) can we begin to build a clear picture of what is going on. Everyone’s contribution matters; everyone’s input is vital if we are to identify how we can best support an individual.

The keys to success

As with all worthwhile endeavors, developing and embedding a solution focused culture can’t happen overnight; it takes a long-term commitment from all stakeholders to adopt and maintain processes and systems that will, ultimately, transform outcomes for all the individuals in their care.

There are no ‘sticking plaster’ solutions; there is no silver bullet. However, there are key factors that underpin this approach and are crucial to its success:

These include:

• A readiness and willingness to embrace this culture: ‘buy-in’ from whole teams, at every level, is essential, as an effective solution focused culture requires contributions from and collaboration between all stakeholders;

• Space and time to embed new practice: all settings need to allow time for collaboration, reflection, and recording and reporting of information, to ensure that a clear picture is built up over time from as wide a base as possible;

• A culture of openness and honesty: only by allowing staff and individuals to be open, and admit that sometimes they ‘don’t know’ can settings reduce the tendency towards ‘negative chat’ or labelling, and work interdependently to truly understand an individual’s needs;

• Highly-skilled staff: professionals need to be trained in how best to identify behaviors and look beyond them in order to ask pertinent questions and apply their professional curiosity about potential root causes;

• Setting out a timeline for change: this will involve evaluating your current position, including which supports work well, and where there is opportunity for improvement, then using the findings from collaborative sessions to feed into and refine existing practice.

Transformational outcomes for all

Growing and embedding a culture of puzzle-solving, a culture that is seamlessly interwoven through every interaction and relationship within a setting, can have a transformational impact on both staff and individuals.

A solution focused approach:

• Allows for the separation of behavior from the individual

• Minimizes labelling or ‘negative chat’ around a person

• Enables deeper understanding of needs so appropriate support can be planned and delivered

• Removes the need to find a culprit or apportion blame, both of which are unhelpful in terms of supporting an individual

• Facilitates ownership of behavior and increases positive self-regulation

• Increases self-awareness and understanding of emotional state

• Encourages meaningful, purposeful recording and reporting that drive support and intervention

Commitment to change over time

While the benefits of this approach are clear to see, it is worth reiterating that this is not a ‘quick fix’; nor should it be a tokenistic ‘bolt-on’ that rapidly falls by the wayside.

Real transformation takes time and to truly embed a solution focused culture, leaders must commit to a long-term cultural shift. We must be willing to look, with fresh eyes, at our current approach, and be prepared to model, at the highest level, the change we wish to enact. We must create the conditions in which this culture can successfully grow and evolve.

Deeply embedded the solution focused culture is the power of connection that allows us to meet individuals where they are. And it is through this profound connection that we can fit the pieces of the puzzle together and create lasting, positive change.