In today’s business environment, the spotlight often falls on what’s broken: mistakes to correct, targets missed, or crises to manage. While problem-solving is essential, it often leaves organisations feeling reactive, drained, and stuck in survival mode. What if the real secret to thriving lies not in obsessing over problems but in analyzing what actually works?
Welcome to the world of solution-focused work, where the lens shifts from what’s wrong to what’s strong. This powerful idea was at the heart of a recent People and Purpose podcast episode hosted by Tarja Takko, which aired on April 24, 2025. In the episode, she interviewed psychiatrist and internationally recognised solution-focused practitioner Ben Furman, whose insights illuminated why organisations must begin to look at success -not just failure- as a source of growth and innovation.
Shifting the focus: From problems to solutions
Traditionally, organisations have concentrated on identifying and fixing issues. But an exclusive focus on problems can unintentionally foster negativity, burnout, and high employee turnover.
“Happiness is not really interesting for companies, but what is interesting for companies is to reduce the costs of burnout or the cost of stress or the cost of people leaving your workplace,” explains Furman.
This quote cuts to the heart of the matter: well-being isn’t just a “nice to have” it’s a smart business strategy. Solution-focused work offers a refreshing and economically sound alternative by focusing on successes and replicating what works.
Analysing success: The key to growth
One of the core practices in this approach is to analyse success: not just to celebrate it, but to understand it. Think of it as a ‘post-success analysis’. When something goes right, instead of moving on quickly, take a moment to ask:
- “How did we achieve this?”
- “What choices contributed to this outcome?”
- “What strengths were we using?”
“Success and happiness are related. And if we can combine the two, then we can sell our ideas to people because they are not only interested in happiness, they are equally interested in success,” clarifies Ben.
When teams understand the mechanics behind their own wins, they can replicate and scale them across future projects.
Creating a culture that values success
Organisations can foster this mindset by making success analysis a routine part of how teams operate. Instead of focusing only on post-mortems when things go wrong, ask reflective questions when things go right:
“How did you do that?” or “What was your secret?”
These seemingly simple questions help bring unconscious competence into the spotlight and turn it into teachable knowledge.
The future ahead: Beyond problem-solving
A vital element of solution-focused work is the ability to imagine a better future and to reverse-engineer the steps needed to get there. This means asking teams to visualize what success looks like and describe their ideal outcomes in rich detail.
“Did you know that happy children learn better or did you know that if people are satisfied with their work or if they gain joy from their work, then they will work better together?”
Joy, satisfaction, and shared vision aren’t just soft values, they’re foundational to collaboration, innovation, and team resilience.
Future competencies
Once a vision is in place, the next step is identifying the skills required to achieve it. These include:
- Effective communication
- Conflict resolution
- Giving and receiving feedback
- Creative thinking
The ‘Double Star Model’: A visual guide to success
One tool introduced in the discussion is the ‘Double Star Model’, which helps organisations map out two crucial paths to a thriving workplace:
- Appreciation: recognizing wins, strengths, and individual contributions
- Competency Development: focusing on communication, feedback, and team effectiveness
By regularly practising these elements through workshops, feedback rounds, or even casual team check-ins, the model helps normalise positive, productive habits.
“Nobody’s going to buy stereo equipment to make the cows happier; they are paying for the streamed music in order to produce more. And to be honest, this is what this is all about,” shares Ben referring to some studies that have suggested that cows can produce more milk when they listen to music.
Even the most human-centered approaches need to demonstrate impact and when people feel appreciated and empowered, productivity follows.
The takeaway from solution-focused work is clear: focusing on success is not about ignoring problems, but about learning to grow from strength. It’s a mindset shift, a cultural change that unlocks better collaboration, healthier workplaces, and more sustainable growth.
In the wise words of Ben Furman: “To be solution-focused in a problem-focused world is not so easy.” It takes intentional effort and support to shift from reaction to proaction but the long-term payoff is a more capable, connected, and confident team.
True, this is exactly what the modern organisation needs. So instead of asking only, “What went wrong?” try starting your next team meeting with: “What went right and how can we do it again?”
Reach out to Tarja Takko and Takko Advisory at tarja@takkoadvisory.com if you are looking for a solution-focused approach in your business.
Watch the full episode of ‘People and Podcast feat. Ben Furman’ below:
