2 – 8 September 2007, Budapest, Hungary
Organising faculty: Jenny Clarke, Björn Johansson, Mark McKergow, Peter Röhrig, Günter Lueger
For more information download http://www.sfwork.com/solworld/downloads/SSU%202007%20leaflet.pdf
The SolWorld Summer University is a unique learning opportunity for experienced Solutions Focus
practitioners. If the annual SOL conference is the meeting place for the international SF community, then
the Summer University is our research and development laboratory. You can join with some of the world’s
most experienced SF authors, trainers and consultants to extend your knowledge and practice.
We explore a range of questions, issues and experiences as a small group. The activities are
intensive, yet the atmosphere is relaxed and collegiate. Each morning the group tackles a prepared topic, with
a mixture of presentations, discussions and activities. These topics are selected to be of wide interest and to
build the knowledge and experience of the whole group – there are no “right answers” to be taught, but
instead experience to be shared and good practice to be built.
Afternoons are open for tutorial groups, coaching sessions, consulting experiments and discussion
groups. These will emerge during the event, to allow for all participants to have opportunities to address any
specific issues of interest. Whether you want to learn more about how to train SF, or bring your own current
work issue, you’ll find experienced and willing partners to help you. New for 2007 – everyone is assigned a
tutor and tutorial group to work with for the week.
In this environment everyone is both a learner and a participant. In line with the SOL charter, the
difference between “faculty members” and “participants” is minimal – everyone participates together.
The 2007 participants will be led by to organising faculty:
Björn Johansson
(CLUES, Sweden)
Dr Mark McKergow
(Centre for Solutions
Focus at Work, UK)
Dr Peter Röhrig
Mehlem Institut für
Qualitätsentwicklung,
Germany
Dr Günter Lueger (Next
Tools, Vienna, Austria)
Jenny Clarke (Centre
for Solutions Focus at
Work, UK, also helping
with administration)
The guest faculty for 2007 includes Prof Dr Matthias Varga von Kibéd and Insa Sparrer (Germany), Kati
Hankovsky (Hungary), Michael Hjerth (Sweden), Bärbel Fink (Finland), John Sproson (UK), Hans-Peter Korn
(Switzerland) and Sakyakumara (UK). For the full programme, see overleaf.
Great value! The fee of €1169 (£799) includes:
- All workshops and SF learning activities during the event
- Six nights bed and breakfast accommodation in an ensuite room
- Lunches, coffees and light refreshments every day (Monday to Friday)
- Three dinners during the week (a welcome dinner, a barbeque and a farewell gala)
- Trip into Budapest city centre for sightseeing
See overleaf for full programme details, venue and booking information – also available at
www.solworld .org
To book, download a booking form or email Jenny Clarke at jenny@sfwork.com
SOL Summer University 2007 Programme
Monday 3 September – Language as an SF tool
Bärbel Fink, Kati Hankovsky, Roswirthe Menke and Katalin Fenyves with Mark McKergow
Language is the Swiss army knife of the SF practitioner’s tool kit. In this session, we will explore verbal
communication at the micro-level – the phrasing of questions, pre-suppositions, hypnotic language, metaphors,
movement from problem to solution axis, leading from one step behind… This will be an engaging mixture of large
and small group work, videos and input from people from a wide variety of backgrounds including copy-writing and
business communication.
Tuesday 4 September – Micro tools for the real world
Michael Hjerth with Björn Johansson
Unlike coaches and therapists, managers and leaders rarely have the luxury of an hour’s one-to-one conversation
with their employees. This morning, Michael will describe his PLUS model and explore its use in generating micro
tools which can be used in the hurly burly of the organisational world, where conversations may involve several
people and last only a few minutes. The session will look at conceptual as well as practical aspects of this
underdeveloped area of SF applications.
Wednesday 5 September – SF without words
Matthias Varga von Kibéd and Insa Sparrer with Jenny Clarke
SF practitioners are used to seeing language as their main tool. Systemic structural constellation methodology offers
a rich alternative arena for SF work within organisational contexts. During this session, Matthias and Insa will
demonstrate two of their formats – Solution Geometric Interviewing as a group process and SF with Silent Answers,
particularly useful in delicate situations where discretion is highly desirable. Working without language is also a highly
effective way of displacing preconceptions, bias, interpretation and causal mythologies. There will be opportunities to
take part in a demonstration and to practise aspects of both formats.
Thursday 6 September – SF without words
John Sproson and Hans-Peter Korn with Günter Lueger
Not surprisingly, most classical management instruments are problem-focused. In this session, illustrated by
examples from their own experience, Hans-Peter and John explore some well-known tools with an SF twist. Hans
Peter Korn will share his thoughts on the topic of in-company surveys and in particular how they can be designed to
offer signposts to useful differences and thus to give ideas for specific next steps to “make things better” based on
these signposts. John Sproson will demonstrate how the Balanced Scorecard can be combined with SF-Assessment to
develop next steps.
Friday 7 September-SF negotiation
Sakyakumara with Peter Röhrig
The Harvard Negotiation Project is given the SF treatment in this highly participative exploration of the contribution
SF can make to the world of negotiation. Can negotiation be learnt and taught more efficiently and more effectively?
Are there better ways to understand parties’ interests? How can SF help reach mutually satisfactory agreements more
quickly and build lasting relationships? Shakya (as he likes to be known informally) offers a framework for SF
negotiation, some know-how and some practical experience.
The venue – Hotel Tiliana, Budapest
The Hotel Tiliana is set in the green belt of the Buda hills, just 15 minutes from the centre of Budapest. The hotel
has 33 double and 6 four-bed family rooms with shower, buffet breakfast, telephone, TV and minibar. The hotel has a
2.5 hectare park including tennis court, swimming pool, sport fields, jogging paths, children’s playground, fitness
room and sauna. The hotel is well served by public transport, there are frequent buses to the city centre.