You can try to implement a Strengths orientation for your staffing group in a deficit-based style (“do it or else!” – “you’re doing it wrong, here’s how to do it right”).

In our training presentations of Strength-based Practice, we suggest that a manager/supervisor session be scheduled as well.  Our Center has engaged in qualitative research from multiple agency/organization sites, collecting the efforts and “how to’s” from management teams that were able to do a better job of integrating a Strengths Approach within their departments or divisions.

We’ve collected this data and make this implementation data available to your team during a management session.

Resources for your review:

This first article listed speaks to the use of Motivational Interviewing for the probation executive. Regardless of the helping discipline you're in, give this a read to review the merits that Motivational Interviewing can offer for your staffing group.

• (Spring 2006) “Motivational Interviewing and the Probation Executive: Moving into the Business of Behavior Change.” Executive Exchange. Journal of the National Association of Probation Executives. 17-22. Click here to download the full article

Two important “don’t miss” resources for managers/supervisors:

1.   Duncan, B. & Miller, S., Sparks, J.,  (2004). The Heroic Client: A Revolutionary Way to Improve Effectiveness Through Client-Directed, Outcome-Informed Therapy. San Francisco:  Jossey-Bass

2.   Buckingham, Marcus & Coffman, Curt (1999). First, Break All The Rules: What The World’s Greatest Managers Do Differently. NY: Simon & Schuster

WHERE WE’VE BEEN:

STRENGTH-BASED MANAGEMENT & SUPERVISION

Selected (partial) listing of previous Onsite training and management consultation facilitated by the Center for Strength-Based Strategies

Travis County Juvenile Probation Department, 1 day “Train-the-Trainer” Session                  
Austin, Texas 

Management Team Building, Family Justice, Inc. “Strength-Based Supervision” Increasing Resources and Building Critical Partnerships                                 
New York, NY 

Univ. of California-Davis  – The Center for Human Services, Child Welfare Consultation with Shasta County Child Welfare Department, 4 days of onsite consultation with consultant report
Redding, Calif.

Robert Woods Johnson Foundation – “Reclaiming Futures” National Program site (Montgomery County, Ohio Common Pleas Court, Juvenile Division – Train-the-Trainer in Strength-Based Practice                                                                   
Dayton, Ohio  

Univ. of California-Davis  – The Center for Human Services, 1 day team building workshops for direct services staff : “Peak Performance”                                              
Fortuna, Calif.    
Red Bluff, Calif. 

Univ. of California-Davis  – The Center for Human Services, 1 day forum for consultants and UC-Davis trainers “How to Present the Strengths Approach”
Davis, California 

DeKalb County Juvenile Court, one day training for Court Managers & Judges: “Utilizing a Strength-Based Approach”                             
Decatur, Georgia 

State of New Hampshire, Department of Health and Human Services – Division of Juvenile Justice Services, 1 day workshop Strength-Based Management for Supervisors
Manchester, New Hampshire 

Family Justice, Inc. (a division of the Vera Institute of Justice), National Advisory Board Meeting, Consultation to Advisory Board “Implementing a Strengths Approach”
New York, NY 

Community Partnerships of the Ozarks, Inc. – 2 day training: Agency/Organization Collaboration with the Strengths Approach                         
Springfield, Missouri 

Associated Marine Institutes – 2003 AMI Leadership Symposium,                                          
Clearwater, Florida  

County of Los Angeles County – Probation Department Executive Team, 1 day meeting with agency management for development of Strength-based training initiative
Downey, California  

Douglas County Juvenile Drug Court – Onsite Consultation
Omaha, Nebraska   

Advocate Charitable Foundation – Advocate Health Care Hospital System, “The Strengths Approach for Employee Management ”                            
Chicago, Illinois        

National Even Start Association, Facilitation, “Rev up Your Program and Staff With Asset-based Strategies” San Diego, California