Simplified Guidelines for Initiating an Intentional Strengths-focused-Relationship (SfR)*
(This process is designed for two participants who have agreed to share and listen to each other)
THREE BASIC STEPS
1. Preparation for Sharing (Try to do this in 5 minutes)
a. Identify a recent positive experience;
This experience is one that you really felt good about, after having contributed a good deal to making the experience happen.
b. Articulate a self-identified strength;
Identify some positive quality or self-identified strength that you demonstrated during the positive experience you just described.
2. First Sharing and Listening (Try to do this in 10 to 15 minutes)
a. First Sharer talks about a positive experience and a self-identified strength.
b. First Listener paraphrases and elaborates about Sharer’s self-identified strength.
c. First Sharer continues to articulate and elaborate the self-identified strength.
3. Second Sharing and Listening (Try to do this in 10 to 15 minutes)
a. Second Sharer talks about a positive experienceand and a self-identified strength.
b. Second Listener paraphrases and elaborates about Sharer’s self-identified strength.
c. Second Sharer continues to articulate and elaborate the self-identified strength.
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Vocabulary and other information about SfR
Articulating: Putting your thoughts and feelings into words so that another person can get a better idea about what you have been experiencing.
Sharing a positive experience: Telling a short story about an event wherein you contributed a lot to making it happen, while enjoying the experience and it’s outcome.
Self-identified Strength: A positive quality identified by the Sharer of a positive experience.
Listening, paraphrasing & elaborating: Paying careful attention to the Sharer’s story and putting the Sharer’s self-identified strength into your own words, and then elaborating somewhat on how the strength might be described.
*SfR was developed by Jerald R. Forster. More info and demo videos can be viewd on SfR Website at: www.strengths-focused-relationships.org
Video Demonstration at: Click for link to You Tube
Video Demonstration at: http://vimeo.com/44342197