Just as coaching has deepened my abilities as a designer, my background in design has made me a more effective coach. Design is all about solving problems creatively, seeing the big picture, and understanding how people interact with the world. These skills translate naturally into coaching, where I guide individuals through personal and professional challenges, helping them find clarity, direction, and growth. Here’s how my experience as a designer has strengthened my work as a coach.
As a designer, my job is to solve problems. Whether it’s making a product more user-friendly or improving the flow of a service, design requires a clear understanding of the issue and a structured approach to finding solutions. This problem-solving mindset is invaluable in coaching. When I work with clients, I help them break down their challenges into manageable pieces, identify the core issues, and explore multiple paths forward. Just like in design, there’s often more than one way to solve a problem, and my design background helps me stay open to creative solutions that might not be immediately obvious.
In design, you learn to see every project as part of a larger system. It’s not just about the individual product; it’s about how that product fits into a user’s life, how different touchpoints interact, and how small changes can have ripple effects. This systems thinking applies directly to coaching. When working with a client, I see them as part of a larger context—their career, relationships, values, and environment all play a role in their personal and professional journey. My design background helps me approach coaching holistically, understanding how different parts of a client’s life are interconnected and how to help them achieve balance and growth across the board.
Design is deeply rooted in empathy. You’re constantly putting yourself in the user’s shoes, trying to understand their needs, frustrations, and goals. This skill translates seamlessly into coaching. As a coach, I focus on truly understanding my clients—their motivations, their struggles, and what they want to achieve. My ability to empathize helps me create a safe, supportive space where clients feel heard and understood. Just like in design, where you aim to make a product that fits the user’s needs, in coaching, I guide my clients toward solutions that resonate deeply with who they are and what they want.