Innovation and Solution Focus Coaching - Creating Value

Dec 03, 2024By Scott Couper
Scott Couper

What do Innovation thinking and Solution-Focused Coaching have in common?

Innovation and solution-focused coaching share a surprising amount of overlap, even though one is often thought of in the context of business and technology, and the other in personal development or leadership.

As I have a foot in each door in these areas it's become obvious to me that using the thinking "What can create value?" can be very helpful in getting unstuck in both.

Both focus on generating possibilities, building progress, and enabling action.

Innovation should create value to be, well valuable, and Solution Focus coaching creates wanted outsomes that bring new possibilities to peoples lives. 

Businessman hand with coins and sprout. Plant growing on pile of coins money. Money growth concept.

Here are five areas where these approaches blend well together.

1. Future-Orientation

Both innovation and solution-focused coaching emphasize where you’re going rather than what’s holding you back.

Instead of dwelling on problems, they ask, “What does success look like?” and work backward to identify actionable steps.

For example, in innovation, you might envision the impact of a new product or service.

In coaching, you’d define a desired outcome, like greater confidence or clarity.

2. Small Steps Lead to Big Results

Innovation often starts with prototypes, minimum viable products, or experiments (I love the experimental approach to innovation).

Similarly, solution-focused coaching uses small, achievable actions to build momentum.

This shared philosophy helps avoid being overwhelmed.

Whether you’re developing a groundbreaking app or building a new habit, the focus is on progress rather than perfection.

3. Curiosity-Driven Problem Solving (a personal favourite!) 

Both approaches rely on curiosity to uncover new ideas.

Instead of asking, “What’s wrong?” the focus is on questions like:

  • What do we want to achieve?
  • What’s already working that we can build on?
  • What strengths or resources do we have?

This mindset opens up creative thinking, whether you’re innovating a business model or coaching someone to overcome a challenge.

4. Collaboration and Shared Ownership

In innovation, teams brainstorm, iterate, and co-create solutions.

Solution-focused coaching takes a similar approach, treating the coachee as an expert in their own life and guiding them to take ownership of the solutions.

Both approaches encourage people to actively participate in shaping outcomes, ensuring the solutions feel authentic and sustainable.

5. Emphasis on Possibility and Potential

Where traditional approaches often focus on fixing problems, both innovation and solution-focused coaching see problems as opportunities for growth and change.

They invite a mindset shift, asking, “What’s possible?” instead of, “What’s wrong?”

This shared emphasis transforms obstacles into stepping stones for progress, sparking excitement and motivation.

Conclusion 

If you can bridge these two areas together, with individuals, teams and even organisations you can help them think creatively, act decisively to take first steps, be brave in trying, and failing, and therefore make meaningful progress more quickly and let them have fun whilst doing so. 

Now when you add a little stardust of growth mindset to this mix you're beginning to look at something like magic...

...but more about that another time. 

In the meantime if you want to talk about either Innovation or Coaching and how to create more value in your work or personal life get in touch.

All the best /Scott