I want to take a moment to reintroduce myself and share the reasons behind this new launch. I’m Alexa Fleur, and I first founded Collaboration Works in the early 2000s. Back then, it started as a highly engaging, efficient way of working—what today would be recognized as Design Thinking methodology. I applied it to nonprofit organizations, involving hundreds of volunteers in creative work. We did everything from logo redesigns to branding and marketing. You wouldn’t think it possible to bring together 30-40 strangers and produce great work in a single day, but we did! It was successful, and it was a fun, collaborative way to meet other creatives.
At that point, I was deciding whether to launch Collaboration Works as a full-fledged business or take an even bigger leap and pursue a tech startup idea. I chose tech, and with a co-founder, CritiqueIt was born.
After 15 years, CritiqueIt was acquired, giving me time to reflect, recharge, and reinvest in my personal growth. I pursued training at the Co-Active Training Institute and became certified in neuroscience-based coaching through Positive Intelligence (PQ). Something incredible happened when I combined coaching with Design Thinking for my clients: change became both lasting and sustainable.
The biggest challenge any service provider faces—whether they’re a consultant, coach, or designer—is getting clients to not only adopt change but to sustain it. Often, despite initial enthusiasm, clients revert to old habits and the status quo. There’s a reason for this, and a way to make positive change stick. By blending PQ Coaching and Design Thinking, I discovered a method to achieve just that.
How It Works
Autopilot-Mind Problem: When anxiety hijacks our thinking, predictable patterns of behavior—what we call “saboteurs”—emerge and block what we aim to accomplish. These are deeply ingrained neural pathways in the brain.
Solution: Positive Intelligence coaching helps people intercept and convert those negative thoughts into positive action. This leads to remarkable outcomes: a 92% improvement in collaboration and teamwork, 3x more creativity, an 85% increase in happiness, and 91% of clients report better stress management. With practice, these changes can be seen in brain scans—PQ coaching literally rewires the brain!
When the autopilot-mind no longer drives the work, new opportunities open up. Teams are free to work to their full potential, using 100% of their strengths. When paired with an optimized work process, teams hit the accelerator on performance.
Process Problem: When fear sabotages team dynamics, it blocks innovation, clear communication, and effective conflict resolution. Fear forces teams to cling to the status quo, even when it isn’t working. This means the services, products, or teams being built reflect fear rather than strength, aspiration, or passion.
Design Thinking Solution: Like coaching, Design Thinking seeks to uncover what people truly need. It’s a powerful tool for tackling complex problems where the solution isn’t obvious. Unlike traditional consulting, which applies known systems to known problems, Design Thinking helps solve complex, ambiguous challenges by revealing deeper insights, enabling teams to address the real issues.
In the last 18 months, I’ve applied this approach as a producer for MARIAN the Musical and helped a team explore an innovative R&D solution for femur amputees. Helping clients succeed doesn’t require me to be a specialist in a particular industry. Using coaching and Design Thinking, I get to the heart of what matters most, enabling clients to excel in what they do best, make music, launch medical inventions, create companies or new tech.
Do you have a compelling project or startup? Curious about how mental fitness coaching or Design Thinking can help you? Schedule a complimentary session to explore the possibilities.
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