Using The Principles Of Human Design To Create Stronger Work Cultures With Fiona Bleetman

Let’s start with your career progression. I believe early on in your career you were a data analyst and then pivoted into health coaching, which I imagine was a big change and offered a different perspective. 

That’s right. I was a data analyst, and during the pandemic period, I had a big desire and passion to get into the health and wellness world and become a health coach. So I trained, I qualified, and once I qualified, that’s when I had to realise the reality of starting a business, and I had to face a lot of fears and a lot of blocks. For me, the main one was the fear of being seen, the fear of judgment. 

It was hard for me to show up and promote my business and to serve people. I needed to become visible, and that I could start to serve people and that’s when I got into human design. I had a coach, we worked through my fears, but on the journey I also discovered through human design how I’m designed to show up and communicate and operate and do things. Because we’re all different, and there’s no one way of showing up. And when you do try to show up like someone else that’s been really successful in the way that they do it, you become disconnected from yourself, and it doesn’t flow. It doesn’t feel good. It’s not received well.

Once I’d started practising human design, the intention was to use it inside of my health coaching so that when I was delivering health plans, they were tailored to the individual in a way that was sustainable for them. I then moved to Bali, became a digital nomad, and on that journey I got recognised for my human design knowledge. I started to get a lot of invitations to do talks and events, and in my first year of business I did about 40 workshops and events and public speaking gigs. 

These experiences caused me to fully lean into human design with supporting coaches practitioners and entrepreneurs to start and grow their businesses and structure their businesses in alignment with who they are and their highest self.

For people who don’t know what human design is, what is it exactly and how does it apply to an individual and what it can do for them specifically?

Human design is a self-knowledge system. It’s based on ancient wisdoms such as the Kabbalah Tree of Life and the I Ching. It’s also based on astrology and quantum physics. So what it shows us is that we all have a purpose here, and we’re perfectly designed to achieve our purpose. We have everything we need inside of us. We have innate talents and skills and abilities, and the way that our energy is flowing is designed to help us achieve our goals here. 

What can happen through growing up, through society, parenting, friends, is we can become conditioned to be and act or show up in a certain way which might not be truly aligned with our higher self. So when you’re doing that, when you’re trying to fit into a mould or trying to be someone else, you can face a lot of friction and resistance, and it might feel like you’re swimming against the current. 

Let’s say you’re building your business and you’re really trying and for some things it’s just not going anywhere. That’s usually when you’re showing up and taking action in a way that’s not truly aligned for you.When you understand that and start showing up in that way, it’s a lot more effortless. It’s more fulfilling, it’s less draining, and people feel that and they’re drawn to you even more. 

Human design does sound like it has a lot of practical benefits. How do you think that it could be applied to promoting behaviour change and why do you think it’s so hard for learning to translate into behaviour change generally?

There are two viewpoints. One is understanding yourself, because a lot of people don’t understand themselves and then try to do what other people are doing. The other viewpoint is of the manager or the team leader not understanding the needs of the individuals in the team. 

Some of the analogies I give are that some people are like marathon runners, they’re steady, they’re on their path, they’re doing their thing, you leave them to it. Then there are sprinters who have bursts. They do bursts of work, then they need a break, then another burst, then another break. Then you have people like a circuits class, they need variety in their day. You can’t just give them one project, they need a bit of this and a bit of that, they need to jump around and have flexibility. 

So if you tell everyone they need to work in the same way and judge people for taking breaks, that harms performance and people become disconnected with who they’re working for when they’re not feeling fulfilled and looked after. If the manager or team leader can understand the needs of each individual and leave them to it, they’re more likely to be more productive, more happy, and retain staff.

I’m going to be a devil's advocate for a moment and say that while human design is extremely practical and beneficial from how you’ve just described it, there will be some people out there who see it as too high-minded or woo, particularly in a business context.

How do you prove the business case for using human design in coaching or training in terms of return on investment?

I’d start by tailoring the language. In human design there are five archetypes, and they all have their own ways of operating, communicating, making decisions, and using their energy. They come with specific terminology and names, but in a business context I would adapt that language so it lands in a more practical and relatable way for teams and leaders, rather than leading with something that might feel abstract or unfamiliar. Because at the end of the day, it’s less about what you call it and more about how it actually shows up in performance, productivity, and wellbeing.

Essentially, the results say it all. Even now when I’m running events, there’s always at least one person in the room who questions it, especially when they hear it’s based on birth information. And I completely understand that reaction. But what I always come back to is the evidence from the work itself.

I’ve worked with over 70 people around the world, and their lives have changed. They’ve achieved their business goals, they’ve made shifts in how they show up, how they communicate, and how they structure their work. So the question becomes, does the how actually matter if the outcome is there? If people are getting results, growing their businesses, and feeling more aligned and effective, then that’s the ROI.

For myself as well, when I went through my own journey, I used to be petrified of speaking in front of anyone. That was a huge limitation for me. And through this work, understanding how I’m designed to show up and communicate, I was able to move through that fear. I didn’t just improve slightly, I built my entire business through public speaking in the end. That became my main channel for growth. That was my way of getting there, and it worked for me. 

There are other ways of building a business, of course, but this way was aligned for me, and it’s the same with my clients. When they understand their own archetype and how they’re designed to operate, they find their way of doing things, and that’s when things start to click.

So from a business perspective, I would position it less as something conceptual and more as a performance and alignment tool. It helps people understand how they work best, how they make decisions best, and how they communicate most effectively. And when individuals are operating in that way, you naturally see improvements in productivity, engagement, and retention. So whether someone sees it as scientific, spiritual, or even placebo, it almost becomes irrelevant, because the measurable outcomes are there.

Speaking of results, are there any specific case studies you’d like to talk about that show behaviour change and impact in your clients?

One example is a marketing director who was successful in her career but wanted to start her own retreats business. Despite her level of expertise, she had a block around marketing her own work. Through coaching she realised she didn’t know who her authentic self was, and that was the block. Through self-discovery she reconnected with herself, and it felt good to show up and communicate in her authentic way. She was then able to start promoting her business.

Another example is someone in a data entry role who hated her job but had a dream to become a Hispanic TV journalist. She hadn’t taken any steps and didn’t believe she could do it. Through human design and reconnecting with her natural abilities, and working through fears and limiting beliefs, she landed a job in Hispanic TV journalism. 

A third example is someone working as a carer with extreme hours and low pay who wanted to start a community for women. Since understanding her Human Design strategy she was able to leave her job, start her own business and is now earning double and working half the hours

The underlying theme for my clients is that through understanding themselves and how they’re designed to operate, they are able to cultivate more autonomy and self trust to help them achieve their goals.

What are your thoughts around credibility as a coach? Do certifications matter, or is it more about results and how people show up?

That’s a really good question, because coaching is an unregulated field, and because of that there is some risk. Anyone can essentially say, “This is the answer, follow me,” and position themselves as an expert. And you’ve probably seen stories online where things haven’t gone so well, so there is definitely a level of responsibility that comes with that, and I do think there’s an argument for more regulation in the space.

At the same time, the other side of it is that you can have all the knowledge in the world, all the certifications, all the qualifications, but not actually embody the work. You might not practice what you preach, or you might not have gone through the experience yourself, and that can limit how effective you are as a coach. 

My belief is that you really learn through experience and through doing. Yes, I’ve taken courses and I’m qualified, but the real impact of the work I do doesn’t just come from that. It comes from going through my own journey, facing my own fears, building my own business, and then helping others do the same.

You learn as you go. You adapt, you refine your approach, and that lived experience becomes incredibly valuable. So I think it’s a combination, but if I had to lean one way, I would say experience and embodiment carry a lot of weight.

From the client’s perspective, I think it’s important to do your research and to connect with the person first. Have a conversation, get a feel for them, understand how they work, and see how you feel in their presence. You’ll usually know quite quickly if it feels aligned, like “this is my person,” or if it doesn’t.

What are your thoughts on wellbeing washing and how organisations can avoid it?

It definitely needs to be embedded into the culture of the organisation, and that’s not something that happens overnight. A lot of the time these initiatives come from the top down, and by the time they reach the wider team, they can become diluted or feel like a tick-box exercise, which is where that disconnect happens.

One of the most effective ways to avoid that is to make wellbeing something that lives within the teams themselves. For example, having wellbeing ambassadors across different teams can be powerful. Those people can come together regularly, maybe monthly, to share ideas, plan initiatives, and create a sense of ownership around it. They can organise events, create forums, and encourage open conversations, which helps it feel more real and less like something that’s just been imposed.

Communication is also a huge part of it. You can have all these amazing resources available, but if people aren’t reminded of them or don’t see them being used, they just forget. I remember working somewhere where we had access to things like physios and support services, but we rarely used them because they just weren’t top of mind. It’s about consistently communicating what’s available and making it visible.

Sharing stories and case studies can really help as well. When people see real examples like someone who used a service and felt better or improved their day-to-day experience it brings it to life. It makes it relatable and encourages others to engage with it.

What are your thoughts on storytelling as a way to prove impact in training and coaching?

Storytelling is powerful because people naturally connect with stories on an emotional level. They see themselves in them. My story is very much about the fear of being seen, and that’s something so many people can relate to.

When I share it, I don’t just say I was nervous. I go back to those real experiences. Like being in the classroom as a child and feeling my heart racing, my vision narrowing, my palms sweating, just at the thought of being called on to answer a question. That level of anxiety stayed with me into university, where I had to present in front of groups and I would almost dissociate from my body because it felt so overwhelming. Explaining those moments helps people really feel it, because many of them have experienced something similar.

Then I take them through the journey of how that changed. When I found human design and started doing the work on myself, I didn’t suddenly become confident overnight. I started small. I did 60-second pitches, and I kept showing up and doing them again and again. Then that grew into workshops, then podcasts, and over time it built into something much bigger.

Now, when I look at what I’ve created, my entire business has been built through public speaking, which is something that once felt completely impossible to me. And that journey is what resonates with people. It’s not just the outcome, but the progression.

When people hear that, they think, “She gets it. She’s been where I am, and she’s actually moved through it.” That creates trust, and it also creates belief because if someone else has done it, it suddenly feels possible for them too. That’s why storytelling is such a powerful way to demonstrate impact.

How do you keep evolving as a coach and trainer?

It comes back to doing a lot of work on myself, because the more I grow, the more I can hold space for other people, and the more I can give. It’s not just about learning new techniques or frameworks, it’s about expanding my own awareness and going through my own experiences, because that’s where the real depth comes from.

A big part of that is self-study. I spend a lot of time learning, reflecting, and deepening my understanding of the work that I do, but also just understanding myself on a deeper level. And alongside that, being part of communities is important. You can’t grow in isolation. You need to be around other people, you need to have conversations, you need to see different perspectives, and you need to be challenged as well.

The other important piece is going through life, going through the ups and downs. You need experiences. You need things to go wrong sometimes. You need those difficult periods, the darker days, because that’s where you build resilience, awareness, and wisdom. And when you’ve gone through something yourself and worked through it, you’re then able to support someone else through that in a much more real and grounded way.

So it’s not always about constantly adding more knowledge. Embodying what you already know is worthwhile and allowing life to shape you as well. Then embracing those challenging moments, because they’re the opportunities where you grow the most and where you develop the capacity to support others on a deeper level.

If you could give one piece of human design advice to an organization to implement immediately, what would it be?

The main message I would start with is that everyone is designed to be successful. Just that belief alone can shift something, because it gives people a sense of permission and possibility, like, “Okay, maybe I’m not the problem. Maybe there’s a way that works for me.”

From there, the next step has to be self-knowledge. It’s about the individuals within the organisation understanding themselves first, because everything builds from that. I would encourage people to start that self-discovery journey, even in a simple way. For example, finding a human design calculator, putting in their details, and discovering what their type is. That’s an accessible starting point.

Once they have that awareness, they can begin to understand how they’re designed to show up, how they make decisions, how they work best, and how they communicate. And even small shifts in aligning with that can make a big difference in how they experience their work day-to-day.

Then from a leadership perspective, it becomes about understanding the people you’re working with. When leaders understand the different ways their team members operate and what they need to thrive, they can support them more effectively. And that’s when you start to see people feeling more fulfilled, more productive, and more engaged in their work. At the end of the day, that leads to people staying longer, contributing more, and building stronger relationships within the organisation.