Design by Design

Design by Design Manager Foundations Course The Training I wish I'd had as a first-time Manager Hey Reader, Is Management a path you are considering? Why or why not? With the evolution of Design careers over the past 5-7 years, and expanded options in seniority on an individual contributor path, becoming a Manager of your fellow humans is not the only path to growth. And neither path, or any alternative pathway is not for everyone! For Aspiring or new-ish Managers This is the course I wish I...

Design by Design Leading by Design Can you model authentic calm when dealing with anxiety yourself? Hey Reader, Have you had one of those moments recently where the chaos of worklife, pressures from your team, boss, partners and oh yeah, your life-life all pile up? Yeah, me too. What do you do TODAY? So when you are leading through the inferno of this weird time, how will you show up and mitigate unfair future consequences? It's an unfair question, but one I want to put out there. As Leaders...

Design by Design Leading by Design Managers learn by muddling through it – theres gotta be a better way Hey Reader, The stress many managers, especially those newer in role, are experiencing right now is overwhelming. Consistently through the past few years, managers in the messy middle of management have been tasked with doing more... and more... with less. More direct reports. More scope and responsibility. More pressure to instantly transition to be a "player-coach".I'm exhausted for...

DesignbyDesign.co Leading by Design Audacious Calendar Hot Tip for Productivity and Space Hey Reader, If you're feeling underwater and like you are spinning ALL the plates in your role... I get it! I've been exactly where you are and I see you. Taking a moment to invest in yourself falls to the bottom of the todo list frequently, and the exhaustion starts to compound. Let's be audacious in stealing back our future time together, starting now. Do your future self a favor and block 10 hours a...

Leading by Design Issue No. 10 Celebrating Growth, Challenge & Change Hey Reader, As we mark the 10th issue of this shared journey and interrogation of leadership, wellness and the workplace, I'd like to pause and celebrate the incredible progress being made across our community. Every step has been a testament to our collective commitment to growth and resilience. Today, let's revisit some of the most read topics about the continued evolution we're on as Design Leaders. 🔗 Fostering Team...

Leading by Design Issue No. 9 My mission is human-centered leadership Hey Reader, The more I coach and teach managers and leaders in Design fields, the more I am convinced we hold a key to creating the next wave of leadership that does less harm than our predecessors. What do I mean by this? Most workplaces are built on top of capitalism, sexism, racism, ableism etc, and are entrenched in rewarding the status quo. These systems disproportionately negatively impact people of color, woman,...

Leading by Design Issue No. 8 We can get on top of Calendar Wrangling this year! Let's do it! Hey Reader, Confession time – I absolutely used to wear busyness as a badge of pride and importance. In some roles, it was self-inflicted from a desire to have as much impact as possible and cram as much in. In others, there was meaning for me in how much people needed or wanted from me and my time. Like, did that made me a better human? Better leader? Better parent? Then the pandemic hit. We all...

Leading by Design Issue No. 7 Looking Ahead to 2024: Community Anyone? Hey Reader, I've shared with you that I love Mondays. I also find the New Year to be a time of reflection, change, and intention setting. I've evolved away from New Year's Resolutions and repeated weight-loss or fitness goals, and towards purposefully checking in with my direction in life. Am I on a track I feel aligned to and generally good about? What are the possibilities looking ahead? Are there any big life decisions...

Leading by Design Issue No. 6 Creating Environments of Well-being Hey Reader, The US Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy, M.D., M.B.A. has published a framework and call to action for companies to take more care and proactivity in supporting their employees total wellbeing. Here's some stats at a glance from the report: 17% increase in reported mental health concerns over the past two years 84% said their workplace conditions had contributed to at least one mental health challenge. 81% of workers...

Leading by Design Issue No. 5 Tis' the season for Annual Reviews – don't be the grinch 💚 Hey Reader, As a retail veteran, there is something delightful about seeing retail activity at this time of year when you know that many efforts from the prior year culminate in just a few pivotal days. We have a rule in my household to not decorate for the Holidays until Thanksgiving has occurred. So all bets are off now! It's also a time where many start to self-reflect both on their prior year...