I lead through example, service, and trust.
And pop-trivia. And GIFs.
Have strong, educated, researched opinions,
but hold them very loosely.
Photo by Jhudel Baguio
Empathy
Successful designers are good negotiators, mediators, and bridge-builders. They connect disparate parts into a functional whole with a centered and unified focus. They don’t make enemies, they make allies. They build relationships of trust and accountability.
Photo by NASA
Curiosity
Successful designers provide the best solutions to the problem context. They can do this because they know what the actual problems are. They know the problems because they asked the right questions. They wanted to find the best solutions because they were curious to see if there was something new to discover. And they never stop learning.
Photo by Pim Chu
Humility
Successful designers embrace the fear; of the unknown, the new, the taboo. They embrace the risk: of failure, of exposure, of appearing the fool. They embrace the unknown, the potential to be wrong, the incomplete. They do this because they know it helps them grow, learn, improve, discover, and create connections between things others haven’t even dreamt of.
Servant Leadership
Whether it’s children, scouts, congregations, groups, development and design teams, or large organizations, my philosophy is the same:
Build teams that can excel without you.
The same basic tools and skills we master as UX and Service Designers apply to leadership. Listen. Ask lots of questions. Empathize. Understand the core of the problem at hand. Surround yourself with people smarter than you are. Invite others to participate so they have a stake in the solution. Ultimately to decide is the leader’s job, but if they’re not using their team to generate solutions, the organization will never rise above the abilities of that single leader.
Great leaders are rarely as intelligent, capable, and creative as the teams they build.
Teaching UX & Service Design Courses
I’ve enjoyed teaching hundreds of students through the various certificate programs offered by SMU. I highly recommend the programs they offer.