Summary
You may have noticed that all is not well in the world. Caught between a pandemic, a civil rights reckoning and the spectre of global conflict - you still have to show up each day and lead your team. With so much happening, it's easy to forget that the scale of your impact doesn't only come from the tools, systems or processes that you implement, but also from the depth of the questions you ask of yourself, of your team, and of your users. Drawing from over 75 long-format interviews with some of the best and brightest design leaders, this talk explores some of the big questions facing the field, and how you can use the humble question to be a better leader. Warning: this talk may raise more questions than it provides answers for.
Key Insights
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Personal investment in design projects can feel futile during unpredictable crises like COVID-19, underscoring resilience in leadership.
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Asking authentic, curious questions challenges entrenched systems and inspires meaningful change in design and beyond.
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The design field remains dominated by white males, reflecting broader societal inequities that must be actively addressed.
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Ethical leadership in design requires confronting uncomfortable truths and resisting corporate pressures that compromise integrity.
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Good questions invite collaboration and unlock new perspectives, while bad questions limit growth and damage relationships.
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Historical figures like Socrates demonstrate the personal risks involved in questioning societal status quos.
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Stories we tell ourselves shape our beliefs, behaviors, and our ability to lead effectively through challenges.
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Changing personal narratives, even in dire circumstances like illness, can improve well-being and focus energy positively.
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Integrating multiple perspectives and mixed methods enriches problem-solving and reveals new possibilities.
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Rather than fighting for a seat at the table, design leaders should confidently carve out their own space through expertise and collaboration.
Notable Quotes
"We shouldn’t settle for good enough in diversity and inclusion or do what is simply expedient."
"Questions are the catalysts of our curiosity; they help us to make sense of the world around us."
"Like me Socrates was an independent agent for Athens, but he was not part of its establishment."
"Good questions empower you to make change by helping you to learn something new."
"Bad questions are self-serving and corrosive; they limit our potential for progress."
"If design had a universal code of ethics we’d be in danger of malpractice if we didn’t consider what might happen."
"The story of the moai highlights the importance of integrating various perspectives and mixed methods."
"The stories we tell become our beliefs and our beliefs influence our behavior."
"I’m very fortunate I have great medical care. I’m going to live my life to the fullest and take every chance I can."
"How do we get a seat at the table? No one wants to be picked last and no design leader wants to be left off the invite."
Or choose a question:
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