design-leadership-skills

Write a design strategy document that connects vision to action.

Articulate a compelling design vision for a product or org.

Make the case for investment in design.

Define org-level design principles that guide decisions.

Prioritise design investment across a portfolio of teams.

Lead a team through change with clarity and care.

Resolve conflict within or between teams.

Navigate ethical tensions in design leadership.

Mentor designers and emerging leaders.

Manage your own time, energy, and focus as a leader.

Choose decision rights and frameworks like DACI.

Delegate clearly and develop owners.

Run design reviews across many teams consistently.

Design the leadership team's own operating rhythm.

Design a planning cadence (quarterly and annual).

Advocate for design's role and value across the org.

Build an executive narrative that earns design a seat and a budget.

Map and plan influence across the organisation.

Manage up effectively to your own leadership.

Secure headcount and budget for the design org.

Define or apply a design career ladder and levelling expectations.

Prepare for and hold a difficult conversation with care and clarity.

Deliver specific, actionable feedback using SBI and clear examples.

Co-create an individual growth plan with a designer.

Run effective, recurring 1:1s that build trust and surface problems early.

Write a fair, evidence-based performance review.

Design a fair, signal-rich interview loop.

Write a compelling, inclusive design job specification.

Build a 30/60/90 onboarding plan for a new hire.

Evaluate a design portfolio against a clear rubric.

Build and protect psychological safety on a design team.

Structure a design team to match the shape of the work.