When people ask me what being a design leader is like, I usually smile, take a deep breath, and say: “It’s equal parts problem-solving, strategy, and explaining to non-designers that yes, white space is actually doing something.”
Let me break it down.
🎨 1. The Myth of the Pixel-Perfect Manager
Contrary to popular belief, I don’t spend my days kerning fonts until they whisper sweet typographic nothings. Most of my time is spent:
- Translating business goals into design outcomes
- Coaching teams through ambiguous problems
- Politely wrestling with roadmaps that want to sprint before they crawl
Pixel-perfection? That’s the team’s glory. My job is making sure they’re solving the right problems before they get lost in hex codes.
🧩 2. Strategy: AKA Organized Daydreaming
Design strategy is basically the art of professional daydreaming… with spreadsheets.
- “What if we mapped the user journey?”
- “What if we actually asked the users?”
- “What if we stopped shipping features no one uses?”
I bring the sticky notes. The team brings the brilliance. Together, we turn wild ideas into scalable systems.
🫂 3. Leadership = Emotional UX
Here’s the secret: leading designers is less about design systems and more about nervous systems. People need context, clarity, and someone who believes in them when a concept goes sideways. A good leader doesn’t just give feedback on the work—they create the conditions for better work to happen.
Sometimes, that means hard conversations. And other times - ordering pizza.
🚀 The Takeaway
Being a design leader means being a strategist, a translator, a mentor, and occasionally, a part-time therapist. It’s messy, it’s human, and it’s the most rewarding job in the world.
So next time you hear a designer complain about button styles, remember: behind that pixel debate is a whole universe of strategy, empathy, and business impact.
And yes, the white space is still doing something.
👋 I’d love to hear from other design leaders and strategists: what’s the funniest “this is my job now?” moment you’ve had lately?
