In a world saturated with information and accelerating change, the conventional notions of leadership are being redefined. No longer is it enough to simply manage, direct, or dictate. True leadership today demands a potent blend of vision, empathy, and the ability to articulate complex ideas with clarity and impact. This is where design, in its broadest and most profound sense, emerges as an indispensable tool. Design, when wielded effectively, is not merely about aesthetics; it's a powerful language for demonstrating leadership, embodying knowledge, showcasing strategic acumen, revealing deep insights, and validating proven experience. Sometimes it’s about solving a problem for those who might be too close to see it. Or seeing past everything that has already happened. Or simply distilling a clear point of view. Regardless, it is more about the thinking than the doing. Design is too often conflated with craft.
Early in my career, I was moved and motivated by Bruce Mau’s “Incomplete Manifesto for Growth”.
It continues to resonate for me personally. I acknowledge that I have sampled/borrowed from it profoundly and re-stated his succinctness with perhaps too much interpretation or verbosity here.
So this is a sketch of my “Incomplete Manifesto for Me”. It’s not meant to be anything more than inspired by Mau, and a parking lot for some notions that have been rolling around in my head for a long while—only to bubble to the surface as I reimagine and re-engineer my purpose as a person in the so-called "creative field". Think of it as workshopping or woodshedding out in the open, if you will. Agree or agree to disagree. Either way, let's start a conversation.
Beliefs and beacons:
Commit authenticity. It’s a crime of passion.
To truly lead through design, one must first be exciting – not in a superficial, attention-seeking way, but through the genuine resonance of authenticity. This excitement stems from a passionate engagement with the work, an eagerness to explore new frontiers, and a deep-seated belief in the transformative power of ideas. When your design work is infused with this genuine excitement, it transcends mere competence and becomes magnetic, drawing others in and inspiring their participation. It’s about more than just delivering a solution; it’s about sharing a contagious energy that fuels innovation and propels progress. When I work for a client, I feel deeply invested. Not just in a “you’re only good as your last gig” way, but as though I am on your side of the conference table, and in your trenches with you. It’s the only way that works for me and the only way it should work, period.
Bring home the global.
In an interconnected world, leadership without a global perspective is inherently limited. Design, by its very nature, is a universal language, capable of bridging cultural divides and communicating complex ideas across diverse audiences. To demonstrate leadership through design, one must actively cultivate and integrate a global perspective. This means understanding the nuances of different markets, appreciating diverse cultural contexts, and designing solutions that are inclusive, adaptable, and relevant on an international scale. It’s about transcending parochial thinking and recognizing that truly impactful design resonates far beyond local boundaries, reflecting a deep understanding of the human experience in its myriad forms. Ultimately, good things happen locally when you reach for the stars.
Be Poetic. Because poetry is more honest than prose.
The assertion that "poetry is more honest than prose" might seem counterintuitive in the realm of strategic design, yet it holds a profound truth. Prose, while precise, can often be "on the nose," laying out facts and arguments in a linear, explicit manner. Poetry, on the other hand, communicates through evocation, metaphor, and an economy of words, inviting deeper interpretation and emotional engagement. When design embodies this poetic quality, it moves beyond mere functionality to create a profound connection. It doesn't explicitly state every detail; instead, it subtly suggests, hints, and inspires, allowing the audience to discover meaning and forge their own understanding. This honesty lies in its ability to tap into universal human experiences and emotions, creating a more memorable and impactful dialogue than overt explanation or illustration ever could. I believe in the theatre of the mind. It’s a beautiful, welcoming place. Its walls simultaneously resonate and reverberate.
Never be "on the nose”. The art of subtlety is the art of discovery.
Leading through design requires a nuanced approach that avoids being "on the nose." Overt, explicit communication can often feel simplistic, patronizing, or prescriptive, limiting the audience's engagement and ownership of the idea. Instead, effective design, like poetry, invites discovery. It presents ideas with a degree of subtlety, allowing the audience to connect the dots, draw their own conclusions, and experience the "aha!" moment. So a good design is like a riddle. Sometimes it is a riddle. When the the audience solves it, they feel good. They feel empowered. This approach demonstrates a leader’s confidence in their audience's intelligence and fosters a deeper, more personal understanding of the message, thereby increasing its resonance and impact. Your audience is always smarter than you think.
Be Meaningful. Drive home the purpose-driven imperative.
Meaning is the bedrock of impactful design and, by extension, impactful leadership. If design lacks meaning, it becomes decorative, fleeting, and ultimately inconsequential. To demonstrate leadership, your design work must be imbued with purpose, addressing genuine needs and contributing to a larger, positive impact. This requires a deep understanding of the problem space, a clear articulation of the desired outcomes, and a commitment to creating solutions that truly matter. Meaningful design is not just about solving a problem; it's about enriching lives, fostering understanding, and driving positive change, thereby showcasing a leader’s commitment to something larger than the project or themselves.
Have a point of view and have your work have a point of view. Commit to a vision.
Leadership is fundamentally about vision and conviction. To lead through design, you must cultivate and articulate a distinct point of view, and critically, your work must embody that perspective. This isn’t about stubborn adherence to personal preference, but rather a thoughtful, informed stance on how challenges should be addressed and how opportunities can be realized. When your designs clearly articulate a point of view, they demonstrate not just technical skill, but also strategic thinking, critical analysis, and the courage to take a stand. This conviction inspires confidence and distinguishes truly visionary leaders from those who merely execute.
Approach + Philosophy
Disrupt to construct. Create momentum.
True leadership is not about maintaining the status quo; it's about identifying opportunities for growth and driving positive change. Design, in this context, becomes a powerful tool for disruption – but disruption with a purpose: to construct, to build, to move things forward. This means challenging established norms, questioning assumptions, and daring to imagine new possibilities. It’s about identifying friction points and creatively re-imagining processes, products, or services to deliver superior experiences. Most times you need to: deconstruct in order to truly examine the essentials; synthesize those elements into building blocks; re-order or re-construct as models; test; choose; refine; and maintain. Whether you are designing a business, a brand experience, or a building. When your design work embodies this constructive disruption, it showcases a leader’s courage, foresight, and ability to be a catalyst for meaningful evolution.
Subvert the code. Break molds. Repeat, if necessary.
Sometimes, the most impactful leadership through design requires the courage to "subvert the code." This means challenging established conventions, breaking free from traditional frameworks, and embracing unconventional approaches when they are necessary to achieve a superior outcome. It’s not about rebellion for rebellion's sake, but about intelligently questioning existing paradigms and, when warranted, creating new ones. This demonstrates a leader’s adaptability, their willingness to take calculated risks, and their unwavering commitment to finding the most effective path forward, even if it deviates from the expected.
Collaborate to expand possibilities. Be connective not constrictive.
Design, at its best, is a deeply collaborative process, fostering shared understanding and expanding the realm of possibilities. To demonstrate leadership, one must embrace a connective rather than constrictive approach to design. This means actively engaging diverse perspectives, inviting feedback, and co-creating solutions. It’s about leveraging the collective intelligence of a team, breaking down silos, and fostering an environment where ideas can flourish freely. But it shouldn’t stop at the internal team. Designers, creators, strategists, and thinkers of all disciplines need to work together more to solve big problems effectively. Build bridges and tear down walls. Bring the clients into the brainstorm. They are the subject-matter experts. It is amazing to me how often the walls stay up and how much bounces off them as a result. Walls are for whiteboards and pinning up ideas so everyone can react. A collaborative spirit showcases a leader’s humility, their ability to empower others, and their understanding that the strongest solutions emerge from shared ownership and collective wisdom.
Enable and inspire.
In a brainstorm, pass the sharpie around the room. Don’t hog the baton. Encourage the quiet one in the corner to speak up. They are probably harbouring something brilliant—a seed or a fully-grown idea. The ultimate aim of leadership is to enable others to reach their full potential and to inspire them to contribute to a shared vision. Design, through its clarity, accessibility, and evocative power, can be a potent tool for enablement and inspiration. When your designs clarify complex information, simplify processes, or create engaging experiences, they empower individuals and teams to act with greater confidence and purpose. Furthermore, when your designs embody a compelling vision, they can ignite passion and inspire others to rally around a common goal. This demonstrates a leader’s commitment to developing others and fostering a culture of shared ambition.
Share early. Do not design in a vacuum.
Effective design, like effective leadership, is an iterative process. It thrives on early sharing, continuous feedback, and responsive adaptation. To demonstrate leadership through design, one must resist the temptation to design in a vacuum. Instead, share incomplete ideas, sketches, and prototypes early and often. Actively solicit feedback from diverse stakeholders, and be genuinely responsive to their insights. This builds trust, fosters alignment, and ensures that the final solution is truly robust and reflective of collective intelligence. I believe in a mutable, “living Creative Brief”. That means that brief might shift, expand, or blow-up, especially after you dig in and start to ask questions, like “why, why, why, why, and why?”.
Start with ideas and end with an idea.
Every impactful design begins with many ideas and ultimately culminates in a singular, refined, impactful idea. The journey from nascent thought to tangible solution is where true leadership is demonstrated. This means cultivating a fertile ground for ideation, fostering creative exploration, and rigorously evaluating concepts. But it also means having the discipline to distill complex considerations into a clear, concise, and compelling final idea that resonates and delivers value. Ultimately you have to make a choice and go with it. When I taught at a design school, we had an exercise where students were asked to come up with 40 ideas for a logo. The first few come relatively easily (and often instinctively are the likely solution), the next 10 are harder to conceive, and it gets progressively more difficult to find novel solutions as you go. The last 10 are really hard, and most often where innovation really happens because you’ve exhausted all of the obvious. I encourage all designers to work with a sketchbook. Ideas are sacred and a bad idea for this might be a good idea for that. Keepsake your thoughts.
Listen to the quiet.
Sometimes, the most profound insights are found not in the loudest voices or the most obvious data, but in the quiet, unspoken cues. Leading through design requires a heightened sense of empathy and an acute ability to "listen to the quiet" – to observe subtle behaviours, to perceive underlying emotions, and to identify unmet needs that are not explicitly articulated. Truths. Open-mindedness. This deep observational skill and empathetic understanding allow for the creation of designs that are truly human-centered, addressing unspoken desires and anticipating needs. I’ve always had more success listening intently, being curious, catching a fleeting morsel to build from, than from any form of focus-testing. Understand deeply and unearth hidden opportunities. Now more than ever, we are called upon to create by instinct, or vibe in order to really connect.
Do not lose the plot to craft. Designers—I’m talking to you.
To create compelling design, one must never lose the plot to craft. While exceptional craft is undoubtedly important for conveying ideas with clarity and impact, it is subservient to the idea itself. Craft helps shape ideas; it does not replace them. A beautifully executed design that lacks a compelling idea is merely empty eye candy. Conversely, a powerful idea, even if imperfectly crafted, can still resonate deeply. I do believe that every detail—even those that are not seen or understood—are important, but those are always at the service of an idea. True leadership through design lies in the ability to generate profound ideas and then leverage craft to amplify and articulate them effectively. Focus on substance over superficiality, and thereby deliver genuine value.
One more thing. Opinions are like…
Opinions are not ideas. And yes, they are like (ahem)… everyone has one. Opinions have a nasty habit of getting in the way of ideas. They often come in way too early. Ideas can be precarious, and fragile. Sometimes they just need time or proper nurturing. That’s challenging in our impatient times. And taste? Well, not everyone has it. Some designers included.