Navigating career:
Leading a large team
Leading a large team
Taking on responsibility for a group versus solo work brings new challenges at multiple scales. These stories share experiences at various stages of growing and managing design teams.
Taking on responsibility for a group versus solo work brings new challenges at multiple scales. These stories share experiences at various stages of growing and managing design teams.
Managing a small team as the only leader is challenging. You alone solve all of the problems for 5-6 direct reports. It’s 100% your responsibility, especially if they’re junior designers who can’t mentor each other yet.
But leading a larger team with senior designers can be easier. I had 12 reports, with 4 senior designers who were as experienced as me. They stayed in design while I moved into management. Having them coach and mentor junior designers lifted the day-to-day burden off me.
When a senior designer partners with a junior, I’m confident the work will be quality and the junior will grow. I can outsource mentoring to my reports and focus more on high-level leadership over hands-on management. With more experienced designers, you aren’t the only one with answers. I want to lead towards goals while my team helps manage execution.
Managing a small team as the only leader is challenging. You alone solve all of the problems for 5-6 direct reports. It’s 100% your responsibility, especially if they’re junior designers who can’t mentor each other yet.
But leading a larger team with senior designers can be easier. I had 12 reports, with 4 senior designers who were as experienced as me. They stayed in design while I moved into management. Having them coach and mentor junior designers lifted the day-to-day burden off me.
When a senior designer partners with a junior, I’m confident the work will be quality and the junior will grow. I can outsource mentoring to my reports and focus more on high-level leadership over hands-on management. With more experienced designers, you aren’t the only one with answers. I want to lead towards goals while my team helps manage execution.
Kaycee Collins:
Design Leader, Product Strategy and Design Consultant. She has experience managing both small and large teams of designers.
Kaycee Collins:
Design Leader, Product Strategy and Design Consultant. She has experience managing both small and large teams of designers.
Self-doubt is common in creative work. The advantage of a team is having responsibility to one another, which helps prevent frustration and the desire to quit. We reassure and accommodate one another in difficult times. Communicating openly about tricky things leads to mutual support and avoids burnout, jealousy, etc.
Workloads invariably differ, but as a collective, we alternate busier and lighter times. Though challenges have occurred, we get along and avoid making radical changes. Becoming official employees was a turning point—our livelihoods depended on cooperating with a clear conscience.
Luck helped too, but the keys are realistic expectations, avoiding over-ambition, and giving ourselves grace. Individuals have more freedom to quit, but lack a confidant when they’re in doubt. Overall, communicating and supporting one another through ups and downs enables us to sustain creative passion.
Self-doubt is common in creative work. The advantage of a team is having responsibility to one another, which helps prevent frustration and the desire to quit. We reassure and accommodate one another in difficult times. Communicating openly about tricky things leads to mutual support and avoids burnout, jealousy, etc.
Workloads invariably differ, but as a collective, we alternate busier and lighter times. Though challenges have occurred, we get along and avoid making radical changes. Becoming official employees was a turning point—our livelihoods depended on cooperating with a clear conscience.
Luck helped too, but the keys are realistic expectations, avoiding over-ambition, and giving ourselves grace. Individuals have more freedom to quit, but lack a confidant when they’re in doubt. Overall, communicating and supporting one another through ups and downs enables us to sustain creative passion.
Jan HorÄŤik and Filip MatejiÄŤek:
Co-owners of Heavyweight Digital Type Foundry, believe that open communication and mutual support are key to sustaining passion and avoiding burnout.
Jan HorÄŤik and Filip MatejiÄŤek:
Co-owners of Heavyweight Digital Type Foundry, believe that open communication and mutual support are key to sustaining passion and avoiding burnout.
We have 14 people who are mostly autonomous, so I manage passively rather than actively. People do good work because they feel committed—we have unusual longevity, with some staying here for 12 or 13 years, where 3 years is more typical for digital companies.
I also consult, guiding other design teams. My role is providing direction through a light touch, empowering people to manage their own work. Trust in the team enables me to focus on high-level guidance rather than day-to-day oversight. Our low turnover relative to the industry is a testament to that empowerment model.
Vitaly Friedman:
Co-founder of Smashing Magazine and accomplished Designer, Publisher and Speaker. He trusts his largely autonomous team to do good work out of commitment and empowerment.
