Navigating career:
Resolving disputes at work
Resolving disputes at work
As designers take on leadership roles, managing clashes with executives and preserving creativity amidst structure become pivotal. These stories explore navigating these tensions while advancing one’s career.
As designers take on leadership roles, managing clashes with executives and preserving creativity amidst structure become pivotal. These stories explore navigating these tensions while advancing one’s career.
In my first manager role, I disagreed with my VP on a product’s design direction. I was expected to just listen and execute his vision. But I pushed back respectfully, proposing that we test my approach, review data in a few weeks, and reevaluate.
This was the biggest moment that built my confidence as a leader who was comfortable challenging superiors. I have tenacity and integrity, which can be problematic when I feel like going a certain way is unacceptable. I went over my superior’s head to get approval from the CTO to proceed.
My solution performed well, proving me right. But unfortunately my relationship with that VP never recovered. Though it was difficult, standing firm in what I believed was best for the product was the right call as a leader.
In my first manager role, I disagreed with my VP on a product’s design direction. I was expected to just listen and execute his vision. But I pushed back respectfully, proposing that we test my approach, review data in a few weeks, and reevaluate.
This was the biggest moment that built my confidence as a leader who was comfortable challenging superiors. I have tenacity and integrity, which can be problematic when I feel like going a certain way is unacceptable. I went over my superior’s head to get approval from the CTO to proceed.
My solution performed well, proving me right. But unfortunately my relationship with that VP never recovered. Though it was difficult, standing firm in what I believed was best for the product was the right call as a leader.
Kaycee Collins:
Design Leader, Product Strategy and Design Consultant. She faced disputes with executives over product direction and learned to stand firm in her convictions.
Kaycee Collins:
Design Leader, Product Strategy and Design Consultant. She faced disputes with executives over product direction and learned to stand firm in her convictions.
I wouldn’t call them conflicts, but when the wrong person gets hired, team dynamics change over time. A once lively Slack channel with constant chatter and memes can fall silent. It can become too structured and perfect, losing its soul. I value consistency, but not at the cost of unique personality, tone, and imperfections.
People aren’t perfect, so I appreciate when designs reflect that versus being overly polished. Enforcing consistency through endless refinement has a place, but so does leaving things as they are. Maintaining a spirited, iterative environment where ideas fly freely is critical. Too much structure stifles the organic creative process we need to thrive.
I wouldn’t call them conflicts, but when the wrong person gets hired, team dynamics change over time. A once lively Slack channel with constant chatter and memes can fall silent. It can become too structured and perfect, losing its soul. I value consistency, but not at the cost of unique personality, tone, and imperfections.
People aren’t perfect, so I appreciate when designs reflect that versus being overly polished. Enforcing consistency through endless refinement has a place, but so does leaving things as they are. Maintaining a spirited, iterative environment where ideas fly freely is critical. Too much structure stifles the organic creative process we need to thrive.
Vitaly Friedman:
Co-founder of Smashing Magazine and accomplished Designer, Publisher and Speaker. He values preserving creativity and personality amidst business growth.
Vitaly Friedman:
Co-founder of Smashing Magazine and accomplished Designer, Publisher and Speaker. He values preserving creativity and personality amidst business growth.
