By Holly Burns
One of the very first classes we have in our Design Management program is Leadership and Teambuilding. The class gave us some key insights as to what makes a good leader. Since that class, I’ve entered into many thought provoking conversations regarding the definition of “design leadership.” That’s why the article title The Many Faces of Design Leadership by Kevin McCullagh caught by attention.
In the Core77 article, McCullagh discusses the sometimes-elusive definition of design leadership and its importance as the design industry looks for pathfinders to guide us through new opportunities. Although he claims there is not one standard template, he points out that most design leaders are three things: “good at envisioning the future, thinking strategically and leading others.”
In addition, McCullagh puts design leaders into ten broad categories with real life examples of each type of leader; this is a useful resource list of mentors for people on the design management track. I recommend reading the rest of the article to find out more about McCullagh’s take on design leadership and to read about two myths that he cleanly refutes.
Click here to read more articles like this one published in the current issue of Catalyst SDR.
