“How often are you meeting with the head of design?”
A long pause. “Um… I’m not?”
“Why not? It’s one of the most important executive functions, isn’t it?”
“Well, of course, but…”
“You meet with the head of product every week, the head of engineering every other. Isn’t the head of design worthy of the same consideration?”
“But… I *am* the head of design!”
“So… be your own executive stakeholder!”
Many design leaders know they need to carve out time for introspective work, to set the agenda for themselves and their teams. But they don’t always know what that looks like, or where to begin. This is a starting point I like to offer my clients:
Figure out how much time you’re giving to staying aligned with any one of your major stakeholders: your boss, your key business owners, your cross-functional partners. Then figure out how to give yourself something equivalent in terms of time and focused attention.
Then hold that time! Defend it exactly as you would a one-on-one with the CEO.
Then use that time! Use it like you would use your time with any key stakeholder: Asking the questions that ensure that your actions are aligned with that stakeholder’s needs, expectations, and definitions of success.
If you don’t know what those things are yet for the head of design—for yourself—then this is the opportunity to create some clarity, maybe through some messy visioning work and a bit of wordsmithing to find just the right language to capture your ideas that feels true for you.
Once you do know what those things are, these solo stakeholder sessions then become a powerful platform for regular ideation work to find new ways to go farther.
It’s so easy to assume that we’re doing our best when we’re meeting everyone else’s needs. But if you can defend your own right and need to do this important self-alignment work, you can give more to everyone—even when they aren’t filling every minute of your calendar.
Jesse James Garrett 