INDUSTRIAL DESIGN: new managers often obsess over the wrong job

A lot of new design leaders think they need to stay the best designer on the team. So they keep trying to be the expert in every function, every tool, every decision, and every detail their reports touch. That is usually insecurity dressed up as leadership.

Once you lead, your job changes. You do not need to be the best designer in the room anymore. You need to be the best advocate for the people who are. Manage up so your team gets cover, trust, and visibility. Manage out so other teams and leadership understand the value of the work, and are aligned on support where needed.

Nearly every leader I coach through this transition tells me the same thing in the first session. They thought they were the only one finding it this hard. They never are, and it's easier with someone who's made the shift walking beside you.