Being a great designer is about more than being great at design
Designers often get caught in the constant tide of perfecting the craft of their practical, tangible work.
While it’s certainly true that we never want to stop honing our skills and learning new things, when it comes to what that list of skills is comprised of — and which of them have the biggest impact on our career — there seems to be a very real hurdle stopping good designers from rising to the next level.
Following trends and best practices is a great way to produce beautiful, visually impressive results. Clients are generally happy with what you’ll produce this way. However this process can be a bit backwards, as we’re coming up with the solution before fully digging into the problem. Sometimes, we buckle down on designing for other designers, looking for acceptance or a nod of approval.
In a typical environment, the clearest path for growth is leadership.
The problem with focusing too heavily on your hard skills and your resume and not enough on your approach, your mindset, and your professional ideals typically arises around the time when career trajectory and growth begin being taken into consideration. Imagine this scenario — your team leader / manager / boss sits down with you and asks you where you want to be in 5 years. This isn’t just an interview question to set up a joke in a sitcom; a good leader wants you to grow, and wants to help you achieve your goals.
Leadership is a tough subject to approach, partially due to the bent ideology that many people hold with regard to leaders, managers, and their perception of those whose job it is to tell others what to do. In a work environment where leadership rules with an iron fist emblazoned with “because I said so,” valleys form between C-level, middle management, and ‘employees.’ This makes leaders feared, and the concept of leadership tantalizing for the wrong reasons.
One thing to know is that management != leadership. Think about the best teacher(s) you’ve ever had. Were they great because they cracked the whip and everyone was afraid of them, or did you love coming to their class because it felt like they were truly speaking to you? A leader may seem higher on the food chain, but the only real difference between a leader and someone being led is that the former’s responsibilities are tied to the growth, structure, and support of those they lead. Ideally, clerical decisions relating to pay, benefits, and discipline are not on a leader’s plate very often — keep that in mind the next time you’re fantasizing about a role where you tell everyone else what to do, and you still get to be 100% committed to shipping design deliverables or code. In 99/100 circumstances, this is a pipe dream.
A designer is a professional problem solver
Being an exemplar of your craft is wonderful, and there are few things more impressive than a master craftsman. That being said, to be a truly accomplished designer you need to get to know people. How they think, how to talk to them, and how to empathize with them.
It’s true; designing is all about solving problems — but to effectively solve any problem, you have to start by identifying and understanding the issue or issues that it’s composed of, and you gain value when getting to know people’s existing thoughts and insight into the problem itself.
I’m not just saying this to perpetuate the dull idea that we all need to learn ‘soft skills’. From the moment that I started focusing on my ability to communicate and to understand others’ goals and ideas, I started becoming better at what I do. It’s about taking your ego out of your work, humbling yourself, and caring about solving the problem in the best way possible.
Businesses that are looking for the “most talented” people (you may hear them use the term rock stars) are often doomed by that concept. The most successful startups and enterprises have a culture of teamwork, open communication, professional mobility, and transparency.
Camaraderie is key
A sense of trust, friendship, and mutual goals among a group of people often leads to a huge impact in their shared productivity and morale. We, as humans, typically chase the feeling of acceptance as part of our sense of self-efficacy.
The problem can arise that, because many people cannot detach their ego from their work (and because impostor syndrome is so rampant in the technology and creative fields), designers can be mean-spirited, protective of what they perceive to be their job security, and elitist. This is why we need to work hard to approach issues with an open mind and an accepting heart. What if one of your design idols got boxed out by clique mentality and never had the chance to become something great?
Take pride in your work (keeping in mind that part of what you should classify as “work” is solving problems and effectively communicating), and immerse yourself in the culture of your workplace. Be the person who inspires those around you, and envision yourself as the rising tide that lifts all boats.
If you’re a freelancer, know that the greatest successes come from good relationships with past and present clients, recruiters, and colleagues. Embody the qualities that you’d like to see in these groups — honesty, clarity, and respect — and you will find yourself surrounded by people who want to see you succeed.
