Rosenverse

This video is only accessible to Gold members. Log in or register for a free Gold Trial Account to watch.

Log in Register

Most conference talks are accessible to Gold members, while community videos are generally available to all logged-in members.

The Principal Path: Journeying from Management to Individual Contributor
Gold
Friday, June 11, 2021 • Design at Scale 2021
Share the love for this talk
The Principal Path: Journeying from Management to Individual Contributor
Speakers: Edward Cupps
Link:

Summary

As UX teams scale, how might we evolve the careers of veteran individual contributors who feel compelled to go into management to advance or lead? Often we view management as the only option to lead others, be impactful, and grow their careers. There is an opportunity for talented ICs and their orgs to embrace UX leadership outside of management, leveraging their intuition and leadership skills to build better products faster. Edward Cupps will leverage his experience over this past 18 months, having moved from Director to Principal, to highlight the possible challenges, opportunities, and rewards of such a role for scaling teams and individuals.

Key Insights

  • IC leadership is essential alongside traditional management paths in UX roles.

  • Successful design leadership focuses on the craft rather than only on managing people.

  • Personal fulfillment in work arises when individuals align their roles with their passions.

  • Hybrid roles in small teams can lead to burnout as responsibilities increase.

  • The impact of a principal designer can be broader than that of a traditional manager.

  • Leadership should be defined by influence rather than by title or position.

  • ICs possess deep knowledge and experience vital for making strategic decisions.

  • It is possible to transition sideways into a role that aligns better with personal strengths.

  • Creating a parallel path for ICs can enhance overall team productivity and morale.

  • Each professional's journey is unique, and there is value in exploring different leadership dimensions.

Notable Quotes

"Leadership is not about titles or positions, it's about influencing another's life."

"Creative leadership and people leadership are not the same skill set, and we need to acknowledge it."

"I thought I was in a much better position to persuade from a position of influence based on my experiences in the craft."

"If there was another road, another path, I'd take it."

"Leadership is influence, and you can influence people without being the person who signs off on their vacation requests."

"Letting go of responsibilities was extremely difficult, but it opened up opportunities to focus on creative leadership."

"You never know when you might need to switch back between paths in your career."

"We must empower those with a passion for the craft to build influence and leadership skills."

"Every professional's career path can be unique, and we should encourage exploration."

"Find your element and remember that both paths of leadership and management are valid, albeit different."

More Videos

Jacqui Frey

"What if part of our job was to remove the friction in the environment?"

Jacqui Frey

Flow and Superfluidity for Design Orgs

November 7, 2018

Laura Gatewood

"We need meaningful and connective communication to thrive as individuals and as a species."

Laura Gatewood Laine Prokay

Beyond Buzzwords: Adding Heart to Effective Slack Communication

September 23, 2024

Johanna Kollmann

"Insights are unexpected discoveries about how things work and how to make them work better."

Johanna Kollmann

Insights-Driven Product Strategy: Get your Research to Count

December 6, 2022

Bria Alexander

"We will absolutely promise to let you know when these resources are available for you to enjoy."

Bria Alexander

Day 3 Welcome

September 25, 2024

Billy Carlson

"Designing for an edge case can benefit everyone."

Billy Carlson

Ideation tips for Product Managers

December 6, 2022

Catherine Dubut

"The most underutilized asset in a retail environment is the store employees themselves."

Catherine Dubut

Bridging Physical and Digital Spaces: Approaches to Retail Service Design

March 18, 2021

Kim Holt

"Onboarding processes should empower new hires to integrate smoothly into the team."

Kim Holt Emma Wylds Pearl Koppenhaver Maisee Xiong

A Salesforce Panel Discussion on Values-Driven DesignOps

September 8, 2022

Adrian Howard

"We are not special; every discipline is going through transformation right now."

Adrian Howard

Sturgeon’s Biases

September 25, 2024

Asia Hoe

"I taught myself graphic design and HTML and CSS, and that choice to be on Neopets in my space at the time really launched my career as a designer."

Asia Hoe

Partnering with Product: A Journey from Junior to Senior Design

November 29, 2023