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The Quiet Force: Uncovering Hidden Leadership in High-Impact Design Teams
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Tuesday, September 24, 2024 • DesignOps Summit 2024
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The Quiet Force: Uncovering Hidden Leadership in High-Impact Design Teams
Speakers: Briana Thomas
Link:

Summary

How can you recognize and harness all forms of leadership within a team operating in a fast-paced environment? This talk will explore the strategies to identify and leverage both visible and invisible leadership in teams formed quickly to deliver high-impact work. Using the example of the Photoshop AI team, which developed the Generative Fill feature just months after being assembled, Briana will discuss how to cultivate a culture that elevates all contributors. Learn how to foster and sustain an environment where every form of leadership is valued, leading to extraordinary transformations in your organization.

Key Insights

  • Silent leaders excel in collaborative, intimate settings despite often not voicing their ideas in larger groups.

  • Creating a nurturing environment is essential for high-performing design teams.

  • Effective communication fosters clarity and trust among team members.

  • Recognizing and valuing each team member's strengths enhances overall team performance.

  • Establishing clear expectations can lead to higher quality work from the team.

  • The alignment on a shared mission empowers teams to pursue innovation confidently.

  • Balancing the need for innovation with the recognition of user experience is crucial.

  • It's important to protect team members' time to allow for focused, deep work.

  • Success in teams often involves adapting to challenges in a chaotic environment.

  • Building trust within a team enables members to contribute their best work.

Notable Quotes

"Being a chef is about nurturing people from the guests to the staff."

"The environment requires tons of communication across teams to be effective."

"This team was filled halfway with people who were new to Adobe and the other half to generative AI."

"What I needed to do was enable them to have hands-on collaboration."

"We decided to let it rip with the clarity of who we were as a team."

"This reality is insane, but I just used my laptop to get rid of that tool."

"Generative fill has now become the most used tool in Photoshop of all time."

"Once you set intentions early on, it's likely that you all will perform and commit to those things."

"We wanted to enhance existing workflows and not be destructive to their current work."

"Don't just send compliments to the chef, send them to everyone responsible for getting the food on your plate."

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