Summary
Executive leadership typically requires leadership for the company or organization at large, not just of one’s team or functional discipline. While my day job is leading a team responsible for delivering work and informing the product-making process, I’ve also had to weigh how much to apply the researcher mindset to challenges and opportunities outside my team’s direct purviews. For example, do I point out methodological concerns in our company-wide surveys? Or do I challenge other teams to cite the unnamed “data” used to define decision-making outside of my team’s scope. And how do I remember that pointing out problems always comes with the obligation to help solve them? I will share how I navigate the challenge of leveraging my research skills and energy - and that of my team – without cannibalizing or de-prioritizing the product-related work of my team.
Key Insights
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Nellini's childhood curiosity fostered her passion for research from an early age.
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Transitioning from a researcher to a leader involves acknowledging discomforts in decision-making and responsibility.
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Research and leadership can coexist but require balancing personal identity with organizational needs.
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Making decisions with limited data is common in leadership, contrasting with the researcher's desire for comprehensive data.
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Transparency and ethics are vital in leadership, even in situations requiring difficult compromises.
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Evangelizing high-quality research practices across the organization is an important leadership responsibility.
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Understanding the greater good sometimes requires prioritizing team needs over individual research desires.
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A leadership role often pressures individuals to act quickly despite an inherent need for more data.
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Leadership is a mode accessible to all, not just tied to formal titles or positions.
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Discomfort in leadership can drive personal growth and require a commitment to authenticity.
Notable Quotes
"Research is at the core of who I am; I can't help but be a researcher."
"I had a bias against leadership, thinking it was something taught in business school."
"I realized I needed to prioritize what was best for the entire UX team."
"I instinctively thought data always reigned supreme."
"Acting on limited data is terrifying for a researcher; decisions must be made quickly."
"In a leadership context, we have to make decisions with the best data we have at the moment."
"Owning my leadership style meant being accountable for my team's well-being at scale."
"I want to be an evangelist for good research practices across my organization."
"The responsibility of leadership often keeps me up at night."
"Acknowledging discomfort can be essential for growth in both leadership and research."
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