Mindaugas Petrutis
4 Dec 2024
Last week, I was catching up with a design director at a tech company we all know.
Our chat took an unexpected turn.
They confided they’re thinking of quitting. What started as casual conversation became a raw, unfiltered look at the frustrations of high-level design roles.
They allowed me to share our exchange. It might make you rethink your career goals.
Here’s what went down:
Design Director: I’m thinking of leaving.
Me: Really? I thought things were going well. Your team’s been putting out great work.
Design Director: That’s just it. I’m not sure I want to be measured by my team’s output anymore.
Me: What do you mean? Isn’t that part of being in leadership?
Design Director: Is it? I became a designer to solve problems, not to manage Jira boards and attend endless stakeholder meetings.
Me: But you’re shaping the design direction for the entire company now, aren’t you?
Design Director: Am I? Sometimes it feels like I’m just a buffer between executives and designers, translating buzzwords into pixel-pushes.
Me: That sounds frustrating. What parts of your job do you actually enjoy?
Design Director: Honestly? The rare moments when I get to mentor someone or when I see a junior designer have a breakthrough. And when I can step back and see how our design decisions impact the overall user experience across products.
Me: Sounds like you’re looking for more strategic input.
Design Director: Maybe. But every time I try to engage at that level, I get pushback. “That’s not design’s role,” they say.
Me: Who’s pushing back?
Design Director: C-suite, mostly. Sometimes even the head of product.
Me: Have you considered that maybe they’re not pushing back because they don’t value design input?
Design Director: What do you mean?
Me: Well, strategic discussions are messy. They challenge fundamental assumptions. It’s uncomfortable.
Design Director: And?
Me: Maybe they need more of that discomfort. But you might need to frame it differently.
Design Director: How so?
Me: Instead of presenting design solutions, what if you presented business solutions through the lens of design?
Design Director: That’s a fine line.
Me: It is. But it could be the difference between being seen as a service provider and a strategic partner.
Design Director: Okay, but that still doesn’t solve my career dilemma.
Me: Doesn’t it? Sounds like you’re craving impact beyond your team’s output.
Design Director: I suppose.
Me: So, why not try to redefine your role? Push for a seat in strategy meetings. Come armed with data on how design decisions impact business metrics.
Design Director: That’s not traditionally part of a Design Director’s role.
Me: Exactly. Maybe it’s time to evolve that role.
Design Director: It’s risky. What if I push too hard and get sidelined?
Me: Then you’ll know it’s time to leave. But at least you’ll leave having tried to create the role you want, rather than feeling stifled by the role you have.
Design Director: That’s… actually helpful.
Me: Glad I could help. So, still thinking of leaving?
Design Director: Ask me again in three months.
Me: Deal. Keep me posted.
What would you do in this persons shoes?
If this resonated, continue the conversation in a Coho peer group. Every two weeks, meet with 5 peers (senior to director) who help you tackle what's next. Get nuanced advice from designers at Spotify, Meta and Hubspot.