Managing Designers Effectively: Lessons from Fractional Leaders
The concept of managing design teams can be a daunting proposition for even the most seasoned leader. With ever-evolving software and tools, design teams and creative management require a specialized set of skills and knowledge to succeed. Fractional leaders, those with the expertise and stature to lead a team for a limited amount of time, have become increasingly popular in addressing design challenges due to their expertise in the field. Whether you find yourself managing the design team of a large scale product or leading a small creative team, here are some tips from fractional leaders to help you manage effectively.
1. Establish vision and goals
A key part of managing a design team is in setting clear aims and objectives. Fractional leaders are adept at communicating the company’s vision, while ensuring that their team is aligned on the path to reaching the goals. By sharing their expectations, fractional leaders help their team focus their vision and align their effort for maximum productivity.
2. Maintain ongoing feedback loops
Effective management of a team requires the ability to actively listen and provide feedback. Fractional leaders understand this and apply the concept of ‘managing by walking around’ to their teams. These leaders encourage a continuous dialogue with their design teams, to ensure that everyone has access to the same information and are producting results at their desired level of quality.
3. Foster an environment of collaboration
Fractional leaders recognize the value of collaboration among their team members. They foster an environment in which successful ideas and innovation can arise by giving team members support when designing new solutions. Further, they encourage creative risk-taking and experimentation, enabling their team to test new ideas and share successes and failures.
4. Encourage learning and growth
Innovation requires that teams are constantly exploring new technologies and processes. Fractional leaders understand this and therefore provide opportunities for their team to stay on the cutting edge of design and technology. They actively encourage and facilitate team learning and growth, allowing the team to become increasingly effective over time.
