Think like a leader: 10 things UXers should stop (and start) doing to reclaim their power

Every week of my life, in one-on-one consults with UXers and product designers at all levels — in addition to those serving on teams of the clients I work with as a consultant — I hear the same refrains over and over:

I’m stuck. 

I’m lost. 

I can’t. 

I’m not allowed. 

They won’t let me. 

They don’t respect me.

They don’t listen. 

They don’t care.

It hurts my heart to hear this, because I know — after 30+ years in this industry — just how true all of it is. I know just how much UXers and Product Designers are disrespected and marginalized, even in organizations who publicly trumpet themselves as design- or UX-centric. And I know how much all that hurts, how personally we take it.

And also, after all this time, I know that sometimes, there truly is nothing you can do about that. So I’m also going to talk about those scenarios and how to deal with them at the end of our time together.

In many cases I come across, however, there IS something you can do, provided you take a very different approach to overcoming these obstacles and change your thinking, from both a personal and professional standpoint.

Provided you find the courage to work through your fear and take the first step.

Provided you can recognize the power you don’t realize you hold — and begin using it.

This talk is a practical guide to help UX researchers, designers, and product professionals not just survive but thrive by thinking like a leader — even when leadership isn’t in your job title. You’ll walk away with actionable strategies to start breaking through barriers and creating the impact you were hired to deliver.