Doctor's Note Issue 33 - It's not business, it's personal
In this issue: People work is the work / The Four Seasons of Design and Life / Podcasts / Leadership Atelier / Book Corner / The Linkhole
In this issue: People work is the work / The Four Seasons of Design and Life / Podcasts / Leadership Atelier / Book Corner / The Linkhole
Welcome to the latest Doctor's Note. If you've been forwarded this you can subscribe below.
People Work Is The Work
Over the years I have come to see much of the work of design as re-humanising dehumanised products and services. The more I coach design leaders the more I realise how much this applies to the workplace.
Worries about quality, workload, stress, misalignment, purpose, performance, presence, persuasion, confidence, and career are all people problems erroneously framed as “work" problems.
I believe “it's just business, not personal” is the biggest work lie, cloaked in the wrapper of "being professional" and tied with a bow of productivity.
What exactly do we mean by the phrase? Usually, that emotions or personal relationships are subordinate to the organisation and productivity. That being “professional” means overriding our emotions and acting like robots. Suppressing and avoiding dealing with difficult relationships at work rarely leads to a happy ending. And yet I’ve witness many who would prefer to quit their job than have a difficult conversation.
95% of design leadership is about people, not design. To complain about the people issues getting in the way of doing the real work is like a firefighter complaining they get burned occasionally and smell of smoke. The people work is the work.
The Ripple Effect
Last month I presented a keynote at the Service Design Global Conference in Helsinki and talked about the importance of the personal in the work we do. The theme of the conference was “Impact” and, naturally, there were many talks about sustainability, regenerative design, the role of AI and social impact. All of these topics are important, but it is difficult not to feel overwhelmed and helpless in the face of those huge, wicked problems. Just existing in the world right now feels exhausting, quite apart from the stresses of work.
It’s worth remembering that, while companies are legal entities with assets, they’re just an idea. A construct. Companies are really collections of people trying to do their jobs.
Companies are also ephemeral. Take Toys R Us. At one point they were a household name and controlled a quarter of the world’s toy supplies. After only 60 years, they went into administration, five billion dollars in debt. One day someone will stand on a stage and ask, “Remember Tesla? Remember Google?"
Having a global impact is a worthy goal, but our greatest impact is on the people immediately around us. Even in six months’ time, you will forget most of things giving you sleepless nights right now. (That thought might help you sleep better tonight.) By contrast, there are people whose actions, stories and wisdom you will carry with you for the rest of your life.
In a moment of synchronicity while considering all of this, I had a lovely note from an ex-student of mine, Joanna, who got in touch to tell me something I had said in a lecture had stuck with her for her entire career. I was very teary eyed when I read her message. In my head I only taught her a few years ago. It turned out to be 20 years ago. 20 years! (She posted about it on LinkedIn afterwards if you want the full story.)
I write this not as self-congratulation, though I am both proud and touched by Jo’s message, but as a reminder that the ripple effect of how we interact with those around us has far greater impact than we think. If five people pass on something from you to another five people and they do the same, only five rounds of that reaches over three thousand people.
Those are big ripples.
On your darkest days, remember that there’s someone out there who can do something for the rest of their life because you took the time to show them how.
Coaching Reflections
As we head into winter in the northern hemisphere, I made a coaching reflections video on the four seasons of design and life:
If you're interested in coaching in the New Year, check out my coaching practice here.
Podcasts
I have seven interviews for my Power of Ten podcast still to edit, but here are the most recent two wonderful guests:
Julian Simpson - the life of a screenwriter and director - I went to school with Julian, but we had not been in touch until very recently when we found each other on the interwebs. It was excellent to hear of his take on the profession I wanted to be in.
Marzia Aricò – Design Leadership Maverick - We talked about her journey to where she is now, service design and organisational change, the importance of diversity within organisations and how her guests on Design Voices Elevated have navigated their own journeys. And we talk about her new book, Design Leadership Chronicles.
I was a guest on How This Works hosted by my ex-colleague and fellow Fjord Fika podcast host, Skipper Chong Warson. I don't know if it was some magic Skipper wove or that I had just come back from Helsinki and felt refreshed, but as he was interviewing me all the threads of what I've done in my life seemed to make sense of what I do now.
Leadership Atelier, Lisbon
I will be running the kick-off workshop for the Hatch Leadership Atelier in Lisbon on Apr 23-24, 2025. These are not conferences. With only 70 slots available, they are small, intimate events focused on mentoring those who have recently—or are about to—make the transition into management and leadership.
I’m really looking forward to this and the Lisbon venue, the Palacio do Grilo, is amazing! It was where Madonna held her birthday celebrations. Just sayin’...
The Linkhole
Esther Perel is famous for her work, TED Talks and writing about sex and relationships. I've always admired her ability to quickly hone in on the dynamics between people and compassionately face them with the truth of their dynamic. I think talking about feelings is to work what talking about sex is to relationships. Essential, but so full of fear and anxiety that nobody does it and so people quit instead. Perel also has a few episodes under the title "How's work?" in which she talks to work couples—co-founders, partners, etc. The "You're Inching Me Out" epsiode is just as moving as her regular ones and a dynamic I've witnessed several times with coachees. Highly recommended.
If I haven't linked to John Amaechi, OBE before, I should have. As psychologist, author and coach (and first Brit to play in the NBA), he consistently puts out deeply thoughtful writings and videos on being human in the world, especially at work.
Competition, yes, but also friends and peers. Four people putting out lovely, human content are Jason Mesut, Meltem Naz Kaso, Marzia Aricò and Teresa Brazen. And all winners of the cool names competition.
Those who know my thinking know that I love gardening metaphors as alternatives to the usual industrial ones for work. Christina Wodtke has taken up the trowel in this excellent piece on strategy: Strategy is Not War; It’s Gardening
Purple Code is a podcast about Intersectional feminist perspectives on digital societies. One of my new HSLU colleagues, Prof. Dr. Bianca Herlo is a co-host.
Clips from Rory Sutherland's talk at Nudgestock, Are We Too Impatient to Be Intelligent?, have been doing the rounds, but it's worth reading too. It's a brilliant analysis of human perception of time, our interactions with technology, and a precision take-down of the arguments put forth by AI shills about its benefits: "Now, what AI essays do is they shortcut from the request to the delivery of the finished good and bypass the very part of the journey which is actually valuable—the time and effort you invest in constructing the essay in the first place." Also an excellent example of the art of re-framing. (Via Andy Budd)
Pedro Monteiro wrote a sobering piece in MIT Sloan's Management Review on How Not to Organize In-House Experts: Lessons From Boeing. The page linking to his original research sums it up well: "You get the expertise you organize for." (via Sam Ladner)
Rob Horning's essay, Artificial intentionality hits home (via Cameron Tonkinwise).
Annika Madejska wrote two excellent articles on the topic of ethical debt in the tech industry.
I'm in a teary mood, it seems. You've probably seen it by now, but this clip of Māori Party MP Hana-Rawhiti Kareariki Maipi-Clarke starting a haka to protest the first vote on a proposed law that would re-interpret New Zealand's founding legal document had me glassy eyed and in awe at her courage.
I made a video about the "metawork" of people work of design and leadership being the actual work. Someone pointed me to a 2022 post by Dave Stewart (no, not that one) called The work is never just "the work". It's very good. And he made visuals.
Someone else pointed me to a 2014 post by Liz England called The Door Problem. It's an insightful take on why everybody in organisations is so often misaligned.
My ex-student mentioned about, Joanne, put me onto the Australian, values-based communication org Common Cause. They have plenty of resources to help others in their mission to "shift cultural values to create a more equitable, sustainable and democratic society."
The Design and Posthumanism Network is "a network of designers and scholars that engage with critical Posthumanism in design education, research, and practice." Go check out their work. (Via Satu Samira Hamed)
Book Corner
My friend and ex-colleague Joff Outlaw recently published Busy Idiots along with co-author Brad Marshall. I'm staking my claim as the silent third author.
I had read one or two of Alain de Botton's books before, but belatedly discovered the whole School of Life series. Whatever aspect of the human condition you are wrestling with, these are written in the most honest, human and compassionate way I have ever experienced.
As mentioned in the podcast, Marzia Aricò has published Design Leadership Chronicles, a graphic novel format book recounting the stories of several design leaders. It's the ideal format for the content and a heartening read.
Just go and read Meditation for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman (also recommended is the now well-known Four Thousand Weeks by the same author)
Why Design is Hard by Scott Berkun and Bryan Zug. Lots of wisdom, analysis, reframes, and tips and tricks that will make you feel better about the state of the industry and your place in it.
I may have mentioned it before, but I find myself recommending Burnout by Emily and Amelia Nagoski often (sadly). If you're feeling burned out, whatever your gender, you will find solace and support.
That’s it for this issue! Thanks for making this far and for reading, listening and watching. I wish you all Happy Holidays!
Until next time,
Andy
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