Niklas Skovholt Mortensen makes the case that #design has lost its luster as a growth and #innovation engine. Here’s what he thinks we must do to reclaim our seat at the corporate table.

#businessstrategy #designstrategy #designmanagement #designleadership #influencingdecisions

https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/how-design-became-a-boardroom-bystander/?social_token=52932b4547a72465a8b66f1933bed79d&utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=sm-direct

This is a great list and a good starter list for anyone getting into or practicing design leadership.

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A design manager's playbook / compass - by Uday Gajendar
https://udanium.substack.com/p/a-design-managers-playbook-compass

#designleadership #designmanagement

Great strategy isn’t just built—it’s told. Made to Stick teaches you how to make your ideas clear, memorable, and persuasive. #DesignStrategy #Storytelling #DesignManagement

https://www.designative.info/2025/08/13/book-review-made-to-stick-by-chip-heath-dan-heath/

Collaboration is vital to great design but often lacks intentional teaching or management. While preparing the training material for the' Design Strategy Multiplication" program, I read 'Mastering Collaboration' to find better language and structure for guiding cross-functional teams through ambiguity, trust, and shared goals to improve my coaching on conflict, planning, and alignment.

#DesignStrategy #Teamwork #Facilitation #Collaboration #DesignManagement

https://www.designative.info/2025/07/28/book-review-mastering-collaboration-by-gretchen-anderson/

How do you know if you made a good decision? "Decision Quality" breaks down the six elements of great decision-making beyond just outcomes. Here's why it matters for UX and product leaders. #DecisionMaking #DesignStrategy #ProductLeadership #DesignManagement

https://www.designative.info/2025/07/22/book-review-decision-quality-carl-spetzler-hannah-winter-jennifer-meyer/

Less theory, more traction. Making Things Happen is full of hard-won lessons on leading cross-functional teams through the messy middle of execution. #DesignManagement #ProjectManagement #DesignStrategy #Prioritization

https://www.designative.info/2025/07/15/book-review-making-things-happen-by-scott-berkun/

Great teams aren’t built on talent alone. The Five Dysfunctions of a Team shows how trust, productive conflict, and shared commitment create real collaboration. Here's what I learned as a design strategist working across complex teams. #DesignManagement #DesignStrategy #Teamwork

https://www.designative.info/2025/06/11/book-review-the-five-dysfunctions-of-a-team-by-patrick-lencioni/

Want to lead with more than just a title? In The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, John Maxwell shows that real leadership is earned through influence, trust, and character. Here’s how it shaped my thinking on Design Leadership. #DesignManagement #DesignStrategy #Influence

https://www.designative.info/2025/06/02/book-review-21-irrefutable-laws-leadership-john-c-maxwell/

Trust = (Credibility + Reliability + Intimacy) / Self-Orientation. The Trusted Advisor breaks down how to build influence through trust—a must-read for UX strategists working across silos. #DesignManagement #StakeholderManagement #TrustedAdvisor #LeadershipSkills

https://www.designative.info/2025/06/02/book-review-trusted-advisor-david-maister-charles-green-robert-galford/