Build a Fire in OThers
Seven lessons learned and honed from my first year in Design Leadership at Meta.
While 2022 was my first year as a Product Design Manager at Meta, it wasn’t my first year as a leader. I’ve had many roles throughout my career — running my own business and building something from the ground up to multiple arcs working as an IC and manager — often all at once. When I moved to Meta (then Facebook) 3 years ago, it was to try things out at a new scale. I entered as an IC and in January of 2022 I moved over to leadership, supporting the wonderful folks on the Geodesic Design System. I stepped into this role knowing the first year was going to change me. I had a lot of help finding myself in this role — from my team, mentors, friends and other leaders. Here are seven things I’ll carry with me from that first year…
01. Know what fire drives you and help others build their own fire.
Why did you show up today? It’s an important question to ask yourself, and if you don’t know the answer, I suggest clearing an afternoon of meetings and figuring it out.
02. Protect others, but do not shield them.
I have a joke with my team that, like Commissioner Gordon in Batman, they all have a “Cobra Phone”. If you need me I’ll be there. It’s seldomly used, because the goal isn’t to be there to fix everything, but to be available when things are really difficult. Knowing you have support when you need it empowers you and makes it easier to push beyond your comfort zone.
03. You have a lot to learn, but you also have a lot to offer. Don’t be stingy with either.
None of us have all the answers. When you stop thinking you need to know everything, or always have the answer, you create space to learn from others. On the flip side, you have unique experiences and insights that are valuable and worth sharing.
04. Have a healthy dose of confidence in yourself.
Confidence is infectious, as is a lack of confidence. Confidence gets us past things that seem insurmountable. I don’t always have the answer and I don’t always know the best path forward. However, I know that we figured out the last tough issue so we can get through this one too. Having confidence inspires others, and it gives them space to build their own.
05. It doesn’t matter if it’s your fault or not, if it’s your responsibility.
Blame is a wasteful exercise. It depletes your energy, the energy of those around you and it seldom leads to a solution for the situation you’re in. Do you want to be remembered for it not being your fault or for finding the solution?
06. If you’re not talking about it, then nobody is going to know about it.
Whether it’s the work you’ve completed, the problems you’re facing or new ideas you want to convey. If you’re not out there talking about it then you can’t expect others to understand. It’s important to be a cheerleader for yourself, for your team, for the wins and for the areas where we should and shouldn’t focus our efforts.
“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.”
— George Bernard Shaw
And most importantly…
07. Your job is not your life.
Make your job fit into your life, not the other way around. A happier, healthier, more rounded you means that’s how you’ll show up at work too. Travel, explore, find hobbies, cook, make things, read, exercise, just don’t be at work all the time, physically or mentally. The distance will give you the perspective to be better at your job. You are more important than the job.
