Leadership lessons from the frontlines of social justice

Leadership re[framed] — Vol. 05: Leadership x Civil rights activism

This blogpost is part of the Leadership re[framed] publication.

The movie "Rustin," chronicling the life and activism of Bayard Rustin, offers valuable leadership insights that are highly applicable to the field of design. Drawing from Rustin's experiences can enhance your leadership skills and drive your team towards innovative and impactful outcomes. Here are ten key lessons from Rustin, each with practical steps for implementation.

Effective leaders have a clear vision and a strong sense of purpose

Rustin's unwavering commitment to civil rights and social justice was his guiding star. As a design leader, crafting a clear design vision that aligns with your company’s mission and communicating it effectively to your team ensures that every design decision supports the overarching goals of the organisation.

Mastering the strategic blueprint

Known for his meticulous planning and innovative approaches, Rustin was a master strategist. Similarly, conducting a design audit to identify key opportunities for improvement, aligning these with business goals, and developing a strategic roadmap can prepare your team for future challenges and opportunities. Strategic thinking about how design can solve problems and create value is crucial.

The power of peaceful persuasion

Rustin's commitment to nonviolent protest demonstrates the power of peaceful advocacy. In design, this translates to advocating for good practices without confrontation. By promoting design thinking through workshops and presentations and using data, case studies, and successful project outcomes, you can build a strong case for design and gain the support of key stakeholders.

Leading with inclusivity

Rustin’s experiences highlight the importance of inclusive leadership. Embracing diversity and considering the varied needs of users can lead to more inclusive and innovative solutions. Assess your team's diversity, encourage inclusive design practices by educating your team on accessibility and cultural sensitivity, and regularly incorporate diverse user feedback into your design process.

Building resilience, Fostering growth

Resilience in the face of adversity is a crucial quality for any leader exemplified by Rustin’s life. Design leaders must foster a supportive environment where challenges are openly discussed and setbacks are seen as learning opportunities. Providing resources and training to help your team develop resilience skills ensures they are equipped to handle obstacles constructively.

Unleash the power of collaboration

Excelling at building coalitions and working with diverse groups, Rustin’s approach is a model for prioritizing collaboration across departments. Identifying key stakeholders, forming cross-functional teams for design projects, and establishing regular communication channels can leverage the strengths of different team members and achieve better results.

The agile leader

Adapting strategies in response to changing circumstances is a key leadership trait Rustin exemplified. This flexibility in activism is equally important in design. Staying updated on design trends and emerging technologies, encouraging your team to experiment with new tools and methodologies, and creating a flexible project management framework allows for iterative changes and adjustments.

Ethics at the core

Guided by strong ethical principles, Rustin’s actions demonstrate the importance of upholding high ethical standards. For design leaders, particularly regarding user privacy, accessibility, and sustainability, this is crucial. Developing and implementing a code of ethics for your design team, ensuring all projects undergo ethical reviews, and leading by example in adhering to these standards creates a culture of integrity within your team.

Sacrifice and commitment

Leadership often requires personal sacrifices, as seen in Rustin's willingness to face personal and professional risks for the greater good. Identifying critical projects where your additional involvement can make a significant impact, being transparent with your team about the extra effort needed, and balancing personal sacrifices with self-care to avoid burnout demonstrates to your team that dedication is important but should not come at the cost of personal well-being.

Cultivating future leaders

Highlighting the importance of guiding and influencing the next generation, Rustin’s mentorship of other civil rights leaders offers a valuable lesson. Design leaders should nurture talent and promote a design-centric culture. Establishing a mentorship program within your design team, pairing experienced designers with junior members for regular check-ins and skill development, and taking opportunities to present the value of design to the wider organisation can foster a culture of continuous learning and appreciation for design.

A blueprint for impact

Bayard Rustin’s life and leadership offer valuable lessons for design leaders. By embracing vision, strategic thinking, inclusivity, resilience, collaboration, adaptability, ethics, sacrifice, and mentorship, design leaders can inspire their teams to achieve excellence and drive meaningful impact. Start with these practical steps to embody these principles in your leadership approach, and watch your team and projects thrive.

#leadership-re[framed] by Roman Schoeneboom offers valuable knowledge that extends beyond traditional design leadership. Articles in this publication explore unconventional areas and demonstrate how seemingly unrelated fields can provide crucial insights for emerging leaders.