Mirror…Mirror…Images of ReDesign
ReDesigning in APS has fast become an Adventure in WONDERland. We are discovering entirely new identities that we must take on as 21st century leaders who are embracing this work…both individually and as a team. There are undiscovered territories in this place called Identity, but the following leaders and thinkers are resources who are exciting me in the direction that will support our vision of transforming student learning with every encounter…every decision…every design.
ReDesigner as LEADER
Ben Chestnut is featured on the Creative Mornings site, and has changed the way I think about Leadership of Creatives. Listen to his personal narrative meets leadership challenge, “Do What You Love” here: https://creativemornings.com/talks/ben-chestnut/6
I kind of like “love what you do” better. Wherever you are just be good at it, embrace it, love it. Eventually success will find you. — Ben Chestnut
If you are grappling with leading creatives…or loving what you do while others are wondering why you do what you’re doing…or feeling a little less vim about your team vision of designing, creativity, joy, and loving what your team is doing…LISTEN TO THIS TODAY!
PROCRASTINATORS! REJOICE!
Adam Grant is about to change your self-image and increase your creative leadership! Listen to his TED Talk (2016) about “The Surprising Habits of ORIGINAL Thinkers” here:
Grant declares that there are ORIGINALS who are NOTHING like you’d assume successful thinkers, innovators, creators to think or act in the world of design.
ORIGINALS are non-conformists who not only create new ideas, but they take action to champion their ideas. They stand out and speak up! They drive creativity and change in the world…you want to bet on them.
Story Line Leadership
Donald Miller is one of those writers that mixes personal narrative with leadership and business challenges. He’s moved from the writer’s space into someone who is ready to challenge your business identity through Storyline. Miller’s new podcast is out: http://buildingastorybrand.com ,and it’s completely worth listening to if you are rethinking your identity as a DESIGN LEADER.
Miller’s new venture, Story Brand, is a way to hear highly innovative leaders and thinkers describe how they use the storyline as their frame for leading, creating a strong business, and I’d say DESIGNING.
Here’s my retelling of Miller’s premise: In a story, there is a HERO who has a PROBLEM/CHALLENGE and needs a GUIDE. Think Luke Skywalker and Yoda…In Miller’s framework, the customer (we at ReDesign Aurora would call them “users”) has a specific need…a compelling challenge…an insistent problem that they need help in solving. WE (Lead Designers…Instructional Designers) are the GUIDE. We see the problem, we learn the hero’s story and discover all we can about their strengths, their vision, their challenge (ReDesign’s focus on empathy interviews helps us learn our users deeply…) and then supports and guides them to a successful journey in meeting this challenge head on. If we know the hero’s story well enough, we will design a journey that incorporates their strengths (“The Force is strong in you”) and guarantees a successful solution, despite the roadblocks and setbacks they may encounter. The Guide’s role isn’t to make the Hero fit into a pre-set idea or solution. It’s about walking alongside and building their capacity to launch into a successful Next Chapter.
I just keep thinking that there is something essential in this story board type of identity. Leading a team to think like a Guide, and not like a Hero is relatively new work for me, but there is magic in here.
So Mirror…Mirror…On the Wall…What’s a Leader after all?
The identity of a Design Leader is new to many of us. Chestnut will tell you it isn’t about making people feel good, but about connecting them in ways they do things they never imagined on their own. Grant will tell you that the joys of pushing ORIGINALS means re-thinking what success and the work dance of creativity looks like. Miller encourages leaders to step back, know users deeply, and transform people’s business, schools, systems by being a GUIDE. Whatever this identity is, it’s clear that it’s always adjusting and improving based on the strengths and needs of the team and heroes amongst us. Stopping for a bit and listening to this Identity Trio is well worth any leader’s time, especially at the start of a very challenging week!
ReDesign Opportunity:
How do you see yourself as a leader in design?
What are your assets? What are your current challenges in designing and leading?
Who do YOU need to be better? Think differently? To be original?
Who do you see in your world that must be connected to others in order to create something completely transformational?
SEND US YOUR THINKING…
Creative Leadership is incredible work. It’s not about an official title, but about a mindset that sees the possibilities within yourself and within others. Take time to learn from a few ORIGINALS who are poking and prodding at my thinking right now. Learning from others? Send them here!
