Context
At Loft, I led design across two growth tribes, with six designers reporting directly to me: one Staff Designer and five Product Designers. I also provided indirect leadership across Content Design, UX Research and Service Design.
My challenge was to create the conditions for this team to grow and deliver consistently. In some cases, performance struggles seemed tied to the context people worked in and the expectations for their roles.
Changing the work context
I noticed that one of the designers wasn't able to make the most of his skills on his current team. My assessment was that a change in context could help him contribute more effectively.
I moved this designer to another team and brought in someone whose profile was a better fit for the position he was leaving. The decision caused discomfort: there was an expectation that the original assignment was the right one.
The reassigned designer found his footing in the new context, and the designer who took over his position also grew. This experience reinforced the importance of looking at the relationship between the person, the challenge and the environment before concluding that there was a capability issue.
Supporting continued growth
Reassigning designers was one part of the work. I also worked with the team to organize development conversations and alignment sessions to bring day-to-day work closer to the company's strategic, tactical and operational direction.
The goal was to make it clearer what was expected of people, how they could develop and what spaces the team had to discuss their work.
Two areas of support
Individual development
Alignment and quality
The shift in how I led
Starting point
Work done
Evidence of development
The material documenting this work records four financial rewards and one person preparing for management. These are signs of recognition and career preparation within that snapshot, without conflating those milestones with positions people went on to hold later.
Documented outcomes for people
financial rewards
person preparing for management
The product as supporting evidence
The team was also responsible for Loft's B2C app. The snapshot presented in October 2022 documents growth in appointments, favorited properties, and listing views.
These are outcomes of the product and the team's collective work. They provide context for the environment I was leading in; on their own, they do not demonstrate the impact of a reassignment or a specific team ritual.
B2C app · snapshot presented in October 2022
appointments
favorited properties
listing views
October 2022 refers to the presentation date. The measurement period and comparison baseline are not specified in the material.
What changed in how I lead
Before evaluating someone's work, I need to understand the conditions behind it: the challenge, the expectations, the person's skills, and the support they receive.
At Loft, the reassignment put that lesson into practice through a concrete decision. Career check-ins and team rituals kept the work going. Developing the team meant paying attention at both levels: each person's situation and how everyone worked together.
One thing I want to highlight about your leadership is your willingness to listen to different opinions, fostering a safe environment for collaboration among designers.
