I believe…

the strongest design organizations operate at the intersection of craft, systems thinking, business strategy, and empathy — and that leadership isn't about control. It's about creating the clarity, momentum, and trust that let talented people do the best work of their careers.

Here's what that actually looks like in practice:

I coach through questions, not answers.

When a designer brings me something that isn't quite working, my instinct isn't to fix it for them. It's to ask what's causing the hesitation: What about this is giving you pause, and why? What would a user actually think when they hit this moment? What would address that? Those questions usually get a designer somewhere better than my answer would have — and they get there having built the muscle to ask the same questions next time.

"When I brought him half-formed ideas, he asked the questions that made them whole rather than simply handing me answers. That approach made me a noticeably stronger designer."

— David Gilman, Product Designer

Ownership means real scope, not a task list.

I hired Kellyn to lead research after exiting two researchers who weren't performing. Rather than handing her a research roadmap to execute, I asked a different question: how could research empower the rest of the org, instead of just dictating to it? That single conversation turned into a research function she built and owned outright — monthly Tuesday sessions observing new and returning users, Thursday research swarms embedded in product work, an internally built survey tool live across our apps and site, and our first customer research group.

"He wanted to understand a problem deeply, but he was just as focused on getting to something testable... He also never let me think small."

— Kellyn, Lead Researcher

Feedback is direct, and it's personal.

I don't let team dynamics or communication friction sit unaddressed — I'll name it, one-on-one, when I see it affecting someone's work or their relationships with the team. The same goes the other direction: I'm just as direct when someone's work is stronger than they're giving themselves credit for, and being too self-critical is quietly holding them back.

"He gave me room to explore complicated problems and think beyond the immediate feature, while also pushing me to be clearer about scope, priorities, and what needed to move forward now versus what could inform the longer-term direction."

— Mari Pearson, Product Designer

I coach people through the parts no one else will.

Some of the most important conversations I've had with my team had nothing to do with a specific project — they were candid conversations about where someone stood in their career: how they were perceived by other leaders, the politics of a promotion cycle, what opportunities were realistically in front of them. People do better work when they know where they actually stand, not when they're guessing. I'd rather tell someone the truth and help them navigate it than let them find out the hard way.

"Michael was able to quickly adapt to this increase in expectations and managed our team with strategy, empathy, and clear direction."

— Rodney Nelson, Product Designer

Culture isn't a value on a wall — it's built.

I believe the strongest relationships, even at work, are built (often over a shared table). A little hospitality and positive energy goes further than most people expect — it's the small things that changes how a team actually feels about each other.

"Beyond his strategic vision, Michael brings an upbeat, caring energy to work every single day. His warmth and positive attitude are contagious, creating an incredibly engaging environment where everyone feels energized, supported, and confident that he is in their corner."

— Dennis O'Neill, Senior Staff Designer

None of this works in isolation.

The questions, the ownership, the direct feedback, the career coaching, the shared meals — they're the same underlying belief, applied differently depending on what someone needs: that people do their best work when they're trusted with real scope, told the truth, and genuinely cared for.

"Michael is one of those rare design leaders who can pair big, visionary thinking with a deep understanding of the user and the realities of the business... he creates an environment where his team can do their best work."

— Lisa Ganderson, VP of Product

Leadership is still a practice. Every team, challenge, and organization teaches something new. But after years of leading multidisciplinary product design organizations, I’ve developed a clear perspective on the kind of culture I want to help build: ambitious, collaborative, customer-centered, strategically grounded, systems-oriented, and deeply committed to craft.