Leadership

High-performance cultures are glorified in tech, but companies like Meta and Atlassian reveal the hidden costs. This piece examines how these systems drive results, where they fall short, and how to build teams that perform without promoting burnout and a toxic culture.

Being great to work with often matters more than raw talent. Follow-through, clear communication, and positive energy build trust, make collaboration easier, and turn you into someone others rely on, especially when the work gets hard.

Evan LaPointe shares insights on leadership, highlighting two epiphanies that reshape how leaders understand and empower teams. Drawing from his journey building businesses, he emphasizes mindset over skills, advocating for intentional, human-centered cultures that drive innovation and growth.

Strategic thinking is one of the most important skills for a designer. By mastering skills like pattern recognition, mental agility, and political savvy, designers can take practical steps to make smarter decisions and have a greater influence on their teams and projects.

Many companies inadvertently promote toxic leaders by prioritizing performance over trust. High performers who lack trust may achieve short-term results but can harm team morale and long-term success. Businesses should prioritize trust as much as performance when building strong teams.