UX Cake

Do you want to unlock your creative potential and foster innovation? We know that collaboration and communication are vital to producing outstanding work, but what you might not know is that the foundation of that is healthy conflict. Without it, we can't achieve our creative best.On this episode, we welcome Billie Mandel, a seasoned expert in design, coaching, and education with a focus on critique, conflict, and creativity. We'll delve into the importance of expressing divergent ideas, how to ask difficult questions, and creating a safe space for diverse thoughts, mistakes, and asking "what am I missing." Additionally, we'll highlight the critical role of feedback in this journey and offer tips on how to solicit, offer, and receive feedback with care and effectiveness. So tune in as we uncover the impact of productive conflict in the quest for creativity and innovation.Books mentioned in this episodeDaring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live by Brené BrownRadical Candor: How to Get What You Want by Saying What You Mean by Kim ScottConnect with Billie MandelCEO and Chief Instigator, Mandel CreativeSpeaking engagementsLinkedInTwitterInstagramConnect with UX Cakeuxcake.co | Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTubeConnect with LeighStrategic UX Leader Coaching and WorkshopsFollow on LinkedIn

If you're in UX, you've likely heard the question, "How can we do more with less?" especially during any economic squeeze. Many companies are cutting back on resources and downsizing teams, while still expecting the same results. Some common approaches are to argue the value of UX, or simply say "no" to requests due to lack of resources. But there’s another way, one that can increase the value of your work and foster cross-team relationships. You can look for ways to be more strategic in the work that you do.In UX, being more strategic means producing bigger outcomes instead of bigger output. It requires understanding the big picture, aligning with stakeholders, and prioritizing work based on impact.Join me as I describe a framework to help you approach your work more strategically, in a way that achieves more for the business and users’ goals without working longer hours.Links from this episodeUser data research portalBaymard InstituteDevelop strategic UX leadership skillsStrategicUXLeader.comConnect with UX Cake!uxcake.co | Twitter | Instagram | Linked In | YouTube

As human beings, it is embedded in us to seek purpose in everything we do. We want to do meaningful work that affects other people or pursue the passion within us.But many people wonder, is it too much to ask for an opportunity to work on something valuable?In today's episode, we are joined by Tutti Taygerly, a Leadership Coach, speaker, and author of the book “Make Space To Lead: Break patterns to find flow and focus on what matters” Tutti's primary focus is to help high-achievers make space for sustainable success, so we dive deep into conversations about making space for the things you want to do and achieve. We delve into how we can create more fulfilling work and build a career that is sustainable, by making space for what matters most to us, and how you can navigate through your current environment to maximize your creativity. Join us in this jam-packed episode filled with actionable tips on how to deal with the "Achievement Monster" and what steps you can take to create your space and utilize it the best way possible.Tutti coaches cofounders and tech leaders to embrace their unique leadership style to achieve professional impact and a sustainable company culture. She focuses on working with women, people of color, and immigrants. Previously she was a design leader at design firms, startups, and large companies including Disney and Facebook. Tutti writes for Harvard Business Review, Business Insider,  and Fast Company and her book Make Space to Lead shows high achievers how to reframe our relationship to work.  Connect with Tuttihttps://www.tuttitaygerly.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/tuttitaygerlyhttps://www.instagram.com/tutti/Connect with UX Cake