The evolving role of design and thought leadership. | Charlotte Burgess-Auburn | 450

Creativity. Invention. Collaboration. Three skills that are at the heart of design, and the center of great thought leadership. Many people narrowly define "designing," whittling it down to simple artistic talent; drawing, painting, or other traditional crafts. But design is a huge world of possibility, covering thousands of mediums and a fantastic variety of skills that drive creativity, spark invention, create authentic connection, and encourage collaboration. Charlotte Burgess-Auburn is a self-described artist, educator, and extroverted introvert. She's also the Director of Community at the Stanford d.school, where she teaches the role of self-awareness in creativity and design. Her book, You Need a Manifesto: How to Craft Your Convictions and Put Them to Work, is an essential "how-to" for crafting a guiding document that establishes your intentions, increases your creativity, and helps you maintain focus and conviction as you push toward your goals. Charlotte's role as Director of Community started in the very early days of the school's establishment, and she's always been a creative force, helping the d.school's growth. Unlike the typical slower pace of research, the d.school specializes in swift cycles, rapid iteration of design, and innovative thinking. Charlotte discusses that cycle, and shares how her role has evolved from connecting with students, running info sessions, and encouraging the school's growth, to overseeing a larger group of people who collectively help students learn "thought design skills" that will help them excel when they enter the larger world outside of Stanford. One of the ways Charlotte explains her role is as "a champion for self-awareness," helping designers and tech producers understand each other's function, needs, and dependencies, and work better together. Too many people think of design as a soft, easy-to-master skill - and they'd be wrong! Design thinking shapes goals, builds connection with the audience, and sparks creativity and curiosity. Charlotte shares how she prepares students to deal with difficult critiques, giving them the resources to work with feedback so that both designers and tech creators understand why both sides of the coin are necessary to create a valuable whole. There's no substitute for true creativity and invention, and design thinking elevates any craft, moving it from "what gets it done" to "how can we solve problems, drive innovation, and foster collaboration?" That's the heart of thought leadership, and that's where Charlotte's insights shine. Three Key Takeaways: * Design skills such as creativity, collaboration, and rapid iteration, are essential to leadership roles. These "soft skills" elevate the game. * Being comfortable with change and learning how to think on your feet builds the capacity to handle even the toughest challenges. * Connections and relationships are important - even when they're outside your field. Learning from those with different skills and interests broadens your understanding, and makes you a better leader.