• Creative Direction

I was given the opportunity to step up and manage the design team’s new talent. My management style focused on the individual growth of the graduate designer. We had regular 1:1 meetings to set goals, explore their interests, and identify areas for improvement. I saw myself as a personal coach, helping them integrate smoothly into the professional design environment.

I successfully supported the graduate designer in becoming a more confident and skilled professional, enabling them to take on increasingly challenging responsibilities while making meaningful contributions to the team’s success.

Skills:
  • Leadership
  • Conflict Resolution
  • Empathy
  • Strategic Thinking
  • Creative Direction

1. Setting goals with purpose

I didn’t want my direct report’s goals to feel like just another box to tick — I wanted them to be a source of motivation and growth. Together, we mapped out a clear action plan for the year, ensuring that progress was measurable and achievements felt truly rewarding.

2. Finding relevant tasks

Once we had a clear vision of their goals, I categorized them and identified relevant projects and resources that aligned with their development. This way, they could work on tasks that were both meaningful and impactful.

3. Projects’ retrospectives

One of my key priorities as a manager was to make our 1:1 meetings a safe and supportive space. I actively listened to their ambitions, celebrated their successes, and discussed project challenges openly. Together, we identified actionable steps to improve and refine their approach in future tasks.

4. Tracking goal progression

These retrospectives allowed us to track progress effectively. I could see their confidence grow as we updated the progress bar and celebrated completed goals. At the same time, it helped us identify areas needing improvement, which we used to shape their goals for the following quarters.

Outcome

By the end of the year, we had a very visual and comprehensive overview of all the project insights we worked on. The end-of-year performance reviews are smooth and insightful sessions, allowing us to reflect on achievements and set new goals for the coming year.