The Leadership Skill Designers Don’t Talk About Enough

I recently watched an interview with Mónica Guzmán, journalist, speaker and author of I Never Thought of it That Way, and I haven’t stopped thinking about it since. She spoke about how curiosity—especially in moments of disagreement—isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s essential. And honestly, I think this message has huge implications for us as designers and design leaders.

Because, let’s face it, if you’re working in design, especially in innovation or transformation spaces, you’re going to run into resistance. You’ll challenge established norms. You’ll propose ideas that feel uncomfortable to others. And when that happens, the natural response—ours and theirs—can be defensiveness.

But what if we stayed curious instead?

Curiosity over judgment

Mónica’s big idea is simple but powerful: don’t assume—ask. Too often, we assume we know why people are pushing back on a new product direction, an unfamiliar user experience, or a bold design decision.

In her talk, she shared how asking thoughtful, open-ended questions can transform the dynamic. It reminded me how quickly things shift when, instead of defending a concept, I ask, “What concerns you most about this?” or “How does this resonate for you from your perspective?”

When we get curious, we make space. And space is where collaboration happens.

Better questions lead to better conversations

In design, we ask a lot of questions—but how we ask them matters. Mónica talked about using “how” and “what” questions to invite people in, rather than “why” questions that can feel accusatory.

This feels especially relevant in stakeholder conversations, usability testing, and team critiques. A question like “What’s important to you about this feature?” invites insight. A statement like “Why wouldn’t we do it this way?” can unintentionally shut it down.

It’s a small shift with a big impact.

Disagreement isn’t a problem to fix

A moment that really resonated with me in the talk was when Mónica said that disagreement isn’t the enemy—it’s an opportunity. That hit home.

Innovation requires tension. When we’re pushing boundaries, we will surface friction. And that’s not a sign that something’s broken—it’s a sign that we’re working at the edge of what’s known, where the most meaningful change happens.

Mónica shared a story from the business world that highlights how difficult it can be to disagree in hierarchical environments, but how important it is to do so. Alfred P. Sloan, former CEO of General Motors, was once leading a meeting with one of his top committees when a key agenda item came up. He asked the group, “I take it there is agreement on this matter?” When everyone simply nodded, Sloan paused and then postponed the decision. He moved the topic to the next meeting, saying he wanted to give the team time to develop disagreement—to explore the issue more fully and understand it from multiple angles. He wasn’t encouraging conflict for its own sake, but rather inviting diverse perspectives to surface so the team could make a more thoughtful, informed decision.

The goal isn’t to eliminate disagreement. The goal is to navigate it with curiosity and care. It can lead to a better, more well-rounded understanding and better ideas.

Listening makes people feel they matter

One of the most profound points Mónica made was about what listening really means. It’s not just about absorbing information or getting a download of what someone is saying. Instead, it’s about making people feel that their thoughts and feelings matter, that they matter.

This shift in perspective is huge for design conversations, where the temptation can be to jump quickly into fixing problems or pushing back on ideas. Instead, when we listen to make people feel heard and valued, we open up trust. We create a space where people are more willing to share honestly and engage deeply.

That kind of listening is a foundation for better collaboration, whether it’s with your design team, stakeholders, or executives.

Curiosity is a leadership skill

Curiosity is how we build trust. It’s how we model openness in critique, how we hold space for different perspectives on our teams, and how we stay flexible without losing clarity. It’s also how we invite stakeholders into the process rather than defending our work from them.

Mónica uses the phrase “fearless curiosity”—the kind that keeps you in the room when the conversation gets hard. For design leaders (or at any level), this is gold. It’s not always comfortable—but it’s where growth lives.

Behind every reaction is a reason

Mónica reminded me that every strong opinion, every bit of resistance, comes with a story. That applies to users, to clients, to stakeholders, and to our own teams.

If we can pause and ask, “What’s the story behind this reaction?” instead of labeling it as difficult or unhelpful, we unlock deeper understanding. And better understanding always leads to better design.

A thought for all of us

As designers, we talk about empathy all the time. But empathy without curiosity can become surface-level. Mónica Guzmán’s talk was a powerful reminder that real connection—real collaboration—happens when we ask, listen, and stay open, even when it’s messy or hard.

So the next time you’re in a tense meeting, or pushing a new direction that meets resistance, try this:

Pause. Ask a better question. Stay curious.

Because as Mónica says, sometimes the most powerful thing you can say is:

“I never thought of it that way.”