Tuesday, January 28, 9:00 AM

Think Like a CEO, Act Like a Designer: How to Win in the Boardroom

About the Workshop

Who Is This For?

  • Design leaders at the manager level and above.
  • Professionals reporting directly to C-suite executives seeking to elevate the strategic impact of design within their organizations.

Capacity

Maximum attendees: 10 participants for a personalized, highly interactive experience.

Pre-Workshop Preparation

  1. Enhanced Pre-Workshop Questionnaire
    Participants will assess:

    • Confidence in influencing executives (rated 1–10).
    • Specific organizational challenges (e.g., alignment, resource advocacy).
    • Desired takeaways and long-term goals for their design leadership.
  2. Challenge Submission
    Participants will submit a real-world situation where they’ve struggled to demonstrate design’s value.

Workshop Agenda

Duration: 3 hours

  1. Welcome and Context Setting (15 minutes)
    • Icebreaker: Participants share a 2-minute pitch on their current challenge or goal.
    • Introduction: Paul frames the session with the mindset: “You’re not here to fight for design’s value—you’re here to lead as a peer.”
  2. Clustering Challenges (30 minutes)
    • Review pre-submitted challenges and group them into themes (e.g., communication barriers, executive alignment).
    • Identify top themes to prioritize during the workshop.
  3. Identity Shift: Lead Without the Title (20 minutes)
    • Exercise: Explore self-perception as a strategic leader.
    • Discussion: Overcoming impostor syndrome and reframing leadership identity.
  4. Decoding the Executive Mindset (25 minutes)
    • Content:
      • What executives prioritize: risk, ROI, growth.
      • How behavioural economics (framing, anchoring) influences decision-making.
    • Exercise: Participants practice reframing a design initiative using executive language.
  5. Facilitating Influence Through Conversations (30 minutes)
    Learn how to:

    • Ask impactful questions that guide leadership toward insights.
    • Navigate resistance and reframe objections.
    • Role play: Participants practice steering real conversations with executive personas.
  6. Interactive Role Plays: Navigating Room Dynamics (45 minutes)
    • Scenarios:
      • Shadow executive exercises simulate power dynamics and group decision-making.
    • Gamification: Points awarded for effective strategies, addressing objections, and securing alignment.
    • Feedback: Paul and peers provide insights and coaching in real-time.
  7. Strategic Toolkit Building (30 minutes)
    • Participants develop:
      • A customized executive conversation framework.
      • A one-page design impact report.
      • A personal 30-day action plan.
  8. Closing and Legacy Reflection (15 minutes)
    • Reflection: What legacy do you want your leadership to leave?
    • Commitment: Participants share one actionable insight they will apply immediately.

Post-Workshop Follow-Up

  1. 1:1 Personalized Coaching Sessions (30 min)
    • Focus: Refining strategies, addressing new challenges, or practicing for upcoming leadership engagements.
    • 30-Day Influence Challenge
      Weekly micro-tasks to reinforce key lessons:

      • Week 1: Draft an executive-facing pitch.
      • Week 2: Practice reframing objections.
      • Week 3: Present a design impact report.
      • Week 4: Reflect and refine based on feedback.

Key Features

  1. Storytelling Elements:
    • Opening and closing with a hero’s journey framework to emotionally engage participants.
  2. Practical Tools:
    • Templates, exercises, and examples.
    • Role-playing featuring executive personas and common objections.
  3. Systems Thinking Segment:
    • Exploring how to build influence across organizational silos before engaging the C-suite.

What you’ll walk away with:

  1. Mindset Shift: Participants will see themselves as business leaders who use design to drive strategic outcomes.
  2. Skill Development: They’ll gain confidence in leading conversations and aligning design with business priorities.

Practical Impact: Immediate tools and techniques to influence leadership and deliver measurable results.

Grab Your Tickets

Don’t miss your chance to join us for at a special early bird price! Secure your spot today.

All prices are in USD

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