How I shaped cross-functional reputation by tying advancement to planning impact
Contribution
Rebuilt design career paths to reward cross-functional influence
Role
Led in partnership with senior leadership and product
Scope
Cross-Functional Growth and Strategic Design Influence
Takeaway
Used career development as a lever to close performance gaps and elevate design as a planning partner
The Challenge
Designers on the team were capable, but their work rarely shaped the product. They were locked in delivery mode, implementing decisions rather than informing them. Promotion paths favored execution strength over judgment or influence, so even high-performing team members remained on the sidelines of strategic conversation. Too often, effort went into well-built features that fell short of expectations. The team lacked the credibility, opportunity, and structure to operate as partners in planning.
My Response
I introduced a development model that prioritized cross-functional fluency rather than execution alone. The framework outlined five stages of maturity: framing problems clearly, recommending direction, influencing strategic decisions, advocating for systems, and mentoring through clarity and simplification. It gave designers a clear path for growing influence, not just skill.
To put the model into practice, I wove structured mentorship, peer critique, and leadership-facing moments into the team’s rhythm. Designers practiced making strategic recommendations during roadmap debates and tradeoff reviews, not just design critiques. Confidence grew through exposure and repetition.
As designers advanced, their growth was measured by how they shaped direction, not just by what they delivered. Junior team members began speaking with clarity, earning trust, and contributing meaningfully to planning.
The Win
Designers began showing up in strategy meetings with clarity and conviction. Their ideas traveled further, their judgment earned trust, and their work became part of the planning conversation. Retention concerns eased, promotion cycles stabilized, and cross-functional partners grew to depend on design as a critical voice in decision-making.
Key Outcomes
Cross-functional fluency became a promotable team strength
Growth came from learning to shape, not just ship, solutions
Designers grew through real strategy exposure, not just feedback loops
Peer critique built stronger judgment and visible leadership skills
Mentorship advanced clarity, confidence, and promotion readiness
Strategic Insight
Teams become strategic when fluency shifts from delivery to influence:
Created a development model tied to influence, not just execution
Used peer critique and mentorship to build judgment and confidence
Made strategic fluency a promotable skill, not a seniority side effect
cross-functional partnership