How I went from mentee to manager (and learned to lead by example)
What mentorship taught me about managing a design team
Back in "What working with great leaders has taught me,” I wrote about the power of seeing leadership as service—how the best leaders I’ve followed were those who elevated others, not themselves.
Since then, I’ve taken more time to reflect on how mentorship has shaped not only my leadership style, but also how I see myself as a leader. In this piece, I want to dive deeper into how those lessons have translated into daily practice—and what I’m still learning along the way.
I’ll be sharing some of the key shifts I made moving from mentee (individual contributor) to design lead and manager. Looking back, that shift taught me that leadership isn’t about authority; it’s about example.
Know your strengths, and focus on filling the gaps
I’ve always believed everyone has their strengths—and plenty of things they could still learn or improve. We’re human, after all.
What makes work culture so special is that you’re surrounded by peers who can help you grow. It’s like an elevated version of adult school—except this time, you learn twice as fast because it’s on the job, not in theory.
As a leader, I’ve leaned into hands-on learning. For me, that comes down to trust—trust in myself, and trust in my team.
Back in design school, and even early in my career, I was the kind of person who would rather mock something up for you than explain it. I thought, it’ll be faster if I just do it myself (and more accurate). Perfectionism was at its peak. I trusted my craft and my ability to deliver—but that mindset didn’t leave much room for others to grow.
So what would that say about me if I wanted to become a leader? That I only trusted myself? That couldn’t be right.
As the reflective mentee I once was, I started noticing and admiring qualities in others that I didn’t yet have. And instead of just admiring them, I decided to work toward them.
Letting go of perfectionism
I began challenging myself to give written and verbal feedback, to document my thoughts, and to resist the urge to just “do it for them.” It wasn’t easy—especially for someone who equated quality with control—but it forced me to practice patience and let go of perfectionism.
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Once you release perfectionism, you create space to trust your team—to delegate the right work to the right people. Management is about knowing your audience and understanding which buttons to push to help each person grow.
That said, you shouldn’t delegate everything. A good manager stays close enough to the work to support their team, understand the challenges, and continue sharpening their own skills. Knowing what to delegate—and to whom—is the real craft.
In creative work, letting go of perfectionism can feel impossible. But that’s where real leadership begins.
What makes perfectionism hard for you to release?
Which qualities do you most admire in your mentors?
And when it comes to delegation, do you hold on too tightly—or let go too easily?
Leading with empathy
The best leaders can’t succeed on their own. They uplift others and help build capable, confident individuals beside them. To me, that’s true success—when my team is accountable, independent, and driven on their own. That’s when I know I’ve done my job as a leader.
It all begins with empathy. Get to know your team as individuals. Build a safe space where they feel comfortable coming to you—the same way mentors once made space for you. There’s a level of mutual respect that naturally grows from that. Learn about who they are outside of a work environment.
For example, I took one of my direct reports out for coffee during their performance review. It made the conversation less formal and more human. I also try to show up to work as the same person I am outside of it—calm, collected, helpful, and sometimes a little silly. Serious when I need to be, but relaxed the rest of the time.
In what ways could you show more empathy in your day-to-day?
What’s your definition of success as a manager—and does it align with how you’re leading now?
How well do you really know your team members, beyond the work?
Be present for your team
Scheduling weekly cadence meetings is a must as a manager. It’s your chance to show up, listen, and support. Use that time to check in and identify challenges you can help remove. My own manager always asks if there’s anything he can do to support me—and even that simple gesture shows care.
Beyond that, you should be available to answer questions, address concerns, and offer feedback when needed.
One thing I know I can improve is not multitasking as much. Sometimes on bigger calls, I catch myself listening while working behind the scenes. It’s not healthy because it means I’m not fully present. It’s a reflection of my tendency to rush or my own impatience—but awareness is the first step to changing that. It’s also tied to that “need to clear notifications and reply to everyone” kind of energy.
How often are you truly present with your team?
Do your one-on-ones feel like checkboxes—or real conversations?
How available are you when your team needs guidance or feedback?
What habits keep you from being fully present at work (multitasking, rushing, distractions)?
Practice what you preach
Repetition works. Being a manager means knowing your team, delivering quality work and thinking, and understanding how each person operates. That takes patience—and a lot of repetition.
In a design team, you’re not always hiring senior designers (and if you are, kudos). More often than not, you’re bringing on entry-level designers who are still building their foundation. That was me once, too. I started at this company five years ago and learned so much about myself through reflection, observation, and communicating with those around me.
Now, I want to pass that same learning on to my team. As a manager, it’s important to lead by example in the areas you value most. For me, those pillars are organization and communication. How I show up as a leader is by practicing what I preach.
I’ve always been stubborn in one way—if someone tells me to act or work a certain way but doesn’t embody it themselves, it’s hard for me to listen.
My team has heard me consistently emphasize keeping Asana boards updated, maintaining clean file organization, and documenting or communicating changes as they happen. These habits help everyone stay consistent and aligned.
Repeat until you no longer need to.
What are the things you find yourself repeating the most?
What are some techniques or habits you enjoy sharing with your team?
What do you practice—and does it reflect the kind of leader you want to be?
Lead with curiosity and care
Curiosity strengthens the way we think, challenge ideas, and ask better questions. I love when my team comes to me for advice or feedback—it’s never a one-way street. I want to share what I know, but I also want to keep learning from them.
I’m direct with feedback, but I always back it up with context, examples, or suggestions—never empty-handed. Clear feedback builds trust, and trust builds confidence.
Above all, I want my team to enjoy what they do. Work will always bring challenges, but I don’t want those challenges to turn into stress. We’ll always find a solution together.
That, to me, is the balance of leadership: curiosity, care, and consistency.
Looking back on my journey from mentee to manager, I’ve realized that leadership isn’t something you arrive at—it’s something you practice every day. The lessons I learned from my mentors continue to shape how I show up: with curiosity, care, and a willingness to keep learning alongside my team.
Because at the end of the day, leading by example isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about creating space for everyone to grow together.
From my desk to yours—see you next time.
—Janice Fong x
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