Are you considering hiring a design leader on a fractional basis? With the prevalence of remote work, more and more companies are turning to fractional leadership roles to fill crucial needs in your organisation.
Other topics we’ll briefly cover in this article:
— Individual Contributors (ICs) are good at working independently on special projects, and don't need much guidance.
— Practitioners are hands-on leaders with multiple skillsets who can work on any project.
— Managers lead teams through a process of stakeholder management, building team skills and enhancing performance.
— Notoriety profiles may be well-known for successes in past roles or accomplishments.
Are you considering hiring a design leader on a fractional basis? With the prevalence of remote work, more and more companies are turning to fractional leadership roles to fill crucial needs in your organisation.
When it comes to selecting an effective fractional design leader for your team, there is no one-size-fits all answer - you need to consider carefully which type of design leader will best help fulfil the business objectives of your organisation. Here we’ll provide insight into the different types of dimension data available from those looking for ways to succeed as part-time or full-time leader. We’ll outline key considerations like experience level and skill set so that you can identify which types of profiles fit within your business requirements in order to attract top talent who will bring valuable expertise and leadership capabilities even as a fractional resource.
Individual Contributor (IC) profiles are designed for individuals who thrive in roles where they work independently on special projects and at times call on on-demand assistance from the wider team. ICs bring their strong sense of autonomy, a solid set of existing skills, and the ability to dive into new tasks with minimal guidance. Their profile is ideal for those who possess the necessary interpersonal communication skills needed to collaborate with colleagues and manage projects but prefer to do so without the additional responsibility that comes with leading a team.
ICs are often expected to manage complex tasks with very little guidance and are responsible for providing creative solutions in ambiguous situations. They need to be able to think critically and apply problem-solving techniques while also considering both short and long term outcomes based on their decisions.
Attributes ICs should possess in order to succeed in these types of roles include:
Additionally, it’s important that ICs have excellent verbal communication skills as well as the ability to create positive relationships with clients or customers if necessary.
Before you decide if an individual contributor profile is best for your organisation, consider their experiences as well as their skill sets – having both will ensure a greater success. With careful planning and a dedication from one day to the next, your IC will help you reach maximum value potential while still allowing you the autonomy needed to accomplish your product or business transformation.
Leaders often benefit from fractional design roles which allow for off-the-shelf skill sets and expertise on demand. Evaluating the kind of practitioner profile best suited for your company can help make sure that you find the ideal person to lead a project or make key decisions.
The most important attribute of the practitioner profile is that of a hands-on leader who can work with multiple skills, from problem solving to engineering, in order to successfully complete a project. The same goes for subject matter experts: they need to have extensive knowledge about the particular field in order to fill in any gaps or answer questions about procedures and processes. Working with a leader who has both technical and subject-matter skills gives your company an edge in terms of having top quality insights on any project underway.
A successful practitioner profile also depends on how well their background aligns with the goals of your organisation which is why having an understanding of the type of work they’ve done before is essential when narrowing down prospective candidates. While every part may not fit neatly into one individual, it's essential to be mindful and consider how their past experience applies when hiring someone for a fractional role.
The right practitioner profile offers valuable insight, advice and experience that you need when making key decisions so taking the time to pinpoint what combination offers advantages can help ensure that whatever task needs completion will be completed efficiently and effectively. Consider these criteria when evaluating potential leaders and use it as a guide during the hiring process for better success rates in design roles.
When considering what type of fractional design leader profile is best for you, it is important to understand the role of a manager and the type of remit they are about to embark on. Managers are responsible for leading teams through a process of stakeholder management, building team skills and enhancing performance. They should have a good understanding of the process and be able to articulate the activities required to achieve success.
The way in which the manager interacts with their team members, stakeholders and colleagues is also crucial. As such, it is important to understand their communication style, determine whether they are empathetic and lead by example. Managers are responsible for making decisions that impact the team's performance they must also be aware of how decision making can affect individuals as well as the team as a whole. Being diplomatic yet firm in their approach will ensure that all team members feel respected and ensure that decisions are made based on evidence-based research and feedback from all parties involved.
Finally, managers must be well informed about the organisation's objectives and policies in order to provide effective leadership over projects or teams. They should also have an understanding of financials so that budgets can be appropriately managed to ensure efficiency in operations come tax time too. With these qualities in mind, you can make an informed judgement about your ideal leader profile when transitioning into roles after successful completion of short term projects or initiatives with fractional leaders.
Not all design leaders have a unique online presence – a representation of the values in which they hold and how they present themselves to the world. A leader’s profile can influence how (potentially) knowledgable they are, it can affect how the community followers and stakeholders are of their capabilities, and even how their actions can affect those around them.
For those that have a higher notoriety profile, they may be well-known for successes in past roles or accomplishments (or even misfortune) but can also struggle to maintain consistency with new activities or upholding current leadership. In contrast, lower notoriety profiles may lead to lesser recognition yet allow for greater opportunities for learning, progress and development due to unnoticed failures or successes. There may also be cost-value compensation to consider with a well-known design leader, so weighing these pros and cons may have a brass tax reality.
Figuring out what type of fractional design leader profile is best for you depends on your situation. As with all options, there are only handful of people in the world who can meet all these profile types. Brands and businesses who looking to make a optical impact may focus on a profile that meets the manager and notoriety end of the spectrum, while a start-up in the early days of their VC’ing may look to consider an IC or practitioner with direct impact to a product or functional remit of their design team.