Leadership by Design — Driving Sustainable Growth Through Design Thinking

Giles Lindsay
7 min readJun 26, 2024
Design Thinking Loop
Design Thinking Loop

Introduction

As a technology leader who has guided several organisations through periods of growth and transformation, I’ve come to appreciate the critical role that design thinking plays in developing effective leadership strategies. When sustainability and long-term success are paramount, leaders must adopt a more creative, human-centred approach to strategic planning. This is where design thinking principles come into play, offering a powerful framework for driving innovation, fostering collaboration, and achieving sustainable growth.

This article will explore how leaders can harness the power of design thinking to create winning business strategies that drive short-term results and position their organisations for long-term success in an increasingly competitive and unpredictable business climate.

Understanding the Intersection of Leadership and Design Thinking

Before we discuss the practical applications of design thinking in leadership, let’s understand why this approach is so valuable in the current business context. Traditional leadership models often emphasise top-down decision-making, rigid hierarchies, and reliance on past success formulas. While these approaches may have worked in…

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Giles Lindsay

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