At Future London Academy, we’re fortunate to work with an incredible global community of designers, strategists, founders, and creative leaders. In this article, we asked 15 members of our community to reflect on a simple but revealing question: what’s the best — and the worst — leadership advice you’ve ever received? This is what they answered.
Alessandra is a Head of App Design at Welltech. Alessandra leads design for wellness and fitness apps at Welltech, looking at how they can keep their promises across the funnel, from advertising to app. She is also co-founder of Mega Mentor, a mentorship platform, and founder of Service Design-in', a publication on in-house service design. Alessandra is a student of the Product Design Strategy course at Future London Academy.
The best leadership advice I've been given:
As harsh as it sounds, it goes both ways, and it helped me take the pressure off during recruitment processes, making sustainable decisions.
The worst leadership advice I've been given:
In my first leadership position, I asked my manager how to communicate senior leadership decisions to my team when I did not believe in them myself or when I was not in agreement. They said, “Just say them in your robotic voice”. And while that was a joke, it helped me realise that my job wasn't to be a messenger — it was to lead with integrity, even when I disagreed. That to me meant finding honest ways to communicate decisions while staying true to myself.
Diana Lutgehetmann is the Founder of She/Crea, the first life design app built for women, and a researcher behind the 2026 Research Women's Creative Agency Report. Her work is driven by a simple belief: when a woman knows herself, she designs her life with intention, and that changes everything around her.
Most high-performing women manage a massive mental load, yet many struggle to translate their self-knowledge into a life that feels truly self-authored. Diana calls this the Agency Gap. Diana's report investigate how women can reclaim their creative agency.
──
The best leadership advice I've been given:
Honestly, the best advice came from my own experience rather than from someone else. I learned that we are all different. We have different needs, different ways of thinking, and different ways of solving problems. And that's not a weakness, it's the whole point. The best thing a leader can do is trust that, stay open, and create space for others to lead in their own way. Guidance over micromanagement, always. That's how teams keep their soul and their dynamics to solve the hardest problems. It's also part of what led me to research how women experience agency in their own lives. Because that trust in difference has to start with ourselves.
──
The worst leadership advice I've been given:
It came from a woman who had learned to lead the hard way. She told me:
I understood where it came from. Many women were taught to out-man the room just to be taken seriously. But going to work shouldn't feel like war. Collaboration isn't naive. It's actually the harder, braver choice.
Martina leads Pricing at Deel. Previously, she has led global pricing optimisation at Wise, balancing product value with financial implications, and has driven machine-learning initiatives in the startup sector to maximise profitability. Martina teaches Pricing on the Mini-MBA for Designers & Creatives course at Future London Academy.
The best leadership advice I've been given:
No one actually sat me down and told me this. I picked it up by watching people I respect. The common pattern? They absorb responsibility and distribute credit. Most people want the upside of leadership. Very few want the accountability.
──
The worst leadership advice I've been given:
I get why people say that. It sounds mature, collaborative, and safe. It’s also how you end up with beige work. Alignment matters. Input matters. But if you design by committee, you optimise for the lowest-risk opinion in the room, not for a strong point of view.
At some point, someone has to make a call and own it. Otherwise, you’re just averaging opinions and calling it strategy. While alignment is great, a strong point of view is more important.
Dimitra is Head of Creative, Design at Typeform. Dimitra is leading the creative evolution of Typeform's brand across marketing, product and campaigns. She is also managing and growing a lean in-house multidisciplinary team of four. She is a student of the Creative Leadership course at Future London Academy.
──
The best leadership advice I've been given:
Early in my career, I got the chance to intern at BBH London, where I met Sir John Hegarty. He used to say that:
That idea stuck with me. A great idea can fall apart if it’s not executed well, but sometimes a killer execution can really bring an average concept to life. We need to go all the way through to judge by the final outcome and not just the initial intention. This requires skill, patience and, above all, a great team.
──
The worst leadership advice I've been given:
One funny piece of advice I got was reminding me not to take things too seriously. Someone once told me:
Creatives often get discouraged when they need to kill a design idea. But at the end of the day, learning not to take things personally can help us be more open-minded and take one step further.
Lucie is a Senior Product Designer at Leonardo.Ai. Lucie designs enterprise and API experiences that help developers and businesses integrate generative AI into their products. Her role focuses on translating complex technical systems into intuitive, human-centred tools that drive adoption and business impact. She is also a student of the Product Design Strategy course at Future London Academy.
──
The best leadership advice I've been given:
For a long time, I thought leadership was something you earned once you were “ready.” This advice helped me realise that leadership is a behaviour, not a milestone. It gave me the confidence to step forward, take ownership, and contribute beyond my role even when I still had doubts.
──
The worst leadership advice I've been given:
I was once told that leaders should always have the answers. For a while, it made me feel like I constantly needed to prove myself. Over time, I’ve learned that leadership is about creating clarity, asking good questions, and trusting the people around you, not certainty.
Julia is a Co-Founder and Creative Director of Open Studio. Open Studio's practice focuses on creative concepts and (visual) identities in Düsseldorf. They have more than 15 years of experience in thoughtful brand development and playful design solutions across commercial, cultural and independent projects. Julia is also a student of the Mini-MBA for Designers and Creatives course at Future London Academy.
The best leadership advice I've been given:
──
The worst leadership advice I've been given:
(regarding the number of employees and the associated perception from the outside).
Robyn is a Co-Founder of Lovework Studio. She has worked across a diverse range of sectors from large corporate companies to start-ups. Robyn has branded a film award, a global charity, a telco, a celebrity florist, a fintech, a theatre production, and a winning World Cup bid. She is also a teacher at the Branding Now course at Future London Academy.
──
The best leadership advice I've been given:
──
The worst leadership advice I've been given:
I've found the opposite is true. Leadership is a marathon, not a sprint. It's showing up consistently, making thoughtful decisions and responding with care.
Ioanna is a culturally curious Brand Director and Visual Creative with over 10 years of experience helping brands move with clarity, meaning, and finesse. Working across strategic branding, creative direction, and graphic design, she shapes thoughtful brand experiences and enjoys collaborating with people who share a passion for creating beautiful work. Flow fuels everything she does, from intuitive brand strategies to time spent on the yoga mat. Rooted in GR; Shaped by the UK; Blossomed in NL. She is also a student in the Branding Now course at Future London Academy.
──
The best leadership advice I've been given:
You have to be brave enough to be the most openly clueless about a subject in a room and still be able to lead with grace.
──
The worst leadership advice I've been given:
A quote originally by Samuel Beckett, but I was introduced to it by my father during a challenging time where seemingly everything was going wrong. The idea of “failing better” never fails to put a smile on my face ;)
Christine is Co-Founder and Creative Director of GROUP CHAT, a creative studio that helps brands grow through graphic design, art direction, and strategy. She balances a big-picture perspective with attention to detail, ensuring every element—whether a social post, a cocktail napkin, or a full brand identity—contributes to a cohesive vision. Her strategic approach aligns design with business objectives, creating meaningful and effective brands. Christine has previously worked for brands such as KAYAK Hotels, Chipotle, Warby Parker, Museum of Ice Cream, and Sanzo. She is a student in the Branding Now course at Future London Academy.
──
The best leadership advice I've been given:
A former boss once told me that when starting a new business, it is important to define roles clearly based on each partners strengths. Establishing this from the beginning makes day-to-day responsibilities clear and prevents overlap or duplicated effort. I hate this phrase, but not everyone should have to "wear many hats". Great partnerships work when everyone knows where they lead and where they need support from others.
──
The worst leadership advice I've been given:
The client should absolutely be heard, but they hire us for our expertise. Great leadership means listening, while still guiding decisions and pushing back when it matters. Our job isn’t to agree with everything; it’s to help get to the right solution for the business and problem.
Alessandra is a Lead Interaction Designer and Consultant who runs her own design studio and collaborates with organisations across Europe. She helps teams create meaningful digital products by combining strategy, research, and visual clarity, and teaches and mentors the next generation of designers. She is also a subscriber to the Future London Academy newsletter.
──
The best leadership advice I've been given:
A few years ago, I read "Company of One" by Paul Jarvis, which reminded me that lasting success isn’t measured by scale, but by clarity of intention and the courage to build work aligned with your values. This perspective deeply influences how I choose collaborations and support clients, helping teams move with purpose and listen more carefully to their customers.
──
The worst leadership advice I've been given:
Early in my career, I realised that leadership isn’t about looking experienced, but about staying curious. The moments when I admitted I didn’t know often opened the most honest conversations, and ultimately led to better outcomes.
Nadine is a Senior Creative Designer at Kearney, a global management consulting firm. Through design, she bridges strategy and storytelling, shaping complex ideas into visual narratives that inspire clarity and momentum. She is also a student in the Branding Now course at Future London Academy.
──
The best leadership advice I've been given:
──
The worst leadership advice I've been given:
Realistically, your behaviour does.
Sujatha is a Creative Manager, BCG Design Studios (Bombay, India). She works at the intersection of strategy and design, helping local and global organisations think differently and build with intention. She is also a student in the Mini-MBA for Designers and Creatives course at Future London Academy.
──
The best leadership advice I've been given:
The most transformative work happens when you refuse to be confined by conventional limits. But ambition without the right team is just noise. The leaders I admire most don't just push boundaries, they build circles of trust that make the impossible feel inevitable.
──
The worst leadership advice I've been given:
I understand the intent — structure matters. But in creative leadership, if your process is running ahead of your people, you've already lost. The best systems are designed around humans, not the other way around. I learned early on that, when in doubt, lead with empathy first. The process will follow.
Val is Art Director & Graphic Designer at done! comunicación. Val works at the intersection of branding, editorial design, and purpose-driven communication. She leads the design team at done! comunicación (Argentina) and collaborates with organisations developing sustainability and impact narratives, helping to turn ideas into meaningful visual systems. She is also a student in the Branding Now course at Future London Academy.
──
The best leadership advice I've been given:
Alignment between what you say, what you decide, and how you show up builds trust faster than any title ever could.
──
The worst leadership advice I've been given:
If you’re leading creative people, that’s unrealistic. The work carries identity, values, and vision. The real skill isn’t detachment, but learning how to care deeply while leading with emotional intelligence and perspective.
Stephanie is a Brand and Communications Creative Director for the WGSN Design Studio. The WGSN Group is home to WGSN, the world’s leading trend forecaster, alongside brands such as Coloro and IWSR. Stephanie is a subscriber to the Future London Academy newsletter.
──
The best leadership advice I've been given:
In other words, stay calm, and everyone else will too. It sounds simple, but it’s everything I believe (and something I’m constantly working on and don’t always get right).
In high-pressure moments, teams don’t just look for answers; they look for cues. If you’re steady, clear and composed, it creates space for better thinking (and fewer dramatic messages).
I once won an internal company award for keeping cool under pressure, nominated by my colleagues, which felt like the ultimate proof that calm is contagious. Leadership isn’t about being the loudest voice. It’s about being the steadiest one when it counts.
──
The worst leadership advice I've been given:
Yep. An actual IT Crowd quote. Offered in a very real moment.
At the time, I was deep in uncertainty, hovering somewhere between strategic thinking and mild panic. It was completely unhelpful… and somehow exactly what I needed. Because it made me laugh. And more importantly, it made me reset.
Sometimes leadership advice isn’t a profound TED Talk moment. Sometimes it’s the thing that snaps you out of your own intensity. Close the laptop. Go outside. Call someone sensible. Stop trying to solve tomorrow at 9:47 pm.
You can’t literally reboot your brain (sadly). But you can reboot your thinking, and that’s usually where better decisions start.
Miriam is the Founder and Leader at Porta Creative. She guides the strategic vision behind crafting standout brands for clients worldwide, leading a dynamic 12-woman creative team focused on building distinctive and impactful brand identities. Miriam is a subscriber to the Future London Academy newsletter.
The best leadership advice I've been given:
Early on, a mentor told me:
Leading a dynamic team of 12 women, I've learned that if I remove the roadblocks and protect their creative space, the incredible, global-level work naturally follows.
──
The worst leadership advice I've been given:
What I know now is that not all creatives thrive in an office space, and not all creatives flow at the same time of the day. Some of us need silence, some of us need loud music. And also, even if we're not in the same country, great projects can come to life through great communication and processes.
Unfortunately, the browser you use is outdated and does not allow you to display the site correctly. Please install any of the modern browsers, for example:
Google Chrome Firefox Safari