One of the most important issues in any business or organization is leadership. While there are volumes written and discussed about business leadership, the unique condition of leadership in design firms receives little direct attention. There are consultants who assist and coach existing design firm leaders, but emerging leaders are fortunate if their firms include them in the learning of leadership concepts and tools.

Some professional organizations include leadership seminars in their continuing education programs, but often they address only their specific constituency.  In the past, the University of Washington professional development program offered "Design Firm Leadership and Management". As facilitators of the course since 2007, Richard Hobbs and Roger Williams are interested in advancing the networking and leadership education for professionals in design careers.  This interest prompts us to follow the encouragement of many to offer a series of programs with content, experts and successful design business leaders with an interactive, interdisciplinary format and concentrated delivery.

Therefore, we have created:  

LEADERSHIP for DESIGN PROFESSIONALS  

The mission: advance designer leadership for emerging leaders, new firm owners, sole practitioners and designers within corporations and businesses. There are programs in 2011 and a new series to be presented January 2012. This five-month series will be seven sessions - each on a Saturday -allowing for 7 hours of content, interaction and application of the particular subject with information, guidance and practical exercises from national experts and authors along with design leaders from diverse disciplines.