Design Leadership without Losing Your Soul
From creative burnout to authentic leadership—how to thrive, not just survive, as a design leader.
How You Design, Designs You
Design leadership is not a promotion. It's a transformation—and many fear what they might lose in the process.
In this moving and thought-provoking keynote, Mario Van der Meulen shares the mindset, practices, and provocations needed to lead with integrity, creativity, and care—without losing your soul to politics, pressure, or performative ambition.
He challenges the “one-size-fits-all” view of leadership and reframes the journey as deeply personal, uniquely creative, and fully human.
What This Talk Covers
What design leadership really is—and why most models fail designers
How to build trust as your core design output (yes, really)
Why fear of burnout keeps creative leaders small—and how to break through
How power and presence work when you're no longer the hands-on designer
The inner work of leading with clarity, cadence, and care
Audience Feedback
“A masterclass in balancing creativity and leadership. Nuanced, intense, and captivating.”
— Adam Jennings, Executive Design Leader
“The idea that ‘you design at the speed of trust’ was a powerful takeaway.”
— Em, Product Lead
“This talk resonated deeply. ‘How you design, designs you’ will stay with me for years.”
— James, Creative Director
Who This Is For
Designers becoming leaders.
Leaders who want to stay designers.
Anyone navigating the messy middle between creativity and authority.
Format Options
Keynote (40–60 minutes)
One-Day Intensive Workshop – Custom format available for in-house leadership development programs or retreats
Why Book This Talk?
Design leadership is evolving. It’s no longer about title or control—it’s about capacity, trust, and staying human under pressure. This talk equips you to do just that.
Author
mvdm
Mario Van der Meulen is a design executive, author, and international speaker known for helping leaders unlock meaningful innovation through human-centered design. With global experience across sectors, he brings depth, clarity, and provocation to every stage.
