What’s stopping your work from shipping? It’s probably not the design itself. This week, I chat with Guy Segal about the soft skills that make the biggest difference—giving feedback, earning trust, and aligning with your team when things get tough.

What if the biggest reason your designs aren’t making it to production has nothing to do with design?

“If you have to fall back on a RACI chart to fix a team dynamic... you’ve already lost.”

I can’t stop thinking about this line from my conversation with design leader, and the funniest person I follow on BlueSky, Guy Segal.

Because let’s be honest, most of the friction we experience at work isn’t due to overlapping roles or a missing Figma component.

It’s people...

But first, check out this week's sponsor:

Working with people is hard!

Not bad people. Just… misaligned people.

Misaligned people that are, usually, just trying to do their best with the constraints their given.

And we often screw up.

But when things feel off, we default to tools, process, and frameworks—anything but having an actual conversation.

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This week on the show, Guy and I unpack:

⇢ Why great teams don’t rely on process to solve people problems
⇢ How to give feedback that builds trust (not resentment)
⇢ What designers get wrong about empathy—for their teammates
⇢ Why your work doesn’t ship when relationships break down
⇢ And what to do when the “soft skills” are the hardest part of your job

f you’ve ever felt stuck, second-guessed, or sidelined at work, this one’s for you!

Working With People Is the R... Jun 26 · Beyond UX Design 59:03   ​

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1️⃣ Look for signs of misalignment early, before they explode: If a teammate stops engaging, deflects responsibility, or constantly blames other teams, you’ve likely got a communication breakdown brewing. Don’t wait for it to turn into a crisis—small changes in behavior often signal something deeper. Take the first step and ask what’s really going on.

2️⃣ Assume less, ask more: Most workplace friction comes from assigning meaning to other people’s behavior. If someone cuts you off in a meeting, it doesn’t mean they hate your work—it might mean they’re under pressure. Before jumping to conclusions, ask what they’re trying to achieve and where they’re coming from.

3️⃣ Build your feedback muscles, even if you’re not a manager: Giving useful, respectful feedback isn’t just for managers. Guy shares a simple 4-step model that helps you describe behaviors and their impact without making things personal. The more comfortable you get giving feedback, the more trust you’ll build, and the better your collaborations will be.

4️⃣ You don’t need a deep friendship, just shared goals: You don’t have to be best friends with your PM or your devs. But you do need shared vision and mutual respect. The most important thing is making sure you’re aligned. Without that, no amount of process or 1:1s will help.

5️⃣ Start small: schedule a one-on-one: You can’t shortcut your way into a high-trust team. But you can make small moves that build connection. Start by scheduling short one-on-ones with your collaborators. Ask how things are going, what’s working, and what’s getting in their way. The trust you build now will pay off later.

Listen to episode 128 now!

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