UX Monthly - Leading Design Teams: A Guide to Strengths-Based Management

In this talk, Dian will explore how understanding our natural talents and developing them into true strengths can transform the way we lead and collaborate. We'll also learn how to recognise the shadow side of each strength, manage blind spots before they derail team dynamics, and unlock the potential behind behaviours that seem disruptive at first. Through examples from his own design leadership experience, Dian shows how strong leadership is not just self-awareness — it’s relational awareness. We'll discover how to harness complementary talents and create a team culture where differences increase creativity rather than conflict. The result? A more aligned, resilient, and high-performing design team where every individual’s strengths contribute to collective success!

SPEAKER
Dian Wessels is an experienced design leader, with a special focus on narrative, visual, and product design. He is the Director of Design at myTomorrows, a healthtech platform that connects people with unmet medical needs to emerging therapies worldwide. With over 15 years of experience leading design teams across various industries, he brings a deep understanding of how to build trust-driven, cross-functional teams that design with empathy, clarity, and impact. Rooted in both design thinking and creative exploration, Dian champions collaboration as the ultimate design superpower.

HOST
Backbase is the world’s first AI-powered banking platform that unifies all servicing and sales journeys into an integrated suite. Trusted by 150+ leading financial institutions and 2,000+ employees across 16 offices in the world, Backbase makes it simple for banks to orchestrate seamless customer and employee journeys, all on one unified platform.”

PROGRAM
18:00 Doors open with drinks & bites
18:30 Talk + Q&A
19:30 Drinks & Pizza🍕 & Networking
📸 Please keep in mind there will be pictures taken at the event. They will be uploaded to the meetup page and might be used on social media.