Doctor's Note

A mix of essays and commentary about design, innovation, technology, society, coaching, personal and leadership development. Since 1996.

The Importance of Project Closure

The Importance of Project Closure

Most of the time leadership’s ambitions are greater than their willingness to resource them. If your teams are just jumping directly from one project to …
Leadership Renewal Retreat 2026

Leadership Renewal Retreat 2026

If you’re struggling with January blues and already feeling busy, Marzia Aricò and I have the antidote for you: A Leadership Renewal retreat in Bergamo, …
For Work Conflicts, Try Couples Therapy

For Work Conflicts, Try Couples Therapy

Stressed interpersonal dynamics at work are really common. It forms a large chunk of my design leadership coaching conversations. How might we tackle these …
Direction vs Micromanagemnt

Direction vs Micromanagemnt

What is the right balance between direction and micromanagement? Transcript Intro [00:00:00] Andy Polaine: What is the right balance between direction and …
Service Design 2nd Edition

Service Design 2nd Edition

The big news that I am late blogging about is that Ben Reason, Lavrans Løvlie and I have completed the second edition of our book Service Design: From Insight …
Emotions At Work

Emotions At Work

Would you prefer to quit rather than have a difficult conflict conversation with someone at work? In this coaching reflection video, I want to talk again about …
Politics Is Not A Dirty Word In Leaderhsip

Politics Is Not A Dirty Word In Leaderhsip

Have you ever said, I just want to do the design work and have its value recognized without all the politics? Maybe you’re looking at it from the wrong …
Resolve Opinion Clashes With Questions

Resolve Opinion Clashes With Questions

How do move forward when you get into clashes and power struggles? We often get into situations when we feel unheard or want to assert our opinion, especially …
Stop Asking For Permission To Do Your Job

Stop Asking For Permission To Do Your Job

Sometimes doing your job means actually doing your job. Yet one of the habits we find hard to shake in a leadership role is seeking permission for doing what we …
Your Time is a Non Renewable Resource

Your Time is a Non Renewable Resource

This week’s Coaching Reflections video is all about valuing your time. Your time is the fossil fuels of your life. You don’t know how much is left …