Fergo (James Ferguson) - Leading a team you didn't hire
Leading Design London 2025
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22m
When stepping into a new leadership role, you rarely get to build your team from scratch. More often, you inherit one—complete with its own history, dynamics, and ways of working. So how do you set the tone, gain trust, and steer the team towards high performance without missing a beat?
In this talk, Fergo explores practical strategies to help you confidently lead a team you didn’t hire. From accelerating relationship-building and establishing the culture you want, to reshaping team norms and driving meaningful impact, giving you the tools to lead with clarity and intent—right from day one.
This talk was recorded at Leading Design London 2025.
Leading Design is a supportive community nurturing design leadership through inspiring and engaging events, conferences and retreats. Find out more about Leading Design on our website - https://leadingdesign.com/
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