How I think about leadership. And what my teams say about it.
I build teams that deliver results. When you invest in people with intention, they surprise you with what they can do.
My philosophy
People do their best work when they feel safe, supported, and clear on the direction. My job is to create those conditions. Not to hover. Not to micromanage. But to set a high bar and then give people what they need to reach it.
How I lead
I build teams that work across contexts
At ContactOut, I led a 9-person remote team across 6 countries while doubling ARR. At DBS, I transformed meeting culture across 30,000 employees. When people feel genuinely invested in, they go further than you expect.
I build systems that keep people engaged and deliver results
90%+ satisfaction scores while hitting aggressive growth targets. Whether at a traditional bank or a startup in hypergrowth.
I develop leaders, not followers
I've mentored 20+ professionals who achieved significant career growth. But individual coaching doesn't scale — so I've trained over 300 participants in leadership frameworks and built systems where strong people develop other strong people.
I work well in complexity and crisis
When DBS resisted Meeting MOJO initially, I pivoted from mandates to peer influence and data storytelling. When ContactOut faced rapid scaling challenges, I aligned individual growth projects with business priorities.
How I manage
Weekly 1:1s focused on growth, not status updates. Status goes in Slack.
I give feedback early and directly. Not in annual reviews. In the moment, when it can actually change something.
I protect my team from noise. If leadership is unclear, I absorb that and translate it into something my team can act on.
I default to trust. I hire adults and treat them like adults. Autonomy first, guardrails only when needed.
Frameworks
5 lessons from setting OKRs and managing my team
From an internal talk I gave at our 2022 company offsite in Bali. These are the frameworks I actually use.
Give space first, step in second
I assess Task Relevant Maturity (from Andy Grove's High Output Management). Low TRM gets structured direction. Medium TRM gets coaching. High TRM gets autonomy with monitoring. Every person has different TRM for different tasks. I adjust.
Focus on one initiative at a time
Follow One Course Until Success. I break initiatives into individual tasks with clear owners, sequenced week by week. If you give someone a big ambiguous goal, they freeze. Break it down step by step and they move.
Set deadlines to plan better
Parkinson's Law: work expands to fill the time available. I set clear due dates and use Gantt charts to map dependencies. It forces the team to think in terms of MVP, not perfection.
Set buffers for stretch goals
P2 and P3 initiatives start later in the quarter as buffer. When unexpected work shows up, and it always does, these absorb the impact without derailing the important stuff.
Check in regularly through 1:1s
Every Friday, back to back 30-minute 1:1s with every team member. Not status updates. Growth conversations. Competence builds confidence, confidence builds courage, courage builds competence. That loop is the whole job.
What you can expect from me
I will tell you the truth. Even when it is uncomfortable.
I will fight for your growth, your visibility, and your seat at the table.
I will ask you hard questions. Not to test you, but because I think you can handle them.
I will not pretend everything is fine when it is not. But I will work through it with you.
Why this works everywhere
I have led teams at a 30,000-person bank, a 50-person startup, an insurance company, and a university. The contexts are different. The principles are the same. Give people clarity, safety, and ownership. Then get out of the way.
Three non-negotiables
Transparency
You deserve to understand business context and your role in it.
Development
Every interaction should help you grow professionally.
Results
Good intentions without outcomes help nobody.
From the team
What the people I've led say about working with me.
"He taught me how to think, not just how to design."
Joseph is the perfect example of one of my favourite quotes: 'Don't explain your philosophy. Embody it.' He is exceptional as a designer and exceptional as a design leader. His depth of knowledge across product, design, and business makes him an indispensable force. What I appreciated most was how he balanced availability with trust. He was always there when I needed guidance, but never micromanaged. Instead, he created the right environment for me to succeed, equipping me with the right tools, nudging me toward the right questions, and somehow always sharing just the resource I didn't know I needed. Our 1:1s were my midweek reset, where I learned to pause, reflect more deeply, and question my assumptions. He taught me more than just how to design. He taught me how to think. It was a privilege to be mentored by Joseph, and I consider myself lucky to have had the opportunity to witness the true attributes of a leader.
"The best coach, mentor, and leader I've ever had."
Joseph is the best coach, mentor, and leader I've ever had. He is empathetic, he actually listens when you talk and brings out your thoughts in a way that makes it super clear and obvious to you. And of course, he's direct and honest when you need him to be. Joseph has deep, practical experience and knowledge on all things product and design. He sets a very high standard for work ethic that I aim to reach every day. I've been lucky enough to have multiple coaching sessions with Joseph and he's helped me tremendously to improve my skills and elevate my career growth. Above all, Joseph is a lovely person who actually cares for people and genuinely wants you to grow and succeed.
"A walking UX/Product Knowledge Base."
He's a walking UX/Product Knowledge Base, always armed with tips and best practices and generous to share with the team, from design to product strategy and even people management. Joseph is really great at breaking down complex concepts and connecting them to the broader picture, which helped me navigate through challenges at work. His guidance was not only helpful in getting me unstuck but also deepened my understanding of the initiatives and why we were working on them. You definitely want someone like Joseph on your team.
"The team's source of encouragement and strength."
Joseph is a natural and excellent mentor and leader. Despite not being our manager, he always provided guidance, advice, and a listening ear to the team. The team's source of encouragement and strength, always lifting us up and inspiring us. Joseph has very strong communication skills and great with stakeholder management and pitching ideas.
Let's build something together.
Whether you're scaling a startup, transforming an enterprise, or building a design team, I'd love to hear about it.