Women in Design . . . Donna Maxwell
In the lead up to Women in Design Day 2025: Moments of Change—an annual event dedicated to fostering community, celebration, and education among women in the design industry in Aotearoa New Zealand—we’ll be releasing interviews with each of our workshop facilitators to give you a sense of their career journeys and the types of workshops we’ll be diving into at the live event.
The Studio Relay: Passing the Leadership Baton in Design is written by Donna Maxwell, an independent consultant with a mixed background in marketing, design, and management.
At Women in Design Day, Donna will be facilitating the How to Craft Your Studio’s Future Through Insight and Leadership workshop (full details below the article, book your tickets here).
The Studio Relay: Passing the Leadership Baton in Design
Last year I competed at the National Road Relay Championships, an experience that reinforced a truth that applies just as much to leadership as it does to running: success isn’t about individual performance, but about how well a team works together.
In a relay, the baton pass is critical – if the transition is smooth, momentum builds; if it’s fumbled, the whole team suffers. Beyond the baton pass, the energy and support of the team are just as key to success. The same principles that help in a running relay apply to leadership in design: knowing when to pass the baton and ensuring your team has the capability and the culture to carry it forward.
The Leadership Trap – Holding on Too Long
Leading a design studio today comes with a lot of pressure, and for women in leadership, there are often additional challenges. The industry is evolving rapidly – expectations from clients are shifting, AI and automation are reshaping workflows, and economic and political uncertainty make long-term planning a nightmare. Many women leaders also grapple with a balancing act between confidence and approachability, that comes from a feeling of pressure to be both decisive and nurturing. Studio leaders must juggle creative vision, business sustainability, and people leadership all at once. Many of us find ourselves stretched thin, trying to do it all while keeping up with industry changes.
Sometimes, leadership transitions happen by necessity rather than choice. I once worked with a studio owner who sustained a major concussion and couldn’t return to work for nearly a year. For the first few months, they were completely unreachable. Yet, the studio didn’t just survive – it thrived. The team stepped up, took ownership, and kept the studio moving forward. This wasn’t luck; it was the result of leadership that had, over time, built a culture of trust, autonomy, and shared responsibility. It’s a powerful example of what’s possible when leadership isn’t about one person but about creating a resilient team.
It’s common for design leaders to struggle with stepping back. Some hesitate out of fear – will they do it as well as (or better than) me? Others don’t recognise the need for transition until they’re already exhausted and then the hill to climb to set up a successful leadership transition feels too steep. But holding on too long stifles both the individual and the business.
The Art of a Great Baton Pass
A successful leadership transition requires three key elements:
- Trust – In a relay team, each runner must trust that their teammate is ready. In a design studio, this means investing in the development of your team so they can step up with confidence.
- Timing – A great baton pass happens when both runners are at speed. In leadership, this means gradually preparing successors rather than making abrupt changes (where it can be helped – noting that sometimes life happens).
- Communication – In a race, the receiving runner doesn’t have to look back; they rely on clear cues. In business, clarity around expectations, responsibilities, and decision-making ensures a smoother transition.
When I wrote Passing the Leadership Baton last year, I reflected on the intricacies of a relay race:
“The best transitions aren’t just about speed; they’re about coordination, trust, and knowing exactly when to release control.“
Beyond the baton pass, the energy and support of the team are just as essential. At the start of the race we were a bunch of nerves, worried about dropping the baton, or running too slow and letting the team down. But what carried us through was the culture we created as a team. The support, the shared energy and the sense that we were all in it together was key. In leadership, the same dynamic plays out. It’s not just about transitions but about fostering a culture where leaders lift and support each other.
Leadership as a Team Sport
At the risk of mixing my metaphors, H.E. Luccock is quoted as saying, “No one can whistle a symphony. It takes a whole orchestra to play it.” Leadership is the same – you can’t create something great alone. When someone is feeling the pressure, the encouragement of the team keeps them moving. When doubts creep in, the belief of others makes a difference. The strongest teams don’t just function well logistically, they actively uplift each other.
One of the hardest things about leading a design studio today is the emotional load. The responsibility of maintaining client relationships, ensuring profitability, and supporting a team of creatives can be overwhelming. Many leaders struggle with decision fatigue and a sense of isolation, feeling like they must have all the answers. But the most successful leaders build networks of support to sustain them through the highs and lows.
Don’t Drop the Baton
In leadership, as in running, it’s not about holding on for as long as possible; it’s about knowing when and how to pass the baton. The best studios aren’t dependent on a single leader, they have strong succession plans, well-prepared teams, and a shared vision that outlasts any one individual.
If this has struck a chord with you (ahem), a couple of things to mull over
- If you’re feeling stretched, start by identifying one small responsibility to hand off this month, and another next month and so on…
- Ask yourself if you are doing enough to create a culture of support that energises and readies your team for inevitable challenge and change
- If you don’t have a strong leadership team around you yet, think about who could step up – and how you can support them to grow.
As for me, I am already looking forward to this year’s relay, Fielding in Spring, it’s gonna be a beautiful thing!
Register to attend Women in Design Day 2025
Donna Maxwell | Independent Consultant
Donna has a mixed background in marketing, design, and management.
Starting in brand management and in-house marketing roles, she moved (fairly swiftly) through advertising before finding a home at DNA Design. The agency made its name in brand and graphic design but 30+years later is well established as a digital-based consultancy focused on creating human-centered experiences with sustainable outcomes.
Across 10+ years with DNA Donna held customer facing roles initially, then developed into operational, commercial and people management positions. She was GM for three years and a shareholder / director.
Donna left DNA with the desire to broaden her commercial experience. Initially, she joined an SaaS company looking to disrupt the private aviation sector.
Then in 2020, she set up her own consultancy business, Running Mate, where she works with clients in a variety of ways, including leadership coaching, project-based work (strategy, organization design and transformation projects) and across various governance and advisory roles. Her clients are diverse, coming from the health sector to product-based start-ups, and a group of professional services organisations across engineering, digital and design.
Donna’s kaupapa – I love to partner with others, to build things that are sustainable and valuable and to work in a way that delivers tangible results and builds confidence in the teams and people I am working with.
Women in Design Day 2025— taking place on 21 March in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland.
This is your opportunity to unplug and reconnect with your practice. An annual event dedicated to fostering community, celebration, and education among women in the design industry in Aotearoa New Zealand. Through out the day you’ll be able to enjoy hands-on activities, time in nature, and hear the inspiring stories from our speakers – enjoying shared experiences and validating experiences as women navigating a career in design.
The afternoon sessions offer a variety of workshops and activities for you to choose from. Donna will be facilitating the How to Craft Your Studio’s Future Through Insight and Leadership workshop–diving into planning for the future you want for your agency, and yourself, through harnessing insights that shape your strategic direction and organisation structure.
*Design Assembly Friends use your discount codes to access our discounted ticket options.
