Rethinking old assumptions about career advancement can help retain top talent and keep design firms nimble.

It’s an age-old paradox for creative professionals: You master your trade, but to advance your career at a conventional company, you have to start managing people. Whether as a principal of your own company or a senior-level designer at a large firm, overseeing others can quickly take you farther and farther away from the work you really love. Cue employee burnout. As it turns out, Silicon Valley has a fix for that.

Christine Lin

Anastasiia Sapon