Newsletter issue: #167
Read time: 1m 50s

Confession: Our design skills are not special anymore.

Turns out, in 2025, knowing Figma is like knowing how to open Microsoft Word.

The real question is: when you're in a room of decision-makers, can you lead the conversation?

Because here's what I've noticed after mentoring hundreds of designers...

The ones who level up fastest don't just design pixels.

They design influence.

I was talking to Steve, a designer friend yesterday:

Me: "So how's the new job going?"
Steve: "Great! Everyone loves my ideas."
Me: "Cool. Did they implement any of them?"
Steve: awkward silence

Sound familiar?

Let me tell you a story about two designers I worked with:

Designer A: Created gorgeous UI. Pixel-perfect. Beautiful animations. Rarely spoke up. Super nervous about any presentations. Got passed over for promotion. Twice.

Designer B: Average design skills but shared their work often. Understood how to connect pixels to profit. Could tell a story that made executives lean forward. Got promoted in 6 months.

The difference? Designer B mastered the “invisible edge”, which can be broken into 9 skills:

1. ​Storytelling (facts tell, stories sell)
2. Negotiation (without being a jerk)
3. ​Managing up (making your boss look good)
4. ​Product mindset (thinking beyond the pixels)
5. Strategic thinking (connecting design to $$$)
6. Conflict resolution (staying cool when shit hits the fan)
7. Commanding the room (speaking with conviction)
8. Stakeholder management (no surprises)
9. Cross-functional collaboration (playing well with others)

I call these the "invisible edge" because they're rarely taught in design school or most jobs.

A wise man once said: "Everyone wants the spotlight, but few people build the stage."

These skills are your stage.

Most designers are stuck asking "how do I make this shadow better?"

Instead, we should be asking "how do I make this business better?"

Look, I'm not saying your design skills aren't important.

That would be like saying LeBron James doesn't need to know how to dribble.

Of course he does.

But dribbling doesn’t win championships. And design skills alone won't build the career we’ve dreamt of.

So here's your homework:

1. Pick ONE of these invisible skills that you suck at.
2. Work on it every day for the next 30 days.
3. Create specific situations where you can practice it.

I promise, in 30 days, you won't just be a slightly better designer.

You'll be playing an entirely different game.

I’ve broken down all 9 “invisible edge” skills into actionable frameworks. Check out the full article. It's like NZT-48 for your design career (but real and legal).

Invisible Edge Framework