Maxine started at the Innovation Hub in Fall 2022 as a Design Researcher and in April 2025, they stepped into the role of the Design Research Team Lead. In this blog, Maxine reflects on how their experience at the iHub has given them the courage to embark on a new chapter as a leader and discusses what they are learning from their very first leadership role.
Written by Maxine Ramos, Design Research Team Lead, Master of Information, UX Design
I recently heard someone say “not everyone is born a leader, but everyone can become one.” If you had told me this a few years ago, it wouldn’t have resonated with me. But after a few months in my leadership role, I believe this to be true for everyone. As someone who started off as a design researcher and is now a design research team lead, I’ve learned that being a leader does not come naturally to me but is something I can become through learning, practicing, and gaining experience.
Taking That Big Step
I started at the Innovation Hub as a design researcher where I honed my skills in both empathy-based design thinking and qualitative research. This experience helped me solidify my knowledge of the design process and gave me the confidence to apply for a design research team lead role at the Innovation Hub. During the hiring process, however, I couldn’t help but feel nervous, because this was the first time I had applied for a leadership role. I remember the voice in my head telling me that I wasn’t the “leader type” and it made me doubt whether I would succeed in this role. But then I remembered all the work that I had done leading up to this moment, and I felt like I was ready to become a leader. I realized nothing changes if I don’t move, so I decided to take that big step.
From the Ground Up
As I progress through my professional and personal paths, I realize that I want to do more, to learn more, to expand and grow my skills. I’ve come to the realization that I’ll never grow if I don’t push myself to experience new things. That is why I applied for a leadership role—to level up my skills to ultimately prepare me for future opportunities. Leaving the role of a design researcher, I felt more confident in myself, as I had the opportunity to apply my skills on a couple of projects at the iHub and build a foundation of design research knowledge. As a design research team lead, I get to build on this foundation of knowledge and push myself. Now I get to focus more on what it means to be a leader, by supporting my team, and moving projects forward with confidence.
Head Up High
I’ve been learning what it means to be a good leader and will continue to do so as I spend more time in this role. Becoming a leader was a big step for me. I would consider myself to be an introvert who tends to overthink and care a lot. I’m not used to giving team members instructions or providing feedback on their work. But in becoming a leader, I’m learning how to be assertive, how to give feedback and instructions, how to boost team morale, and much more. The list goes on, and I’m glad that I have the space to navigate and learn what my leadership style is through a lot of trial and error. The leadership skills that I have developed here at the iHub will prepare me for the future and help me achieve my long-term goals.
I’m proud of myself for taking this big step outside of my comfort zone. I know that this was a good steppingstone because I see myself learning and growing every day. I’m grateful for my experiences at the Innovation Hub as it allows me to explore what works best for me. Learning and building from the ground up has been uncomfortable, but it has prepared me to grow into the leader I have aspired to be.
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