Leadership
What Motherhood Taught Me
About Design, Trust, and Teamwork
Hannah Marshall
Helping teams turn early ideas
into lasting design through clarity and care.
After 14 months on maternity leave, I returned to work with a full heart, a tired brain, and a completely renewed perspective—not just on life, but on how I work, collaborate, and lead.
This wasn’t a reinvention. It was a quiet shift. One that centered me around presence, trust, and care—and showed me how those values don’t just belong at home. They belong in the workplace, on design teams, in cross-functional rooms, and in culture itself.
This is a reflection on what I’ve learned and how I’m bringing it back into my work—not as someone chasing leadership, but as someone committed to showing up better with others.
Life Lessons
You can’t control everything
Listening deeply matters
Emotional tone affects everything
Routine creates freedom
Trust is Built Daily
Work Parallel
Stay flexible in process and people
Empathy isn’t a phase of work—it’s how we work
Teem feels what you bring into the room
Systems free up creativity
Presence is more powerful than perfection
"The thing about babies is… they don’t listen to your plans. You learn to stay soft, observant, and grounded. And oddly enough, that makes you stronger—not weaker."
Returning as a Team Player, Not a “Leader”
When I returned to work, I didn’t feel like I needed to prove anything. What I did feel was a desire to reconnect—with the people, the purpose, and the way we work together. I've never been one to lead from the front. I lead from the middle. I ask good questions. I try to create calm. I coach gently, support openly, and stay grounded in empathy.
I believe leadership is shared. It’s not about role. It’s about how you show up.
So, I came back not to claim space—but to contribute. Not to drive—but to support. Not to direct—but to co-create.
Culture Is a Collective Act
One thing I believe now more than ever: every single person on a team shapes its emotional culture. You don’t need a title to lead. You just need to care. Designers, in particular, have a unique role in that. We influence how people feel—not just users, but teammates, stakeholders, partners.
We create environments—visually, emotionally, structurally—whether we mean to or not.
So I try to lead in quiet ways:
I make space for others' voices
I follow curiosity, not ego
I care about how meetings feel
I listen with presence
I show up, consistently
That’s the culture I want to co-create—on any team, in any role.
How I plan to show up
I’m not back with all the answers.
I’m back with better questions.
I’m working slower, but deeper.
I’m clearer about what I value: trust, clarity, presence, and collaboration.
& I’m more committed than ever to
people-first, ego-free design.
Thanks for reading. If you’re navigating a return to work, or just reflecting on how you want to show up more intentionally—I see you.
Whether through parenthood, caregiving, burnout, or just life—these pivots shape how we design, how we lead, and how we relate to others.
I believe the most impactful work comes not from expertise, but from empathy & experience.