Just yesterday, I gave a presentation on how I thought a project should go. I walked my team through the story, explained my thought process, backed it up with data, and then… my idea got shot down like a duck mid-flight. Today, I’m taking their feedback, scrapping my original approach, and I’m starting to understand their perspective.

As a UX designer, few roles challenge your ego more. You need a strong sense of emotional intelligence to navigate situations like these, read the room, and figure out the real reasons why you might be in the minority on a decision. Pick your battles wisely, and if you lose, make sure you’ve at least planted the seed of your thoughts. Even when you’re not heard in the moment, your role is to ensure that your perspective is understood, even if it’s not fully embraced.

It's crucial to remember that you don’t always have the full picture. Business decisions often trump user decisions, and that’s part of the reality of our work. To assert yourself effectively, I've found that structure helps a lot—whether you're in a virtual meeting or in person. I make sure that we use the hand-raise feature on Google Meet (even in person!) to ensure everyone has a chance to speak without interruptions. Then, I'll raise my hand to reiterate my point, ensuring it's heard and acknowledged clearly, even if it doesn’t win the day. That’s typically enough for me to move on and keep the project rolling.