How Promotions Really Work Behind Closed Doors — Career Growth for Designers with Leslie Yang

Ever wondered what really happens when managers decide who gets promoted?

In this episode of Ran Talks Design, I sit down with Leslie Yang, design leader at Lyft (formerly OpenTable, Pivotal Labs), to pull back the curtain on how promotion decisions are made — from calibration meetings to performance reviews and the real factors that influence career growth in design.

This is the conversation we all wish we had earlier in our careers.

🎯 What we cover:
• How to know if you’re actually ready for promotion
• Why doing great work alone isn’t enough
• What happens inside closed-door calibration meetings
• Building a strong promotion case (with examples)
• What to do when your manager isn’t supporting your growth

Whether you’re a mid-level designer, aiming for senior or staff, or managing ICs yourself — this episode will help you navigate the unspoken rules and build a path toward real growth.

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👤 Guest: Leslie Yang

Leslie Yang leads product design for core platform teams at Lyft. She loves tackling complex team, product, and user challenges that propel business growth. Prior to Lyft, she led product design for enterprise at OpenTable and taught product discovery and designed 0-1 products from startups to big enterprise clients at Pivotal Labs.

https://leslieyang.substack.com/
  / leslie-yang-design  

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🔗 Connect with Ran
Linkedin:   / ranliudesign  

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00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction
00:21 Leslie Yang's Career Journey
01:42 Career Growth Framework
04:00 Defining Career Growth
04:55 Promotion Criteria and Process
06:42 Advice for Aspiring Designers
09:12 Handling Career Pathway Challenges
16:32 Building a Strong Case for Promotion
22:05 Aligning Passion with Career Growth
23:47 Monthly Check-ins for Growth
24:50 Impact of Activities on Promotions
26:05 Building a Strong Case for Promotion
28:38 Collecting Feedback for Promotion
32:33 Understanding the Promotion Decision Process
39:09 Managing Up with an Inexperienced Manager
40:55 Regular One-on-One Meetings
44:01 Reflecting on Career Mistakes
45:23 Staying Connected and Continuous Learning