11 May 2020
Duarte Response
6yHi Alumni Designer, I *definitely* have an affinity for Duarte's high-performing Designers. They’re unicorns. Not like pop-culture unicorns that poop glitter or rainbow ice cream, but a truly rare creature that performs in a way most creative folks, simply, can’t. A Duarte designer can go toe-to-toe with Fortune 50 CEOs and help them visualize category-defining concepts. They can wrap a keynote hall with immersive experiences that transport an audience. They create presentation template systems that make tens of thousands of employees at public companies more productive. They create jaw-dropping strategic models that align stakeholders and bring traction across an organization. They can read a script and empatheically visualize it in a way an audience consumes information. They can visualize a brand consistently in the most powerful face-to-face medium. They can solve a client's communication problem in a way unparalleled in the world. Sadly, we made the decision to separate from a few designers who didn’t meet a set of clear performance criteria we need for the future--not everyone could meet the criteria. It was a painful and difficult decision we made which impacted some very very very very very very very very very beautiful people we have deep deep deep deep affection for. I cried. My comfort came from the clarity in the conversations and documentation. The Managers and HR team took great pains to communicate performance clearly. If high-performing standards are a "clique", I can only take that as a compliment. I bet you'll shine and make a really big difference in the world. That's how Duartians roll.