Six Signals: What It’s Like to Work With Me (According to People Who Have)

Full transparency: I had AI analyze every single recommendation I’ve received on LinkedIn (the heartfelt notes from bosses, peers, clients, and teammates) and tell me what patterns it saw.

The verdict? Apparently, I’m equal parts strategist, mentor, hype man, and mad scientist. Which, to be fair, checks out.

Jokes aside, it was fascinating to see the consistency across roles, companies, and years. The same themes kept showing up again and again, and they map directly to the kind of impact I want to bring to my next role.

So instead of me telling you what I think I do well, here are the six signals that others say define what it’s like to work with me.

Signal 1: The Visionary Builder

AI’s take: “Dreams big… but then actually builds the dream.”

What people consistently notice about my leadership is that I can see a future that doesn’t yet exist, and then help others believe in it and build it together. Too often, vision gets stuck in slide decks, or execution grinds forward without clarity. Neither creates momentum. The work that moves organizations forward requires both: a bold story about where we are going and the discipline to make that story real one step at a time.

When I join a team, I focus first on clarifying where we’re headed and why it matters. Then I put structures, systems, and priorities in place so that progress is visible and trust grows. That combination (inspiration plus execution) is the through-line of my leadership.

“Matthew demonstrated an extraordinary ability to not only create a compelling long-term vision for the team but also to take on the challenge of building that vision from the ground up.”

– CMO

Signal 2: The Growth-Minded Mentor

AI’s take: “Superpower detected: amplifying the superpowers of others.”

If you ask me what I’m proudest of in my career, it isn’t the products shipped or the frameworks created. It’s the people who discovered new confidence, stepped into new roles, or found joy in their work because of the environment I helped shape.

Leadership isn’t about being the smartest person in the room. It’s about making the room smarter. I’ve always made space for curiosity, encouraged experimentation, and insisted that growth is part of the job, not an optional extra. Sometimes that means being a coach. Sometimes it means being a cheerleader. Sometimes it means asking tough questions or giving honest feedback. The common thread is a belief that teams thrive when individuals believe in themselves and feel supported to stretch.

“He took our team from an untested glimmer of a wild and crazy idea to a solid and respected group.”

– Lead Experience Strategist

Signal 3: The Human-Centered Strategist

AI’s take: “Not sticky notes for show. Outcomes, please.”

Human-centered design has been at the core of my work for years, but I’ve never treated it as theater or a buzzword. Post-its and workshops don’t matter if they don’t change outcomes. What matters is embedding human-centered design into the bloodstream of the business so that every decision (from strategy to shipping is grounded in what people actually need.

The organizations I’ve worked with have learned that HCD is not “extra.” It’s how you reduce risk, clarify priorities, and unlock growth. By centering people and tying that back to business goals, design shifts from being surface polish to being the operating system for how a company makes decisions. That shift doesn’t just improve the customer experience. It creates confidence, alignment, and measurable impact across the org.

“[Matthew] always carried a deep knowledge and expertise of HCD practices and more importantly how to apply them to changing our internal culture.”

– Senior Product Manager

Signal 4: The Collaborative Partner

AI’s take: “Bridge-builder mode: always on.”

Design doesn’t live in a silo. My best work has always come when product, engineering, marketing, and operations move forward together. The role I play is often that of translator and bridge-builder: making sure each function sees how their goals connect, how their expertise matters, and how the pieces add up to something greater than the sum of its parts.

Collaboration at this level requires humility and persistence. It’s about removing friction, aligning on outcomes, and fostering trust so that everyone feels ownership of the result. The teams I’ve led succeed not because design wins a turf war, but because design helps everyone else succeed. That’s the role I believe design leaders must play: helping organizations move as one.

“Matthew truly understands a client’s business, strategy and brand and his collaborative approach makes the work that much stronger.”

– Creative Director

Signal 5: The Energizer

AI’s take: “Warning: contagious energy levels detected.”

Every team hits moments of doubt, fatigue, or pressure. In those moments, leaders set the tone. I’ve always chosen to lead with energy, optimism, and persistence. Not fake positivity, but a grounded belief that challenges can be met, that progress is possible, and that we can get there together.

That often means showing up with humor when things feel heavy, reframing a setback as an opportunity, or simply bringing consistency and presence when things are hard. Energy is contagious. When a leader demonstrates resilience and hope, the team reflects it back. What people remember most is not just that we got through the challenge, but that we did it without losing our humanity along the way.

“Matthew is inspirational and passionate about UX and everything surrounding his discipline. His high energy is contagious and he is a joy to work with.”

– Creative Director

Signal 6: The Trusted Steady Hand

AI’s take: “Steady hands, clear head, no ego detected.”

Trust is the foundation of leadership. Without it, vision falls flat, collaboration fails, and results don’t stick. Earning trust comes from a hundred small choices: being consistent, owning mistakes, giving credit freely, and staying calm when the pressure rises.

When people describe working with me, they often point to a sense of steadiness. Teams know I’ll have their back. Executives know I’ll make thoughtful, responsible calls. Cross-functional partners know I’ll collaborate in good faith. None of this comes from being perfect. It comes from being present, accountable, and human. That’s the signal I am most proud to have earned.

“Supremely skilled, masterfully educated and the most even-keeled UX professional. His range and tactful persistence makes him an ideal business partner.”

– Principal Product Designer

Closing

These are the six signals that show up again and again when people describe working with me:

• A Visionary Builder who turns bold ideas into reality

• A Growth-Minded Mentor who helps teams thrive

• A Human-Centered Strategist who drives outcomes, not buzzwords

• A Collaborative Partner who builds bridges across silos

• An Energizer who leads with persistence, optimism, and humor

• A Trusted Steady Hand who earns confidence through consistency and integrity

In the intro, I admitted I asked AI to read all my recommendations and find the patterns. But here’s the truth: AI can spot the signals, it can’t embody them. Only people who've actually worked with me can do that. I love rolling up my sleeves, leading alongside a team, and proving every day that these aren’t just words on a page, they’re how I show up.

If these are the signals you want alive in your organization, let’s talk.