When Ideas Fall Flat: A Designer’s Guide
Why blank stares, lack of engagement and dull conversations are important for the design journey
When presenting our ideas as designers, it’s natural to crave engagement—to see heads nodding, to hear questions, and to feel the energy of others. The reality, as many of us have experienced, can be quite different.
You’ve poured effort and thought into a pitch, presenting an idea or making a case for a design update—only to be met with blank stares, people scrolling through their screens (pro tip: glasses reflect screens all too well), or nodding out of courtesy. I bet it’s not what you’re looking for. It’s definitely not what I’m looking for. But it’s needed. Let’s dive in.
Overcoming Self-Doubt, Developing Resilience
When your work doesn’t seem to resonate, it’s easy to spiral into self-doubt. I know this feeling all too well—in those moments, I’ve questioned my skills, my value as a designer, and even whether I deserve to be in the position I’m in.
But through repetition, as with everything in life, I began to see things differently. After hundreds of pitches, I’ve embraced the fact that creating engaging environments is not entirely within my control.
Separation of Tasks: A Path to Letting Go
In Individual psychology, the experience of presenting ideas and not receiving engagement can be understood through the concept of ‘separation of tasks.’ This concept refers to focusing on your own responsibilities and actions while recognising that others’ reactions are outside of your control.
For instance, designers often struggle with wanting to control how stakeholders or peers respond to their ideas. Recognising that we can’t dictate these responses helps us focus on doing our best rather than seeking validation. Our task is to present ideas clearly and thoughtfully, while their response is their responsibility.
As stated in The Courage to Be Disliked:
“All you can do with regard to your own life is choose the best path that you believe in. On the other hand, what kind of judgment do other people pass on that choice? That is the task of other people, and is not something you have any control over.”
The more we reinforce the importance of focusing on our own actions and letting go of others’ judgements, the less performance anxiety we’re going to experience.
Thoughts on this concept? Feel free to share your take in the comments below!
Redefining Ownership in Design Critiques
Let’s say you’ve done everything to prepare for a design critique—your case is structured, clear, and compelling. Yet the response is lukewarm at best. Whether due to group dynamics or competing priorities, the result is clear: your peers did not engage.
This is where taking ownership comes in, but in a different way than we might expect. Ownership here means focusing on what you can influence, not taking responsibility for others’ reactions. In preparing for a design critique, your focus is on delivering a well-structured presentation, inviting questions, and prompting feedback.
Ownership is about holding a space for engagement—an ongoing invitation rather than a one-time delivery. For example, this could mean checking in with your peers after your presentation, asking open-ended questions to encourage discussion, or setting up follow-up meetings to maintain engagement.
This shift in mindset redefines what success looks like. If your peers remain unresponsive despite your best efforts, it’s crucial to acknowledge the boundary of shared responsibility. Repeatedly confronting the discomfort of being ignored builds resilience and teaches us that some aspects of engagement fall outside our locus of control—and that realisation can be surprisingly freeing.
Reframing your approach this way can transform your experience. It helped reduce my anxiety over seeking validation and created a calmer, more centred approach to receiving feedback.
The Takeaway: Ownership as an Invitation, Not an Outcome
You’ll find, with time, that this shift doesn’t just ease performance anxiety—it deepens your ability to connect with most audiences. Your role is to create space for dialogue, but it’s also up to the group to engage. If they don’t, it’s a shared task, not a personal failure.
The next time you’re presenting and sense that blank stares are creeping in, remember: ownership is about the invitation, not the outcome.
Handling this aspect of the design journey with acceptance will empower you to refine your work, grow as a designer, and approach each pitch with a sense of confidence and clarity.
Catch ya next week!