Living in the Design Cycle
The design cycle I carry with me — the same one that shapes how I lead at the airport, at home, and through Leaders of Today.
I’ve never been obsessed with the design cycle. Honestly, when I first heard about it, it just seemed like one of those classroom diagrams — arrows and boxes explaining how to design a project. But then I met someone who didn’t just teach the design cycle; he lived it.
How It Started
A few years ago, I met my friend Jeff through an organization called the PAST Foundation. He was a friend of my mom’s who eventually became my friend and coworker as Leaders of Today began partnering with PAST. Jeff had been teaching the design cycle for years, but what stood out wasn’t the paper he gave me (though I still carry it in my bag to this day). It was how he lived it.
He noticed things most people miss. He asked thoughtful questions. He didn’t rush to fix — he reflected first. And because of that, he lived with this quiet intentionality that made every moment seem purposeful.
Jeff has been nudging me to start this blog for years — probably three, maybe more. This summer he moved states, and when we said goodbye, one of the last things he told me was that we needed to hold each other accountable. We’d both publish more blogs about our learnings. So here we are. Jeff, I took the first step.
More Than a Process
At first, I saw the design cycle as a professional tool. But over time, I realized it’s much more than that. It’s not a process — it’s a way to live.
The cycle has four boxes, but they form a circle:
Planning — Identify an issue and brainstorm the problem.
Implementation — Design and build a solution.
Analysis — Evaluate the solution and modify it.
Dissemination — Share what you’ve learned and revisit the issue.
Then, it starts again.
I’ve started to see that same rhythm in almost everything I do.
At Work
At the airport, I use the design cycle every day — sometimes without even realizing it. In operations, you’re constantly making decisions that impact how the airport runs. There’s always something to refine, from how we conduct our Part 139 inspections to how we coordinate with the team.
During inspections, for example, I’m always asking: How can I make this more efficient? How can I avoid doubling back while still covering every area completely? It’s a loop of testing, learning, and improving — just like the design cycle.
And it’s not about never making mistakes. It’s about learning faster each time.
In Leaders of Today
With Leaders of Today, the design cycle isn’t just something we use during events — it’s a mindset we live by. After every single day of a program, whether it’s a one-day conference or a multi-day experience, our team sits down and debriefs. We ask three simple questions:
What went well?
What could we do better next time?
How can we apply those lessons right now, not just next year?
Sometimes the answers are small — like realizing we need better pens or a smoother check-in process. But other times, those conversations completely reshape what we do.
For years, the Leaders of Today Conference was a high-energy, one-day event — packed with speakers, panels, and activities designed to give students a crash course in leadership. It was fast-paced, inspiring, and fun, but it didn’t leave much room for deeper conversation, reflection, or mentorship.
Then came RISE — our multi-day, small-group leadership experience built around connection, growth, and reflection. Students spend several days together, learning from mentors, building friendships, and creating impact statements that capture how they plan to lead differently in their communities after our programs.
Over time, we realized that the RISE model was producing the kind of growth we had always hoped for — more personal, more reflective, and longer lasting. So now, all of our programming, including the Leaders of Today Conference, is shifting to feel more like RISE: more discussion, more participation, and more opportunities for students to think deeply about who they are as leaders.
And our use of the design cycle doesn’t stop when the events end. We apply it throughout the year as we plan, evaluate, and make changes. For example, earlier this year, our team decided to make the conference a registration-based event with limited spots — the idea was to make it more personal and focused. Around that same time, we also decided to begin charging students to attend, which is completely new for us. In past years, the conference has always been free.
But when we stepped back and looked at it through the design cycle, we realized that introducing both registration limits and a payment requirement in the same year would likely discourage students from signing up. It was too much change at once.
So, we adjusted. For this year, any student who signs up and pays the small conference fee will be able to attend. It’s a big step for us, but one that balances sustainability with accessibility — and it keeps our focus where it belongs: on empowering students to grow, connect, and lead.
That’s the design cycle in action — reflection leading to realignment, and realignment leading to better outcomes for everyone involved.
At Home
Even at home, the design cycle has changed how I think. It’s helped me be more intentional in how I start conversations, how I listen, and how I try to understand Sadie’s perspective before reacting.
It’s not just about solving problems — it’s about growing through reflection.
What I’ve Learned
By watching Jeff, I realized that living in the design cycle isn’t about projects at all — it’s about people. It’s about the willingness to be observant, reflective, and intentional in every area of life.
It’s changed how I approach failure. Instead of getting frustrated when things don’t go as planned, I see an opportunity to learn. The cycle gives me a structure — a way to ask, “What can I do differently next time?”
It’s also changed how I approach success. Even when something goes well, we still ask, “How can this be better?” That mindset keeps growth continuous.
Living Intentionally
For me, being observant means noticing more — not letting life blur by. It’s about paying attention to the details: how people react, what’s working, what isn’t, what I might normally overlook.
And being intentional means choosing what fills my time instead of letting life decide for me. It means not letting my phone steal hours, or treating my commute as wasted time. It means using my brain — on purpose — and allowing rest to be intentional too.
Faith and Reflection
My faith ties into this too. I believe God invites us to reflect — to learn, to grow, and to share. Sometimes what I’ll post here might be a story from work or a lesson from leadership. Other times, it might be something I’m learning while reading my Bible — a passage I’ve read a dozen times but suddenly see differently.
That’s the last part of the design cycle: dissemination. Sharing what you learn. That’s what this blog is for — not just the wins, but the process of learning through living.
How You Can Use This
If the design cycle is new to you, start small. Pick one area of your life — maybe your work, your home, or a habit you’ve been wanting to change — and walk through the boxes.
Plan — Identify what’s not working and brainstorm possibilities.
Implement — Try one small change, something simple and measurable.
Analyze — After a few days or weeks, ask yourself what worked and what didn’t.
Disseminate — Share it. Tell a friend, journal it, or even just reflect quietly. Then revisit it.
That’s the power of the cycle — it’s simple, but it transforms the way you see growth. You don’t have to wait for the “right time” to improve. You just start, reflect, and try again.
When we live that way — intentionally, observantly, and with a willingness to adjust — we start building lives that don’t happen by accident.
Why I Write
I write these posts as part of my own design cycle — to reflect, learn, and grow as a leader, a husband, and a follower of Jesus. My goal isn’t to sound like I have it all figured out, but to share the stories, lessons, and experiments I experiance long the way.
I believe leadership isn’t just about titles or influence — it’s about how we show up every day. It’s the small choices we make, the way we treat people, and the courage to keep trying even when things don’t go as planned.
I also believe we should dream big — to imagine what could be, not just what is. Every great idea, every movement, every changed life starts with someone who believed it was possible. The design cycle gives us a framework to turn those dreams into something real: plan it, build it, reflect on it, and share it.
Through writing, I hope to help people build the confidence to lead right where they are— to think differently, lead boldly, reflect honestly, and keep trying even when it would be easier to quit. My goal is to remind each of us that leadership doesn’t start someday in the future; it starts right where we are. We’re not leaders of tomorrow — we are Leaders of Today. And in everything I do, my hope is to worship Jesus through the way I live, lead, and love others.
Use what you read here to build your own cycle of growth.
Observe. Reflect. Adjust. Share.
Dream big — and then, start again.