Leading with Imperfect Feet: Dave Dame on Leadership, Inclusive Design and Embracing Mistakes

In this episode of the Scrum.org Community podcast, Dave West sits down with Dave Dame, Senior Director of Human-Centered Design at Microsoft, to explore the lessons behind his new book, “Leading with Imperfect Feet.”

Dame shares his journey of leadership through the lens of imperfection, emphasizing the value of vulnerability, humility, and learning from mistakes. Drawing on personal experiences, including overcoming the challenges of Cerebral Palsy to walk on the beach, he illustrates how embracing imperfection can empower leaders and their teams.

The conversation dives deep into inclusive design, human factors, cognitive science, and user research, showing how thoughtful, human-centered approaches create better products and more effective teams. Dame discusses how organizations can balance efficiency with creativity and human connection, and why continuous learning and adaptive leadership are essential in today’s fast-changing work environment.

Whether you’re a product leader, designer, or someone striving to lead with empathy, this episode offers practical insights and inspiring stories on how embracing imperfection can drive innovation, inclusivity, and authentic leadership.

Leading with Imperfect Feet is now available for pre-order and will be published in June!