As a design leader at INTELLLEX, I do my best to be real with my sharings and being real is being the human you are, from all facets. Great culture starts with how you bridge coworkers to understand you.
1. Begin with a story of the sprint you just had
People want to connect to something that feels human so bring up something memorable about the 2 weeks (or however long your sprint is), and if you struggle with this then there is something that needs to be improved with your human culture. This helps centers the room on a good vibe and sets a genuine tone.
2. As Simon Sinek says, Start With Why
You probably have to answer this question EVERY sprint, but this is important to know that we are building consciously, with an intent to measure and learn, and not just because we can. It also helps to be transparent of the assumptions that we are working with, as well as the evidence that we already have on hand. That helps put weight to the features that is put forward to be built.
3. Show your sketchy process, let others see vicariously
Sketchy prototypes for interviews and co-creation is also work that goes into designing. People need to know that putting together boxes and colours on FIGMA is not a straightforward process. Non-designers might feel bewildered to even comment, and stay quiet, but thats okay! Keep the artefacts up on a board and let them come to you and ask later.
4. Prove that the designs are insight-driven
For those who like to geek out on frameworks, this is your chance to share selected ones. They may not be able to "build" on top of what you're sharing but take it that it is YOUR responsibility that the team gains empathy toward the users. This investment will pay off when you explain feature designs down the road.
5. Celebrate small wins, yay! (Read: team effort)
Being conscious of what we are learning and have mastered individually and as small teams or at large is the first step. Harness it to propel the team forward by articulating it back. I try point out function, not the person/individual because a single functions is likely touched by multiple people - we are cross-functional like that.
There you go! A sneak peek on my musings at work. If you have a knack for communication and want to level up as a designer, I encourage you to speak to your bosses to give you airtime to share meaningful learnings at every sprint. The fastest way to product market fit is to learn your way to it.