iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Tim McKenna @timmckenna.design · 25/08/2026

but walked away smiling, impressed, and thoroughly shocked that Dolly Parton could live in the same pedestal that I hold Metallica, Nile, and Pantera with.

020

Tim McKenna @timmckenna.design · 25/08/2026

My instructor was doubtful of my knowledge about country music and asked me what I knew about each artist. I pontificated about each artist and when it came to Dolly Parton one of my earliest movie memories was "9 to 5." I just looked at this instructor and said "should I continue?" He walked away

120

Tim McKenna @timmckenna.design · 25/08/2026

Back in college, I did a project to design stamps. It had to be a themed set. I, being this 6'9" burly dude clad in all black looking like an extra from a Hatebreed music video obviously mad a set of stamps about "The Queens of Country" Wanda Jackson, Pasty Cline, Reba McEntire, and Dolly Parton...

130

Tim McKenna @timmckenna.design · 24/08/2026

Sounds like a sludge metal band...

000

Tim McKenna @timmckenna.design · 19/08/2026

I'm back...what did I miss? <checks internet> Oooh....

010

Tim McKenna @timmckenna.design · 14/05/2026

they are always looking but never hire anyone....they are just collecting resumes.

010

Tim McKenna @timmckenna.design · 06/05/2026

Being the head of design and research in an org that doesn't care about design and research is liking thinking the stripper likes you.

000

Tim McKenna @timmckenna.design · 06/05/2026

I was told we don't do mid-year promotions. 5 other people were promoted before mid-year. My team thinks I'm either a liar or an idiot.

130

Tim McKenna @timmckenna.design · 05/05/2026

It's a terrible pain that resists being comforted.

010

Tim McKenna @timmckenna.design · 05/05/2026

Severe pinched nerve in the neck is a GREAT way to start off your day.

110

Tim McKenna @timmckenna.design · 05/05/2026

there is the Penpot Exporter plugin: www.figma.com/community/pl...

100

Tim McKenna @timmckenna.design · 04/05/2026

Today is a bittersweet relief. I deleted my Figma account after 10 years. I remember being the 14th beta tester in a private beta test way back in late 2014/early 2015 before they had a public beta. Figma doesn't align with values anymore. And for a few years, my interest in another has grown.

140

Tim McKenna @timmckenna.design · 28/04/2026

So to your original post, yes...never having to say sorry without meaning it is an expression of a psychologically safe environment...but to cultivate that environment requires a lot more awareness and necessitates it being a two-way street.

000

Tim McKenna @timmckenna.design · 28/04/2026

A good people leader practices inward awareness and can apologize for real reasons that connect with the other person so that it's heard and received. The same is true for the individual. Then...in practice, that creates the psychologically safe environment.

100

Tim McKenna @timmckenna.design · 28/04/2026

So the truly psychologically aware team has both the people leader and individual having deeper inner understanding of their behaviors and can/should or won't/shouldn't apologize when it makes sense. It's practiced inwardly then expressed in a safe environment.

100

Tim McKenna @timmckenna.design · 28/04/2026

An additional reason why it doesn't work that way is because it is seen as a challenge when being redirected "up the ladder" because it tends to directly confront their position. Many companies tout psychological safety, but in practice it tends to be a one way street.

100

Tim McKenna @timmckenna.design · 28/04/2026

Rarely is an individual telling a people leader how to improve by implicit annd explicit means because organizations tend to work in hierarchies. aka...rarely does an IC tell they boss they are shitty communicator and how to work on it. The psychological safety rarely works in that direction.

100

Tim McKenna @timmckenna.design · 28/04/2026

...psychological safety to help coworkers grow (coaching, feedback) aiding in their psychological awareness in a safe environment. You typically see this with the dynamic of people leaders growing individuals. Rarely is it ever seen in the reverse, but the power dynamic is different.

100

Tim McKenna @timmckenna.design · 28/04/2026

Both parties need to look inward and see what is driving that behavior. That is hard to do for a lot of people. It requires inner work and examining behaviors and thoughts and how they show up in interactions. When a good leader has psychological awareness, they can create the atmosphere of...

100

Tim McKenna @timmckenna.design · 28/04/2026

conversely, people who feel no need to apologize in the workplace either come from a place of true belief that they do nothing wrong, feign indifference, cannot admit an apology as it erodes the facade they've made, or are just ignorant. This is the other extreme. Both lack psychological awareness.

100

Tim McKenna @timmckenna.design · 28/04/2026

Often times, people in the workplace that over-apologize feel that they have transgressed in some manner that has negatively affected a coworker. There is a certain mindset these individuals have where they feel they must proactively reconcile issues. The over-apologizing indicates one extreme.

100

Tim McKenna @timmckenna.design · 28/04/2026

Having psychological awareness to realize one should and should not apologize is another matter entirely. This is something executive leaders have almost lost entirely. This goes against the control directives.

100

Tim McKenna @timmckenna.design · 23/04/2026

I read this essay this morning and it's a great spotlight on a uncomfortable truth and trend in our industry. Brilliant writing and strong points. Thank you for writing this.

120

Tim McKenna @timmckenna.design · 17/04/2026

From here on out....If I'm being courted by a company in Boston, I'm out. The boston tech bro culture is something else....

000

Tim McKenna @timmckenna.design · 13/04/2026

I dug out about 700 lbs of old mulch that I didn't properly lay with a weed guard. I weeded everything, stripped the ground to dirt, laid down an eco-friendly weed guard, and put 900 lbs of new mulch down. My back is not happy, but it was a weekend without a screen so I am very happy.

000

Tim McKenna @timmckenna.design · 03/04/2026

Realtor Logic R: Hey Tim, did I catch you at a bad time? Me: No....who is this? R: We're looking at your house, would you ever sell it? Me: No, who are you?! R: OK, ok do you have any other properties you'd think you'd sell? Me: Dude...WTF are you?!? Click

010

Tim McKenna @timmckenna.design · 17/03/2026

This is just a random pile of books....no meaning here.

010

Tim McKenna @timmckenna.design · 17/03/2026

And of course... Unicorn Academy #12 Isla and Buttercup. Now it all makes sense....

101

Tim McKenna @timmckenna.design · 17/03/2026

The Spirits Book by Allan Kardec. Ahhh....alright, getting weird again in this mix.

100

Tim McKenna @timmckenna.design · 17/03/2026

Finite and Infinite Games by James Carse. OK, things are begining to make sense now.

100

Tim McKenna @timmckenna.design · 17/03/2026

The Kybalion by Three Initiates. UH.....alright.... Even I'm not sure why these three are on the same desk together.

100

Tim McKenna @timmckenna.design · 17/03/2026

Bullshit Jobs by David Graeber. Uh.....interesting choice to be situated next to a design leadership book....

100

Tim McKenna @timmckenna.design · 17/03/2026

So I've got... Liftoff! by Chris Avore and Russ Unger. Makes sense. I've been mentoring a design manager lately and we reference this book a lot.

100

Tim McKenna @timmckenna.design · 17/03/2026

I have a small collection of books neatly standing up in one area of desk. It looks staged, but it's really just slammed together to not fall over. The titles, however, are...an interesting assortment. Looking at them now, I wonder...WTF is going on in my brain lately?

100

Tim McKenna @timmckenna.design · 14/03/2026

OMG this replaces the "This is fine" dog meme for me now.

010

Tim McKenna @timmckenna.design · 13/03/2026

been on an In This Moment bender lately.

000

Tim McKenna @timmckenna.design · 06/03/2026

what in the actual fuck did I just watch?

020

Tim McKenna @timmckenna.design · 05/03/2026

This is my life right now....my CPO thinking "Vibe prototyping our way to alignment and production level code"

giphy.com

Humor Boomer GIF

030

Tim McKenna @timmckenna.design · 04/03/2026

I just watched @edzitron.com on The Tech Report about "Irrational Baby Logic" of the current AI landdscape. Amazing!

000

Tim McKenna @timmckenna.design · 26/02/2026

This is the exact kind of good energy I've needed all week!

110

Tim McKenna @timmckenna.design · 26/02/2026

What a fucking track!!!!!!!

110

Tim McKenna @timmckenna.design · 25/02/2026

Holding two positions in my head and hands is difficult. 1) Professionally, AI is a necessary integration into how design is going to work now. 2) Personally...ethically, morally, environmentally, financially, societally, etc. I'm against how AI is working today.

050

Tim McKenna @timmckenna.design · 19/02/2026

I've slowly been realizing my fashion tastes have skewed towards monastic and cult leader attire. Unexpected, but not unwelcome.

000

Tim McKenna @timmckenna.design · 18/02/2026

"birthing a powerpoint over here" somehow sounds even more terrifying than regular child birth. But as someone who has long appreciated your writings, articles, all of your content....I'm very glad to learn from you. But seriously...take a sit down or something....powerpoint babies...<shudders>

020