Hector Ouilhet on humanizing change around team roles and AI (podcast episode #2)

In the second episode of Humanizing Change, host Ari Abraham talks with Hector Ouilhet, former VP of Design at Dropbox, about leading teams through change by focusing on identity, coaching, and human-centered design. Hector shares how his early experiences shaped his leadership style — and how making space for both individual and collective growth is key to navigating the evolving role of AI in organizations.

Lessons from the episode:

• Define team and individual identity: I help teams understand who they are collectively and individually.
• Coach from the background: I lead by supporting others quietly instead of always being front and center.
• Humanize technology: I embrace imperfection to make digital tools feel more natural and relatable.
• Design for human needs first: I prioritize people over possibilities when working with AI.
• Practice self-awareness and empathy: I use these daily to guide teams thoughtfully through change.

Producer’s note: After this episode was recorded, Hector left Dropbox to become Advanced Interaction Resident Researcher at CIID, his alma mater, where he’s tinkering with new ways of designing for AI and making it as human-centric as possible.

If you enjoyed this conversation, subscribe to Humanizing Change to hear more real, thoughtful stories about how people are navigating change and complexity. New episodes drop regularly — and we’d love to have you along for the journey.

Produced by Ari Abraham and Darrick Hays, with artwork by Chris Roettger.

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