Bossing It: Leading by Example with Daniel Iregui

Daniel Iregui is a digital artist who creates interactive sculptures, immersive spaces and architectural interventions at the crossroads between art and technology. Living in both the physical and digital worlds, his artworks combine AI, computer vision, geometry, typography, light, sound, custom software, mathematics and algorithms. This results in systems with infinite possibilities that make way for unique interactive experiences that constantly evolve and are never the same.

Iregular is a Montreal-based studio he founded in 2010 to create, produce and tour large scale digital artworks for public art and immersive spaces. Now a team of 20, Iregular has seen its works tour in more than 75 international exhibitions, and receive over 35 awards and distinctions for achievements in art, design, technology and creativity.

LBB> What was your first experience of leadership?

Daniel> I think the first true experience of leadership I had was three years ago when I found myself leading a studio that already comprised dozens of team members. That very moment was when I realised this was very real and that I really had to step up and lead by example.

LBB> How did you figure out what kind of leader you wanted to be – or what kind of leader you didn’t want to be?

Daniel> I have always wanted to be someone who walks the talk. Not only in positions of leadership but in all circumstances. I believe that this reflects in how I lead my team.

LBB> What experience or moment gave you your biggest lesson in leadership?

Daniel> Last year in April, my business partner had to step down from their role, and I found myself having to deal with issues alone and take on completely new roles, which was a big lesson and test for me.

LBB> Did you know you always wanted to take on a leadership role? If so how did you work towards it and if not, when did you start realising that you had it in you?

Daniel> I think I have always been the kind of person who wanted to write the rules as opposed to someone who followed them!

It was always like this for me, and so shifting to more leadership-based roles has happened in a very organic way. Looking back to when I was a kid in a rock band for example, I was really the leader and this was probably where I first realised that people really listened to my ideas and adopted them.

LBB> When it comes to 'leadership' as a skill, how much do you think is a natural part of personality, how much can be taught and learned?

Daniel> I have a strong personality so I always knew I wanted to be a leader. This is something that I have always enjoyed. I appreciate being in that place of control. But there are of course a ton of things you learn along the way to help you become a better leader.

You learn how to give better advice, give productive feedback and how to treat those around you. You also learn how to evaluate people and their work in the long term, which is also something I recommend you periodically do for yourself. Constantly evaluate yourself and your work to keep improving and become the best leader you can be.

LBB> What are the aspects of leadership that you find most personally challenging? And how do you work through them?

Daniel> It is sometimes hard for me to deal with the feelings of people whilst also trying to make sure certain objectives are accomplished. Having to deal with these expectations, objectives and timelines whilst dealing with someone who might be tired or stressed, sad or even depressed is always a big challenge.

LBB> Have you ever felt like you've failed whilst in charge? How did you address the issue and what did you learn from it?

Daniel> I can think of a lot of little failures but I believe that just by being open to getting advice and feedback, you can use any type of failure as a lesson and learn from it to do better. 

LBB> In terms of leadership and openness, what’s your approach there? Do you think it’s important to be as transparent as possible in the service of being authentic? Or is there a value in being careful and considered?

Daniel> I think I always try to be as direct and sincere as possible. What I struggle to do sometimes is remember that there are ways and times to say things, but I always find that the clearer I am the better. Sometimes what I’m saying could be hard to hear, but as long as I communicate it clearly it always brings me the best results.

LBB> As you developed your leadership skills did you have a mentor, if so who were/are they and what have you learned? And on the flip side, do you mentor any aspiring leaders and how do you approach that relationship?

Daniel> Yes! One of the things that I have learned in life is that mentors are very important. I have always had mentors in my life, whether officially or not. I always call them and they are always there. I typically come to them with very specific questions but I have found that I even learn a lot from them in the simple ‘small talk’ at the beginning of our conversations and just before we say goodbye. I learn important lessons out of nowhere and get key bits of advice from them that continue to be very helpful when making decisions. So for me mentors are super important, I owe a lot of my path to the people I have had around me.

LBB> In continually changing market circumstances, how do you cope with the responsibility of leading a team through difficult waters?

Daniel> Simply put, being a leader is hard. Life is hard. There is not only work, there is your life, and there are people in it. In the same way I deal with my own life, as a leader I always have empathy for everyone surrounding me knowing we are all going through the same human experience. To be the best leader I try to be as open as I can about all of this. Above everything else we are all human. This is something that I always keep in mind in any circumstance.

LBB> As a leader, what are some of the ways in which you’ve prioritised diversity and inclusion within your workforce?

Daniel> I have always felt that it is very important to give equal opportunities to everyone. At the same time, I try to surround myself with people who are great at what they do simply because they are the best person for the job. Not because of their gender, race or background. But I am extremely happy to say that my team naturally grew to be 50/50 male and female and there is a lot of diversity in cultural backgrounds. We have no clear policy on how to select team members, it has been a very organic process and it makes me proud because I myself come from a visible minority.

I am a Colombian living in Canada, I speak Spanish and my second language is English. So for me, being surrounded by a mix of people who have  similar or completely different realities is very important, and I am very happy that it has happened so organically. 

LBB> How important is your company culture to the success of your business? And how have you managed to keep it alive with increases in remote and hybrid working patterns?

Daniel> Whilst others I have spoken out to say that after covid they no longer come into the office and that this culture is mostly dead, I am delighted to see that in my studio everybody is in everyday of the week. For me, the culture is what happens in between getting the job done when in the office, whilst getting a coffee and with everything we do before and after work. Because my team comes in a lot, that culture is continuously being fed and is always growing.

Without this I wouldn’t like my job nearly as much. 

Culture is highly important and I do believe that it is because it is so strong at Iregular that people want to work with us.

LBB> What are the most useful resources you’ve found to help you along your leadership journey?

Daniel> There are many, but for somebody who runs a smaller company, I implemented an operational system called E.O.S (Entrepreneurial Operating System). It is a set of 12 tools that allow you to manage your business that is conceived in a way that allows people with no business background to understand. For me this was life-changing and is something I still use four years later to run my business.

I recommend this tool to all of the entrepreneurs that I talk to.