We’ve been at this for a while and I’m in no way saying that we’ve become experts in leadership, but we’ve picked up a few things since we started this project a little over two years ago. So in effort to give back to the community, we’d like to share from our experience ways to boost productivity and team cohesion over a few separate blog posts. And like any project, what works for some, may not work for others so if you and your studio approaches this differently we’d love to hear from you in the comments!
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One thing I’ve personally learned through this is the benefit of leading with vision. You hear that phrase a lot in this entrepreneurial, small business world, but don’t dismiss it. It’s one of the most important tools any business owner has. Through vision you can inspire your team to be a lot more than you ever considered. For us this realization began with a book, “Start With Why” by Simon Sinek. It’s a fantastic read and something I recommend to anyone just getting started in a leadership role. It explains how much further your efforts can go with a simple question, “Why?”
So, why does GravTech exist? One word: Empowerment.
It pains me to see how video games are viewed outside of the community, and even within the community there has been a lot of negativity lately. We believe the biggest cause has been an imbalance of power within the industry. Many voices go unheard when the ones calling the shots think they can live off their past successes forever and many more voices go unheard when a debate turns into a shouting match and people are only listening to those who shout the loudest or say the most outrageous things.
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We decided that if we wanted to make a difference we weren’t going to be doing it alone. We need to empower a team to flex their creative muscles, to push beyond the status quo and reach for something beyond what we initially believed possible. We need to provide content that is engaging to players, something that stimulates the brain and makes you think about what you’re doing, as opposed to some mindless repetitive tasks. It’s time for games to evolve beyond fun toys and into something that can make you reflect just as much as any other work of art.
Once we established that vision, and pushed that vision through the studio, we began to see some subtle differences around the team. We began to have more vocal and energetic meetings. We saw artists, designers, and programmers critiquing each other more openly and ultimately bettering the project. My personal favorite change is how quickly new people become acclimated to the project. Usually a new person spends their first meeting just listening in, but by the second meeting they’re just as vocal as the veterans.
Eventually you’ll see the dynamic shift and you’ll smile to yourself when you hear a lead explain the vision to a new teammate and see how deeply they have embraced it. Let your vision speak through your actions and consistently refer to it when discussing the project or team. Trust me, you’ll be happily surprised with how far a common vision can take you!
So we’d like to hear from you! How do you empower and inspire your team? Tell us in the comments below!
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Kevin Gray
CEO and Co-Founder of GravTech Games
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