Personalized team Leadership Summary By Jazz Rivera GDN3101-O Leadership Full Sail University May 28, 2015

abstract This presentation reflects on Seth Spaulding’s book: Team Leadership in the Game Industry and how I have learned, used, and plan to use its contents in the future as a Studio Director of a large game studio. Building on trust and setting a standard operating procedure handbook is just the first few steps needed to ensure success as a director. Focusing on my leads and the teams under them, I will know who to place in certain positions, when I need to hire from within or from outside the company, and handle all interactions in a professional manner and promote them all to do the same to keep a certain standard. Engaging all aspects of the studio in an engaging manner and weeding out the cynics I can make sure the culture of the company stays a certain way. Reflecting on this presentation in the future will help me stay on track and focus on the pieces of information from each chapter that pertains to my own beliefs of success.

Chapter 1: How we got here “The lead must have – or, if he or she is new hire, must be able to quickly gain – the trust of the team.” (Spaulding, 2009, p. 8, para. 2). Based on my goals of becoming design lead for a studio, trust means everything when being placed in a leadership position. Modes of communication can be ignored and functionality within the team can not function properly if trust has not been gained. Trust can only be earned, not given. I realized in order to accomplish this, a leader needs to be able to show the team that they not only believe in the vision and project, but in themselves as well.

Current and future application During the second week of class I demonstrated my trustworthiness to my team by showing them I was able to successfully lead throughout the week and ensure everyone was on the same page. In order to instill trust to my team in the future, I will not only express my values and mission but live by them as well. By seeing that I have morals and dedication, the team will see that I can indeed get the job done and trust that I will continue everyone has what they need to be successful.

Chapter 2: the anatomy of a game-development company “Create an employee handbook that includes information on the company’s mission and values as well as expected workplace conditions…” (Spaulding, 2009, p. 29, para. 4) A book that contains the standard operating procedures is important for the team so they can look and reflect on it so the entire staff is understanding of all mission and value statements. The book gives clear expectations for managers, leads, and lower staff alike.

Current and future application Although we did not have a book of standard operating procedures, the TLA and week two’s assignment practically covered the same content. Week two allowed us to compile each individual idea of a mission statement and what kind of studio we will be. Being able to look back at the assignment and the specific tasks via the TLA, we had a standard procedure of doing things from the very beginning. In the future I will be sure all staff is given a copy of the book that contains everything a new employee and veteran of the studio will ever need to know regarding the way things work and what is expected. I plan on making sure every department has their own specific one written by the lead and approved by myself so that they are aware of the protocols and daily duties within within their respected discipline.

Chapter 3: How leaders are chosen, are supported, perform, and why “The goal is always to find the right people and match them on the right role within the company.” (Spaulding, 2009, p. 59, para. 2). I have learned that the aforementioned quote is easier said than done. Spaulding (2009) gives multiple examples of chosen leaders who mess up a department in its entirety from poor leadership skills. It is imperative to understand the qualities he or she has personally and professionally prior to selection. Although the goal to find the right person for the role is shared by all companies, the fact is no company has ever had the perfect staff. I learned that a company can only work and train them to be successful in their given role.

Current and future application Rotating roles of leader and staff this month gave me a rare opportunity to see different kind of leadership styles in such a short amount of time. Everyone had their own strengths and weaknesses which brought the team closer together over time. No person was ever perfect for their role but what it allows us all to see our own faults so that we can become more qualified over time. In the future I will try my best to select the best person for the given role however, I need to remember that no matter how disciplined and qualified they are, I need to constantly review and check their progress to be sure it is being done both correctly and efficiently. I feel that some leaders believe that they chose the perfect person for a lead position and their trust for that person shadows their duties of making sure they are indeed doing their job. By the time they do realize they have been slacking, it is too late and things may be worse off then before.

Chapter 4: A litmus test for leads “Hiring leaders from outside the company, however qualified they might be, can cause cultural problems within a team or department if that new leader cannot absorb, appreciate, and adopt the positive elements of the company culture and work effectively within an existing system and with existing key personnel.” (Spaulding, 2009, p.103, para.1) What this taught me is that every studio has a different personality and ambiance associated to their way of doing things. Promoting within the company is a very good way to maintain that cohesion among the teams. Hiring a lead from outside the company is ideal if the studio is suffering or lacking the discipline needed to develop a project on time. A fresh way of doing things can be started by bringing someone in that is new entirely.

Current and future applications Currently I can attest that our team has already established a way of doing things. From what I can tell, if for some reason a leader was to join the team out of nowhere and try to do things very differently, there will be conflicts with the team and newly placed leader. With this knowledge, I can attest that when I have to select a new lead, I will be diligent enough to know if hiring outside the company and promoting from within will be the best option depending solely on the current standing of the studio.

Chapter 5: leadership types and traits: assessment and development strategies “It is said that projects require managers and people require leaders.” (Spaulding, 2009, p.116, para.1) I have learned that leadership focuses more on the vision and and the ultimate goal where management is more focused on delegating and project orientated. It is important to possess the two interchangeably to ensure positive development goals and success.

Current and future applications During this month I can say that I noticed the change of roles I possessed depending on the given task. At the beginning of the week of my turn as lead, I possessed more of a leadership quality, making sure everyone was on track with things and understanding as to what that week entailed. Towards the end of the week I expressed a more managerial attitude to ensure all deadlines were met and assignments turned in. I need to master these traits and know when to switch between the two. I feel like I will always maintain my leadership qualities however by always leading from front and by example.

Chapter 6: the project team leader: roles and responsibilities “The leads, as a group, have the responsibility to handle interactions with each other and with senior management with professionalism.” (Spaulding, 2009, p. 169, para. 3). All interactions in the work place should be professional however, when conflicts arise it is easy to uphold professionalism. Leads who are uninvolved need to step in and resolve the situation. Recognizing a mutual goal and talking things through can diffuse the conflict as well as prevent one from happening again in the future.

Current and future applications This month during collaborations there were times where some of us had different views as to what kind of gaming company we should be. After a while of delegating we decided on the current given path and it was all done professionally. There was not one account where there were any heated tempers or major conflicts. Working it out together and professionally we came to a sound verdict. As future head of a gaming studio I know that there will be times where conflicts arise between leads through out the development process. Employing genius minds and putting them all in the same building can cause heated debates that may be to to high passion of the project, but it all needs to stay professional at the same time. Delegating, listening, and overall taking action can lead to a resolved issue that can be an example to others as to how things are supposed to be handled.

Chapter 7: The department leader: roles and responsibilities “Successful presentations depend equally on the content of the message and the ability of the speaker to deliver that message.” (Spaulding, 2009, p. 204, para.4). Having a relative theme in regards to the audience will keep them engaged and interested. It is important to present new information, draw conclusions, stay on topic, and keep them entertained to ensure comprehension in the team.

Current and future applications In my opinion, this can pertain to so much more than just presentations. In the group assignments where we had to put all of our points and ideas into one generalized statement, we all had to present our points to the team to see which would be the best fit for our vision of the studio. I know for a fact that weekly presentations are going to be utilized. I already feel that my persona will allow for a vibrant and engaging presentation. However, making sure I can transfer that same energy into my presentations will allow for more cohesion from the teams to take place. If I rely more on my actual delivery, the presentation will only be an aide, not the focus.

Chapter 8: Difficult employees, underperformers, and bad leads “Cynical attitudes spread very quickly, particularly when the individual with the attitude is an outspoken “informal” leader in the company.” (Spaulding, 2009, p. 219, para. 3) Problems can arise during development which can cause dissatisfaction or concern amongst the team. The vocalization of the concern in a negative and harsh way can cause friction between employees and suffering of moral. The negative effects are greatly magnified when the cynic is one of the leaders. This can cause not only a few people to follow suite, but an entire team. Development can come to a complete stop if just lead acts inappropriately and loses sight of the vision fro the project.

Current and future applications I would be lying if the team was not worried about the amount of work that would be put into the final project. Far from cynical, we had our doubts to be able to complete all of the tasks needed to make the project complete. By keeping our comments light and professional, we saw that as the weeks progressed we were able to see a clearer picture as things started falling into place and making total sense. If we were cynical I doubt the moral and dedication would be as a high as it was in the end. In the future I will be sure to pull any cynics aside and let them know the potential damage it can cause to the company if negativity is constantly being pushed down the line. If the person in question can not handle the situation then they will have to excuse themselves and may have to go somewhere else. The industry isn’t perfect and problems arise however, there are many professionals out there willing to adapt who can carry that role.

Chapter 9: the effects of great team leadership “Perhaps the greatest measure of high morale and loyalty to a studio is a high rate of retention. Great leaders encourage retention by demonstrating competence, and they help build an environment of trust that people naturally want to be a part of.” (Spaulding, 2009, pp. 244 – 245) High retention is needed in order to maintain a constant flow of productivity and culture. Searches are expensive and can add more time to be wasted on finding the right person for the job when the ideal person was there and established but decided to leave.

Current and future applications I can only imagine how hard it would have been if a team mate or two had dropped out of the class. Not only would it cause more work to be divided between the remaining members, but it would cause a different attitude and way of doing things to arise. In the future I will be sure to set a tone and culture in the studio to promote retention. Giving the staff the ability to critique or bring something to attention will show them that they are indeed part of the studio family and that their voices and thoughts do matter to the success of the studio.

references Spaulding, S. (2009). Team Leadership in the Game Industry. Course Technology PTR.