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 Features
Becoming a Stellar Games Industry Manager, Part 2: Growing the Team
 Supporting SMTs
To work effectively, self-managed teams need full backing and support from a management that appreciates their need for autonomy. This mean allowing team members a full say in ay decision that affects them, including pay, performance measures, and personnel matters. Although senior management may install a nominal team leader, that leader’s position may require consent of the team. One of the more difficult aspects of working with SMTs is psychological; managers are required to surrender a major part of their right to manage the SMT while still monitoring its progress. Be flexible enough to accept that good decisions may be made without your specific direction.
Seize the Day: How to Turn Change into Opportunity
Technological advances, new competitors or simply new tastes in the market may pose a threat to teams but even unwelcome changes can be a springboard for improved progress and renewed motivation. Try to analyze the proposed changes objectively. How can the drawbacks be offset or eliminated? How can the positive aspects be exploited? Follow this analysis by brainstorming alternative courses of action to deal with the change – and look for the plan that seems to offer the least disadvantage and the greatest opportunity for progress to everybody within the team.
To be successful, teams must be prepared to adapt quickly to new circumstances. External pressures (upper management, consumer preferences, economic fluctuations, sunspots…) may force changes within a team, and personnel may come and go. Make sure your team members recognize the need for change and are flexible enough to accept it, whatever from it may take. Look for team members who can handle change of any kind: deadlines, tasks, management and/or team members. Avoid using people whose favorite line is “But we’ve ALWAYS done it that way.”
Although there’s a good chance that some team members there at the beginning might not be there at the end, start with the goal that everyone will be able to contribute throughout the project. Things happen. After the game has been green-lit, the guys who built prototypes on the fly for the big marketing pitch need to be swapped out for more “traditional” programmers. Your lead writer’s screenplay has been optioned and she’s off to Hollywood (stranger things have happened!) The movie your game is based on tanks at the box office. The developer loses the lease on the office space. Stay flexible and be prepared for all eventualities!
The ability to manage change is a critical skill that can make or break a team. As markets become more international and technological innovation increases exponentially, the rate of change is staggering so you need to be sure that your team can adapt, whether the change is external or internal. You need to be flexible especially if senior management is more than usually susceptible to market fluctuations. Help your team maintain commitment to the project without becoming overly attached to particular procedures or aspects of the project plan.
Be sure that someone on the team (who may or may not be you) monitors external changes that could affect the success of your efforts and your product. Whether that person comes from your company’s marketing department or has intimate knowledge of the industry from outside experience, the information has to be fresh and accurate, and delivered in such a way that it doesn’t create an atmosphere of paranoia in this highly competitive industry.
Change affects every member of a team and people need a chance to react. Announcing changes with enthusiasm increases your team’s positive attitude toward them. Tell people about changes as soon as you have enough detail to answer questions, and if you can’t provide the information, offer report to the team as quickly as you can. Listen carefully to your team’s reactions – the more committed they are to the project, the better able they are to handle change, even if it’s negative.
TYPES OF CHANGE |
EFFECTS OF CHANGE |
Staffing: Team members come and go (planned or precipitous) resulting in task re-assignments |
Might be a change in procedures and/or a different set of objectives, which might provide an opportunity for the team to make a fresh start. Watch out for cliques who try to shut out the new team member. |
Management: Employee changes on a senior level. |
The team may be reporting to a new department or may come under closer scrutiny; may be forced to compete with extant teams on the project. |
Project Plan: Revisions dictated by changes in management, funding and/or client demands. |
Team must be flexible and pick their battles. It’s your job as manager to maintain reality and morale. Worst-case scenario: the project is cancelled. |
Corporate Procedures: Determined by senior management and/or government regulations. |
Don’t let the team waste time complaining. Figure out how to implement the changes, document your process and move ahead. |
Points to Remember
- Be flexible and fair
- Delegate whenever possible
- Treat your team with respect and encourage their personal development
- Promote team spirit
- Do what you can to help team members progress in their careers
- Remember to say “thank you”!
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