> Leadership


“Essentials to leadership: humility, clarity and courage.”

—F. Yuan


Leadership

Many game developers focus on honing their technical skills, which is essential for growth. However, to truly foster a thriving development environment, it’s just as important to cultivate empathy, strong communication, collaboration, and creative problem-solving.

📋Leadership vs Management

Many conflate the boundaries and value of leadership and of management. While sometimes, the same individual takes on both roles, leadership often emerges as a characteristic shared across team members, while management is typically a distinct role held by one person.

Leaders drive vision and inspire others, while managers handle the important logistics

Leader…

  • People: Inspires / empowers others
  • Process: Encourages adaptability and problem-solving
  • Product: Sets visionary direction, for future / innovation

Manager…

  • People: Ensures team roles are clear, with accountability
  • Process: Implements efficiency / consistency
  • Product: Monitors quality, in established guidelines

Every developer’s journey is unique, but I take a relationship-first approach as a team member and a player-first mindset as a developer. By prioritizing these areas, you can not only become a skilled game developer but also a compassionate teammate who enriches the development experience.

Top performers strive to make their greatest individual impact, while compassionate leaders aim to elevate the collective contribution of the entire team. Work with compassionate leaders. Be a compassionate leader. Hire compassionate leaders.

Resources

Here are learning resources which fit this leadership philosophy.

For a complete summary & video of each book, checkout SamuelAsherRivello.com/learning.

  1. Getting Things Done: Stress-free productivity system
  2. Nonviolent Communication: Empathetic and constructive communication
  3. Radical Candor: Giving and receiving feedback are essential workplace skills
  4. The First 90 Days: Onboard yourself (and others around you) effectively
  5. The Art of Game Design: Creative perspectives on engaging game design
  6. Game Programming Patterns: Practical coding solutions for game development
  7. Game Engine Architecture: Comprehensive guide to advanced game engine systems

What’s Next?

This area of my expertise is particularly exciting!

I love to learn & to make an impact with my teams and projects.

Contact me regarding new opportunities that align with my skills and experience.