How can self-awareness improve your leadership in the Gaming Industry?

Self-awareness is more than just a way of thinking; it's a powerful tool. It helps you understand your strengths and weaknesses, recognize what needs to be better, and figure out the best steps to take next. In the gaming industry, where teamwork and creativity are crucial, knowing yourself can make you a better leader. It allows you to work well with others, adapt to changes quickly, and guide your team towards success with confidence. By being self-aware, you can lead by example, inspire your team, and drive your projects forward in a positive and effective way.

Self-awareness is critical in all facets of life, and the industry one chooses to work in is no exception. The gaming industry is fast-paced, dynamic, and evolving. Figuring out your own triggers, what type of starter you are, as well as are you self or other motivated will accelerate your success as you navigate the industry landscape. From personal experience, I have evolved in my roles by learning a few keys things about myself: 1. My "WHY" (Simon Sinek) - My why is people and building relationships. This is what brings me joy and where I feel the most valuable. Sales has been an optimal role for me to live in my WHY. 2. I am self motivated, so having the ability to build my income according to my level of effort suits me very well.

Boosting your self-awareness is like hitting the refresh button on your personal and professional life. It's about taking a good look in the mirror, figuring out what needs a shake-up, and then daring to mix things up a bit. Why? Because when you challenge how you've always done things, you're not just stepping out of your comfort zone; you're leapfrogging over your rivals. This isn't just about keeping pace—it's about setting the pace, staying one step ahead, and embracing the changes that lead to new opportunities.

I think that this cuts two ways, firstly it is importnat to know how you react in situations so that you follow a routine to ensure that you don't put yourself in situations where you will make bad decisions. Only a great mentor or experience and regret can teach you this so speak to your direct line manager about exactly this so that you can plan to mitigate it for the future. Secondly the self awareness that you require as a leader is a TRUE understanding of how other people view you. Too often in this industry I come across leaders that come across in the way that they portray themselves and their feelings of self importance and arrogance. Have humility, empathy and always be aware that you will be scrutinised for all that you say & do.

Self-awareness has much to do with knowing who you are and how you are viewed by others.  It's an ongoing process that requires continuous effort to better yourself.  It's a skill to learn if one wants to see themselve more clearly for who they really are.  When one does embrace the importance of it, it's an awakening.  I have recently been more focused on actively working on enhancing my self-awareness to understand how I can be better with people and actions throughout my life.  Realizing that by obtaining a clearer understanding of myself and the perceptions others have of me, will be beneficial in all aspects of life.  Overall, working on self-awareness is necessary to achieve a better you and enhance coexisting in life with others. 

If you lack awareness of your own actions and their impact on your team and others, it becomes exceedingly challenging to understand your team's desires, requirements, and ends up creating a significant disconnect between the two.

Self-awareness is fundamental to effective leadership. Curiosity is the starting point to being self-aware. Self-awareness helps you understand your team's needs and your own leadership strengths and challenges. In the gaming sector, staying curious is crucial for innovating and building games for inclusion.

Self-awareness is crucial for leaders as it underpins empathy, active listening, and effective communication, essential for motivating teams within a supportive environment. By understanding their emotions and behaviors, leaders can relate to and empathize with their team, ensuring communication fosters motivation, safety, and comfort. This awareness enables leaders to create a culture where team members feel valued and secure, enhancing productivity and collaboration. Through self-awareness, leaders can inspire trust and drive towards shared goals, making it foundational for impactful leadership.

Understanding the separation between management and leadership is one of the most crucial aspects of the job. The Games Industry changes so rapidly, that you need to come to terms with the fact that you aren't going to know everything (regardless of how curious you are!) Identify the key strengths of those around you to help complement your overall strategy, and find time to help people grow without shutting them down. Learning to let go of the wheel is one of the hardest things to do when it comes to leadership, but allowing people to take your guidance and apply it for themselves will help you build valuable relationships and trust within your team.

Self-awareness allows you to build on your strengths and ask for help. Self-aware leaders will not try to do everything by themselves. Instead, they understand that they need to build and support a group of people who do things better than they can.

One of the best ways to develop your self-awareness is to build a network of trusted people that you can often have long chats about your current state with. As the writer Jose Saramago once said, the only way to see the island is by leaving the island. Therefore, when you hear others' perspectives and share yours, you put yourself in a place where you can reflect upon your actions and understand what needs to improve and what are your biggest strengths.

Improving self-awareness involves recognizing your feelings and understanding others’. It means demonstrating vulnerability, curiosity, and engaging in conversations with clarity. Commit to regular practice, embrace reading for deeper insights, and accept making mistakes as part of learning. This journey requires diligence and an openness to self-improvement. As you grow, those around you will notice and mirror this positive change, fostering an environment of mutual growth and empathy. This process not only enhances personal development but also strengthens relationships, making it essential for both personal and professional progress.

Another valuable approach to enhancing self-awareness is cultivating a habit of reflection. This involves regularly setting aside time to reflect on your thoughts, feelings, and actions without judgment. By observing yourself with curiosity and compassion, you can gain deeper insights into your motivations, values, and areas for growth. Furthermore, engaging in activities that encourage self-expression, such as journaling, creative arts, or even conversations with trusted friends or therapists, can help you uncover underlying beliefs and patterns that may influence your behavior.

Self reflection is a must, take time to reflect on your thoughts and actions. Also seeking feedback from others is essential, other people's perspectives of you can provide valuable insights in to where you can improve. Use resources such as personality tests such as 16 Personalities can help, as well as Self Help literature and even TED Talks, which I have found useful in the past.

Self-awareness and emotional intelligence (EQ) go hand in hand. EQ refers to a person's ability to perceive their own emotions as well as the emotions of other people. Someone with a high EQ is able to effectively respond to emotions with empathy and compassion. Of course, no one is perfect, and EQ is a skill like any other. But by learning to express your own emotions in a healthy way, and practicing active listening in your relationships, you're contributing to the expansion of your own self-awareness as well.

Self Awareness benefits both teams and companies by enhancing things such as collaboration, and communication between teams. It helps create an atmosphere of trust and openness, which in turn creates a better working environment. It also helps individuals feel valued and empowered.

self-awareness promotes a positive work environment, fosters personal and professional growth, and contributes to the long-term success of both the team and the company

Self-awareness alone isn't enough to impact a team significantly. It must be combined with self-regulation, social awareness, and demonstrated empathy, among other skills, to foster group growth. The goal is to elevate the team from a base of safety and security to comfort, and ultimately, convenience, where collective performance surpasses individual contributions. This synergy, as Stephen Covey suggests, enhances team effectiveness and productivity. By integrating these emotional intelligence components, leaders can create an environment where team members thrive together, achieving more through unity and mutual understanding.

Two words: Michael Scott. Why is Michael Scott so hilarious? Because Michael Scott’s profound lack of self-awareness leads to him saying, and doing things that are so comically egregious that we’re blown away. I personally find value in moments of challenge by asking “WWMSD”, or “what WOULDN’T Michael Scott do?” Often counterpoints are more informative for our strategies and tactics than positive ideas, providing us with a set of constants by which to navigate rather than generalities. When we understand ourselves, our teams can trust us more readily, because when we know who we are, others can rely upon that knowledge when gauging how we might respond, react, or relate to them in their lived experiences.

Self-awareness is a quality, that helps you to understand better your superpowers and skills where you're not that confident. And that's good because, in the games industry, you constantly face the problems that need to be solved. So it'll be easier for you to understand where you can resolve issues on your own and where you need to use your team's superpowers.

Team Collaboration: Self-awareness among team members fosters open communication, constructive feedback, and effective collaboration. Recognizing individual strengths and weaknesses allows for better task delegation and overall productivity. UX Design: Designers apply self-awareness to anticipate player expectations, emotions, and reactions to different game elements. This insight enables the creation of intuitive interfaces, engaging mechanics, and immersive experiences tailored to the target audience. Community Engagement: Companies leverage self-awareness to engage with their gaming communities authentically. This involves actively listening to player feedback, acknowledging mistakes. Professional Growth

In the gaming industry, self-awareness can significantly enhance user experience by integrating emotional intelligence to create a safe, secure, comfortable and convenient environment. This not only boosts satisfaction but also fosters loyalty and engagement. Players who feel part of a community, developed through empathy and social awareness, are more likely to spend and return. Game developers leveraging self-awareness and self-regulation can better meet player needs, deepening connections. Applying these principles can make gaming more engaging and rewarding for both players and creators. If you are going to get this right, including the ethics of integrating EI into your community culture to spur spending and loyalty, hire experts.

In the dynamic realm of the gaming industry, self-awareness stands as a beacon guiding leaders towards success. By embodying self-awareness, we not only navigate the ever-evolving landscape of trends and technologies but also connect on a deeper level with our audience and our own creative essence.

Understanding your strengths and challenges is one way to know how to play your cards. Nintendo for example tried to compete in the game console business by having greater specs than the PlayStation with the GameCube and soon realized that their strength lies more in innovative software (and hardware) instead of trying to create the 'most powerful' console on the market. Nintendo is now leaning into their IP more and their strategy is built around harnessing their world-famous characters.

Self awareness in leadership is looking at how you want to be treated and then treating others, especially those reporting to you with the same respect, kindness and humanity you would have wanted your managers to treat you. Understanding that each person is different and finding the right ways to lead people.