How can mentorship help you communicate effectively in the gaming industry?

As a mentor its my goal to provide behind the scenes depth and explain how to navigate the world that I am advising on to my mentee. For example its important to teach the do’s and dont’s of networking within the industry. Providing direct connections to help support in areas that I am not an expertise in. Guide my mentee through the fog of what is stated and what is the reality of the industry and how to navigate that. Be a soundboard for ideas and frustrations for my mentee. You cannot do it all and not everything will always work out but be the supportive and constructive voice for your mentee.

Mentorship is about wanting others to succeed. It is not one way though. I have gotten so much personal satisfaction from passing on learnings to younger professionals.

Mentors are indeed very important to have. Let me give my example, my mentor Lisa, gave my guidance of becoming a producer during our chat discussions. Her unique perspective and insight helped me progress forward and take critical career decisions. You need to have a mentor who has achieved what you want to accomplish.

This is SUCH a great question, and a topic that is absolutely under-emphasized in all industries!! Beyond just what mentorship is, here are 3 ideas to consider that may help you to personally benefit from mentoring. 1. Define expectations: When asking for someone to be your mentor, be very clear about what you need and how much time you're asking for. It's easier to say yes to something that you fully understand. 2. BE a mentor: Consider volunteering as a mentor with a non-profit to help others in a way that is meaningful to you. I find that I learn more when teaching than when studying. 3. Secure 3 mentors at a time: Create a diversity of perspectives within your mentors and actively cultivate those relationships.

Mentorship can significantly enhance your communication skills in the gaming industry, providing a platform for learning, growth, and networking. A mentor, typically an experienced professional in the gaming industry, can offer advice, feedback, encouragement, and resources, helping you to achieve your goals. Mentorship can help you improve your communication skills in several ways. 1. Mentors can share their experiences and insights on effective communication techniques, strategies, and best practices that have worked for the. 2. They can also provide expert insights into the gaming industry, helping you understand its unique communication dynamics

Mentors can help your communication by teaching you the language of an industry or organization, and you can rest assured that each corporation, studio, and team has its own culture and language. This is especially true if you're seeking an industry change into Games; ask your mentor to speak to you as if you were part of the industry already. Ask questions about what words and phrases mean and ask if you're using them correctly when you mirror them back. Treat learning about your goal organization as if you were learning a new language with grammar, syntax, and idioms that are unique to it. By keeping the learner's mentality as your main lens you can absorb much more than a few key words; you can understand how a group thinks.

Some AI-Weirdness in this section. If you're looking for a Mentor in the Game Industry, improvement to your communication skills might be a by-product, but it's unlikely to be the primary focus of the relationship. It does offer a chance to learn by example. Watch how your Mentor communicates and collaborates with you. How do they provide feedback? How do they help you articulate goals? What vocabulary are they using? To get the most value out of this, reflect on the "why" behind the means of communication. For example: Why do they give you feedback the way they do? As a part of this, it's also important to evaluate what worked, what didn't work, and how you would implement a similar approach, tailored to your own communication style.

Mentoring with someone in the gaming industry is critical if you want to join and especially if you want to be successful in the industry. Gaming is a sector beaming with passionate, extremely talented & brilliant individuals from all walks of life. Getting an understanding of “day in the life” helps build a thorough vision of what it is like day-to-day beyond all the glitz of “working in gaming!” And referrals go a LONG way - especially when there are thousands of applicants knocking on the virtual doors of these places! This will help you ground yourself in reality & create an action plan from an experienced gaming pro so you can make your splash in Gaming!

Definitely true . Mentorship is the most important tool in how to manage multi cultural differences amongst VIP INTERNATIONAL HIGH ROLLERS . From my experience with them but Gaming staff due to bi lingual difficulties found it near impossible to inculcate a very close customer service personal relationships . When I travelled overseas I was recognised and greeted by some of them at International Airport Lounge , in Las Vegas and Macau Casino VIP GAMING ROOMS.

Besides many other important aspects to get from any mentorship, communication paves the way to any project, be that starting or finishing one. You should get a good, unbiased mentorship, which in itself is complicated as mentorships usually are quite subjective and most of the time, personal. Being capable of replicating not only their communication skills, but also their leadership while doing so, you'll face key values like empathy. If you don't empathize with both the team, the project and stakeholders, you'll have a hard time in succeeding, as that will mean getting you out of your comfort zone, which is the bread'n'butter of this industry.

One of the ways to connect with a potential mentor is through cold outreach. It requires a thoughtful and personal approach: - Research them carefully. Understand their background in the industry and the games they've developed. - Craft a personalized message. Explain why you want them to be your mentor. Be clear about your intentions and respectful of their time. - Express your passion for the industry and your eagerness to learn. Tell them a bit about yourself, your background, and what you hope to achieve in the industry. - Respect the response: If they decline or are unable to mentor you at the moment, respect their decision graciously. Thank them for considering your request and leave the door open for future interactions.

If you're taking the passive mentorship route, you'll have way more chances of learning from many individuals. But if you prefer a more one-to-one experience, best way to get mentorship is to learn from your leaders at your current job and if that isn't enough, switching to a different project will provide more connections. Probably your favorite people from the industry won't have the time to do mentorship even if they're getting paid, so either search for those who do, or stick to your current workplace and kindly propose it to someone you trust. LinkedIn I'd say is a fantastic place to be in and build those connections too.

Finding a mentor or a mentorship program is difficult in many industries, maybe all of them! I believe and have been experiencing an incredible opportunities on LinkedIn! I am sure that is the best way to connect with the right people and to be mentored!

There are many programs offered through resource groups too. The first that comes to mind is WIA (Women in Animation), WIGI (Women in Games International), Black Girls Code and the already mentioned IGDA.

Almost all of my mentors were people I directly worked with. Either bosses or people I admired in another position. At game companies look for people who are passionate about the craft and are deeply engaged with the games community. I have found that these are generally the most successful types in the business.

Come prepared. Once you've found a mentor willing to sit down and speak with you, it's important that you have an idea what you'd like to get out of the experience. Are you looking to improve your hard skillset? Looking for a career guide to level up to your next promotion? Want some insight into specific problems you're dealing with right now? Know the problems you'd like help with before you ever get into the conversation. If possible, send over some questions as part of the initial request for mentorship - but at least have them when you first meet. This can only help the mentor help determine how best to assist.

If you've never had the opportunity to prepare for a mentorship, I recommend the following initial discussion questions: 1. First, thank them for their time. 2. Ask them about their journey and how they achieved their current position in the industry. 3. Ask them what got them interested in mentoring! 4. Ask them if they are willing to answer some more specific questions. This is the time to ask your questions! 5. At the end, thank them for their time again. 6. Send an email and/or message thanking them for their time. Be very cognizant of your mentor's time. It is valuable. Make sure you're early (not on-time - early) and prepared. If they say they have 30 minutes, ensure that you're curating your questions and don't go over!

The best way to maximize a mentor relationship if you are the mentee is to give back. What value can you provide to your mentor? It's knowledge they are providing to you so can they benefit from a fresh perspective? Younger generation's opinion? Critical feedback or just gratitude and acknowledgment?

Respect your mentor's time and patience. Not everyone is built the same way, so again, being empathetic will take you places. Curiosity, when controlled, will be an attractive asset to have as a mentee, as everyone loves to mentor someone that really loves to learn. Also, be realistic. Just because your mentor has X skills you desire to have, don't fixate on them as you'll probably won't build on them in a 1:1 scale. Ask for as much feedback as possible, and make yourself a favor and don't try to be a pleaser... You're after a mentorship to learn, not to be liked. But if you can make the experience likeable, go for it.

When you are looking for someone to teach you, you need to open mind and forget some concepts and ideas you have! It’s is important to be honest, flexible and adaptable and mainly, open to be challenged! The mentor should bring you new ideas, concepts and paths you didn’t imagine ou even didn’t knew! Be prepared!

Say yes. Do you work in the game industry? Do you care about helping others who are earlier in career or looking to pivot industries? Yes? Then just do it. The opportunity to give back to the community is massive and the experience of supporting others beyond satisfying.

To became a good mentor you need to be prepared to listen, to understand and accept different ideas and, probably, to learn with the mentee! When the mentor is closed to this changes, he will probably close the communication channel and the mentorship will not working! Even if you have a great experience and background, this doesn’t make you infallible! Respect is the key, always!

From my experience, the key to maximizing the benefits of mentorship lies in the art of questioning and active listening. It's crucial to ask the right questions, which opens doors to deeper understanding and knowledge. Often, we might think we have all the answers, but this mindset can limit our learning. Instead, embracing a posture of curiosity and humility has been instrumental for me. Listening more and talking less has not only enhanced my comprehension but also allowed me to absorb the wisdom and insights my mentor offers. This approach has significantly enriched my learning journey, enabling me to grow beyond my expectations.

Add your name to any organisations that are looking for mentors, participate in your organisations programs and let your team know you are open to a mentoring relationship

Mentorship is a two way street. It should be a symbiotic relationship and not feel forced or one sided. As a mentee, think about what you bring to the table. Is it interest in emerging tech or hiring trends? Do you have a passion for a similar humanitarian effort? Do you have an expertise in an area your mentor may be looking to fill? As a mentor remember your mentee is relying on your experience to help them grow so be honest about the expectations, time you can commit and growth assistance you can offer.

In a defining moment of my career, as I faced the intricate task of selling my business in Shanghai, the presence of my mentor was invaluable. He didn't just offer advice from afar; he flew to Shanghai with me, immersing himself in the complex negotiation process. His guidance was crucial in navigating the myriad of challenges that come with such a significant transaction. Without his support and wisdom, I'm certain the outcome would have been vastly different. This experience cemented in me the belief that while having a mentor is an investment, not having one during critical business milestones, like selling a company, is a cost far too great to bear.

Follow up. Did your mentor connect you with others within the gaming industry? Share learnings from those conversations. Are you applying mentorship learnings to current projects? Highlight the results. Seeing people succeed by achieving and growing past their current goals is everything.

Both mentors and mentees should be conscient about their own skills and needs, while being completely honest with themselves. As there are bad mentors, bad mentees exist as well. It's important to keep learning from different people, get as many POVs as possible and never burn bridges, whatever the professional relationship may end like. And as a mentee, respect yourself. Just because you admire and need someone's mentorship, that doesn't mean you should accept unacceptable behaviour, just to fill out your CV.