You’re leading a game development team. How can you foster adaptability in your team members?

2 Embrace failure

Another way to foster adaptability is to embrace failure as a part of the game development process. Failure is inevitable when you’re trying new things, testing new features, or experimenting with new ideas. However, failure is not a sign of weakness or incompetence. It’s a sign of learning and growth. You can embrace failure by reframing it as a valuable feedback, a learning opportunity, and a chance to improve. You can also create a safe space for your team members to fail, by offering support, guidance, and constructive criticism.

3 Promote collaboration

A third way to foster adaptability is to promote collaboration among your team members. Collaboration is the act of working together to achieve a common goal, share ideas, and solve problems. It helps your team members to learn from each other, leverage each other’s strengths, and overcome each other’s weaknesses. You can promote collaboration by setting clear and shared goals, facilitating communication and feedback, and celebrating teamwork and diversity.

4 Challenge assumptions

A fourth way to foster adaptability is to challenge assumptions that your team members may have about the game development process, the game design, or the game audience. Assumptions are beliefs that are taken for granted, without evidence or verification. They can limit your team members’ creativity, innovation, and responsiveness. You can challenge assumptions by asking why, how, and what if questions, by conducting research and testing, and by exposing your team members to different perspectives and experiences.

5 Model adaptability

A fifth way to foster adaptability is to model adaptability yourself as a leader. Adaptability is the ability to adjust to changing situations, expectations, and demands. It’s a skill that you can demonstrate and inspire in your team members. You can model adaptability by showing flexibility, resilience, and optimism. You can also show your team members how you cope with challenges, how you learn from mistakes, and how you embrace change.