Some stuff that no one will ever tell you about the Gaming Industry

As a hard-core game addict by soul and a person who has experience in the gaming industry both as a leader and an individual contributor, I have my part in gaming. I got confused so many times and I realized most of the people also get confused about the same stuff. Most of my peers pretended that they have all answers and the rest preferred to remain silent because they were afraid to say "I don't know." 

2 years ago I stood by in front of a door that holds so much information and practices behind. The door revealed the unknown things that I didn't know that I don't know. Confused a little? Yeah, that was on purpose. Let's get to the topic. 

"Firstly, I have to define some terms for the sake of clarity."

What does it mean? Transactional and Transformational Leadership Style.

Most of the game companies are being managed by two styles; transactional and transformational. I will not go into so much detail about the management style theories and literature. However, to give a basic understanding of those, we might say that the transactional management style is most effective in the military. The management style focuses on goals and considers employees as rabbits that can be motivated by carrots. I don’t even have to say now but in transactional style, fishing rod belongs to the leaders to rule their department with hierarchy.

The transformational style is the opposite. When the company focuses on vision rather than a goal and enables your talents with trust. Your traits provide you benefits to your development in your career. That style is transformational. You can hear people say "Everyone will be heard!". Well, you are at a place that has a transformational style and most likely managed with "Holacracy".

Ok, management style checked. Let's focus on you now. As an employee, what drives you in a company. 

What does it mean? Extrinsic and Intrinsic Motivation?

There are two types of motivation. Extrinsic and Intrinsic. There are also Hygiene factors but let's assume that you feel safe at work and your salary is being paid on time.

Extrinsic motivators are carrots. Carrots can be money, appreciation, or even avoid being scolded. Intrinsic motivations are the ones that come from yourself. Pardon my french, the feeling that you are successful without the likes on your Instagram. The feeling that you belong to someplace. The most difference will come to a point that when your boss tells you did a good job. Do you feel good for the sake of the challenge or do you feel good because your boss acknowledges it and you know for sure that your boss will use it in your favor later on? If you feel good about yourselves, it is an intrinsic motivator. Remember, there is no good or there is no bad about what motivates you. It is about who you are. To be honest, if it was a good thing to work, no one would have paid us.

We checked the basics now. Let's come to a point about what is going on in the gaming industry. Let's test our knowledge and see what happens.

What happens when: Transformational Management Style with a Person who is motivated with mostly with Intrinsic

Everything is amazing. You are in love. You love spending your time at work. What can go wrong? Well first, it is work. It is easy to manipulate you. Do you know why? Because Holacracy as I said earlier linked to transformational, works as a P2P system. Like Bittorent, PirateBay. If something goes wrong, it is too difficult to understand who is responsible. Is it familiar? The problem with this is most of the game companies hire hard-core gamers who are so passionate about their games or others. They do it on purpose. First, for the sake of understanding the culture, and second to create loyalty. If you are loyal it is so difficult to say no even though everyone says your idea matters. If you understand this concept before you get into the gaming industry, you do not need to do anything. Have fun with your success. But! If the realization comes afterward -that it is not the love of your life. It is just a job- everything might seem so confusing. Sorry, there will be no decision-maker around to explain it to you what is going on actually. 

What happens when: Transactional Management Style with a Person who is motivated with mostly with Extrinsic

Well, it works great for the companies that only acquire games that have potential in high ROI and do not care for players, and only seek financial achievements, to publish. When the numbers go down, they can just dump the games into the trash without a glitch of an eye. Oh, you contributed so much to the game. Sorry, it is not you, the game is not making money anymore. With extrinsic motivation, you will do whatever your boss says. You want to please them, remember? From the company's side, they will never have a long time business success unless they adapt to the market all the time. Turnover on the games will look good in the balance sheet for a couple of years but when you want to increase retention, your reputation will be ruined and even though the game is awesome, it will be too difficult to built trust towards people. 

Did you get confused again? No one will ever tell you that why you comprise when your boss says "Why you send that email without asking me?" Well, it is not effing your job to ask everything before you do, it is the style of the company. The problem with this is, it is a game company and if someone is not passionate about the game, they need to have a specialization in business. That works also in the management. As I said earlier, in the military, it works. The construction site, it works. Gaming Industry, doubt it. Prove me wrong. 

What happens: Transactional Management Style with a Person who is motivated with mostly with Intrinsic

Doomed. Employees will tolerate the company until they find the next job. Managers train themselves to be great manipulators, seek psychological support later on.

What happens: Transformational Management Style with a Person who is motivated with mostly with Extrinsic

Doomed. Employees will lie and become aggressive if they don't think that they pleased their managers. Managers will never say what is right and what is wrong because they will be like Yoda. They want their employees to discover themselves. Well, some people just wanna be an individual contributor. Managers don't know what to do. They get confused. Still doomed.

Lastly, if you are passionate about games and wanted to turn it into a career just because your mom never let you play as much as you want. -Just pause a moment- Maybe you will be good at it. I don't know. If that is your only motivation, no one will hire you unless it is a transactional-style company. And if they did, there will be no place for you to improve individually but as a title. Hell, yeah. Work on your boss's skills.

If you are a person who is motivated with extrinsic motivation or even both. Do your best, question more, or question less. Seek for the signals and know whom you are working for.

That's for all today. Lots to talk about. If you like this one, I will write about Norms, Governance, and Rules in the Gaming Industry next. 

Hugs,

??ykü