Does likeability have a lot of value in leadership? How much does setting and enforcing boundaries help you and the organization succeed? What skills are important for leaders to exhibit?     Answering all these questions and more is Zach Blitz, a senior director of production at Epic Games and friend of the hosts of Building Better Games. He has experienced leading multiple teams in a large organization, while still keeping his leadership style relationship centric.     In this episode, Zach gives examples of his own growth as a leader in game dev, and how he finds the time to build relationships in a large organization. You’ll also hear advice on the interview process, solving problems, and fostering relationships at every organizational level.     Tune in to learn more about the psychology of creating a workplace that mutually benefits both leaders and employees!     Topics discussed in this episode: - Zach’s career journey and background - His new role at Epic Games - The roles of interviewers and interviewees - Do you need to be an expert in something to lead? - Zach’s foundational beliefs about humans/leaders - How leaders deal with high work loads - Types of leaders - How Zach deals with conflicts as a leader - Finding the time to be a good leader - Who should leaders have one-on-ones with? - Solving big problems with large teams - A story exemplifying Zach’s ability to recruit and lead - Trust is a core currency   Find Zach Blitz on LinkedIn!   If you’ve enjoyed this episode and wonder if we could help your studio or company out, email us at [email protected] to set up a free 90-minute call!   For more episodes head to the Building Better Games Podlink.   Connect with us: TikTok Instagram LinkedIn   This Episode Was Produced by PodcastBoutique.com

“I believe that we will make better games by treating game developers better. Game development should be a dream job, but it's not.”     This quote comes from today’s episode with Josiah Kiehl, co-founder and CEO of Sprocket Games. After experiencing his own disappointment with the “myth of the dream job,” he teamed with like-minded creators to found a company that’s building a strong technology foundation and fostering a culture that supports creativity.     During his chat with the hosts of Building Better Games, Josiah talks about this passion for giving creators a better environment to reach their creative potential. You’ll also hear their views on the future of the gaming industry, and how leaders can help their employees thrive and businesses grow.     Tune in to learn more about building creativity into the culture and Sprocket Games, a company that’s hoping to have a big impact on the industry!     Topics discussed in this episode: - Josiah on finding his place in the industry and starting a company - Challenges faced in getting investors - What motivated Josiah to create a company with a creative culture - The importance of QA (quality assurance) - Why aren’t more people changing along with the industry? - Risk budgets and how leaders should work with them - Consequences of the “myth of the dream job” - Changes Josiah thinks leaders need to make - What’s next for Sprocket Games     Find with Josiah Kiehl on LinkedIn!   Sprocket Games Website: https://sprocket.games/ BITKRAFT Ventures Website: https://www.bitkraft.vc/   If you’ve enjoyed this episode and wonder if we could help your studio or company out, email us at [email protected] to set up a free 90-minute call!   For more episodes head to the Building Better Games Podlink.   Connect with us: TikTok Instagram LinkedIn

Dreaming of a career in game development? In the gaming industry, relevant skills and real experience delivering outcomes matter more than a college degree. If you’re highly creative and technical, and can work well on a team, you’ll do well in this industry, but keep in mind that working in game dev is not all fun and games.     On today’s episode, Building Better Games is addressing some of the myths and struggles of the industry, such as the pressure and time crunch many people in game dev are faced with. With a higher supply than there is demand for workers, there’s stiff competition and passion and a great resume just aren’t enough to land your dream role.     You’ll hear what the gaming industry is really like, both the numerous positive elements and the few bad, as well as ways you can develop your skills on your journey to working in game dev. This included modding, joining a community, and of course - playing games!     For tips on how you can demonstrate your worth and stand out in a field that has an influx of new interest, tune in!     Topics discussed in this episode: - Misconceptions about working in the gaming industry - What the gaming industry actually looks like - Learning software development and problem solving - Advice on landing a job in game dev - Modding and getting exposure for your work - Roles that don’t require expertise/experience - How useful is a college degree? - Tips to improve your resume     If your company could benefit from talking to us, email [email protected] to set up a free 90-minute call!   For more episodes head to the Building Better Games Podlink.   Connect with us: TikTok Instagram LinkedIn YouTube

During Part 1 of our conversation, our leader in game dev shared the tough layoff decision she was unexpectedly forced to make as a leader at her former employer. We learned the basics of what happened and how it impacted her, and now we dive into a deeper discussion of the choice she made in part 2.     Building Better Games plays devil’s advocate in this episode, discussing the different ways she could have addressed this situation. They talk about what led her to make her final decision, and the feedback she received from her team. You’ll hear a deeper dive into how she honored herself, her former employer, and her team.     We also discuss the employee life cycle, and why companies should help guide employees through their time at the company and prepare them to find a new role when they leave. This includes being a conscious leader, and addressing the emotional pain and stress that comes with layoffs.     Doing the “right thing” is not always the most pragmatic thing, but staying true to your values and doing what’s right may help you keep looking at yourself in the mirror each day. Tune in to this episode for advice on how to handle layoffs as a leader!     Topics discussed in this episode: - Our leader in game dev considers other paths before making her final decision - Leaders being unwilling to let go is a source of a lot of problems - The surprising way the team’s story ended - Conscious leadership and taking responsibility - Ways to view severance packages in layoffs/firings - Aaron on leaders that don’t handle firings well - Staying true to yourself and decisions made as a leader - How to approach a layoff scenario as a leader     Learn more about Rise and Play: Rise and Play Website Rise and Play   For tips on how to staff your dev team, email us at [email protected] to set up a free 90-minute call!   For more episodes head to the Building Better Games Podlink.   Connect with us: TikTok Instagram LinkedIn YouTube

If you’ve been on LinkedIn lately, you may have noticed a rise in layoffs. The interesting part about this news is not the fact that more layoffs are happening, but that more people and companies are being open about it.     Layoffs have always been common, but where companies go wrong in the process is their lack of transparency, which can result in employees feeling unimportant and ashamed. Layoffs are definitely a negative experience, but being laid off should not be a stain on someone’s resume.     A games industry leader recently experienced the reality of layoffs in her team. Her desire to provide information and thoughtful treatment during a layoff of half her team has given her firsthand experience on this topic. She recalls breaking the news to the team she passionately built, and how they navigated a tricky situation.     In Part 1 of our conversation, she shares how it affected her personally and professionally, including her decision to save the less secure team members over the more experienced leads — including herself. You’ll also hear a deep dive into the taboo subject of emotions in the workplace, and respecting yourself and your employee if it happens to you.     Listen to this first part of our conversation and learn what to do when your values misalign with your company, and why you should value your emotions and intuition as you make decisions!     Topics discussed in this episode: - A layoff experience as a leader - Why she made the decision to leave - Emotions being taboo in the workplace - Advice to other leaders in the same situation - One thing many leaders lack in their approach - Telling the team leaders and the exit plan     Learn more about Rise and Play: Rise and Play Website Rise and Play   For tips on how to staff your dev team, email us at [email protected] to set up a free 90-minute call!   For more episodes head to the Building Better Games Podlink.   Connect with us: TikTok Instagram LinkedIn YouTube  

Time and time again, we see game teams struggle with the feeling that they're not moving fast enough. Something isn't right with the game, but they don't have time to think about it because there's “so much work to do.” These kinds of issues arise when we're focused on building stuff, rather than creating compelling experiences that resonate with players. That’s why, in today’s episode of Building Better Games, we’re focusing on value, not work!     We want to help you hone in on what true progress looks like and discover how you can create the best possible player experience using the smallest amount of stuff. Tuning in, you’ll learn why you need to abandon the GSD or “get-shit-done” approach to game development and adopt a more minimalist approach instead.     Do you want to feel more empowered to make value-based decisions that align with what your game should be? Are you looking to avoid some of the most common progress pitfalls that game developers tend to fall into? This is the episode for you!     Topics discussed in this episode: - Defining ‘value’ and ‘stuff’ for the purposes of this conversation - Why value is greater than the sum of its stuff - Centering progress on player experience rather than work progress - Making something of value versus “getting shit done” - A look at why you need to create value and build stuff - Why figuring out what the game should be is key - Tips for building a production roadmap with value at its core - Why it’s critical to communicate the player experience to your team - Assessing the importance of each and every piece of work - How to embrace uncertainty as a leader - Differentiating between play tests and product reviews - A minimalist approach to creating the best player experience - Common progress traps that game developers fall into - How the acronym IKIWISI can be useful here - Advice for keeping vision and strategy top of mind   If you’d like to work with Jeff, you can connect with him on LinkedIn or email him at [email protected].   Resources Mentioned: The Ladder of Inference Big Five Personality Test Structural Dynamics   For tips on how to staff your dev team, email us at [email protected] to set up a free 90-minute call!   For more episodes head to the Building Better Games Podlink.   Connect with us: TikTok Instagram LinkedIn YouTube  

Knowing how to communicate and listen effectively is right up there with knowing how to write code, design characters, or compose a musical score. Taking what you have constructed in your mind and being able to materialize it, in whatever form, is like a muscle that can become strengthened over time with enough practice.     Today, we're going to show you how to level up your day-to-day communication skills with your peers and your seniors. We illustrate how to better understand the thinking and motivations of others, and how to avoid some of the more common foot-in-mouth communication traps that we've all fallen into at one point or another!     With us is master communicator, seasoned coach, and former Riot Games engineering manager, Jeff Hackert. Jeff helps teams align on organizational goals, build shared values and work habits, and improve both their communication and software delivery process.     Together, we give you the tools you need to avoid ‘fishbowl communication’, become a conversational superhero, and ultimately ship better games.     You won’t want to miss this thought-provoking conversation!     Topics discussed in this episode: - Where Jeff’s passion for human dynamics comes from - The drive to be “right” in high-stakes environments - Using the Ladder of Inference to explain awareness bubbles - How agency can be perceived as power - Why Jeff recommends taking a personality test - Understanding selection bias - A look at Structural Dynamics and the different communication styles - The role of the interventionist in bridging communication divides - Why you need to be willing to adopt a different communication style - Changing the circumstances versus expecting others to change - Some of the perils of democratic decision making - How you can benefit from engaging with uncertainty - The problem with closed communication styles - Tips for building a shared vision of the desired outcome - Why empathy and humanity are important for effective communication - Advice for game development leaders to fix communication, not people - The value of becoming a better listener   If you’d like to work with Jeff, you can connect with him on LinkedIn or email him at [email protected].   Resources Mentioned: The Ladder of Inference Big Five Personality Test Structural Dynamics   For tips on how to staff your dev team, email us at [email protected] to set up a free 90-minute call!   For more episodes head to the Building Better Games Podlink.   Connect with us: TikTok Instagram LinkedIn YouTube  

Far from losing steam in the digital age, tabletop games are booming thanks to their collaborative and tactile nature. In fact, today’s guest believes that video games can learn a lot from tabletop RPGs – and vice versa!     Today, we’re joined by Tyler Kamstra, a software developer by trade who plays a whole lot of Dungeons and Dragons and other tabletop RPGs in his spare time. Tyler is also the founder and primary author of RPGBOT.net, an online resource for tabletop roleplaying games, including informative articles, online tools, and the RPGBOT.Podcast.     We discuss the crossover between video games, board games, and tabletop RPGs, whereTyler fills us in on some of the exciting developments taking place in the tabletop gaming world. We take a look at some of the joys and perils of leadership, how you can benefit from building an open and respectful corporate culture that promotes transparent feedback, and what the future holds for RPGBOT.net.     To learn all this and more from an expert from the tabletop world, make sure to tune in today!     Topics discussed in this episode: - Overlap between video games and tabletop RPGs - What pen and paper can learn from digital and vice versa - Why collaborative storytelling makes games memorable – even if they suck! - How RPGBOT.net has evolved from a solo passion project - Areas of leadership that Tyler finds difficult - The importance of building feedback into your culture - Why professional leadership can be about breaking stuff The origin story of RPGBOT.net - How Tyler became known for his character optimization content - The role RPGBOT.net plays in the tabletop space today - Developing needs in the space and how the ecosystem is evolving - What the future of RPGBOT.net looks like   Follow Tyler on LinkedIn and Twitter. You can also visit his website and discover his Monstrous Races series on Dungeon Masters Guild.   Check out RPGBOT.net and listen to the RPGBOT.Podcast to learn more about tabletop roleplaying games and become a better player!   For more tips on how to staff your dev team, email us at [email protected] to set up a free 90-minute call!   For more episodes head to the Building Better Games Podlink.   Connect with us: TikTok Instagram LinkedIn YouTube

The visuals and feel of a video game are a lot more complex than even most artists think. It is imperative that your team is on the same page when it comes to communicating with the player through the game’s visuals, especially during long and complex game development cycles.     This is why you should make the art direction clear from the start, then be ready when people don’t understand or try different things. Having a clear yet evolving vision allows for teams to create better games, learn quickly, and maximize each member’s individual strengths. Your team won’t get it perfect the first time, and that’s ok. They may surprise you!     Tomáš Jech, co-founder of independent studio Tandemi and TEDx speaker, joins us in today’s episode to share his experiences in art direction, some of the tools he’s discovered over the years, and where he sees opportunities to lead better in making art for games.     After years of creating in the gaming world, Tomáš is still learning about the importance of limitations, the usefulness of having a visual hierarchy, and why you need to understand what ignites the spark of passion within your team—and tap into it!     Tune in for pragmatic advice on how to leverage your team’s individual talents and experiences to make a game that not only looks good, but plays well too.     Topics discussed in this episode: - The importance of a clear art strategy - Getting on the same page - Understanding your team makes for better games - Creativity is an ocean of opportunity - The importance of limitations - The idea repository - The soup is greater than the sum of its parts - Having clear paths of authority - Why a visual hierarchy matters - Protecting your time - Maximize your team’s individual strengths - Tomáš’s latest creative venture: BEGONE BEAST   Check out Tandemi’s upcoming project, BEGONE BEAST at begonebeast.com and sign up for their newsletter to help develop the game!   For more tips on how to staff your dev team, email us at [email protected] to set up a free 90 minute call!   For more episodes head to the Building Better Games Podlink.   Connect with us: TikTok Instagram LinkedIn YouTube

Every creator of a new video game or founder of a video game startup loves gaming. No one in this industry is unique in that fact. If you’re trying to get VC funding, loving games will not differentiate you from everyone else.     Investors are looking for more from founders. To be taken seriously, there has to be something more, something with clear potential to succeed. You need to figure that out before you decide to bring an investor to the table. VCs see multiple pitches a day, and each one is a great idea. If you are looking for funding, you need to go beyond just having a great idea.     To speak more on what founders and companies should consider when starting a game studio or looking for funding to make a game, we have invited Joakim Achren, an expert in startups, venture capital funding, and game studio leadership, as well as author of ‘The Long Term Game'.     Joakim joins us in today’s episode to walk us through what maximizes your chances of successfully starting a game company.     Tune in for practical advice from a real game dev investor so you know what it takes to found a video game startup and make better games!     Topics discussed in this episode: - The big ingredients of a successful game startup - Can you be part of creating games and also facilitate game making as a founder? - Common mistakes made by early stage founders when constructing a team - What happens when hiring a team with too many similarities - Why Joakim takes a proactive stance instead of a reactive one when advising - How to create vulnerability in board meetings to deal with issues - How the recession is impacting conversations around runway - A leader’s secret to building culture within a company - Why is ambition level important when founding a video game startup? - What VCs care about when you are pitching to them - The optimal way founders and leadership should be looking at product - Joakim’s personal philosophy on learning loops - What are some reasons why startups fail   To learn more from Joakim, check out elitegamedevelopers.com, or check out his podcast at https://elitegamedevelopers.com/podcast/   For more tips on how to staff your dev team, email us at [email protected] to set up a free 90 minute call!   For more episodes head to the Building Better Games Podlink.   Connect with us: TikTok Instagram LinkedIn YouTube

It seems intuitive that adding additional people will increase your speed in making a great game. However, staffing up is more nuanced than that. If you add people to a system where there are underlying operational and/or cultural issues all you’re doing is adding weight to a cart that’s already in the mud. So how do you staff video game development efficiently?     Honestly, it’s complicated. A lot of the aspects of whether a person is needed or a good fit are intangible, and can only be felt and understood by paying attention, which is a huge missing piece in most staffing plans and hiring processes.     This podcast will show you how to use your judgment as a leader to identify key data points and make effective decisions around staffing.   Topics discussed in this episode: - The importance of deliberately constructing a team - Why hiring more people does not equate to more productivity - How big should your team be? - Importance of leaders understanding their team’s workflows - How you identify your worst bottlenecks - Management overhead when it comes to staffing - Incentivizing not working on unnecessary aspects of the project - When hiring more people is appropriate - Understanding the human intangibles as being critical to staffing - Summary of four points to keep in mind when thinking of hiring   For more tips on how to staff your dev team, email us at [email protected] to set up a free 90 minute call!   For more episodes head to the Building Better Games Podlink.   Connect with us: TikTok Instagram LinkedIn YouTube

“I want to be maximizing value. These tools can create a side game that actually is only vaguely and tangentially related to value, perhaps even in a negative way.”     Why do people hate JIRA so much? There is a whole website dedicated to rants calling JIRA out for its oppressive bureaucratic nature and the evangelistic cult created around its adoption across many industries, including the video game industry. What we want to find out is, is it REALLY that bad, especially since it is one of the most popular management tools used to date, or are people just sour they are being forced to use it? When we pick apart this issue, many things are uncovered, but one constant remains, which is that creating value for players is ultimately the goal of any game dev organization.     It's easy to lose sight of that goal (and the players!) when everyone is fixated on being in the green or moving tickets, which is where most of the team’s energy ends up being spent. This is a massive issue that we need to tackle and we think there are solutions. One solution can be found right here in this episode!     Hosts Ben Carcich and Aaron Smith sit down to discuss how management tools like JIRA get a bad rep, and who’s to blame for it. Theoretically, what would happen if we just eliminated management tools all together? Would the entire organization crumble, or would the value of work actually go up instead? As senior leaders themselves, they know and understand this part of the job, and have a five step solution that could dramatically decrease management overhead. That will leave you with more time for adding quality and value and, ultimately, creating better games.     Topics discussed in this episode: - Why do people hate JIRA so much - The argument for the benefits of JIRA - Who is actually benefiting from using JIRA? - Why do we inflict JIRA on our dev teams? - The frightening amount of time teams spend moving tickets - Is value actually added if a ticket is closed? - What would happen if we eliminated management tools? - Incentivizing delivering on JIRA vs. delivering actual value - What is the solution to the “JIRA Overhead” issue: 5 step process - How to lower the overhead for your team - Something you can measure right now that CAN add value - Advice for leaders - The cultural impact of management systems     For more episodes head to Apple Podcasts.     To join our community, head to Facebook and join our private Building Better Games podcast group!   Connect with us: Instagram LinkedIn YouTube

Leading any team is a huge responsibility. You have the ability to impact on each individual and the product in significant ways. The job isn’t for everyone, and no matter how great of a leader you are, mistakes will be made along the way. A difference between great and poor leaders is how they learn from their mistakes and come back better.     Want to make leadership more difficult? Go from leading a team you are very comfortable with to a brand new team with a different dynamic, for a short period of time, and especially when there is high external expectation and pressure to succeed. The entire operation can get out of sync if you aren’t present and leading for the right reasons. These are just a few lessons host Benjamin Carcich learned during his stint making Champions for League of Legends at Riot Games.     As discussed in this episode, Ben shares how he tried to shift the paradigm from a climbing quality bar when developing a champion, to a more holistic view, focusing instead on maximizing player value over time. He quickly realized that the orientation of the team had to be adjusted, which created a tug and pull within disciplines and team members. Ben discusses how he dealt with these situations and what he learned along the way.     Listen in to hear a story coming from a place of humility with great insight into what it means to be a leader and how to make a bigger and better impact while leading.     Topics discussed in this episode:      What was the motivation for the champion team What does quality mean when developing a new champion Importance of game first vs graphical fidelity first What player value actually is Impact on delivery when quality is focus Knowing when to stop improving a game asset What makes a valued champion Lessons learned in how to lead  Challenges in moving between two very different teams Core responsibilities as a leader     For more episodes head to Apple Podcasts.   To join our community, head to Facebook and join our private Building Better Games podcast group!   Connect with us: Instagram LinkedIn YouTube

Aaron and Ben dive into some common problems they see working with game developers from startups to large scale publishers. You'll learn about some patterns to avoid and how to focus on continually delivering real value.

Jonathan McCaffrey (JMac) is a leader and engineer who has worked to help engineering and production understand each other wherever he worked. He covers working with limited resources at a new startup, the fallacy of being either fast or clean but not both, and what it's like scaling from small to large companies and back again. If you want a better understanding of engineering in game dev, this is worth a listen!

Dominic is a master at navigating the complexity of organizations and embodies everything we believe about modern talent development and HR. We dig in on what's changing in this world, perception vs reality when it comes to corporate HR, and the skills and awareness leaders need today to be successful with their talent in the midst of a revolution.

Randy Tau wanted to talk about ownership, and we were happy to oblige. Randy's career runs from startups to the military to being a director at Amazon. We cover ownership from a ton of angles, and also talk about leading at scale and what it means to level yourself up.

"BigBoss" is the creator of the Flavor Universalis mod, one of the most successful Europa Universalis IV mods out there. He is about to live every modder's dream by going and working for Paradox on the game he used to mod for free. In this podcast, he talks a bit about his process, how he relates to his community, and what it has been like to lead a successful modding project.

Grace Liu is an experienced Art Director and Lead Artist working at Netflix with past experience at Riot Games and Blizzard. She shares her journey into leadership, focusing on what the shift from individual contributor to leader looked like, as well as how her less directive style leads to great results for her people. We talk about art, crunch, and more. Check it out!

In this episode, we bring in Erin Hardman to talk about recruiting in games. Erin has been hiring leaders and developers in the games industry for years and provides a look at some myths in the games industry when it comes to hiring, as well as exploring how finding talent for game dev has changed due to COVID and remote work.

Understanding how people join your team and who they should be is a sacred process. Companies live and die on their ability to hire effectively. Join us as we go through the key (and core) principles of how we approach hiring, what companies get wrong, and discuss practical tools that you can use to set your team and yourself up for success (and finding great people).

Arcane released in 2021 and quickly became the highest rated series on Netflix, recently winning 9 Annie awards. We've seen our share of video game flops in film and TV, so we wanted to get a better understanding of why Arcane succeeded. In this episode, we talk to Alex Yee, one of the show's original creators responsible for writing and producing Arcane. We talk about how the show came to be, leadership, and his creative work in video games and television.

Part 2 of Managing Others! This time we're talking about accountability and advocacy. With accountability, we look at how you can set expectations within your org as a leader and someone responsible for growing others. With advocacy, we look at a crucial role a manager plays for their employee and the company. Take a listen, and let us know what you think!

Nearly every adult has had a boss. Many people have been a boss. Yet so few people have thought about what it means to be a good boss beyond the superficial. What makes a good boss? What role do they play in the work lives (and lives!) of the people they manage? Ben and Aaron start off the podcast with a debate about what should make bosses tick, then explore two of their people management pillars: Growth and Integrity. If you're looking for some controversial statements, take a listen!

Content pipelines! There's little info about them outside of the game industry, and even within it we tend to view them as some reductionist and step by step repeatable process, a machine you shove artists and writers and designers into to get 'game art stuff' out the other end. In this podcast we talk to @David Klaus, an Agile Coach and former producer who led one of the most profitable teams in the history of game development, to talk about how you lead, serve, and support developers as they make fantastic and useful art.

It's our first episode of Season 2! We've renamed ourselves Building Better Games, and we're going to start by talking about the importance of maintaining a connection between game devs, the game they're making, and the audience. Get ready to talk about playtests, product thinking, and player empathy. Enjoy!

In episode 19, @Ryan Scott joins Ben and Aaron to talk about Game Design. The conversation ranges from what makes a good game designer, to the relationship between product leadership and design, then over to modern trends and a shared skepticism of NFT-oriented games. Hope you enjoy it!

What is 'Holistic Leadership'? In this episode, Aaron and Ben talk about what it means to be a leader and operating at more than just the process layer. They discuss how leadership and management are different, which do we most often see, and what do we need more of in the modern world? Take a listen if you're trying to improve your leadership capability and feeling stuck. Hope you enjoy!

Over and over we run into orgs that want help with 'the process'. Over and over we do a little bit of exploration and discover that the org's issues reside at a deeper 'level'. In this podcast, we walk through the three layers (Culture, Product, and Process) and talk about how so often leaders are focusing all their efforts on the layer where they can have the least long-term positive impact. Check it out, and let us know what you think!

"Product Management" is everywhere in technology. Wherever you're working there is a need to understand what we're trying to do and where we're trying to go. The role is ubiquitous, it is crucial, and it is also undeniably difficult to do well.  In this episode, Aaron and Ben bring Darko Vukovic to the podcast. Darko's an ex-Riot/Google/Oracle PM who has led teams, products, and other product managers in a variety of environments. The discussion ranges from what a product manager is supposed to be doing, how do we get sidetracked, and what younger product managers can do to set themselves apart. There's a lot in this one, enjoy!

We often hear leaders lament a lack of 'accountability' around organizations. It's commonly discussed, usually when something has gone wrong. But what is accountability? Why is it not present when people seem to want it so badly? How do you set it up? In this podcast, Ben and Aaron explore the topic, walking through what accountability is, why we get it wrong, and how to set it up for yourself and those you lead. Hope you enjoy!

For this episode we got to sit down with an old friend - Andrew Brownell. He's spent years as a designer and product lead in AAA studios like Riot, Red 5, and Boundless. Included are crucial lessons on getting yourself unstuck, the social nature of design, and incorporating learning into your development approach.  Brilliant guy and we had a blast.

Feedback: People don't even know what we mean when we use the term. We're talking direct, constructive, and growth-oriented - focused on the person and how they behave.  We tend to focus on the work and avoid confrontation, but if you ask anyone you know its likely they have at least one "earth-shattering" story of when someone told them the hard thing and it changed their life. Why do we struggle with this?  This is a key function of a trust-based and growth focused organization. To demonstrate our trust and investment in each other, we have to learn to say the hard things (and hear them too).

In this podcast we discuss and breakdown the major changes that occur as you grow into higher levels of leadership, and how our industry hasn't trained us to be effective when we get into them. Here we'll provide key focus areas for leaders at various levels and how the journey transforms what tools you'll need to be successful.

In Part 1, we talked about the framework and approach we'd recommend for a leader joining a new team. In Part 2 (this episode), we cover what bad looks like, some of the challenges you can encounter, and some real-life stories of how Ben and Aaron approached joining teams and organizations in the past. Hope you find something useful that you can apply.

As leaders, we are occasionally asked to join new teams. It could be part of a promotion or expansion of responsibility, it could be that they need help and you've 'finally' arrived to provide it. Whatever the reason, you are launched into a new and uncertain world. In this episode of the Valarin Perspective, Aaron and Ben discuss what a healthy orientation and approach looks like, and also cover a lot of common missteps, such as assuming you know what the team needs, or trying to turn the organization into something similar to what you've worked with in the past. Hope you enjoy it, let us know what you think!

So many organizations are constantly focused on solving problems and firefighting.  In this reactive position we lose a level of deliberateness: Are we actually moving toward our vision?  There will always be another problem to solve, and it feels very rewarding to solve them. What does it look like if we focus on abundance, and pursue opportunities instead?

For this episode we've brought on one of our esteemed mentors lovingly referred to as "Dr Agile" ( his super-duper favorite nickname). Ahmed is a legend in the software development and Agile space, bringing to bear the truth that this was always about sparking a mindset revolution, as opposed to just process and tools.  He's founder of the ICAgile organization, a PhD, and a thought leader across the board in our industry. We discuss what we're missing, why organizations are struggling, and why we all got into Agility in the first place. How in the end, this is all about transitioning our entire worldview from one of optimization, throughput, and raw tactical effeciency toward people, adaptiveness, and learning in a changing world.

Continuing our talk on Incentives, we dive into some examples and pragmatic ideas that can help you take advantage of the behaviors you encourage and discourage in your team or organization. Ask us questions, give us a piece of your mind, or start a discussion using the hashtag #ValarinPerspective Find us at www.valarinconsulting.com, or at @ValarinInc on Twitter and IG.

Leadership. That always present topic that helps us realize that just talking about something doesn’t make it any better. We take a look at what is so often missed when we think about any leader’s role in an organization, and the consequences to feedback, autonomy, and work. This isn’t a question of process, it’s a question of approach. Ask us questions, give us a piece of your mind, or start a discussion using the hashtag #ValarinPerspective Find us at www.valarinconsulting.com, or at @ValarinInc on Twitter and IG.

Why, oh why are there so many meetings all the time. Meetings. MEETINGS. It’s all we do anymore. With remote work it’s even worse. It’s mind-numbing. We hate it. Why do we keep doing it to ourselves? Let’s get into it. (Yes we realize the irony of you spending another hour listening about meetings) Ask us questions, give us a piece of your mind, or start a discussion using the hashtag #ValarinPerspective Find us at www.valarinconsulting.com, or at @ValarinInc on Twitter and IG.

The first podcast we ever recorded. Starts slow, but gets rolling about halfway through. We’ve always loved product management. And we’ve always known it was hard. Now you get to watch us fumble, grow, and learn our way through managing our own mini-product building the Valarin logo. Fun ensues, enjoy the Orc music! Ask us questions, give us a piece of your mind, or start a discussion using the hashtag #ValarinPerspective Find us at www.valarinconsulting.com, or at @ValarinInc on Twitter and IG.

We're missing something in our approach when it comes to Agility and process.  "I'm executing the steps right and it just isn't working." We hear a lot of talk about the difference between "being" and "doing" Agile. Join us as we dig into real world examples that show how behavior and principle are key to guide us to the right results.   Ask us questions, give us a piece of your mind, or start a discussion using the hashtag #ValarinPerspective Find us at www.valarinconsulting.com, or at @ValarinInc on Twitter and IG.

What’s at the bottom of why we do the things we do? Sure, there’s mastery, autonomy, and purpose, but let’s take a deeper look at what so many are trying to solve for. Go far enough, and you can often see the counter-intuitive motivations behind your leaders (and your own) choices. Ask us questions, give us a piece of your mind, or start a discussion using the hashtag #ValarinPerspective Find us at www.valarinconsulting.com, or at @ValarinInc on Twitter and IG.