Servant Leadership & Mindfulness in the Game Industry with Christopher Mifsud

GameWell

Christopher Mifsud, CEO of Play and Word Studio, discusses his philosophy of servant leadership in the game industry. He emphasizes the importance of listening to your team and doing everything you can to make them succeed. Mifsud also highlights the value of mindfulness and breathwork in a stressful industry like gaming. Additionally, he advocates for implementing best practices and proper processes in game design and production. Mifsud suggests having a clear vision, a well-defined production plan, and fiscal responsibility as key elements for success. The conversation explores the importance of being flexible in work styles and schedules, challenging traditional notions of productivity and crunch time. It emphasizes the need for leaders to trust their teams and provide them with the tools and resources they need to succeed. Mindfulness and reflection are highlighted as valuable practices for observing and responding to situations, rather than reacting. The conversation also touches on the fallacy of needing to struggle and the value of practicing mindfulness in everyday activities.

Takeaways
- Servant leadership is crucial in the game industry, focusing on listening to your team and helping them succeed.
- Mindfulness and breath work can help manage stress in the gaming industry.
- Implementing best practices and proper game design and production processes is essential for success.
- A clear vision, a well-defined production plan, and fiscal responsibility are key elements for effective studio organization and leadership.
- Be flexible in work styles and schedules to accommodate different preferences and maximize productivity.
- Trust your team and give them the tools and resources they need to succeed.
- Practice mindfulness and reflection to observe and respond to situations rather than reacting.
- Challenge the fallacy of needing to struggle and embrace the value of ease and enjoyment in work.
- Focus on the big picture and the objective rather than getting caught up in unnecessary tasks or traditions.

Find Christopher here:
https://pressstartleadership.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/christophermifsud/