Fear of Losing Your Job Is A Horrible Motivator
I’ve been talking with a lot of gamer friends about the shake-ups hitting the industry, and I’m also seeing plenty of online chatter from people who are glad so many studios are downsizing, merging, or shutting down entirely (Halo Studios, Night School, Bungie, and others).
What I keep noticing, though, is how quickly the conversation turns to the developers being laid off. Some people are genuinely happy about that -- but I have a slightly different take on this.
One Door Closes / Another Opens
Losing a job can be disruptive and scary, no doubt about it. But it can also be the right outcome for people who stopped living up to their responsibilities or lost the passion to do their work well.
I’ve personally seen this first-hand running large teams in my career. Stagnation can set in even with high performers. Sometimes the best thing for that person — and for the team — is to move on and free the seat for someone who can bring new passion and high standards to the role.
The Truth: Deliver Value To Keep Your Seat
The truth is actually quite simple: To keep a job long term, you have to deliver value back to the company you work for.
How do you do that?
- Be candid. Put in the effort and say what you actually think in a respectful way. Speak plainly. Avoid toxic positivity at all costs. I know this can be hard to do, especially in groups, but good things aren't often easy.
- Go above and beyond. Polish the work a little more than you have to. Take on extra responsibility when it helps the team hit the goal. This will be noticed by your manager or supervisor, trust me.
- Act like a team player. Don’t hide behind “that’s not my job.” That attitude always works against the team and breeds internal animosity.
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Listen. Listen to direction. Listen to the customer. Accept that you don’t know as much as you think you do, and that there is always more to learn. This will keep you humble - a very noble trait to have.
My Advice For Managers
Now, if you find yourself in a management role right now, and you aren't sure how to handle the current industry volatility, and are looking for more detailed advice on keeping your team focused and accountable, The New One Minute Manager by Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson is an essential read.
- Amazon Link Here: The New One Minute Manager
I personally received this book from a mentor of mine early on in my management career and it helped tremendously, enabling me to navigate challenging moments, many times over.
This book provides a concise, highly practical framework for modern leadership centered on three foundational techniques:
- One Minute Goals
- One Minute Praisings
- One Minute Re-Directs
It strips away complex management theories and focuses entirely on the basics of setting crystal-clear expectations upfront, instantly recognizing when people do things right, and swiftly correcting course the moment they fall short.
This straightforward approach is exactly what I still feel managers need to help their teams earn their seats every day. Rather than letting stagnation fester until difficult personnel decisions become inevitable, utilizing immediate, honest feedback allows you to repair and reinforce your existing talent before the cracks become permanent.
Approaching mentorship with this kind of Kintsugi mindset - where addressing and fixing the fractures ultimately makes the team stronger and more unified as a whole - empowering your team members to take true ownership of their roles, hit their goals, and deliver undeniable value.
Kintsugi is the traditional Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold or silver lacquer, treating the breakage and repair as a beautiful part of the object's history rather than something to disguise.
The Wrap-Up
So when people in the games industry hear that their studio — or a neighboring one — is cratering, I hope they don’t just sit in quiet fear that they could be next. Fear of losing your job is a terrible motivator especially long-term.
What I hope they feel instead is a sense of duty. Earn your seat every day you punch in. Because, the best way to keep a job will never change: deliver value.
