Feature: 'Becoming A Stellar Manager: Learning To Be An Influencer'Feature: 'Becoming A Stellar Manager: Learning To Be An Influencer'

In the latest part of his Gamasutra original series on being a stellar game development manager, author Marc Mencher writes on learning to be an influencer (previous have dealt with growing a team, building a team, and the importance of communication), including tips on building motivation and loyalty in your workers. In this excerpt, Mencher explains that one of the keys of being an effective influencer is to act as a good leader and taking proactive stances on new goals: "Good leaders inspire others to share a vision. They know how to get the job done and still maintain positive relationships. The first step is to be clear about your purpose; this will give you an underlying strength that others will sense. The next step is to be clear about your organization’s purpose. What needs to happen in order to overcome the obstacles to success? Once you have identified what needs to be done to achieve results, you are in a position to exert influence. To be an effective influencer, you need to do more than just wait for opportunities to come to you. Putting yourself at the forefront of projects that are going forward and taking every chance to make contacts is central to influence. People who back away from challenges often see themselves as powerless to influence events. Become more proactive by acknowledging that you are responsible for what happens to you and always assume that life is what you make it. Interpret events positively and take the initiative to make things happen. Learn from your mistakes and ignore situations you cannot influence. Establish what you want to achieve personally and within your organization. Make your vision more realistic by defining how you and others can work together to build a successful future." You can now read the full Gamasutra feature with more from Mencher on making good first impressions, managing yourself as much as your team, and learning to listen (no registration required, please feel free to link to this column from external websites).