Leading like a Woman

What the talk is about

Marina Sapunova talks about how women can lead in the games industry, not by setting men against women but by building synergy between them. She works through three levels: the industry, the company and its teams, and the leader herself. For the industry, she advises building a broad network, following markets and competitors, and attending conferences, even at your own expense. In teams, know each person's strengths and weaknesses, account for cultural differences, keep processes transparent with feedback, and back your people. She also urges bringing conflicts into the open, giving people time to adapt, and accepting that leaders have feelings. Personally, find your own "why" and what makes you distinctive, use situational leadership, dare to disagree, stop underestimating yourself, and negotiate for yourself. Useful for anyone leading teams.