Workshop: Ian McGee
August 25, 2011
Veteran Team-Builder and Senior Game Producer Ian McGee talked to YetiZen today about the Confidence Trap. As Ian explained, it is easy to get caught up in what you are confident doing while ignoring the things you are less comfortable with. He described his experience at the video game fitness fusion Expresso, where he helped create revolutionary exercise equipment containing compelling virtual worlds that engaged users while they exercised. The technology Ian helped design as VP of Software Development was widely praised as some of the most innovative in the health & exercise space. However, despite being confident in the reception of their product, the company ultimately had to shut down because of unforeseen problems with hardware maintenance. Ian explained that it is important to make sure that your confidence does not prevent you from seeing the big picture. You need to make sure that you spend time on what matters. Ian encouraged us to think about the kind of company we wanted to build, and to be wary of how our companies would changes over time. He cautioned that small problems can eventually lead to the downfall of companies if they are ignored for too long. Ian described some specific scenarios that would be easy for companies in today’s video game industry to overlook, and then brainstormed with us about ways to avoid making those mistakes with our companies. After Ian’s presentation, we felt more aware of our priorities, with a clearer vision of how we wanted our companies to grow.