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Hey folks, in case you missed it, a little while back we wrote about one of our core values – Games Before Profit<\/a>.<\/p>\n This time round, we\u2019re taking a moment to look at our next value on the list – <\/span>Fostering Honesty. <\/b>This is largely about how we communicate internally, how we respect each other\u2019s ideas and opinions, and how we encourage each other to <\/span>listen!<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n The founder\u2019s face might well be our logo but believe it or not – we\u2019re not actually a dictatorship: At Lo-Fi we are a team, and we respect the fact that we\u2019re all actual human beings that work within a company, have a right to be listened to and that we indeed benefit from doing just so.<\/span><\/p>\n Listening to the opinions of the team we\u2019ve employed for expertise in their respective fields is essential to ensuring we make the best games we possibly can. \u201cWe rely on them so that we can do better\u201d, says Managing Director and Lead Writer Nat Mikkelson, \u201cWe all have different and diverse angles to add, and that\u2019s powerful. What we don\u2019t want is to be following a satnav off a cliff because nobody was brave enough to ask \u2018why are we driving off a cliff?\u2019 like a bunch of lemmings\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If we worked in an environment where we were scared to speak up, or simply believed that all ideas needed to come from the top down then we\u2019d risk losing out on some of the better and frankly wackier ideas that make Kenshi what it is.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Listening might sound like a pretty basic life skill but it\u2019s easy to forget that we\u2019re all from different backgrounds and experience life in entirely different ways depending on ever-changing circumstances. A recent workshop we did reminded us that if you\u2019re too hot, too stressed, or too hungry, then your concentration\u2019s probably not at its best. When you truly listen to someone without interjections, and while trying to maintain an unbiased viewpoint, then you\u2019re going to earn the trust of your listener and pick up on what they\u2019re saying on a much deeper level.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If you\u2019ve already decided what your opinion is on a matter before you ask someone a question then you may as well not have asked it at all. Better listening requires entering the conversation <\/span>genuinely interested in the opinions of the person you\u2019re speaking to<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019s important to ensure that we give specific, actionable feedback with clear steps rather than simply writing off people\u2019s work with a negative and vague comment that leaves your colleague with nowhere to go. If you\u2019re interested in learning more on feedback then it\u2019s worth having a read up on the <\/span>clean feedback model<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n Obviously, it\u2019s not always easy or natural to give \u201cnegative\u201d or constructive feedback; it\u2019s something that we might avoid for a whole multitude of reasons, so we\u2019ve been sharing tips on exactly how to do this, such as those found in this video on <\/span>having uncomfortable conversations<\/span><\/a>. One key takeaway – don\u2019t keep putting off those difficult conversations, you\u2019ll only make the matter worse.<\/span><\/p>\n We\u2019ve recently been sharing a lot of links internally on topics that we believe will help us nurture a culture of honesty, and we\u2019ve made sure to vary the methods of delivery because we know people have different learning styles.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Amongst the things we\u2019ve shared is this snippet on the <\/span>What? So What? Now What?<\/span><\/a> model which helps with reflecting on situations, along with this <\/span>video explanation<\/span><\/a> on the same topic. We recommend the excellent book <\/span>Say What You Mean<\/span><\/a> by Jay Sofer and this TedX talk from Frederik Imbo on <\/span>How not to take things personally<\/span><\/a>. We\u2019ll share a few more links at the bottom of the page in a resources section in case you\u2019re interested.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n We\u2019re a big fan of regular 1:1s at Lo-Fi, believing it\u2019s vital to have those more casual chats on a regular basis which tend to give space to people sharing things that they\u2019d otherwise struggle to bring up in a more formal setting. The philosophy behind this is discussed a little in this video from Simon Sinek on <\/span>how to make people feel heard<\/span><\/a>. We like them, and they help a lot with keeping a team that\u2019s largely remote feel connected.<\/span><\/p>\n The long and short of it is that we like to think of ourselves as honest people that sell an honest product and act accordingly. While we try to be as honest as possible internally with our comms we also endeavour to extend that to our fans – Kenshi is a game that you simply buy once and you\u2019re done, and we think that\u2019s a fairly honest proposition.<\/span><\/p>\n Links:<\/b><\/p>\n Become a Better Listener I Robert Greene<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n What is Clean Feedback?<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Try THIS the Next Time You Have an Uncomfortable Conversation | Simon Sinek<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n What? So What? Now What?<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Say What You Mean | Jay Sofer<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n How not to take things personally? | Frederik Imbo | TEDxMechelen<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n