Game Republic members attended a thought provoking webinar on 14th January by affiliate member Natalie Griffith from Identity Spark. With nearly 35 years experience of building and leading teams in the games/tech industry ranging from solo indie developers to global organisations, Natalie shared her experience and advice on helping prepare teams for turbulence, whatever the cause. The webinar formed part of Game Republic’s activities for 2026 supported by Official Partners Red Kite Games, Xsolla and Double Eleven.
Here are just some of the insights from the session that we knew were too good not to share…
“Turbulence can come from all sorts of different places, not just when something negative happens.”
How teams deal with change
Turbulence, often associated with difficult periods or bad news such as cancelled projects/layoffs can also come from good things like rapid growth, larger clients or sudden scaling, causing just as much instability. Success can shake a team’s foundation if not supported through whatever that change maybe.
Success can shake a team’s foundation if not supported through whatever that change may be. The key is recognising that turbulence is normal, not a sign of failure and that teams need the same care whether they’re climbing or falling.
People process change emotionally, not logically. Some move through uncertainty quickly, especially if they’ve faced similar situations before. Others may feel completely destabilized, particularly if it’s their first time encountering such change. No single reaction is “correct,” and there’s no way to rush people through these periods. Mistakes are often made when leaders assume everyone processes change at the same speed.
“People experience change emotionally, not logically. There’s no one silver bullet that will make people say, ‘Oh, a change has happened brilliant, let’s move on.’ Never try and rush people through change, they need to do it in their own time.”
There are no shortcuts through an emotional response. Trying to rush people can create resistance. Leaders need to give both themselves and their team members the grace to process change at their own pace, supporting them along the way.
Removing obstacles for your team
Different parts of a team can be thriving while others are struggling. They can be performing well in one area while struggling quietly in another, especially when trust or psychological safety has been shaken. Checking in properly, listen carefully, and making safe spaces for honest feedback will help to support people through change and strengthen trust.
“Performance is potential minus interference. It doesn’t matter how much potential a team has. If there’s interference, performance will dip. Interference can be tangible, or it can be emotional.”
Performance isn’t simply about talent or effort. It’s “potential minus interference”. Confusion, mistrust, silence and fear are all things that can get in the way of performance, hindering a teams ability. Supporting teams by removing such blockers, is key rather than pushing people harder or expecting them to “power through” or “crack on” without being affected in some way.
Investing in your team
Summarising Natalie’s points, here are some key takeaways
- Putting people first is a practical option, not a soft one.
- Taking the time to check in with team members without trying to immediately fix things helps to build trust and strong relationships.
- Sometimes it’s important to listen more and talk less and involve teams in corrections.
- If you’re leading a team, it’s worth pausing to ask not just “Are we delivering?” but “How are we coping?” Investing in those conversations now, especially when things seem relatively calm can make all the difference when the next wave of turbulence arrives.
If you found this article useful and would like to read more on how to help teams through change, you can do so via Natalie’s article earlier this month “Straighten Up and Fly Right: tuning teams through turbulence.”
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