The game of people | Steve O’Brien
Steve has a passion for the human brain. He understands that people are complex enough without enforcing all sorts of HR policies. At his technology company, Newicon, Steve is interested in setting up an effective ‘game’ for employees. This means establishing boundaries or rules, such as principles around sharing feedback, that employees should adopt. By being clear around behaviours, people have a better idea of how to act effectively as a group. Steve has a strong sense of self-belief and understands that others also need him to trust in their capacity. He enables people by allowing them to learn and develop their skills and encourages their wider abilities. This might mean making a loss or breaking even on some projects in order to give staff the space to grow. He wants to invest in staff thinking and creativity. For example, Newicon promotes energetic, stimulating working spaces so staff can spend more time in areas they enjoy. This applies to clients too. Newicon empowers clients by creating a ‘game-like’ environment where they have a safe space to play and explore. Steve brings out their creativity as part of their software creation process. He’s also keen to hide in the background allowing others to lead--keeping his mouth firmly shut! Steve is extremely humble, intelligent and down to earth. To learn about his company, Newicon, visit their website: https://newicon.net/