E87: Toxic Culture In Game Development: The Real Metrics That Matter With Charlie Sull Building Better Games podcast

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E87: Toxic Culture in Game Development: The Real Metrics That Matter with Charlie Sull

7d ago 48:06

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How would you know if your studio’s culture is toxic—before it’s too late?

In this exclusive conversation, we talk with Charlie Sull, co-founder of CultureX and researcher with MIT, about how to spot, measure, and fix toxic workplace culture—especially in the high-stakes world of game development.

Forget ping pong tables and free snacks. Culture is your operating system, and if leaders don’t prioritize it, dysfunction spreads fast.

We break down:

What creates a toxic culture
The Toxic Five behaviors that damage morale and hurt retention
Why standard employee surveys fail—and what to do instead
How AI and Glassdoor data can tell you some hard truths about your company
Real stats on game studios vs. other industries—who’s getting it right?

If you're a studio head, team lead, or future cultural change-maker, this episode will challenge your assumptions and give you new tools to build a better workplace.

What You’ll Learn:

Why culture is more than perks—it’s your company’s operating system
The Toxic Five traits that silently destroy trust and retention
How Glassdoor + AI reveal the truth about your team’s culture
Why top leadership, not HR, is key to lasting culture change
What game dev studios like EA and Blizzard can teach us about reform
How to apply the Will + Knowledge formula to lead cultural transformation

Books & Authors Mentioned (and Must-Reads!) from This Episode

The Advantage by Patrick Lencioni

- Focuses on the "heart" vs. "science" sides of business—emphasizing the value of culture

Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni

- Referenced for understanding team behavior and dysfunction

Works by Charles O’Reilly

- Recommended by Charlie Sull for understanding organizational culture and leadership

- Notable titles include Winning Through Innovation and Lead and Disrupt

Research & insights from CultureX (Charlie Sull’s organization)

- Practical tools and AI-driven metrics for measuring and improving workplace culture

🔗 Learn More & Connect Charlie Sull & CultureX 🌐 Website: https://www.culturex.com 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charles-sull/ 🎧 Podcast Series: Culture Champions (MIT Sloan Management Review)

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Let’s keep building better games—together.

107 episodes