Being Proactive

The Talented Developer Who Waited

Tim describes a former colleague who was exceptional at his job — fast, skilled, effective — but would never act without explicit instruction. Tim told him in a review: "The room could be on fire and you'd sit there until I came in and said 'do something.' Then you'd leap into action — sprinklers on, fire extinguisher out, done in seconds. But you'd wait to be told."

This was the reason Tim couldn't promote him. Moving someone into a leadership role means trusting them to handle fires on their own. Without evidence of self-directed action, that promotion would be irresponsible.

What Proactive Actually Means

Tim lays out a step-by-step escalation:

1. See something wrong → ask about it. In person, over Slack, email, whatever works. Ask the producer, ask a teammate: "Hey, I saw this problem — is anyone on it?"
2. Offer to fix it. If the problem is in your area and you think you know the solution, volunteer: "I think I know how to fix this. Want me to take a look?"
3. Fix it immediately (if you can). If you know the fix and have time, do it right then. Use source control's shelving/stashing feature so your fix is saved but doesn't affect anyone else's build. If it gets assigned to you weeks later — or to someone else who asks for your input — you already have the solution ready instead of trying to remember what you were thinking a month ago.

This Is Not About Passion

Tim explicitly separates proactivity from the "passion" debate. People who dislike the passion framing — seeing it as corporate exploitation — can set that aside. This isn't about working extra hours or loving your job unconditionally. It's about basic professional ownership: if you see a fire, say something.

People who complain about being "a cog," having no say, or not being listened to are often describing symptoms of their own lack of proactivity. They may not have caused the project's problems, but by staying silent, they've become part of them.

The Cost of Silence

Tim frames the risk calculus simply:

• Worst case if you speak up: Someone says "yep, we know, it's handled." You lose nothing.
• Best case if you speak up: The problem gets fixed before it ships. You're the reason.
• Worst case if you stay silent: The bug ships, or it's discovered so late that fixing it is expensive and displaces other work.

On Approaching People

Tim acknowledges that some people find it uncomfortable to approach others — but insists this is a non-negotiable professional skill. You don't have to walk up to the game director; you can email, Slack, text, or talk to your producer. But you must find some way to communicate issues.

Even "principal" engineers — brilliant people whose companies created special non-management tracks for them — are proactive. Tim recalls a principal graphics programmer who would still walk up to people and say "I see a problem with the save system — is someone working on that?"

The YouTube Channel Parallel

Tim draws a pointed parallel to his own viewers. Nearly every week, someone asks him "How do I get a job in the game industry?" — despite there being a video literally titled How to Get a Job in the Game Industry that appears as the only result when searching "job" on his channel.

This failure to take the minimal step of searching before asking is itself a demonstration of lacking proactivity — one of the five characteristics Tim values most in colleagues. It's a small thing, but it's exactly the kind of small thing that signals whether someone takes initiative.

The Bottom Line

Being proactive doesn't require heroics. It requires open eyes, a willingness to say something, and the professional maturity to act on problems you notice rather than waiting for someone else to notice them too. Teams need people who pay attention and speak up. Try to be that person.

Source: Being Proactive — Tim Cain