Leaders, Base Skill and Recommended Team Size

[NoGravy]

Is there any reason to hire someone using the leader search function? With a decent reputation, large insurance savings, and max pay, I can find applicants with excellant leader skills, but at most 30% base skill in design, coding, or art. Or I could just hire somebody with excellent skill in one of those three abilities and spend the 3 months educating them in leadership and have a maxed out leadership skill and also the ability to do good work on projects.

I've read that going over the recommended team size has a negative effect on quality. Due to the leader being counted as one of those roles, I worry that I'm hampering my ability to put out a quality product by using leaders who have very little skill as designers or coders. Which brings to my question of why would I hire a "leader" and not a coder or designer and just train them as leaders?

[cfranks007]

I set my founder with 0 lead and marketing skills and educate him when I have money. That way he has higher skills in the areas that count in the beginning.

I think you are on to something there.

Hire a good programmer with good social skills and make them a lead person once they have been trained for the Support function. Good idea !

[Steel Rat]

Hire a good programmer with good social skills and make them a lead person once they have been trained for the Support function. Good idea !

Is what i do :)

[Who the Fok]

Pretty sure leaders dont need the other stuff.. thhey just give bonus to others on the team when the role is assigned. Im not positive though since alpha 9. It seems when you have a leader you require 1 less for each type (artist , prg design) for maximum efficiency. Or it was just a "bug" counting the leader as another type. pretty sure he doesnt do any work, or atleast they didnt do much before.

I dont think they can do both lead and whatever else. when role is any role. And for me personally I wouldnt spend the time switching roles back and fourth (for leaders anyways)

[Pazox]

The leaders are working too on programming, design or art, but according to Coredumping, they are working with 50% capacity and will not have a big effect on the quality.

[Harag]

Originally posted by Pazox:

The leaders are working too on programming, design or art, but according to Coredumping, they are working with 50% capacity and will not have a big effect on the quality.

Sorry for bringing up an old topic, I'm new to the game and looking for info on leaders and what to set them to. (lead / lead(any) )

I just hired a leader for my dev team, and when I set them to lead any they will help with programming... but when set to just Lead - they sit in their offiice with Zzzzz above their head.

I hired them from the lead hire window - so they are currenlty not very good programmers - about 20%. Looking at the OP, looks like I should have "promoted" an existing developer. Ho Hum

So should I use "lead" or lead(any) ?? Pro/cons ?

[RoxiSinister]

If they're not skilled in all of the roles, it's a good idea to set them for Lead only. If y ou train them up in all the tasks which can be assigned to that team, set them to Lead (Any). I have good luck doing things this way, at least. FYI, Leaders will also go around to the workers on their team and talk to them while the team membner works. I didn't notice if they will do this when set as Lead (Any), but I know they do it when set to Lead only.

[Harag]

Originally posted by 07CobaltGirl:

If they're not skilled in all of the roles, it's a good idea to set them for Lead only. If y ou train them up in all the tasks which can be assigned to that team, set them to Lead (Any). I have good luck doing things this way, at least. FYI, Leaders will also go around to the workers on their team and talk to them while the team membner works. I didn't notice if they will do this when set as Lead (Any), but I know they do it when set to Lead only.

Cool, thanks. I'll leave them on Lead only and keep an eye on them to see what they do.