THE PIXAR WAY
37 QUOTES ON DEVELOPING AND MAINTAINING A CREATIVE COMPANY
FROM THE BOOK CREATIVITY, INC. BY PIXAR’S ED CATMULL
Photo: Creativity, Inc. cover / Disney Pixar
“WE BELIEVE THAT IDEAS ONLY BECOME GREAT WHEN THEY ARE CHALLENGED AND TESTED.”
Photo: The Incredibles / Disney Pixar (2004)
FROM CREATIVITY, INC. BY ED CATMULL
“A HALLMARK OF A HEALTHY
CREATIVE CULTURE IS THAT ITS PEOPLE
FEEL FREE TO SHARE IDEAS, OPINIONS, AND
CRITICISMS. LACK OF CANDOR, IF UNCHECKED, ULTIMATELY LEADS TO DYSFUNCTIONAL
ENVIRONMENTS.”Photo: WALL-E / Disney Pixar (2008)
FROM CREATIVITY, INC. BY ED CATMULL
“SEEK OUT PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING TO LEVEL WITH YOU, AND WHEN YOU FIND THEM, HOLD THEM CLOSE.”
Photo: Toy Story / Disney Pixar (1995)
FROM CREATIVITY, INC. BY ED CATMULL
“MISTAKES AREN’T A
NECESSARY EVIL. THEY AREN’T EVIL AT ALL.
THEY ARE AN INEVITABLE CONSEQUENCE
OF DOING SOMETHING NEW.”
Photo: Finding Nemo / Disney Pixar (2003)
FROM CREATIVITY, INC. BY ED CATMULL
“TO BE WRONG AS FAST AS YOU CAN IS TO SIGN
UP FOR AGGRESSIVE, RAPID LEARNING.”
Photo: Cars / Disney Pixar (2006)
FROM CREATIVITY, INC. BY ED CATMULL
“FOR LEADERS ESPECIALLY, THIS STRATEGY—TRYING
TO AVOID FAILURE BY OUT-THINKING IT—
DOOMS YOU TO FAIL.”
Photo: The Incredibles / Disney Pixar (2004)
FROM CREATIVITY, INC. BY ED CATMULL
“TO BE A TRULY CREATIVE COMPANY,
YOU MUST START THINGS THAT MIGHT FAIL.”
Photo: Monsters University / Disney Pixar (2013)
FROM CREATIVITY, INC. BY ED CATMULL
“THERE ARE TWO PARTS TO ANY FAILURE: THERE IS THE EVENT ITSELF, WITH ALL ITS ATTENDANT DISAPPOINTMENT, CONFUSION, AND SHAME, AND THEN THERE IS OUR REACTION TO IT. IT IS THIS SECOND PART THAT WE CONTROL.”
Photo: Up / Disney Pixar (2009)
FROM CREATIVITY, INC. BY ED CATMULL
“A MANAGER’S DEFAULT MODE
SHOULD NOT BE SECRECY.”
Photo: Ratatouille / Disney Pixar (2007)
FROM CREATIVITY, INC. BY ED CATMULL
“YOUR EMPLOYEES
ARE SMART; THAT’S WHY YOU HIRED THEM.
SO TREAT THEM THAT WAY.”
Photo: The Incredibles / Disney Pixar (2004)
FROM CREATIVITY, INC. BY ED CATMULL
“RATHER THAN
TRYING TO PREVENT
ALL ERRORS, WE SHOULD
ASSUME, AS IS ALMOST ALWAYS
THE CASE, THAT OUR PEOPLE’S
INTENTIONS ARE GOOD AND THAT
THEY WANT TO SOLVE PROBLEMS.”
Photo: Finding Nemo / Disney Pixar (2003)
FROM CREATIVITY, INC. BY ED CATMULL
“OUR JOB IS TO PROTECT OUR [NEW IDEAS] FROM BEING JUDGED TOO QUICKLY. OUR JOB IS TO PROTECT THE NEW.”
Photo: Ratatouille / Disney Pixar (2007)
FROM CREATIVITY, INC. BY ED CATMULL
“PART OF OUR JOB IS TO PROTECT
THE NEW FROM PEOPLE WHO DON’T
UNDERSTAND THAT, IN ORDER FOR GREATNESS TO
EMERGE, THERE MUST BE PHASES OF NOT-SO-GREATNESS.”
Photo: Finding Nemo / Disney Pixar (2003)
FROM CREATIVITY, INC. BY ED CATMULL
“MAKING SOMETHING GREAT IS THE GOAL.”
Photo: WALL-E / Disney Pixar (2008)
FROM CREATIVITY, INC. BY ED CATMULL
“THE SYSTEM IS TILTED TO FAVOR THE INCUMBENT. THE CHALLENGER NEEDS SUPPORT
TO FIND ITS FOOTING. AND PROTECTION OF THE NEW
—OF THE FUTURE, NOT THE PAST—
MUST BE A CONSCIOUS
EFFORT.”
Photo: Cars 2 / Disney Pixar (2011)
FROM CREATIVITY, INC. BY ED CATMULL
Photo: Inside Out / Disney Pixar (TBD: 2015)
“IT’S FOLLY TO THINK YOU CAN AVOID CHANGE, NO MATTER HOW
MUCH YOU MIGHT WANT TO. BUT ALSO, TO MY MIND,
YOU SHOULDN’T WANT TO. THERE IS NO GROWTH OR SUCCESS WITHOUT
CHANGE.”FROM CREATIVITY, INC.
BY ED CATMULL
“RANDOMNESS IS NOT JUST INEVITABLE; IT IS PART OF THE BEAUTY OF LIFE. ACKNOWLEDGING IT AND APPRECIATING IT HELPS US RESPOND CONSTRUCTIVELY WHEN WE ARE SURPRISED.”
Photo: Brave / Disney Pixar (2012)
FROM CREATIVITY, INC. BY ED CATMULL
“IF WE MAKE ROOM FOR IT INSTEAD OF SHUNNING IT, THE UNKNOWN CAN BRING INSPIRATION AND ORIGINALITY.”
Photo: The Good Dinosaur / Disney Pixar (TBD: 2015) - Concept art
FROM CREATIVITY, INC. BY ED CATMULL
“WE MUST MEET UNEXPECTED
PROBLEMS WITH UNEXPECTED RESPONSES.”
Photo: Up / Disney Pixar (2009)
FROM CREATIVITY, INC. BY ED CATMULL
“CHANGE IS INEVITABLE…
WORKING WITH CHANGE IS WHAT
CREATIVITY IS ABOUT.”
Photo: Monsters, Inc. / Disney Pixar (2001)
FROM CREATIVITY, INC. BY ED CATMULL
“IF YOU DON’T TRY TO UNCOVER WHAT IS UNSEEN AND
UNDERSTAND ITS NATURE, YOU WILL BE ILL PREPARED
TO LEAD.”
Photo: Monsters, Inc. / Disney Pixar (2001)
FROM CREATIVITY, INC. BY ED CATMULL
“ACKNOWLEDGING WHAT YOU CAN’T SEE… HELPS PROMOTE FLEXIBILITY.”
Photo: Finding Nemo / Disney Pixar (2003)
FROM CREATIVITY, INC. BY ED CATMULL
“THE MOST CREATIVE PEOPLE ARE WILLING
TO WORK IN THE SHADOW OF
UNCERTAINTY.”
Photo: Monsters University / Disney Pixar (2013)
FROM CREATIVITY, INC. BY ED CATMULL
“I BELIEVE THAT WE ALL HAVE THE
POTENTIAL TO SOLVE PROBLEMS AND EXPRESS
OURSELVES CREATIVELY. WHAT STANDS IN OUR WAY ARE THESE
HIDDEN BARRIERS—THE MISCONCEPTIONS AND ASSUMPTIONS
THAT IMPEDE US WITHOUT OUR KNOWING IT.”
Photo: Brave / Disney Pixar (2012)FROM CREATIVITY, INC. BY ED CATMULL
“I BELIEVE THAT YOU SHOULD NOT BE REQUIRED TO JUSTIFY EVERYTHING. WE MUST ALWAYS LEAVE THE DOOR OPEN FOR THE UNEXPECTED.”
Photo: The Good Dinosaur / Disney Pixar (TBD: 2015) - Concept art
FROM CREATIVITY, INC. BY ED CATMULL
“THE ATTEMPT TO AVOID FAILURE
MAKES FAILURE MORE LIKELY.”
Photo: A Bug’s Life / Disney Pixar (1998)
FROM CREATIVITY, INC. BY ED CATMULL
“DRIVING THE TRAIN DOESN’T SET ITS COURSE.
THE REAL JOB IS LAYING
THE TRACK.”
Photo: Toy Story 3 / Disney Pixar (2010)
FROM CREATIVITY, INC. BY ED CATMULL
Photo: The Incredibles / Disney Pixar (2004)
“IN MY EXPERIENCE, CREATIVE PEOPLE DISCOVER AND REALIZE THEIR VISIONS OVER TIME AND THROUGH DEDICATED, PROTRACTED STRUGGLE.”FROM CREATIVITY, INC. BY ED CATMULL
“EARNING TRUST TAKES TIME; THERE’S
NO SHORTCUT TO UNDERSTANDING THAT
WE REALLY DO RISE AND FALL TOGETHER.”
Photo: WALL-E / Disney Pixar (2008)FROM CREATIVITY, INC. BY ED CATMULL
“EASY ISN’T THE GOAL. QUALITY IS THE GOAL.”
Photo: Monsters University / Disney Pixar (2013)
FROM CREATIVITY, INC. BY ED CATMULL
“WHAT IS THE POINT OF HIRING SMART PEOPLE
IF YOU DON’T EMPOWER THEM
TO FIX WHAT’S BROKEN?”
Photo: Cars / Disney Pixar (2006)
FROM CREATIVITY, INC. BY ED CATMULL
“THERE IS NOTHING LIKE A CRISIS TO BRING WHAT AILS A COMPANY TO THE SURFACE.”
Photo: A Bug’s Life / Disney Pixar (1998)
FROM CREATIVITY, INC. BY ED CATMULL
“MANAGERS OF CREATIVE COMPANIES MUST NEVER FORGET TO ASK THEMSELVES: “HOW DO WE TAP THE BRAINPOWER OF OUR PEOPLE?”
Photo: Toy Story / Disney Pixar (1995)
FROM CREATIVITY, INC. BY ED CATMULL
“IT IS PRECISELY BY
ACTING ON OUR INTENTIONS AND STAYING TRUE TO OUR VALUES THAT WE CHANGE THE WORLD.”
Photo: Ratatouille / Disney Pixar (2007)
FROM CREATIVITY, INC. BY ED CATMULL
“REAL IMPROVEMENT COMES FROM CONSISTENT RIGOR AND PARTICIPATION.”
Photo: Brave / Disney Pixar (2012)
FROM CREATIVITY, INC. BY ED CATMULL
“IT IS MANAGEMENT’S
JOB TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO HELP OTHERS
SEE CONFLICT AS HEALTHY —AS A ROUTE TO BALANCE, WHICH BENEFITS US ALL IN
THE LONG RUN.”Photo: Toy Story 2 / Disney Pixar (1999)
FROM CREATIVITY, INC. BY ED CATMULL
“A BETTER MEASURE OF OUR SUCCESS IS TO LOOK AT THE PEOPLE ON OUR
TEAM AND SEE HOW THEY ARE WORKING TOGETHER.
CAN THEY RALLY TO SOLVE KEY PROBLEMS?
IF THE ANSWER IS YES, YOU ARE
MANAGING WELL.”
Photo: Toy Story 3 / Disney Pixar (2010)
FROM CREATIVITY, INC. BY ED CATMULL
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