AC Podcast: 3 Profound Things I Learned About Creativity from Pixar

Over the past week I’ve been listening to [amazon_link id=”0812993012″ target=”_blank” ]Creativity, Inc.[/amazon_link] by Pixar founder and President Ed Catmull on my morning walks. As much as has been written about the company over the past several years, there is something refreshing about getting insights into Pixar’s culture and mindset directly from one of its leaders. Here are my three big takeaways.

Todd Henry

Positioning himself as an “arms dealer for the creative revolution”, Todd Henry teaches leaders and organizations how to establish practices that lead to everyday brilliance. He is the author of five books (The Accidental Creative, Die Empty, Louder Than Words, Herding Tigers, The Motivation Code) which have been translated into more than a dozen languages, and he speaks and consults across dozens of industries on creativity, leadership, and passion for work.

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7 Comments

lucrecer on July 11, 2014 at 12:38 pm

I have heard good things about this book. Definitely putting it on my list of reads. I just finished How the World Sees You by Sally Hogshead and I am currently reading Manage Your Day-to-Day by Jocelyn K. Glei.
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- Todd Henry on July 11, 2014 at 12:41 pm
  
  I’ll have to check out Sally’s new book. Did you like it? Manage Your Day-To-Day is excellent! (And I’m not just saying that because I have an essay in the book… :)
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  - lucrecer on July 11, 2014 at 1:07 pm
    
    I did like the book. Lots of insightful information.
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Terry on July 12, 2014 at 11:42 am

I really enjoy your podcast and I find them very helpful. Thanks Again.
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- Todd Henry on July 12, 2014 at 2:16 pm
  
  Thanks, Terry,
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Gerad Forte on July 13, 2014 at 12:59 pm

I’ve worked in many creative collaborations. It’s hard “keep it real” with each other.
Egos…
Someone in the group usually has to play diplomat.
No matter how much we say we value feedback from others, learning how to take that feedback is a learned skill. We can get emotionally invested in our contribution and either we want to fight for our vision…or worse we passive aggressively sabotage the work.
I say “we”. I mean, “me”. I know I have done it before. I take the fact that Pixar places such a high priority on it as proof that candor is rare.
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- Todd Henry on July 14, 2014 at 7:38 am
  
  True, generous candor is indeed rare, because much feedback is offered – as you state – in order to manipulate, not in order to be helpful.
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