Ed Catmull
Category: Business, Management
Rating: 9/10
Creativity Inc. is a fast-paced book about the history of Pixar, a company that has redefined the cartoon industry. The book highlights the most important management lessons learned by Pixar and Disney Animation Studios. It highlights how managing creativity is essential to success, how Catmull and others built a culture where people are unafraid to fail, and how they made organisational change work for them and their teams. Catmull offers key insights on hiring excellent talent, building workplace structures that allow creators to thrive, and creating fun while staying focused on your company’s goals.
Creativity, Inc. is probably one of the most inspiring business books I have ever read. I was inspired by Catmull’s leadership and his ability to build an organisation that was more than a business, it aligned with its purpose; to make great movies with great people. Toy Story, Nemo, The Incredibles, and Wall-e. These are just some of the legendary titles produced by Pixar under Catmull’s leadership, which are undoubtedly part of our collective memory, titles that kept our generation in suspense for over 20 years waiting for a sequel. You can probably even imagine the Pixar intro in perfect detail. Each one of these titles are marked by a sense of perfection and creativity that would have been impossible to achieve had the organisation’s culture been different.
My Favourite Quote From Creativtiy Inc.:
“You are not your idea, and if you identify too closely with your ideas, you will take offence when they are challenged.”
― Ed Catmull, Creativity, Inc.
Who Should Read Creativity Inc.?
Anyone who wants to turn their company into a creative powerhouse and create a lasting enterprise that values and stays true to its purpose. It is also great for anyone creative or if you just love a Pixar animation. Using the example of Pixar’s success and failure to build story, technology and innovation, Ed Catmull shares what it takes to make ideas flourish.