“He thinks of failure like learning to ride a bike; it isn’t conceivable that you would learn to do this without making… — Ed Catmull Failure Copy Share Image
“What makes Pixar special is that we acknowledge we will always have problems, many of them hidden from our view; that we… — Ed Catmull Disney Copy Share Image
“If we allow more people to solve problems without permission, and if we tolerate (and don’t vilify) their mistakes, then we enable… — Ed Catmull Copy Share Image
“As I saw it, our mandate was to foster a culture that would seek to keep our sightlines clear, even as we… — Ed Catmull Mandate Copy Share Image
“Telling the truth is difficult, but inside a creative company, it is the only way to ensure excellence. It is the job… — Ed Catmull Business Copy Share Image
“People talking directly to one another, then letting the manager find out later, was more efficient than trying to make sure that… — Ed Catmull Management Copy Share Image
“Even though copying what’s come before is a guaranteed path to mediocrity, it appears to be a safe choice, and the desire… — Ed Catmull Copy Share Image
“I remember going home at night, exhausted, feeling like I was balancing on the backs of a herd of horses—only some of… — Ed Catmull Copy Share Image
“People who take on complicated creative projects become lost at some point in the process. It is the nature of things—in order… — Ed Catmull Creativity Copy Share Image
“But I should caution that if you seek to plot out all your moves before you make them—if you put your faith… — Ed Catmull Copy Share Image
“Even though copying what’s come before is a guaranteed path to mediocrity, it appears to be a safe choice, and the desire… — Ed Catmull Copy Share Image
“if not anyone else—that what we’d created at Pixar could work outside of Pixar. Both the run-up to the acquisition and its… — Ed Catmull Disney Copy Share Image
“It simply doesn’t occur to them that after they get promoted to a leadership position, no one is going to come out… — Ed Catmull Leader Copy Share Image
“I believe the best managers acknowledge and make room for what they do not know—not just because humility is a virtue but… — Ed Catmull Best man Copy Share Image
“DISCUSSING FAILURE AND all its ripple effects is not merely an academic exercise. We face it because by seeking better understanding, we… — Ed Catmull Failure Copy Share Image
“He told me that he thinks he and the other proven directors have a responsibility to be teachers—that this should be a… — Ed Catmull Directors Copy Share Image
“When companies are successful, it is natural to assume that this is a result of leaders making shrewd decisions. Those leaders go… — Ed Catmull Business Copy Share Image
“I believe that managers must loosen the controls, not tighten them. They must accept risk; they must trust the people they work… — Ed Catmull Fear Copy Share Image
“I feel like the only reason we’re able to find some of these unique ideas, characters, and story twists is through discovery.… — Ed Catmull Discovery Copy Share Image
“And in notes meetings, everyone was so afraid of hurting someone’s feelings that they held back. We had to learn that we… — Ed Catmull Crucible Copy Share Image
“Don’t wait for things to be perfect before you share them with others. Show early and show often. It’ll be pretty when… — Ed Catmull Copy Share Image
“We become so caught up in our big problems that we ignore the little ones, failing to realize that some of our… — Ed Catmull Copy Share Image
“My rule of thumb is that any time we impose limits or procedures, we should ask how they will aid in enabling… — Ed Catmull Limits Copy Share Image
“As Lee Unkrich says, “We had done the impossible. We had done the thing that everyone told us we couldn’t do. And… — Ed Catmull Copy Share Image
“To ensure quality, then, excellence must be an earned word, attributed by others to us, not proclaimed by us about ourselves. It… — Ed Catmull Excellence Copy Share Image
“when our younger employees—those without families—work longer hours than those who are parents, we must be mindful not to compare the output… — Ed Catmull Parenting Copy Share Image
