“Craft is what we are expected to know; art is the unexpected use of our craft.” — Ed Catmull Art Copy Share Image
“Management’s job is not to prevent risk but to build the ability to recover.” — Ed Catmull Leader Copy Share Image
“Be patient. Be authentic. And be consistent. The trust will come.” — Ed Catmull Authenticity Copy Share Image
“That’s how much candor matters at Pixar: It overrides hierarchy.” — Ed Catmull Candor Copy Share Image
“To be a truly creative company, you must start things that might fail.” — Ed Catmull Business Copy Share Image
“Merely repeating ideas means nothing. You must act—and think—accordingly.” — Ed Catmull Copy Share Image
“leadership is about making your best guess and hurrying up about it so if it’s wrong, there’s still time to change course.” — Ed Catmull Leader Copy Share Image
“We realized that our purpose was not merely to build a studio that made hit films but to foster a creative culture… — Ed Catmull Copy Share Image
“were incisive and straightforward. Something unusual had been built at Pixar, he said, and he wanted to understand it. For the first… — Ed Catmull Disney Copy Share Image
“Instead, they asked: How do we prevent our people from screwing up? That approach never encourages a creative response.” — Ed Catmull Copy Share Image
“Having a finite list of problems is much better than having an illogical feeling that everything is wrong.” — Ed Catmull Copy Share Image
“The takeaway here is worth repeating: Getting the team right is the necessary precursor to getting the ideas right.” — Ed Catmull Football Copy Share Image
“Then, because we know that this passion will at some point blind them to their movie’s inevitable problems, we offer them the… — Ed Catmull Passion Copy Share Image
“You needed to show your people that you meant it when you said that while efficiency was a goal, quality was the… — Ed Catmull Excellence Copy Share Image
“If you give a good idea to a mediocre team, they will screw it up. If you give a mediocre idea to… — Ed Catmull Football Copy Share Image
“People who act without an approved plan should not be punished for “going rogue.” A culture that allows everyone, no matter their… — Ed Catmull Assembly line Copy Share Image
“Instead of saying, ‘The writing in this scene isn’t good enough,’ you say, ‘Don’t you want people to walk out of the… — Ed Catmull Good enough Copy Share Image
“The leaders of my department understood that to create a fertile laboratory, they had to assemble different kinds of thinkers and then… — Ed Catmull Freedom Copy Share Image
“Though I was immensely proud of what we had accomplished, I vowed that we would never make a film that way again.… — Ed Catmull Cinema 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
“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
“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
“In the very early days of Pixar, John, Andrew, Pete, Lee, and Joe made a promise to one another. No matter what… — Ed Catmull Constructive criticism 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
“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
“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
“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
“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
“Who better to teach than the most capable among us? And I’m not just talking about seminars or formal settings. Our actions… — Ed Catmull Education Copy Share Image
“I WANT TO end this list by talking a little more about the founding of Pixar University and Elyse Klaidman’s mind-expanding drawing… — Ed Catmull Action film Copy Share Image
“This was a success in itself, but it came with an added and unexpected benefit: The act of thinking about the problem… — Ed Catmull Copy Share Image
“When a new company is formed, its founders must have a startup mentality—a beginner’s mind, open to everything because, well, what do… — Ed Catmull Business Copy Share Image
“It is natural for people to fear that such an inherently critical environment will feel threatening and unpleasant, like a trip to… — Ed Catmull Nature Copy Share Image
“Getting the right people and the right chemistry is more important than getting the right idea.” — Ed Catmull Copy Share Image
“But when it comes to creativity, the unknown is not our enemy. If we make room for it instead of shunning it,… — Ed Catmull Creativity Copy Share Image
“Despite good intentions, the result is troubling: Feeding the Beast becomes the central focus.” — Ed Catmull Animals Copy Share Image
