Creativity, Inc.

Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration

by Ed Catmull and Amy Wallace

I love the ideas presented in this book about how to build creativity into your culture by removing the barriers that threaten inspiration. Catmull describes the importance of rooting out and discovering why people aren't free to express themselves and coaxing it out of them; understanding that failure is a part of business, and the key is trusting people to fix problems early. One of the best examples is Pixar's unique way of empowering directors with ownership of their story. Most movie makers (like Disney before Pixar) are organized so that producers make notes and enforce changes to the story. This can frustrate creativity because producers are businesspeople, not storytellers. By contrast, Pixar invented the concept of a "braintrust" of highly creative and respected storytellers who watch the film and give feedback, empowering the director with the final call.