For the next few weeks I will be submitting blog posts for the course ENT 601 with Dr. Lahm. Throughout this course the focus will be on entrepreneurial Innovation. For this course I have chosen the book “Creativity, Inc: Overcoming the unseen forces that stand in the way of true inspiration” to review.
For this week I have read the first two Chapters. In the first chapter, Ed Catmull discusses the innovative period of animation. Ed is a co-founder of Pixar Animation Studios and President of Disney Animation. In the chapter Ed reflects on how his creative journey began. Like most children, he would often watch the works of Walt Disney. He was not only entertained by the character but noted that “Disney’s animators were at the forefront of applied technology; instead of merely using existing methods, they were inventing ones of their own” (Catmull 2014). Little did he know that he would one day be a part of this dynasty. This notion holds true for all entrepreneurs. There will always be pre-existing methods or businesses. However, there is always room for growth, innovation and ultimately change.
As the reading goes on, Ed reflects on meaningful lessons as a manger. On lesson in particular was how something as simple as the seating arrangements in a room can help foster or hinder creative thinking. It can also help build or diminish a sense of community rather than separation by hierarchy. As stated in the chapter, “When it comes to creative inspiration, job titles and hierarchy are meaningless” (Catmull 2014). This notion may not be true for all lines of work, but as a creative person I agree. As a manager, or entrepreneur, one should be an effective leader. This means ensuring that all employees feel valued and welcomed. By doing so, it ensures that office morale is high and that the company has a higher chance of being a united front in reaching goals.
Catmull, E., & Wallace, A. (2014). Creativity, Inc: Overcoming the unseen forces that stand in the way of true inspiration: Random House.
Art is Life's Paintbrush 
Hello Shay, Creating an atmosphere of innovation can pay dividends to the leaders in an organization. Innovation is not an exact science, but can be methodologies which foster creation. I am looking forward to hearing more about the inspiration that lead to the creation of Pixar from you!
Best regards,
Mike Weimar
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I agree, one significant measure of success as a leader is if the morale inside your organization is high. When morale is high, people feel valued, appreciated, productive, and they themselves become leaders. The domino effect of high morale is one of the most powerful forces that drive an organization forward. I think Ed and other senior members of the organization understood how high morale will allow people to feel free to be more creative and embrace change. For the most part, Disney/Pixar is a model for excellence in this area and I believe it is largely responsible for their continued success.
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Shay,
I enjoyed reading your blog post! That was a book I was interested in as well, you beat me to it! One aspect that piqued my interest was, “how something as simple as the seating arrangements in a room can help foster or hinder creative thinking”. What was the ideal set up for getting the creative juices going? I am always interested to hear psychological ways that something so simple can change perception!
PS. I loved your home screen, very creative and beautiful!
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Shay,
I enjoyed reading your blog post! That was a book I was interested in as well, you beat me to it! One aspect that piqued my interest was, “how something as simple as the seating arrangements in a room can help foster or hinder creative thinking”. What was the ideal set up for getting the creative juices going? I am always interested to hear psychological ways that something so simple can change perception!
PS. I loved your home screen, very creative and beautiful!
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Your book selection sounds like it will be an intriguing read over the course of the next few weeks. I like how the author acknowledges all the work that Disney put in before he came onboard. I feel that the legacies of past employees often get left behind in the busy world of business. I completely agree that you need to be able to leave your own mark, and to be able to leave the past behind. But I also really appreciate when that history is highlighted. None of us are going to be 100 percent unique, as we all build on the things that came before us. Our own personal histories are what form us into the individuals that we are. Likewise, we also have to know when it is time to leave that past in the past. That is where the real innovations occur, when we are able to free ourselves of the bonds of our old thinking and embrace whatever change is before us. I look forward to reading more of your reflections on your journey.
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Hello Shay!
Great work as usual from you. I have great interest in this book as I have always suffered from a pessimistic point of view. I have taken my fair share of risk that have been rewarding but I have made a living and career on grinding it out!
Interesting the books point that job titles are meaningless when I comes to creativity. I do believe I the point we learned last class that titled do provide some motivation with the holder.
Thanks and I look forward to more reflections!
Jeramy
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Shayna,
The title of the book definitely grabs attention. I find it interesting to learn what forces are considered to stand in the way of inspiration. I believe as entrepreneurs we need to know what stands in the way as we begin our journey and ways in which we can overcome those obstacles. With Disney’s animators willing to take risks and advance is what determined their success rate after all these years. Especially since people want to see different variations of animation and not the same version time after time. Seating arrangements can make a huge difference even with attendance of an event based on the arrangement. Such as simple task is actually one of the more important tasks that many individuals don’t consider or think about. Look forward to learning more about ways in which we can overcome obstacles without interfering with inspiration as entrepreneurs. Great post!
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Hi Shay,
I hope this message finds you well.
Fostering community is so important in my opinion as a creative as well. It’s a different world to work in the arts and you need folks that understand that passion and the lense through which you see and experience the world.
I also loved how you mentioned that in this creative space that hierarchy has no place. Its interesting to think about how we operate when no one is truly “in charge” because we are always taught that someone is. I can imagine this being very freeing creatively because you are expanding to different parts of what it means to be human.
I really enjoyed your post and I hope you have a great rest of your week!
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Shay,
It is so nice to see your posts again. On a whim, I added a film minor my senior year of college. I had a class devoted to the history of film animation, and looking back, it thoroughly stands as one of the most intriguing courses I’ve ever taken. I learned just how much skill and innovation went into creating seemingly simple animations like a butterfly realistically flapping its wings.
The state of animation now certainly didn’t come about by accident: it is the result of daring innovation and leadership. I think a healthy work environment is especially critical in creative fields. Toxic vibes can quickly render impossible the free flowing exchange of ideas that is so essential to the creative process.
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Shay,
This is a very informative blog. good leadership skills are often difficult to develop. I agree that an successful leader must possess the ability to communicate effectively. Effective communication produces a sense of understanding and confidence for team player completing the mission or goals at hand. I also like the concept of creative inspiration and want to apply it to my own goals. I look forward to reading more of your post.
Best,
Shannon
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Shay,
I think the idea that stood out the most for me in this post was the idea of simplicity! Some ideas may seem so small, yet they make all of the difference in the world. In my opinion, this is what separates effective leaders who just get the job done from the leaders that will truly change the situations around them. Leadership skills have to constantly be re-tuned in order to adjust to those around you, which will always present a challenge.
Best,
Colin Croat
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Hi Shay,
Of course you would select this read! I hope you enjoy it! I am always interested to hear the background of the authors or co-authors. It is interesting to note his adoration for Disney and then the chance to be part of the team behind his dreams!
Important to note, innovation is key and staying ahead of trends is always a critical component of attracting customers. I’ll be checking back to hear more about the other meaningful lessons he presents throughout the book.
Best,
TK
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Hi,
In my book Pixar, Ed and Steve Jobs were all brought up so it will be interesting to draw parallels with your book. It was very sad to hear that he had applied for his dream job and turned down, but good to know that Pixar would become a smashing success. I think it was indeed due to the unique leadership of fostering a creative environment, with simple ideas as seating arrangements that really helped. Excited to see where this goes!
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