Pixar's Collective Creativity

I really enjoyed this article about the success of Pixar. Success in a creative company requires a slightly different approach in management style than traditional companies. The way in which they achieved this success is very relevant to radio. The first point made in the article that I found useful was the fact that the success of a project is dependent on a production team of 200-250 people, not just the producer and director; no matter how small an individual's contribution is, in the end it plays a major role in the overall success or failure of a project. When dealing with talented and creative individuals, however, the next challenge is how to get them to work together effectively. Pixar deals with this in multiple ways, the first is to take a chance on new ideas and fresh talent. In any industry it is so easy to stick with what works, its safe. Being safe however, does not ensure consistent success. The second facet of managing a creative team effectively is to realize that it is ok to hire people that are smarter than you... expertise in areas that you are not extremely knowledgeable in yourself will produce new ideas and ultimately create a better end product. Another important concept that I took from this article was that of 'creative leeway'; giving people the freedom to do what they want and supporting that fosters a productive work environment. Even though not every idea or concept people come up with will be successful there is also a way to manage and improve an employees work without undermining their authority, and I believe that is key in keeping up their confidence and ensuring their continued productivity in the future.
Pixar's operating principles were another element of the article that I found useful and innovative. I really liked the first point they made about allowing everyone to have the freedom to communicate with anyone; not having to check in with other people in your department before talking to higher-ups in another department. Again, the notion of complete freedom enable people to work without limitations or fear of punishment/termination. It is clear after reading the story of Pixar's success that trust and freedom are essential to an organizations success. Giving people the freedom to complete their work in their own way and trusting that they will not only do so, but produce positive/successful results when given the opportunity is the key element of a successful organization.