Pixar's Secret to Success: Embracing 'Ugly Babies' and 'Radical Candor'

"Getting the right people and the right chemistry is more important than getting the right idea." - Ed Catmull, Co-Founder at Pixar

Pixar's remarkable success isn't just about animation and storytelling; it stems from a carefully designed culture that prioritises psychological safety and radical candor. This culture, championed by co-founder Ed Catmull, emphasises that a leader’s role is to make it safe for employees to take risks. By creating an environment where people feel comfortable with being uncomfortable, Pixar has created a space where originality can flourish.

At Pixar, the creative process is referred as nurturing “ugly babies,” which refers to the fragile first foundations of ideas that need encouragement to grow into something beautiful. As Catmull points out, no Pixar film starts anywhere near the polished product; they often begin as "complete disasters." This acceptance of imperfection is imperative, as it encourages employees to share their work-in-progress without fear of judgement. Colleagues are there not to criticise but to help ideas evolve and improve. Is this something we don’t see enough of in other teams and businesses? By it being incorporated into the business culture, employees learn that everything is a process, and ideas must go on a journey to reach their best. Creating a terminology for it also softens and reiterates that this is part of the company culture and a key stepping stone to their success.

Another fundamental part of Pixar’s culture of collective creativity is the practice of radical candor. This is a communication framework that provides guidance, praise and criticism, based on the idea of caring personally while challenging directly, which ultimately is built on empathy. Honest feedback is intended to nurture, not harm, and employees are encouraged to be direct without being destructive: in essence it is saying what you think whilst delivering it in a way that demonstrates care to the receiver. This approach helps maintain a balance where creativity isn't stifled by politeness, and the focus remains on the collective improvement of ideas. Is this a powerful part of their culture, that we could learn from and adopt in business to help produce better results and collaborate more effectively?

Pixar University plays a vital role in this culture, offering employees opportunities to learn and experiment in various disciplines, from improv to drawing, to screenwriting. This continuous learning environment reinforces the belief that if employees aren't scared, they aren't pushing the boundaries of their creativity. This demonstrates the importance of embedding this into the culture of a business, as it reinforces to the team the importance of a growth mindset and the need to always be learning and improving.

This unique cultural framework has great learnings for other businesses. It prompts us to reflect on whether our workplaces truly support an environment where creativity and innovation can flourish. Are we nurturing a space of psychological safety that allows for risk-taking and candid feedback? Are we developing the beginnings of new ideas with the same care and patience?

In our own professional environments, we must consider how we can adopt and adapt these principles. Can we build a culture where employees feel safe to share their raw ideas and take creative risks? How can we encourage radical candor in a way that nurtures rather than harms? These questions are key for any organisation looking to unlock its full creative potential.

Ultimately, Pixar's approach reminds us that the path to innovation is paved with risks, failures, and the courage to be vulnerable. By creating a safe space for creativity, embracing the discomfort of showing work-in-progress, and practicing empathetic honesty, we can create a culture that not only supports but also drives extraordinary achievements. How will we rise to the challenge of thinking differently and cultivating such a culture in our own businesses? The answers might just lead to breakthroughs we never imagined possible.

Written by Izzy McHattie, EP Business in Hospitality