Innovation & Tech Today – May 2019

16 INNOVATION & TECH TODAY|SUMMER 2019

DEPARTMENTS/Dent Files

Pixar and Cultural Ambidexterity

By Steve Broback

WhatsetsPixarapartfromsomanyother

organizationsinthetechandentertainment

industries?Whatcontributestotheir successful

andconsistenttrackrecord?

ThereleaseofToyStory 4 thisyearmarks 24

yearsafterthefirstofthefranchisewasreleased.

Theenduringappealofthefranchiseisa

testamenttoPixar’sexcellenceinstorytelling,

withthecompanyhavingreleased 21 films,

grossingover 13 billiondollars,since1995.

AtoneofDent’sconferences,wedelvedinto

thistopicwithPixarCo-FounderAlvyRay

Smith.OneoftheattributesSmithcitedas

beingcriticaltoPixar’ssuccesswassomething

weatDentrefertoas“culturalambidexterity.”

Manysuccessfulorganizationsworktofoster a

cultureofmutualrespectandengagement

acrossmultipledomains– makingtheirculture

ambidextrous.AtPixar,thistranslatesintowhat

Smithcallsa “mutualadmirationsociety”where

thetechnicallycreativepeople(ie,engineers)

arecomfortablewith– andrespect– artistically

creativepeople,andviceversa.

“Pixar is an excellent example of how the two

typescananddoworkharmoniouslytogether–

withequalrespect,dignity,salary,promotion

opportunities,companyownership,andmutual

admiration,”Smithsaid.“Thisisprobablydue

totheself-selectionoftheemployeesthereto

thosewhoactivelylookforharmonious

relationshipswith‘theotherside.’”

ForPixar,thiscross-disciplinaryculturecame

naturally.Smithhasalwaysconsideredhimself

tobebothanartistanda technologist.More

commonly,however,weseeorganizationswith

foundersandCEOswhoareeitherengineersor

MBAsfirstandforemost.Smithworkedfora

timeasanemployeeofa companywithan

engineering-first culture and saw them fail

repeatedlyatdeliveringproducts

thatresonatedwithcustomers.

Yetthere’shopeforthe

majorityofuswhoareinless

ambidextrousorganizations.We

suggestyoutryoneofthesetips

toimproveyourculture.

BalanceYourTeam

Members

Trytoensureyourteam

representsbothendsofthearts/

technologyspectrum.Evenif you

feelthebalanceiscorrect,

bringinginnewstafferswith

freshperspectivescanbean

essentialstepinfosteringan

environmentofcreativity.

De-silotheCommunication

Structure

EdCatmull,co-founderof

Pixar,instructsinaHarvard

BusinessReviewpiece:“Membersofany

departmentshouldbeabletoapproachanyone

inanotherdepartmenttosolveproblems

withouthavingtogothrough‘proper’channels.”

Createa SafeSpaceforCreativeIdeas

Catmullstressesthat“itmustbesafefor

everyonetoofferideas.”Teammembersshould

feelempoweredtopresentplansandprojects

thatareincompleteorworks-in-progress

withoutfearofcriticism.

OfferCross-Disciplinary Training and

Classes

PixarUniversityoffersemployeecoursesin

everythingfromsculpturetoscreenplaywriting

inordertoallowemployeestocollaborateand

appreciatetheirco-workers’domainsandskills.

Regardlessofthestrategiesandtactics

employed,it’sessentialthatuppermanagement

isdedicatedtothecauseandtrulyvaluesthe

talentsandknowledgeeachsidecontributes.

ThefoundersofPixarruntheartandscience

synthesisnatively,andweatDentbelieve

organizationsthat can do the same will similarly

prosper.■

Photo: Pixar

Pixar Co-Founder Alvy Ray Smith