Notes from Creativity, Inc. by Ed Catmull

1. C R E AT I V I T Y,
I N C .
O v e rc o m i n g t h e U n s e e n F o rc e s
T h a t S t a n d i n t h e Wa y o f Tr u e
I n s p i r a t i o n
B o o k B y E d C a t m u l l & A m y Wa l l a c e
S l i d e s b y R y a n B a t t l e s
C AT M U L L , E D W I N E . , A N D A M Y WA L L A C E . C R E AT I V I T Y,
I N C . : O V E R C O M I N G T H E U N S E E N F O R C E S T H AT
S TA N D I N T H E WAY O F T R U E I N S P I R AT I O N .

2. Give a good idea to a mediocre team, and
they will screw it up.

3. Give a mediocre idea to a great team, and
they will either fix it or come up with
something better.

4. If you don’t strive to uncover what is unseen
and understand its nature, you will be ill
prepared to lead.

5. It’s not the manager’s job to prevent risks.

6. It’s the manager’s job to make it safe for
others to take risks.

7. The cost of preventing errors is often far
greater than the cost of fixing them.

8. A company’s communication structure
should not mirror its organizational
structure.

9. Everybody should be able to talk to
anybody.

10. Do not assume that general agreement will
lead to change—it takes substantial energy
to move a group, even when all are on
board.

11. Quality is the best business plan.

12. Failure isn’t a necessary evil.

13. People are more important than ideas.

14. Prepare for the unknown.

15. Don’t confuse the process with the goal.

16. Give good feedback to ensure excellence.

17. These principles should be at the heart of
any work environment that strives for
originality, fosters problem solving, and
pushes its employees to new heights.

18. T H I S H A S B E E N A B R I E F O V E R V I E W O F S O M E
I D E A S F R O M C R E AT I V I T Y, I N C .
!
B U Y T H E B O O K F O R T H E F U L L E X P E R I E N C E
!
C AT M U L L , E D W I N E . , A N D A M Y WA L L A C E .
C R E AT I V I T Y, I N C . : O V E R C O M I N G T H E U N S E E N
F O R C E S T H AT S TA N D I N T H E WAY O F T R U E
I N S P I R AT I O N .
!
A L L P R O D U C T A N D C O M PA N Y N A M E S A R E
T R A D E M A R K S O R R E G I S T E R E D T R A D E M A R K S O F
T H E I R R E S P E C T I V E H O L D E R S . U S E O F T H E M
D O E S N O T I M P LY A N Y A F F I L I AT I O N W I T H O R
E N D O R S E M E N T B Y T H E M .

19. D O W N L O A D
T H E B U S I N E S S B O O K C O L L E C T I O N
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