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44 CFOCONNECT May 2010

AFTERHOURS

first book The Disney Way, Harnessing the

Management Secrets of Disney in Your

Company was Fortunes Best Business

Book of 1999. In fact, at times, this book

reads like a sequel to The Disney Waywith

the authors liberally quoting and drawing

leadership points from their previous book.

But then, in many ways, Pixar too is a sequel

to Disney. Pixar replaced Disney as the fam-

ily animation movie specialist and then was

purchased by Disney for USD7.4 billion in

2006.Innovate The Pixar Wayholds a tight

focus on its subject. The result is that we

are presented with a fairly detailed picture

of a model innovative company. We also

get to see just how the elements that make

up an innovation culture interact together

to deliver great creative products, engaged

employees, and excellent financial returns.

The authors key thesis focuses on

the oppor tunity to turn a place of work

into a playground. By doing this, as Pixar

has done, they suggest that a company

can unleash the creative potential of all

employees.

To the cynical corporate leader a play-

ground might sound like a place where

no one does anything useful, and no one

makes any money. However, Pixars cre-

ative reputation and its financial results

over the last 15 years, should quickly still

such criticism.

Indeed, while many academics and

corporate leaders harp on the need for com-

panies to increase workforce productivity

and, in part icular, to harness discretionary

effort, Pixar has already found ways to do

these things and is reaping the benefits.

This is a future orientated book that

shows us how to get more out of people;

more creativity and higher morale; we have

to allow those people to bring more of

themselves to work. Not just the thinking,

compliant, focused and analytical side, but

also their playful, imaginative and passion-

ate sides.

Since 1995, starting with theToy Story,

Pixar has managed to create succes-

sive blockbuster animation films Bugs

Life, Monsters Inc, Finding Nemo, The

Incredibles - are some that are loved by

family audiences worldwide. Pixars list of

successes is endless. To be creative and

innovative once, twice, even three times is

a major feat, but 10 times in a row? How

do they keep doing it? What does Pixar do

right, that other companies dont?

Bill Capodagli and Lynn Jacksons

second collaboration, Innovate the Pixar

Way Business Lessons from the Worlds

Mos t Creative Corporate Pla yground

should offer sufficient inspiration to any

organisation trying to foster a culture that

is more creative and innovative. Their

Companies need this well rounded

workforce because, as the authors warn,

we are now in an age of rapid innovation.

Companies need teams that can journey

fearlessly into the unknown to create

products and services that will fulfil their

customers dreams.

The second key insight in the book is

to use the metaphor putting on a show as

a way to run a business. Every business

is show business, say the authors. And

you only have one chance to deliver that

magical, magnetic, enchanting experience

to your customer."

There are some other very important

lessons to be learnt from the worlds most

creative corporate playground. Some

guiding principles are: pursue leadership

excellence at all levels, embrace speed,

foster an inclusive culture, simplify and

go, evolve immediately, do the right thing,

celebrate remarkable achievements,

technology innovation is lifeblood, dont

take success for granted, earn customer

and user loyalty and respect every day,

sustainable long-term profitability are

key to success and aspire to change the

world. There is enough detail in the book

to guide those who are looking to bring

about significant cultural change within

an organisation. It might also serve as a

useful reference for those already in the

process and looking for additional guid-

ance.Innovate The Pixar Waydoes indeed

stimulate and inspire and its metaphors of

the workplace as playground, and busi-

ness as show business, are memorable

and relevant. While skeptics may feel that

workplace culture is different in the cre-

ative industries, the authors have clearly

pointed out they are not portraying Pixar

as such, and that each company has to

develop its unique creativity. It is difficult

however, to imagine any company at all

that cannot, at the very least, learn a thing

or two from Pixar.

The Pixar Way

Innovate The Pixar Way Business

Lessons from the Worlds Most

Creative Corporate Playground

by: Bill Capodagli andLynn Jackson

Publisher:McGraw-HillPages: 208

Price: Rs. 1060