Build Your Own Brain Trust

The first is that absolute candor is essential. There is neither room for ego, nor pulling punches; complete honesty is required from everyone. This is where the ‘Trust’ part of the name is particularly apt. There must be trust between everyone in the room that they are all there for a common purpose – to make the best movie possible.

There are obvious barriers to this happening. People are naturally inclined to be defensive of their own work, and therefore upset by criticism. Catmull argues it is vital that people do not too closely associate themselves with their ideas, and therefore take criticism of their idea personally. He candidly admits that all Pixar movies “suck” to begin with and each one has to be nurtured to greatness, or, as he puts it, to go “from suck to not-suck”. A relationship of mutual respect is therefore vital here, between the director and the Brain Trust.

The other barrier is a member of the Brain Trust worrying about either causing offense or making a fool of themselves. It’s also, therefore, important to make it explicitly clear that the meeting is a free transfer of ideas and that everyone should feel free from judgment or repercussions for their input, as long as it is honest and delivered constructively.

Keep Control

The second vital premise, which makes much of the candid element possible, is that ultimate control remains with the director. Whatever is suggested or critiqued during the meeting, it is the director alone who decides what to do next. The Brain Trust has no authority to override or veto their decisions – they are simply there to guide and collaborate.

This is important because it means creative control remains in the hands of the person whose work is being critiqued, leaving them with a sense of ownership. Their retention of control hopefully also makes it easier for them to hear criticisms from their colleagues in a constructive light, knowing that they are not obliged to make any changes they don’t agree with.

According to Catmull, this process has not only been useful, but absolutely central to Pixar’s success, and is an ingrained part of the company’s culture.

Creating Your Own Brain Trust

If you want to set up your own Brain Trust, there are a number of things to get right:

• You’ll need to make it part of your company culture. Discuss working processes with colleagues and work out what projects and processes will lend themselves to the Brain Trust process. While Pixar uses it for wholly creative purposes, a Brain Trust does not have to be limited to what might be considered traditionally creative areas. Although it lends itself easily to things like product development, it could equally be applied to any new ideas, whether they are changes to the company structure or a new way of handling customer enquiries.
• You may want to make a presentation on the Brian Trust concept, to sell the idea to those involved. Some people may see it as a form of interference, or adding complexity to their working processes if they don’t fully understand it. One way to address this might be to ask them to read Catmull’s own writing on the topic. [2]
• Once you’ve established the value and identified which projects you’ll use, it’s important to schedule in Brain Trust meetings throughout the process, from the early conceptual stage through to the final outcome. If someone is going off in the wrong direction, the sooner this is caught the easier it will be to correct course. Check everyone’s schedules and make sure you book a room where you won’t be disturbed, leaving plenty of time for discussion.

However, the two most crucial elements are undoubtedly:

1. Get the Right People

Who the right people are will differ according to your organization and purpose, but don’t make the mistake of thinking they have to be senior or even work directly with the people whose work will be discussed. Anyone who you know is likely to have a constructive, valuable opinion on the work is a potential Brain Trust member.

It’s also vital that each member has the professional respect of the person presenting – ideally, they may be peers working in the same area or level, but that does not have to be a prerequisite. The main question is “Can they contribute something valuable?” This could be something as simple as a different perspective. For example, if someone is proposing a radical change to a working process, someone who will actually work on the process would provide a valuable perspective, even if they are at a relatively junior level within the business.

2. Create the Right Atmosphere

It’s all about candor and a safe environment. There are a number of ways to create this:

• Firmly establish that the idea is a work in progress – if you can establish the Pixar expectation that everything “sucks” to begin with, all the better. It will make it easier for your idea leader to hear criticisms.
• Make sure everyone is comfortable with each other and secure in their own positions. This helps remove any fear of repercussions. You may want to organize team-building or bonding activities in advance of the first Brain Trust meetings.
• Regularly reinforce the need for honesty, and the spirit of cooperation – if you see any hint that this is not fully established, address it immediately and head on. For example, if it seems like someone is holding back, you could press them to say more, making it clear that everyone wants to hear what they really think. Or, if the presenter seems to be taking things hard, make a point of addressing some positives and reminding them that you’re all here to support them, not to tear them down.
• The goal is taking something with potential and making it something great. Make sure everyone is focused on this.
• Make it absolutely clear that the person presenting their work retains ultimate control. The final decisions are theirs. The Brain Trust has no authority; it is purely there to offer perspective and advice.

The important aspects of a Brain Trust are that it is open, honest, collaborative and focused on results. If you can create these conditions, you could have an ideal greenhouse for nurturing and growing good ideas into great products.