Toy Story 3 Shows The Power Of Teams

The person who knows HOW will always have a job. The person who knows WHY will always be his boss.
--- Diane Ravitch

We usually master HOW first. Many stop there, content to do "factory work" at the direction of those who know WHY. That's fine. Both roles matter. Neither is more important than the other. Together they create a team.

Toy Story 3

Toy Story 3 is put together with such wonderful care and attention that praise has been almost universal.
--- The Guardian UK

Have you seen the amazing Toy Story 3? It's practically perfect on many levels. Here's a trailer (with no real spoilers).

There's a great article in Wired: Animating a blockbuster: how Pixar built Toy Story 3. Rarely do sequels maintain the magic of originals. Most first films aren't original either. Look at The A-Team, Iron Man, The Losers, Green Zone, Cop Out and The Book of Eli. They help pass the time and lighten our wallets.

The Magic Of Pixar

Pixar uses two forms of magic

• know HOW: the technical skills (e.g., drawing) and technology (a typical frame takes 7 hours of computer time to render and there are 24 frames a second)
• know WHY: the heart and universal story

There are two teams

• the toys: each plays an important role in helping the rest, even Mrs. Potato Head
• the creators: they work together on different projects

The ongoing collaboration works very well. Look at the gaps in the films yet their success.

• 1995: Toy Story (#148 in the IMDB all-time Top 250)
• 1999: Toy Story 2 (#229)
• 2010: Toy Story 3 (#8)

That's quite a record.

Your Team

You have a team too. The size varies with what you ship. It consists of your suppliers and colleagues (internal and external). Do you have the right people or are you stuck with decisions made by others?

Your answers affect what you deliver, your attitudes and your happiness. Our connections play such a crucial role. It's hard to believe, but even obesity is contagious. That's an example of bad influences. Toy Story 3 shows the magic of the right team.

Links

• Animating a blockbuster: how Pixar built Toy Story 3 (Wired 18.06, June 2010)
• Toy Story 3: fitting finale or tired rehash? (The Guardian UK, Jul 2010)
• 10 things parents should know about Toy Story 3 (Geek Dad, June 2010)
• What makes men cry? (The Guardian UK, Jul 2010)
• Obesity is contagious (TIME, Jul 2007) 
• How to delegate to outsiders
• The best-kept secret for advisor success 
• image courtesy of Wired

PS If you haven't seen the Toy Story series lately, do. If you feel guilty, invite a child and pretend you're treating them.