Kansas Dental Association Feedback on “Dreams and Dreamers” at ASAE with Bill Capodagli

Don’t be afraid to Fail
”Finally from Bill Capodagli, author of Innovate the Pixar Way, I learned that it’s time to “destroy the old way of doing things.” He says to never overlook creativity and to encourage failure. That’s right, encourage failure. Now, that doesn’t mean that we should ask people not to do their work. It means that we must encourage people to work outside of their comfort zone and push the limits of ideas. Some work, other do not. In the end, do a post-mortem and find the five things that worked well and don’t neglect the five things you would do over again, even when something is a success.
Today, the expected speed in instantaneous and so we are working hard to deliver that speed.
I’m excited about the things I learned and am very excited to be a part of bringing some of those new ideas to you.”

Greg Hill, Director, Kansas Dental Charitable Foundation

Manage Innovation the Pixar Way – Credit Union Magazine, August, 2010

CU Mag: What’s Pixar’s approach to managing employees?

Capodagli: It’s based on a collaborative effort. Pixar goes to great lengths to make sure employees are a group of creative people who are, first and foremost, collaborative teammates.

That means they try to accomplish a common goal based on a lot of different skills. They’re constantly reviewing.

One thing many creative types there had to get used to was that Pixar has a daily review of all their work. It’s not about saying something is wrong or bad. It’s just an open area where everyone can comment and help each other.

To do that you need to have a safe haven where people feel safe to tell the truth and express their ideas.

CU Mag: How can CUs create a safe haven for innovation?

Capodagli: It starts with leadership. Leaders must realize they can’t be everywhere all the time and they don’t have all the answers.

One cofounder of Pixar said it’s about people functioning as a team and being enabled to make decisions. That’s more important than great ideas coming down from top management.

I did a keynote for a financial institution a few years ago, and I love what its president said: “We have to do what our customers ask of us unless it’s illegal, immoral, or unethical. They’re entrusting us with their money and their financial future. We need to solve their problems, not cause more problems.

CU Mag: How does Pixar motivate employees to be creative?

Capodagli: The whole premise of our book is that Pixar is this corporate playground. When you go there, you may see people playing foosball or swimming in an Olympic-sized pool.

It has created an atmosphere where work is fun—working hard and playing hard. That’s the greatest motivator.

CU Mag: How can employees embrace playfulness when their employer doesn’t?

Capodagli: That’s tough. If leadership doesn’t embrace or create an atmosphere that enables workers to have a good time, it’s hard for the worker to do that.

On the other hand, front-line employees can still embrace fun during their interactions with customers. You see a lot of examples of that in non-fun organizations, where there may be one employee who’s a little wackier than the rest of them. But the customers love that person and wonder why the whole organization can’t be that way.

Next: How to encourage risk-taking

ASAE THANKS BILL

August 26, 2010

Bill Capodagli

c/o Speakers Platform

Dear Bill:

On behalf of the members and staff of ASAE, I want to thank you for sharing your time and providing such an excellent presentation during your thought leader session. The time you spent with us was very much appreciated.

ASAE is committed to consistently providing our members with high-quality educational programs. We are pleased that this Meeting was in keeping with those standards and goals. We are unable to hold Meetings such as this without the knowledge and participation of thought leaders like you and we are grateful for the time and energy you put into the preparation.

Again Bill, thank you so very much for sharing your time and expertise with our members. I hope you were able to take some time to enjoy the beautiful city of LA.

Best regards,

Anne Blouin, CAE

Chief Learning Officer

Client Feedback on Using The Disney Way Fieldbook to facilitate a Faculty Workshop

I wanted to give you an update on my workshop with the school's faculty and staff.
My portion of the program was about four hours. The principal tells me that she is still hearing good things from the employees.
I believe I sparked some ideas, but I noticed a trend among those with more years under their belt.
The workshop was part of their in-service. The school has the faculty and staff participating in these training opportunities every beginning of the year. This year they had me, a first aid/CPR trainer, and a third speaker. One for each day of in-service.
On the positive end:

1. The workers seemed motivated to start the year on a good note.
2. Generally speaking they seemed to grasp the Dream, Believe, Dare, Do principles.
3. Some felt the material was so useful that they wanted to suggest it to be used for their congregations.
4. Some realized how their vision is not aligned.
5. They all understood the need for dreaming, and allowing creativity to flow.
6. I felt they were very pleased with my presentation.

On the negative end:

1. The veteran workers and the administration did not see how their vision was not aligned. Some older teachers took offense when I tried pointing that out.
2. The veteran workers were controlling some of the exercises. One actually said to a new teacher that they new better, and simply did not take any of the new teachers 4 core beliefs.
3. The administration has expressed the idea that those who do not buy into their vision will be force out. So their idea of aligning the vision is "my way or the highway."
4. The "one man road block" is being backed by old friends in the faculty body and family in the board of directors.

I used the Story Telling exercise for the Dream part. I adapted the vision align for the Believe portion, and did your suggestion to have each individual come up with 4 core beliefs, then pair up choose which four to keep, so on. I was going to use the Kidney exercise for the third portion, but the principal ran over her time, so I simply lectured them a brief lecture on the Dare principle. For the Do portion, I used story boarding, and they chose to story board how to reach higher levels of ACT success.

As they engaged in the exercises, I was discretely observing their interaction, and gathering some information on how they interacted. I was very saddened by the pattern I saw. The administration lives in this illusion that everything is just fine, and when workers leave upset, it is because the ones leaving have bad attitudes. I heard that statement form a board member!

A few weeks after the workshop, the board of directors invited me to join the board. This is a new area I am stepping into, and I am hoping I can plant some seeds that will shake things up in a good way!
_________________________

BILL CAPODAGLI USES RAZOR SCOOTER TO UNLEASH CHILDLIKE ENERGY!

Jeanne says, "Hi Bill- As you requested last Monday, upon giving me the Razor scooter, I rode it down my office corridor and had a photo taken. It's posted on my Facebook page. I'm happy to send you a photo. I have your business card, but it's MIA at the moment, so I don't have your e-mail address handy. I enjoyed your talk at the ASAE meeting in LA last Monday. Jeanne LaBella, SVP Publishing, American Public Power Association, Washington, DC.".

BILL CAPODAGLI SPEAKS IN COLUMBIA - CONGRESO NACIONAL DE COMERCIANTES SEPTIEMBRE 8,9 y 10 DE 2010

 

SUEÑOS Y SOÑADORES: CÓMO INNOVAN LAS GRANDES COMPAÑIAS?

Conozca los secretos de algunas de las empresas más innovadoras y exitosas de nuestro tiempo. Aprenda cómo: Pixar, Disney, Hospital Griffin, Men's Wearhouse y Zappos desencadenaron la imaginación de su equipo y lograron hacer grandes transformaciones. Descubra la magia que le ayudará a su empresa a superar su competencia, atraer a las personas más talentosas para que se unan a su compañía y a la vez mejorar sus resultados.

Think Like a Pixarian When you Return to School This Fall!

Technorati Tags: Pixar culture,Pixar book

As we write in Innovate the Pixar Way...when we were children the truth lived in our imaginations - where we were the princesses in the castle or the knights in shining armor slaying the dragon. In our minds, we could do anything! But then parents, teachers, and bosses chased the little kid right out of us. Dreaming, making believe, acting impulsively, and taking risks were not rewarded in the real world - the adult world. We must follow the rules. The small child became silent, but childhood dreams are resilent and remain hidden away in the deepest caverns of our minds. In the Pixar "playground", employees are free to let loose their childlike "magic" and energy!