Chapter Content
Okay, so, you know, I was thinking about how we make decisions, right? And how we get better at, well, pretty much anything. And it reminded me of Pixar. Yeah, Pixar! Think about it, they've made, like, a million amazing movies, right? *Toy Story, Finding Nemo, Coco,* all that stuff. I mean, come on, who hasn't cried at least once during a Pixar film? Anyway, it's easy to think that their success is just luck or some kind of creative magic, but apparently, it's way more intentional than that.
The co-founder, Ed Catmull, he wrote a book about it, and he talks about how they have these systems in place to keep the quality super high. And one of those systems is called the Braintrust. So, the Braintrust is basically a group of people who meet up every few months to talk about the movies that are in the works. It's the directors of the movies, of course, but also other folks from the company who, you know, aren't directly involved but want the movies to be good. And the whole point is to get honest feedback, like, *really* honest feedback. Catmull even says they rely on this group to push them to be excellent and to, you know, root out anything mediocre. It's basically their way of getting straight talk.
And I started thinking, well, hang on, why can't we use this in our own lives? Why can't we create our *own* Braintrust? I mean, we've all heard of mentorship, right? Which is cool, but it always felt a little…formal to me, you know? Like, it’s this big commitment, with a set schedule. And honestly, one mentor might not always be enough. Like, what if they haven't faced the same challenges you're dealing with?
So, instead of just one mentor, imagine having your own personal board of advisors, people you can turn to for advice and support. Like Pixar, you can use them to improve your decisions, both personally and professionally. I'm thinking like five to ten people is a good number.
And the cool thing is, you want people who are, like, unbiased. So, maybe not your family, right? As much as you love them. You also want diverse experiences and perspectives. You want people who are willing to give you candid, raw feedback, even if it's not what you want to hear. And, of course, they should be genuinely invested in your success, you know, they should actually *want* to see you win.
So, how do you pick these people? Well, you can think of them as fitting into different archetypes. Like, maybe you have a senior executive type, someone who can help you navigate the corporate ladder. Or an inspirational leader who can give you advice on people management. An intellectual sparring partner who's always up for debating ideas and pressure-testing your thinking. Definitely need a contrarian thinker, someone who's willing to play devil's advocate. A connector who can introduce you to new people and opportunities. And of course, a peer, someone who's at a similar stage in life or career.
It's not about having the most impressive-sounding group, it's about having people who genuinely care. And you can always add or subtract people over time, as your needs change. And unlike Pixar, you don't need to have formal meetings. So, they don't even need to know they're *in* your Braintrust. You just turn to them when you need advice.
Of course, remember these people are taking time out of their lives to help you, so you gotta show them some appreciation! Like, buy them books, send them thank-you notes, you know, just let them know you value their input. Those small gestures really go a long way.