This is an ironic topic to write about for me, as at uni, I’ve avoided Human Resource courses like the plague. As a matter of fact, I never got along with a single HR-manager that interviewed me. They seem focussed on placing me in a box, while I am focussed on not fitting in one. A mismatch made in heaven, or hell, however you want to look at it. Sure, people are resources, but not on the same level as a hammer and nails.

So, as you may have guessed, I just watched Ratatouille, the latest film from Pixar Studios. I came out of the cinema inspired, scribbling thoughts in my little book like:

• Any great business is people-driven, and
• I don’t ever want to work for or start a company that does not obey this principle

My passions having somewhat cooled down this morning, I decided to review these thoughts. First, are people important? That’s a no-brainer. People are what create the real value in the company, nothing is as stimulating to work for as a visionary leader, and to work with, talented people that drive the company forward. Similarly, a blog is nothing without the unique voices of both those writing and those reacting.

How did I get to this strange conclusion after watching a film? Well, as you know it’s all about a rat. No, wait, wait, let me start at the beginning. Before the movie came the trailer for WALL-E, a robot that could. But it was not the traditional trailer, instead you hear the voice of the creators, explaining a little (very little) of their thought-processes in creating it. But you get a sense that this film, coming out next year, is created by someone instead of just a machine-like corporation.

A few years ago, I read a cool article in Wired, comparing the creation-process of Dreamworks to that of Pixar. There is a not-so-subtle difference. While the first tries to push out several movies a year, Pixar tries for one a year. It appears as if the company realised an important thing, that it’s about the quality, not the quantity. And quality comes from a very important principle: taking the time to create it. Creativity is all about space; people rarely have bright ideas when immersed in the tornado that is their work; instead you wait for the eye of the storm or the storm itself to pass. But it’s also about process, you need a machine behind the creator, the metaphorical pen which brings those ideas to reality quickly.

So, Ratatouille is all about a rat. Rather it’s about a rat that thought it could cook and it did. Just like any Pixar-movie, it’s about the protagonist—a car, a fish, a middle-aged super-hero—overcoming great obstacles to reach their objectives: happiness, success, family, friendship. I’m not planning on reviewing this movie here, go read the far more talented reviews at IMDB for that. The essential lesson from the film is that no matter where you come from, you can achieve greatness. All it takes is a little belief in yourself and the rest will follow.

But “people first” is not only about the quality. Sometimes, no often, people are destructive in their behaviour. Well, we are after all (mostly) human. I learned this the hard way a few nights ago, when someone close to me, who is incredibly talented, became depressed and engaged in destructive behaviour. You sometimes need to coach people into becoming their fullest self. You, as a leader, as a partner, as a friend, or as a freelancer, need to be engaged with your people, stimulating them (and yourself) to be greater than they think they are.

To finish, Pixar is a strange company, in so far that it appears completely different from Apple. Even though both involve Steve Jobs, and are incredibly successful, Pixar is far more transparent than Apple. It is actually hard to compare the two, as the latter tries so hard to hide its internal processes from the world. With Pixar’s movies, on the other hand, you get a sense of who creates the magic and how. Through documentaries, interviews like this, the strong voice of the creators that shines through their products, and of course the future line-up. A very exciting company and the world eagerly awaits their next creation!

Vincent is a co-author on Tech IT Easy. You can find out more about him on this blog’s initial announcement or on his site.

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