Randy Nelson on Learning and Working in a Collaborative Age

Amy Jessica McMillan
CO

Ellis, K. (Producer), & Sutherland, K. (Director). (2008). Randy Nelson on learning and working in a collaborative age. [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/randy-nelson-school-to-career-video

SUMMARY
In this video, posted to Edutopia.org, former Pixar University dean Randy Nelson explains Pixar's philosophy on collaboration in the workplace. At Pixar, they have three major principles when it comes to working with others: First, Nelson says they "accept every offer." In other words, they build each other up instead of tear each other down. Nelson explains that when you listen and consider the other person's idea, you have a possibility, and when you don't, "you have a dead end." Second, Pixar believes in making your partners or team members look good.  They don't talk about how they will "fix" a partner's idea. Instead, it is more about how one idea springs from another. Third, when Pixar is looking to hire someone, they not only look for depth of knowledge and skill, but also for resilience, for evidence of past failure and recovery. They want people with problem solving skills and wide varieties of experience. In order to find innovative people, Pixar looks for personalities that demonstrate interest and who are passionate about their goals. Finally, Nelson explains that at Pixar collaboration means amplification. It is beyond cooperation because people are truly building on each other's skills to create unique and powerful ideas.

EVALUATION
This speech is inspiring for people in every profession, including those of us who work in education. Pixar is unbeatable in terms of the creative products they produce, so it means a lot to hear Randy Nelson talk about how collaboration is at the heart of everything they do. I can easily incorporate the first tenant: "Accept every offer" into my daily collaborative work at the middle school where I work. I interpret that phrase to mean that collaborative teams truly consider everyone's ideas. They don't just wait to say their own ideas or try to tear other people's ideas apart. Educators should also be mindful of the way Pixar looks for people who have persevered through past failures. If we want to be innovative, we will sometimes fail. There will be lessons that don't work. It's part of the process. We should all remember Nelson's final point: Collaboration means amplification. That is true for teachers just as it is true for students. We are better working together than we are working alone.