What strategies did Catmull use to keep his team at Pixar motivated and productive?

Catmull's experiences at the University of Utah greatly influenced his leadership approach at Pixar. He was surrounded by inspirational professors and inventive classmates who challenged each other to new heights of computer science and maintained a culture of collaboration and camaraderie. This environment inspired him to create a similar culture at Pixar, where he aimed to balance the production of high-quality content with the increasing demand for more movies, while also supporting an over-stretched staff and maintaining efficiency, productivity, and creativity.

Some strategies to maintain efficiency and productivity in a creative industry include fostering a culture of collaboration and camaraderie, challenging each other to reach new heights, and balancing the demand for more output with the need to maintain quality. It's also important for leaders to support their staff and ensure they are not over-stretched.