What Pixar’s “Braintrust” Teaches Us About Psychological Safety in Teams
Love Pixar?
We do too, and not just for their movies, but for their culture.
Pixar didn’t become Pixar because of talent alone.
It became Pixar because the company built trust into the process of making movies.
The Experiment That Changed Everything
Ed Catmull, Pixar’s co-founder, understood something that most leaders still struggle with: teams freeze when perfection is the goal.
To counter that, he created an experiment called The Braintrust, a simple but radical idea.
A few times during each film’s production, directors would share rough, unfinished cuts with their peers.
They’d then invite brutal honesty, not to defend their work, but to improve it.
No hierarchy.
No executives.
Just candour, curiosity, and a shared belief that failure is data, not a personal attack.
Why It Worked
Most organisations would call that chaos.
Pixar made it their culture.
The Braintrust became a ritual that turned fear into learning.
Because feedback wasn’t seen as a threat, it was seen as creative fuel.
And this wasn’t just symbolic.
Entire storylines, characters, and endings were changed because of what surfaced in those sessions.
Films like Toy Story 2, Ratatouille, and Inside Out all went through the Braintrust, and emerged stronger because of it.
Lessons for Leaders
Pixar’s story shows what happens when leaders design systems that embed psychological safety in teams. It’s also a great reminder that feedback loops can be one of your greatest levers for growth - rather than something your team fears.
Psychological safety is not about being nice. It’s about being honest in service of building something better.
Here’s what you can learn from The Braintrust:
Make feedback a ritual, not a surprise. Predictability builds safety. No sudden, hey can I give you some feedback? No one responds well to those.
Remove hierarchy from the room. Ideas matter more than titles, and feedback should be on the idea or the process, not the person sharing them.
Frame failure as data. Reflection turns mistakes into progress. Encourage your team to openly discuss what could have gone wrong, and what could be done better.
Lead with curiosity. Ask, “What might we try next?” instead of “How did we get this wrong?”. Open questions win every time.
Protect creative space. Safety doesn’t mean comfort, it means trust in the process. Call out the bad behaviours when you see them.
When people feel safe to share unpolished ideas, innovation accelerates. That’s what psychological safety in teams looks like in practice.
Building Psychological Safety in Your Team
You don’t need a movie studio to borrow Pixar’s approach.
You just need consistent habits that normalise learning and reflection.
Start with small changes:
Run regular retrospectives where everyone speaks.
Celebrate thoughtful risks, not just big wins.
Thank people for honest feedback, even when it stings.
These practices shift culture from blame to curiosity, and that’s where real creativity lives.
Ready to Build Psychological Safety in Your Organisation?
At The Brick Coach, we help organisations get change-ready.
If you’re ready to boost your team’s psychological safety and creative confidence, get in touch.
