Steve Jobs knew he wasn’t an expert in filmmaking — even after funding a spinout of animation studio Pixar, which was originally division of production company Lucasfilm, in 1986.
Jobs was “pretty amazing at saying, ‘this is not my business,'” chief creative officer at Pixar, Pete Docter, said at Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies Gala and Summit on Thursday. Jobs’ attitude was “I’m not going to come in here and direct this movie or tell you what to do,” Docter said.
As a 35-year employee of the company, Docter got to witness the Apple co-founder operate up close. Here’s one leadership strength Docter noticed in Jobs — and one habit he hopes never to adopt himself.
Jobs could quickly ‘analyze what the conversation was really about’
One skill Jobs had was being able to distill a conversation down to its essence and deliver the core idea succinctly.
“He could walk into rooms where he knew nothing about what was going on,” Docter said, “sit for about five minutes and analyze what the conversation was really about.” And that made it easier for Jobs to help employees solve problems.
“I think that came from years of practicing,” said Docter. “That it’s not something anyone’s really born with.” It’s a skill he’s tried to improve himself.
‘He would call — especially the producers — at any time, day or night’
One thing Jobs wasn’t great at, said Docter, was respecting people’s personal time.
“He would call — especially the producers — at any time, day or night, 3 in the morning, you’re on vacation, doesn’t matter,” Docter said. “He wants to talk to you about it, you’re on.”
Docter assumes this habit came from Jobs’ passion for what he was doing. Still, it’s not a practice he wants to employ.
In his capacity as a leader at Pixar, he’s trying not to call people at all hours of the night but “I still email people” outside of business hours, he said.
“I guess that’s what my wife’s trying to get me to stop doing,” he said.
Are you ready to buy a house? Take Smarter by CNBC Make It’s new online course How to Buy Your First Home. Expert instructors will help you weigh the cost of renting vs. buying, financially prepare, and confidently navigate every step of the process—from mortgage basics to closing the deal. Sign up today and use coupon code EARLYBIRD for an introductory discount of 30% off $97 (+taxes and fees) through July 15, 2025.
Plus, sign up for CNBC Make It’s newsletter to get tips and tricks for success at work, with money and in life, and request to join our exclusive community on LinkedIn to connect with experts and peers.
