Pixar Co-Founder Discusses Strategy for Disagreements with Steve Jobs
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Feb 21 2026
0mins
Source: Benzinga
- Time-Delayed Arguments: Pixar co-founder Ed Catmull introduced the strategy of 'time-delayed arguments' to navigate disagreements with Steve Jobs, opting to refrain from immediate rebuttals and instead returning later with refined points, effectively avoiding heated confrontations and fostering better communication.
- Decision-Making Evolution: Catmull noted that in about one-third of cases, Jobs would eventually concede to his viewpoint, while in another third, Catmull would agree with Jobs, and in the remaining instances, Jobs would step back and allow Catmull to proceed, which helped shape better joint decisions.
- Jobs' Leadership Style: Contrary to the image of Jobs as a tyrant, Catmull's recollections reveal that after being ousted from Apple in 1985, Jobs developed greater empathy and humility during his 'wilderness years' at NeXT and Pixar, significantly influencing his later leadership approach.
- Collaboration and Innovation: This time-delayed argument strategy not only enhanced collaboration between Catmull and Jobs but also laid the groundwork for an innovative culture at Pixar and Disney, enabling the team to find consensus amid differing opinions and driving more creative project developments.
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Analyst Views on DIS
Wall Street analysts forecast DIS stock price to rise
19 Analyst Rating
16 Buy
3 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 96.560
Low
123.00
Averages
137.29
High
152.00
Current: 96.560
Low
123.00
Averages
137.29
High
152.00
About DIS
The Walt Disney Company is a diversified worldwide entertainment company. The Company's segments include Entertainment, Sports and Experiences. The Entertainment segment generally encompasses its non-sports focused global film and episodic content production and distribution activities. The lines of business within the Entertainment segment along with their business activities include Linear Networks, Direct-to-Consumer, and Content Sales/Licensing. The Sports segment encompasses its sports-focused global television and direct-to-consumer (DTC) video streaming content production and distribution activities. The lines of business within the Sports segment include ESPN and Star. The Experiences segment includes Parks and Experiences and Consumer Products. Parks and Experiences consists of Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, Disneyland Resort in California, Disney Cruise Line, and others. Consumer Products includes licensing of its trade names, characters, visual, literary and other IP.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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