Trustful Peer Advising

President of Disney and Pixar Animation Ed Catmull shares in his peer advising speech how fostering a trusting environment filled with passionate workers that can share ideas without prejudice is one way to ensure that a filmmaking process is a success. The concept, dubbed 'Braintrust,' looks into the idea of creating an atmosphere where everyone feels welcomed to freely make creative contributions.

'Braintrust' is the idea that each peer is working together to advise one another --- no matter their title ranking -- on an equal platform while working together on a project. Catmull says that "...you have to go through some screw ups, failures and mess ups together and then still be there for each other" to build a relationship of trust. According to Catmull it is through this process of sticking together that trust is formed within a working team that allows an open flow of communication.