Groupthink is great — if you like mediocre ideas.
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Kerry Washington and Pilar Savone don’t always agree. That friction is the foundation of their production company, which helped produce Little Fires Everywhere, Confirmation, American Son, and Imperfect Women.
Washington, who founded Simpson Street, and Savone, its president of production and development, are both speaking at this week’s Inc. 5000 Conference in Dallas.
In March, Washington and Savone shared the stage at Newsweek’s Women’s Global Impact Forum. There, Washington said the pair doesn’t always agree, but working through ideas together helps them find their “true north.”
Embracing conflict is a leadership lesson most founders say they agree with, but very few actually practice.
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Both worked on Django Unchained, Washington as an actor and Savone as a producer. At the same Newsweek forum, Savone said that when they evaluate a new project, they “start with each other,” asking whether the story feels right and whether it’s something they want to live with for the long haul.
They first look for the commonality. Then, they invite disagreement. That balance is their superpower.
But it’s something that many founders don’t put into practice. Many hire carbon copies of themselves, call it culture fit, and create systems where agreement is paramount.