Latest news with #Schur
CNBC
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- CNBC
'Parks and Rec' creator: My No. 1 strategy for helping 'people do their best'—it works anywhere
The key to coaxing the best results from your team at work: Give them equal doses of structure and creative freedom, says Mike Schur, the Emmy Award-winning creator of television shows like NBC's "Parks and Recreation," "The Good Place" and "Brooklyn Nine-Nine." "I believe that people do their best work when there's a strong system that also allows for freedom within the system," Schur told comedian Amy Poehler on a May 20 episode of her podcast, "Good Hang." Even experienced professionals need good managers to bring out their best ideas and collaborative work, said Schur. He's found the most success by giving workers enough autonomy to get their creative juices properly flowing, while establishing clear boundaries to ensure they can meet their deadlines without veering off task, he said. Describing his process, Schur said he first works to "set up the boundaries," telling his team what needs to be done and when, before setting them free to reach those goals however they choose. "You lay out the fence and you [say] 'Anywhere in here is fine,'" said Schur. "Then you get the funniest people you can, who are the most comfortable and happy, and you say: 'Don't worry, everything's taken care of, rules are in place, the fence is in place, go crazy.' And you let people do their best, most fun, most joyous work."Flexibility and an open dialogue help create that welcoming environment of structured freedom, added Poehler, who starred in and co-produced "Parks and Recreation," with Schur serving as the showrunner. "People that are in your systems are very well taken care of, very well considered. And, in my case, it changed my life to be in your system. I love a good system too," Poehler said, adding: "You are not a strict person who doesn't take feedback." Schur isn't alone in his approach. Managers can inspire creative thinking — and better results — by giving their teams more autonomy over how an idea is created, or how a goal is reached, psychologist Teresa M. Amabile wrote for the Harvard Business Review in 1998. "People will be more creative, in other words, if you give them freedom to decide how to climb a particular mountain," Amabile wrote. "You needn't let them choose which mountain to climb. In fact, clearly specified strategic goals often enhance people's creativity." When Google went public in 2004, it had a "20% time" rule, where employees were encouraged to spend 20% of their time at work on projects that "they think will most benefit Google," co-founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page wrote at the time. Having the autonomy to experiment with interesting side projects, with the agreed-upon structure of working to "benefit" the company, "empowers [employees] to be more creative and innovative," wrote Page and Brin. Similarly, Netflix co-founder and chairman Reed Hastings built a corporate culture around what he calls "freedom and responsibility." At Netflix, employees are granted enough freedom to let their creativity run wild, making the company more adaptable when seeking solutions to major challenges, Hastings wrote in a 2009 PowerPoint presentation. Netflix balances that freedom with an expectation of accountability, where employees are expected to own their failures and take responsibility when goals are not met, according to Hastings' presentation. Those boundaries are essential to ensure you can "give freedom and not have chaos," he told CNBC's Andrew Ross Sorkin in 2020, adding that he seeks out employees who can effectively prioritize that balance. Schur also said he's typically drawn to working with "roll-with-the-punches people" who can collaborate with each other in nearly any circumstance. "Wonderful things happen" when you hire smart and creative people who can improvise when needed, establish clear boundaries, and give them room to play, he said. That strategy might not be "revelatory," Schur noted. But "I really believe that is the best way to work creatively in a group.",
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
TV writer Michael Schur receives star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
Television writer, producer, director and creator Michael Schur was honored with the 2,812th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles on May 21, 2025. Schur was joined by Ted Danson, Amy Poehler and his family. Schur is best known for his work on "Parks and Recreation," "The Good Place," "A Man on the Inside," "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" and "The Office."
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Amy Poehler Gives ‘Parks and Rec' Fans the Greatest Gift: The ‘Philly Justice' Trailer with Adam Scott, Rashida Jones, and Kathryn Hahn
It's not quite 'Threat Level Midnight,' but it's close — and real. Amy Poehler has revealed the faux spoof TV show trailer for 'Philly Justice,' a fake series she and 'Parks and Recreation' co-stars Adam Scott, Rashida Jones, Paul Rudd, Nick Offerman, and Kathryn Hahn made for fun while filming the hit NBC sitcom. The existence of the project has been teased throughout Poehler's podcast 'Good Hang' and now, finally, its trailer is out. The tagline reads: 'Philadelphia has never been more in need of justice.' More from IndieWire Are the Young Men OK? On Some of the Season's Best Shows, Not at All See the Tricks 'Agatha All Along' Used to Walk the Witches' Road 'Parks and Rec' creator Mike Schur, producer Morgan Sackett, and stars Scott and Jones joined Poehler for world premiere of the 'Philly Justice' trailer on 'Good Hang.' 'This one is for the fans. We heard you loud and clear,' Poehler said, adding that 'Philly Justice' was conceived after looking at a cast photo on the set of 'Parks and Rec' during Season 4. That inside joke spurred a parallel to a very real David E. Kelley procedural pilot that was shot in 2005 but never aired. Dylan McDermott was part of that series; Schur and the 'Parks and Rec' writers room then wrote a 20 page script for a fictional spin on 'Philly Justice' purely for the 'Parks and Rec' cast to have. However, McDermott was asked to reprise his role for the trailer, which was never going to be released, until now. Check out the 'Philly Justice' trailer below and deduce the plot yourself. All we can say is that Poehler previously said during podcast 'Good Hang' that it was a 'shitty show' with Hahn playing a lawyer who may or may not be in a relationship with Jones' character. 'Parks and Rec' aired from 2009 to 2015 for seven seasons. The series also starred Aubrey Plaza, Chris Pratt, Aziz Ansari, Rob Lowe, Jim O'Heir, and Retta. Schur said in 2019 that if there were to be any sequel series, the whole cast would have to be on board. 'I would say we would do it if literally every person says yes. If one person says no, we shouldn't do it,' he said. Best of IndieWire Guillermo del Toro's Favorite Movies: 56 Films the Director Wants You to See 'Song of the South': 14 Things to Know About Disney's Most Controversial Movie The 55 Best LGBTQ Movies and TV Shows Streaming on Netflix Right Now
Boston Globe
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Amy Poehler and Michael Schur have lined up a new project together
Since then, Schur and Poehler have gone their own ways in Hollywood. Schur created NBC's existential series ' Advertisement Probably knowing 'Dig' was already in the pipeline, Poehler has long been singing the praises of Myers' 'Excavations.' The paperback edition sports a quote from her on its cover ('funny, smart, and deeply delicious'), and she even highlighted it during her Advertisement Thankfully, Poehler didn't turn to one of those for her next TV project. Instead, she's doubling down on a story about a quartet of women who have to work together in the face of stodgy patriarchs who'd prefer to maintain the status quo at all costs. In that respect, 'Dig' could actually prove to be a very fitting way for Schur and Poehler to make their return to TV as a team. The most successful throughline of 'Parks and Recreation' — and, come to think of it, 'The Good Place' — was its pairing of relentless optimism with sharp criticism of bureaucratic structures that run on red tape and rancid vibes. Its weakest moments, meanwhile, came from straying too far from 'warmly big-hearted' into 'aggressively saccharine' territory. Given the premise of 'Dig,' and the fact that Schur and Poehler are adapting the script from someone else's writing, it'll be fascinating to see how much they go back to the wholesome well from whence 'Parks' came — and how much they push themselves to go beyond their familiar shared past to end up somewhere new. Caroline Framke is a media analyst who previously served as Variety's chief TV critic. Her other work can be found at The Atlantic, Vulture, Vox, and more. A Smith College graduate, Framke is currently based in New York City. Advertisement
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Parks and Recreation' Alums Amy Poehler, Mike Schur Reunite for Peacock Comedy Series ‘Dig'
Amy Poehler and Mike Schur are teaming up once again for a comedy series at Peacock, Variety has learned. The series is currently titled 'Dig,' which is based on the Kate Myers novel 'Excavations.' Poehler and Schur are co-writing the first episode with Poehler also set to star. More from Variety How to Watch the 2025 Kentucky Derby Online Without Cable Bowen Yang Proposes 'SNL' Cast Should Be Able to Say 'S--' and 'F--' On Air 'If We're Dismantling the FCC Because of Trump' WrestleMania 41 Livestream: How to Watch the Major WWE Event Online Without Cable The official logline states, 'Four women working at an archeological dig in Greece are at wildly different crossroads in their lives. When the team uncovers a long-buried secret with the potential to rewrite history, they find themselves at the center of a high-stakes international conspiracy.' Along with Poehler and Schur, J.J. Philbin ('Only Murders in the Building,' 'Single Parents') also serves as a writer on the series. All three are also executive producers, with Schur executive producing under his Fremulon banner. Morgan Sackett executive produces as well, along with Dave Becky and David Miner for 3 Arts Entertainment, Sharon Jackson for Ocean Avenue, and Kate Arend and Jordan Grief for Poehler's Paper Kite. Myers is a co-executive producer. Universal Television — where Poehler, Schur, and Sackett are under overall deals — is the studio. Poehler and Schur famously collaborated on the beloved comedy series 'Parks and Recreation,' which aired for seven seasons on NBC from 2009-2015. Schur co-created the series with Greg Daniels, while Poehler starred as indefatigable government employee Leslie Knope. Poehler also co-wrote multiple episodes with Schur, including the series finale. Sackett was also an executive producer on the series, which received 14 Emmy nominations throughout its run. It won a Peabody Award in 2011 and remains highly popular nearly a decade since it ended. Poehler and Schur also worked together during their time at 'Saturday Night Live,' where Poehler was a cast member and Schur was a writer. Schur is repped by UTA, 3 Arts, and Hansen Jacobson. Poehler is repped by WME, 3 Arts, Ocean Avenue and Sloane Offer. Philbin is repped by UTA and Rise Management. Myers is repped by CAA and Inkwell Management. Best of Variety Emmy Predictions: Talk/Scripted Variety Series - The Variety Categories Are Still a Mess; Netflix, Dropout, and 'Hot Ones' Stir Up Buzz Oscars Predictions 2026: 'Sinners' Becomes Early Contender Ahead of Cannes Film Festival New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week
