The Disney Institute is world famous for its technique and approach to leadership and management. It has formulated key strategies, which focus not on the “nuts and bolts” but on the importance of dealing with people. The principles address how to inspire, motivate and teach. Lee Cockrell, the Executive Vice President of Operations for Walt Disney World Resort, is the prime example of a great, influential leader. In his book “Creating Magic: 10 Common Sense Leadership Strategies from a Life at Disney,” Cockrell outlines the ten strategies that we all can follow to become great leaders in any field and any position in life.
Lee Cockrell was not always an effective and well-respected leader. He worked his way up from a position as a simple banquet waiter at the Hilton, to a management position, a food and beverage controller at the Waldorf-Astoria, a Marriott manager, and his current status as Disney. Along the way his experiences molded him from a “hard-nosed manager who left bodies in his wake” to the open, respected leader he is now.
The strategies Cockrell teaches show us that everyone can exert good leadership and that leadership is not just a role but it is a responsibility. Through implementing his ten strategies in our own leadership positions we can all become the most effective and respected leaders.
The first strategy is “Remember, Everyone is Important.” Cockrell states that employees are more eager to give you their all when they know that they matter. At Disney the acronym RAVE is used, meaning respect, appreciate and value everyone. The second strategy says that you have to be willing to break the mold when it comes to your business or organization’s structure. As a leader you must envision what the organization should look like. The third strategy says that you have to make your people your brand. In this chapter, Cockrell explains that a company’s brand is not just their logo or product, but its people. Cockrell states, “No matter how good your products and services are, you can’t achieve true excellence unless you attract great people, develop great people, and keep great people.
In the other strategies Cockrell teaches us how important training and development are to your company and how great leaders are always in a learning mode. He also says that we must express our appreciation for the people who work for us and keep up with what is current in the world and stay ahead of the pack. Moreover, Cockrell touches on the importance of your reputation and your personal credibility, the need to know what you stand for, and how to defend your personal character.
I believe the strategies taught in this book offer a great approach to management/leadership. The concepts are “simple as they are profound,” says Cockrell. “They are concepts based on common sense but are not common practice.” The Disney Institute has numerous clients, including a small Pennsylvania college, a foster care agency, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, Hewlett-Packard, and a park district in the California desert. All these organizations are familiar with the great reputation of the Disney Institute’s leadership and management practice and have come from all over to learn from the best.
I believe the Disney management/leadership strategies are more effective than MBO, TQM, and “New” Management. Disney focuses not on the result like MBO but on the process. People are not just evaluated on the results that their work achieves. They are praised because of their personal characteristics, their cooperation, good judgment, and initiative.
TQM management focuses on the long-term goal and achieving that goal. Many times the objectives are forgotten along the way. This can often lead to a less motivated workplace. The Disney Institute does have long-term goals and objectives but motivation and inspiration are key concepts.
Disney focuses on working together and sharing visions like the “New” Management system, while still maintaining the managerial hierarchy. The incentive to rise up the management ladder is still created. The Disney Institute takes from each of the management systems and combines their ideas in the most effective way.
I would recommend this book not only to students studying PR, but also to anyone who wants to improve their leadership skills. Through the telling of his entertaining, personal stories as well as the strategies taught at the Disney Institute this book inspires and motivates. Cockrell says, “Like it or not, you are a leader, whether you’re the CEO of a multinational corporation, a first-time manager, or a part-time employee.” Everyone has responsibilities in life and therefore is in a leadership role.
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