Come Rain or Shine

Have you ever wondered why we're often afraid of being excluded? Why we're wired to feel safe where we're at? If so, congratulations. Not only are you human, but aware of your need for a harmonious community. Unfortunately, in business settings, the line between professional and personal often compromises our sense of security. For instance, you may know a supervisor who keeps his subordinates une...

As an executive turned entrepreneur, I admit: It's nice not having to attend many meetings these days. Having led many during my tenure at Disney, I discovered while meetings on paper can be beneficial, they are also easily abused by those calling them. The question is: How do we, as business leaders, facilitate meetings in an engaging way where our mission goes beyond broad communication? As I di...

In this episode, Dan Cockerell and host, Jody Maberry, tackle questions received from Auburn graduates. Such questions include, "What piece of advice do you wish someone had told you when starting your professional career?", "What qualities do you look for in choosing an employee?", "What motivation tactics do you use for employees?", and "How do you discipline employees without having them resent...

In this special episode, Dan Cockerell joins Maria Massad, Director of Social Media and Digital Partnerships for Walt Disney Birthplace and Jay Williams, Managing Director of Walt Disney Birthplace, to discuss the location and history of Walt Disney's nativity. As Massad explains, the purpose of Walt Disney Birthplace is to restore the Disney family home to its original state; however, while recon...

We're talking with special guest Laurie Ruettimann in this episode. Laurie has a podcast called Let's Fix Work where she shares about the world of work and how companies operate.   Laurie believes you should rescript your relationship with work if you're not happy. It's up to you to take the lead in your own life.   When Laurie works with clients, one of the things they work through is money. She...

Whenever I talk about open doors, there are two principles I often emphasize: 1) ask questions and 2) dig past initials assumptions. But there's a third I suggest we, as leaders, consider – the importance of cultivating curiosity.   As leaders, curiosity is imperative both in heeding and handling with delicacy. In my experience, being in the same place over time can dull the curiosity we need to m...

If you were elected mayor of a small town, how would you create a happier environment? Would you focus on funding and implementing legislation or would you consider social reforms to improve the economy? While the truth is somewhere in the middle, as recent travel has taught me, connectivity is critical and underrated when gauging a community's health. In many parts of the world, not only are peop...

Remember the movie 'Office Space'? It's one of the greatest cult classics about workplace dynamics. In this episode we're talking not so much about the movie, but how we can facilitate healthy, interactive working environments. Granted, some may question the need to talk about physical settings, but the truth is they are essential to the morale and operations of our work. For instance, is our offi...

As a kid, one of my favorite reads was the 'Choose Your Own Adventure' series. Unlike other books, these fascinated me. Not only did I get to play the protagonist, but also determine the plot of the story. Like the 'butterfly effect', I could unravel a new angle with each read – a cool concept, especially for the time. For instance, what if we took the same approach to training and leadership deve...

When we think about creativity, we often think of select professions and skillsets. For instance, one might associate an accounting job as non-creative and a designer job as creative. But as I've been learning, creativity isn't just artistic prowess modeled on a stage or Shark Tank, but a universal experience. As I discuss in this episode, even if our jobs lack innovation, we can still define envi...

In past episodes, you may recall Jody and I discussing the Eisenhower matrix, a grid separating tasks into four components based on urgency and importance. Returning to that topic, I'd like to explore organization fitness through a new lens, the lens of confidence. Having talked to Dan Miller, author of "48 Days", last month, our examination of importance must not only include urgency, but what we...

As business leaders, meaningful conservations are critical.   While many think these conservations are functions of position, in reality, the most important interactions are ignited by an approachable reputation. Granted, this is easier said than done in a 'self-aware' era. However, if we want to make a difference, then we must focus on people to know their situation and gauge what type of questio...

For many, mentorship is a complicated topic. From finding time to connect to knowing who to look for, no question, the pursuit of a role model can seem like an uphill battle at times. However, as I discuss in this episode, to be intentional in seeking guidance from mentors is to know who to look for and how to look for them. After all, mentors come in many forms all carrying a unique blend of know...

After hearing from Dan Miller in our last episode, Jody and I welcome Nicole Cutrufo, Founder and CEO at Doitwell, to share her story. A graduate of the Rosen College of Hospitality Management, Nicole worked various guest service gigs in Orlando and Rome before started her own consulting company in 2018. Having settled a new position, Nicole explains how the power of self-education through small l...

On this special episode, Dan Miller, author of "48 Days", joins Jody and I to discuss his background and leadership philosophies. According to Miller, one of the biggest challenges vocationals face is managing change. While many work in streams of success, not all operate in their uniqueness. As a result, when risk is confronted, confusion arises due to a lack of self-awareness. Granted, it makes...

This is part two to our previous episode "Four Keys to Implementing Change" but in this episode, we're talking about what needs to happen to make these changes actually happen. The fact is as we all pursue our individual endeavors, we're all bonded by the inevitable challenges waiting for us. The question is when troubleshooting situations arise, how do we manage them? How do we cope when we're fo...

Change is continuous. As technology improves, our organizations will have to adjust.  Implementing change is never easy.  At Disney, we walk the line between doing what has made us successful and changing our products to remain relevant.  When we implemented a big change at Disney, I learned there are four areas you have to address to make sure change is successful.  Four aspects of change; Make s...

As mentioned in past podcasts, knowing your audience is essential to quality leadership. To better a product or service, oftentimes, this can't happen without customer engagement. But as I've been recently reminded, sometimes the best way to know an audience is to be open to spontaneous interaction. Such is the case with this episode, where I sit down with two of my biggest fans, August and Gretel...

It's been said there's nothing new under the sun. If a concept can be created, chances are it's already been created. However, as a public speaker, I'm finding if there is something new, it's how ideas are being reshaped and renamed in their everyday communication. Take 'design thinking', for instance. When I first heard the term, I didn't know offhand what it was about. But upon further review, I...

Our businesses are cycles. While projects may vary, many companies will prioritize annual events to boost morale, engagement, and productivity. However, as I learned during my Disney tenure, there's an important relationship between repetitive venues and continuous improvement often missed in corporate America. Yes, gathering together for the purposes of information exchange is critical for any or...

When it comes to time management, one of my favorite tools is the Eisenhower Matrix – a grid breaking down tasks into four components: urgent and important, urgent and not important, not urgent and important, and not urgent and not important. As President Eisenhower figured, the more tasks you tackle in the 'important and not urgent' quadrant, the more effective your direction would be.  Fast-forw...

As many can admit, preparing teens for their future is easier said than done. While high schools aim to academically equip students for college, as parents, it's a bit more ambiguous. Should our kids invest more time and energy into part-time jobs or extra-curricular activities outside the classroom? To be fair, the answers are hardly cut and dry; however, when we zoom out and consider the bigger...

As leaders, we often live for pressure or by pressure - the pressure to succeed, the pressure to compete, the pressure to be happy and so forth.  But lately I've been wondering if we, in business, have underestimated the power of hard work and enjoying the fruit of what results. As I discuss in this episode, when we consider the 'why' of our effort and the joy in pursuing goals free from compariso...

After discussing lessons learned at Disney in my last episode, today I want to talk about what I've learned since Disney. For starters, I have a better understanding of what I know from past experiences, but also how little I know concerning innovation and creativity. The technological world changed dramatically during my time at Disney and I've found there's much in the entrepreneur world I still...

As a former Disney executive, I learned a great deal during my tenure. From the four 'magic' keys to checklists and shortlists, the array of knowledge acquired through thirty years of experience is wide as it is deep. Having recently reached the one-year mark of leaving Disney, I've begun to focus these lessons into bite-sized points and it's my hope in this two-part episode, you find inspiration...