Creating Disney Magic

Magic happens when you get people in a room together. We recorded this episode one day after one of my Creating Magic Mastermind events. People usually come to these events to spend time with me, but the real magic happens because of everyone else in the room. When you can hear from other people on how they solve and resolve problems it gives you a different perspective. When you leave the room, y...

This episode was recorded live at the Contemporary Resort in Walt Disney World.  Being back at the Contemporary Resort reminded me of some fun stories from my time as Executive Vice President of Walt Disney World. Including opening the California Grill.  The success of California Grill came from the recipe used to open it. I hired a great chef and a great restaurant manager and let them do their j...

When people come to a hotel, they want their room. They don't want to get to know the staff.  How do you balance top-notch service and getting people to their room as quick as possible? There is a way to give customers what they want and still take the time to make a connection.   When you have time, and it doesn't impact the service for other guests, go ahead and take the time for a conversation...

I started my hospitality career in 1964 working at a Hilton Hotel. This episode was recorded in Hilton in Yakima, WA.  In 1973, I begin working for Marriott.  When I started my career with Marriott, many of my friends thought I was crazy to take a job with such a small company. "That company is never going to be anything", they said. Now, Marriott is the largest hotel company in the world with 6,5...

Don't stay where you are not appreciated. Good pay and health benefits can make you feel comfortable enough to get stuck in a place you don't want to be. Even if the pay is good, over time you will become unsatisfied. I would never stay where someone did not respect me and treat me well. More than once, I have left a job because I did not like how I was treated. If you are not appreciated where yo...

If you want to have success, be healthy, and happy, one of the most important things you can do is learn how to manage your time.  In this episode, we look and four insights to help you understand time and the impact it can have on your life.  It doesn't matter what you know if you can't get the job done.  Knowledge is useless unless you can execute on what you know.  People don't know you are dis...

Attack the problem, not the person.  Often, an incident comes from a poor procedure or lack of clarity.  At Disney, we dig all the way down and find out why this happened, not focus on blaming the person. Even when there was an accident, we didn't focus on the person. We wanted to know what caused the accident. What really happened? When you blame the person you rarely solve the problem.  If you w...

Training and developing staff is one of the most important things for your organization to do. But how can you train your staff when you have a limited budget? First, discuss the situation with your staff. Let the know there are tight cost constraints, but you still want to train and develop them. Ask them what they think about the situation. Ask them for ideas. If you do, they are going to offer...

Training and developing staff is one of the most important things for your organization to do. But how can you train your staff when you have a limited budget? First, discuss the situation with your staff. Let the know there are tight cost constraints, but you still want to train and develop them. Ask them what they think about the situation. Ask them for ideas. If you do, they are going to offer...

If you are getting bad service in a restaurant, the problem is the General Manager, not the waiter.  If you see dirty bathrooms, don't blame the guy who cleans them, the problem is the General Manager.  If you find problems showing up like this in your organization, poor service or lack of attention to details, you either need more clarity on what you expect, better training, or you need to fire p...

As a leader, one of your top priorities is to be available for staff members to see you.  When I was at Disney World, I made it clear anyone could come and see me. If they were not getting their problem solved at the local level, the could bring it to me.  My responsibility was to get things right. Every cast member should have a work environment where they felt comfortable and safe. If an issue c...

At Walt Disney World, we implemented a cross-utilization program at our busiest time to make sure we had enough people to serve our guests. One time, I was assigned to work at Pecos Bills. As I was working the front line taking orders, I noticed trays were beginning to come out hot. Which meant they were coming right out of the dishwasher and into the hands of the customers. It wasn't long before...

ep track of your problems so you can fix them.  You have the same problems that show up every week. Pay attention, keep track, and you can fix nearly every problem.  At Disney World, we kept careful records of problems and mishaps. Then we would train cast members to take care of the problem right there on the spot.  There are trends in every business. There are likely 6 or 7 problems that will ha...

Does a CEO always need to be in the office? There are situations where a CEO or a leader works from home, comes in late, leaves early.  Does the CEOs presence at work matter in getting the work done? When I became EVP of Walt Disney World, I made it clear there may be times I would leave at 3 pm. But the job would get done. And I didn't want jokes about leaving early.  If you own the company, you...

Should you still aim high for a job you are not qualified for? Not many people end up with a career in the field they went to college for. But how do you make the leap into a job you want, but may not be qualified for? You will have an advantage if you know someone. Most companies are willing to hire someone who has the right attitude and personality, but someone on the inside has to know you.  An...

This episode was recorded live in London, England. The audience asked me questions and I answered.  Here are the questions found on the episode: What was the most successful initiative I launched in my career? Implementing the Disney Great Leader Strategies.  How do you create a company culture? Culture is behavior. Sometimes to change a culture you have to change the people who don't behave the w...

A title does not make you a leader.  A title may make you a manager, but not a leader.  In fact, the bigger your title, the less you need to think of yourself and more about the people who count on you.  It's not about me. It's about them.  When I ran Disney World, it was my priority to create an environment where people wanted to come to work every morning. If I created a place where everyone mat...

Losing money in your business is not an easy thing to deal with.  When we opened Disneyland Paris, we were losing $1 million each day. Talk about pressure.  One reason many businesses lose money is debt. Be careful how much debt you take on for your business. You may have enough sales right now, but if something happens, the debt can keep you from meeting your obligations.  When your business is l...

Should employers help employees with mental health issues? Yes, of course.  But it comes down to the individual supervisor to make something happen.  If someone has never been late to work late, and now they are coming to work late 3 days a week, something has happened. If someone now seems to have anger issues that weren't there before, something has happened.  This will make the culture and envi...

We had a question from a listener who wanted to know how to ask for a pay raise. Truth is, I had never asked for a pay raise.  I had some ideas, but perhaps my advice wasn't as solid as it could be. So we found an expert and asked him to join us on this episode of Creating Disney Magic.  Scott Barlow, founder of Happen to Your Career , explains exactly how to ask for a pay raise.  If you perform y...

On this episode of Creating Disney Magic, I answer a few more questions from attendees of the event in Indianapolis.  If you handle a work issue privately with the employee, how does the rest of the team know you have dealt with the problem? When dealing with an employee issue at work, be respectful and private.  Handle it as quick as you can. If there is an issue other employees are aware of, you...

Don't be afraid to speak up and share your opinion.  These days, we've all got to get better faster. The best way to do this is getting input directly from people who are doing the work and the customer. They have more information than a CEO will ever know.  And you are either an employee or a customer. So speak up.  How can your organization serve better? What policies and procedures are getting...

Leadership comes first. You have to get it right before you work on anything else. Once you get leadership right, everything else will come into line.  On this episode of Creating Disney Magic, I answer a listener question about creating a leadership development business.  My answers apply not just to creating a business, but for anyone who wants to develop as a leader.  First, understand you need...

Most people feel they are underpaid at their job.  My whole career I thought I should have made more money.  But when should you ask for a pay raise? You agreed to do a job at a salary, so knowing when you are providing enough value to ask for more money can be delicate.  I have never asked for a pay raise in my career. My plan was always to do a such a great job they promoted me and I would make...

There is one letter I take the time to write for my family every year.  Well, two letters, actually. One letter is to let each member of the family know how much I appreciate them. We all need more appreciation, encouragement, and recognition.  The second letter is a letter you should consider writing every year, but plan on no one reading it.  At the end of each year, I give a letter to my family...