Bruce Jones has a knack for relating to people. Good thing; Bruce has delivered Disney Institute programs from São Paulo to Hong Kong and to audiences exceeding 5,000 people.He has facilitated each Disney Institute course, even premiering several content areas. But until Bruce began his Disney career, quality service had meant little more than a memo on the wall. "Nobody ever really understood it; nobody ever internalized it; nobody ever really embraced it. So it never really happened." It didnt take long for him to realize that quality service at Disney truly meant treating people like guests in your own home.As Programming Director, Bruce leads teams to research and develop content with an approach that is relevant to any business or organization. With that knowledge, Disney Institute enables participants to focus on proactive approaches t …… Continue reading →

"Its one thing to make the list, but its actually quite hard to stay on the list," says Jim Schleckser, veteran entrepreneur and part of the CEO Project, a program that coaches the nations top CEOs. In his seven years with the program, Jim experienced and recorded the differences between the top performers and their weaker counterparts.Time management: The best CEOs are spending their time perfecting their business model. Who is our audience? What is the right price? What is our value proposition? These are all questions CEOs are devoting significant time to. Not surprisingly, talent management is also a point of focus. Jim notes that the talent that brought you to $7 million in revenue might not be the same as the talent that brings you to $20 million.Balance between being assertive vs. taking advice: The best CEOs strike a fine bal …… Continue reading →

Disney has long placed an emphasis on the quality of its training, maintaining that it is the foundation for which exceptional quality service is built. One of the key strategies in that training is setting up your employees for success. The PeopleMatter Institute has developed an infographic demonstrating just how valuable quality training can be. (Click here to enlarge this image) Describe for us in the comments below how training, or increased training, has translated into success in your organization. What systems or processes did you implement to aid those changes? Were the changes incremental? …… Continue reading →

With more than half a century of change and evolution in Disney product and service, one constant has been a relentless focus on understanding the needs, perceptions and expectations of Guests. The simple term Disney uses to describe this research is Guestology – the study of the people for whom we provide service.In order to provide quality service to Guests of Disney Parks and Resorts, we don’t just take what Guests need into consideration – we try to learn as much as we can about them to provide what they want, as well. This helps our Cast Members to deliver quality service that is above and beyond Guest expectations.For Disney, it’s an ongoing process that continually evolves, so when considering Guest relations strategies, remember that it’s something that will always continue to grow. For Walt Disney, the same rang true after the opening of Disneyland.“The first year [at Disneyland] I leased out the parking concession, brought in the usual security …… Continue reading →

At Disney, the orientation process begins the moment an applicant walks into the Casting Center. From the door knobs on the front of the building, to the murals leading down the hall into the recruiting areas, candidates find themselves immersed in Disney culture early on in their hiring process, even before they are trained! This environment, carried throughout the hiring and training process, helps to instill a positive Disney culture and strong understanding of company values early on. One thing that Disney focuses on is proper, thorough and intentional training of new Cast Members. Disney recognizes that training is one of the most critical points for Cast Members—something that will translate to productivity levels later in their position. Why is training important? • Creates Cast Member engagement and commitment• Powerfully reinforces culture, which drives desired behaviors• Brings organizational goals to life• Increases employee …… Continue reading →

Leaders have to make some difficult decisions on a day to day basis, and like everyone else, can often get caught up in their everyday tasks allowing some things to fall by the wayside. As a leader, your position requires that you take extra steps to ensure happiness with your customers or Guests, and also productivity of your employees. Disney sees these two things as being inexorably intertwined, with one dependant on the other: If your employees are happy, it will translate to higher quality work, leading to more productivity and happier Guests. One of the best ways, and believe it or not, least expensive, is extremely simple: Communication.You, as a leader, have a unique opportunity to interact with your employees every day, and by simply lending a listening ear and genuinely caring about them, you are making an impact. What is the easiest way? Tune in – Schedule one-on-ones with your employees and actually listen. Intentional …… Continue reading →

Scott Moorehead is the CEO at The Cellular Connection, the largest Verizon premium retailer in the United States. Like any good CEO, he was searching for the right words to put into a motivational communication to his team. Stuck staring at a blank document on his computer screen, Scott realized that perhaps he should not be searching for the words to tell his employees, but instead, asking his employees to tell him what he should do. The first step of a two-step process was underway. He posed the question as such: “Today you’re the CEO. What would you do to make the company better?” The result was the ability for employees to express their emotions without the fear of offending anyone. He soon found out that many employees wanted to restore the family feeling the “mom and pop” startup had in its earlier stages. This leads into the final step, “get rid of what makes them unhappy.” The family atmosphere was a value Scott wanted to remain at the core of his com …… Continue reading →

What is your recruiting process like? Are you trying to fill positions as quickly as possible with people who have strong resumes? At Disney, we have found that sometimes, even with the right tools, certain people aren’t a good fit, regardless of their experience. Think about what you usually look for in a job candidate. Do you seek the same qualities of your top employees, or are you hiring based on some other criteria? Many employers hire based on skills alone and later come to find that the person with the rock star resume hasn’t delivered on all levels – culturally. These kinds of people can sometimes do more harm than good in the long run, so taking time to select the best fit for the position should be a well thought-out process. We like to tell people to hire for attitude, and train for aptitude. Of course, that doesn’t mean discount skills during the hiring process, but rather to intentionally spend time seeking the right pers …… Continue reading →

Think of a time at work when you were made to feel special. Did your supervisor tell you that you were doing a great job? Did you receive a special “thank-you-for-being-you” gift from your manager? Were you publicly commended for your attention to detail on a project?These kinds of things, though simple, can be more powerful than you might think and not only translate into happier employees, they yield better results for your business.Disney principles and insights demonstrate that genuine care pertains to the intentional concern for the well-being of each person in your organization. It’s about paying serious attention to employees as human beings and as unique individuals. This kind of care should be built directly into your company culture—not as an extra benefit, but as a foundation.At Disney, culture is facilitated at all levels. For example, when interns begin their first day at a new location, a gift is waiting for them in their office accompanied by a we …… Continue reading →