Dedicating one-on-one time to your employees is an empty gesture unless you are truly listening. As Stephen Covey, author of the best-selling book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People put it, "Seek first to understand, then to be understood."All too often a leader will fail in their quest to listen because of a stray thought or a preoccupation with formulating a sentence of their own. Of course, truly listening is no simple task. People will ramble out of nervousness and, often unintentionally, dance around the point they are trying to make. But, as Lee Cockerell writes, " … hang in there, because you never know when a glimmer of an idea might shine through."There is another reason to give someone your full attention. Remember our "3 oclock parade" question? The idea that what someone …… Continue reading →

As a leader, you’re trained to identify shortcomings and correct them. It’s a leadership style that singles out deficiencies and, unfortunately, often fails to embolden the behaviors that ought to be encouraged.Employees do their best work when they’re confident, so like a good parent, it’s imperative to accentuate the positive and reinforce it constantly. Put another way:Catch them doing something right.And when you do, provide feedback as quickly as possible. The closer the feedback is to the behavior, the stronger the message. Tell us — has this been true for you, as a leader or as someone being led? What was its effect? …… Continue reading →

At The Walt Disney Company, there is no more prestigious honor than the Walt Disney Legacy award. Recipients “are individuals who consistently Dream, Create and Inspire each day by supporting the business objectives and goals of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.”This month, Disney leadership has traveled to multiple locations to inform recipients that they have been selected for this distinct honor, and Disney Institute was among those stops.The entire Disney Institute team is happy to congratulate Jeff Noel on this momentous achievement!His career with The Walt Disney Company began in 1982 as a Skipper at the Jungle Cruise attraction at The Walt Disney World® Resort, and by 1999, Jeff had accepted an invitation to join the facilitation team at Disney Institute.Since then, he has not only taught the best practices of The Walt Disney Company, he has personified them. True to the title of the award, Jeff has left a lasting Legacy that ins …… Continue reading →

Attention to detail can sometimes be an overlooked nuance that some organizations bump down on the list of priorities.At Disney, attention to detail has become somewhat of an art, stemming from our founder, Walt Disney. From the book Be Our Guest, entire passages talk about this passion, which some could argue is at the summit of company values. “Walt was famous for his eye for detail, and he made sure that everyone paid the same attention that he did.”It’s this type of astute attention to detail that leads Guests through the recently re-imagineered queue at the Haunted Mansion. Those standing in line can now interact with the queue in ways like never before, including making their own spooky music and solving mysterious riddles. Along the way Guests might even experience a surprise or two that they weren’t expecting. …… Continue reading →

Yesterday on Facebook we mentioned a common misunderstanding in regards to creativity and innovation: when faced with the task of starting something new or re-thinking something that already exists with a fresh perspective, it’s easy to sit back and think, “I’m not creative.”Of course, creativity knows no bounds. Someone who works as a customer support specialist can be just as creative with their problem solving solutions as an artist who puts an idea or concept to paper. Anyone can be creative.The second misnomer stifling creativity comes from the thought that someone’s ideas are attached to the person submitting them. This thought lends itself to a “my idea against yours” mindset and can be detrimental to the collaborative process.Remember, your ideas are separate from your identity. Your collaborative culture will be strengthened when your team understands and believes that value is derived …… Continue reading →

It’s a mantra at Disney, "Happy Cast equals happy Guests." That’s because we believe that an outstanding customer service experience begins with our Cast Members. Creating a culture of care doesnt come from communication or training programs alone, but with an attitude and approach that lets Cast Members know that they are appreciated.Of course, there is also a structured and systematic approach to providing that outstanding customer service experience which focuses on the needs, wants, stereotypes, and emotions of our Guests. We call this tool "the compass."For more about "the compass" and developing a culture of care from the perspective of Fast Company contributing writers, Nick Nanton and JW Dicks, visit http://bit.ly/TPJTEk.We want to hear from you — after reading the article, tell us how you could apply the four points of "the compass" to your organization. How have you applied them already?

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Leading a Creative and Innovative Culture

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