Pay Attention to Everything
Creating Disney Magic
“When you know more, you'll see more, you'll do more, and you'll be able to execute better.” for more from this episode. Episode Chapters [00:53] Why the Little Details Matter [02:21] Learning High Standards in Hospitality [05:08] Disney's Commitment to Every Detail [07:18] Moving from verage to Excellence [09:11] Experience Your Business as a Customer Two burned-out hallway lights were enough to make Jody Maberry reconsider eating at a hotel restaurant. Why? Because after years of conversations with Lee Cockerell, he's learned that the little things can tell you a lot about how a...
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Host Your Own Mastermind
Creating Disney Magic
“People have experience and exposure that you don't have and could learn a lot from.” Episode Chapters [01:00] Why masterminds work across industries [02:16] Solving problems through different perspectives [04:10] Creating your own problem-solving group [06:51] Learning from other people's experience [08:38] Asking for help without hesitation What could a dentist, tax accountant, hotel manager, and recent college graduate possibly have in common? As it turns out, quite a bit when it comes to solving problems. Lee Cockerell and Jody Maberry hosted their 11th Creating Magic Mastermind, where...
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Get People In The Room To Solve Problems
Creating Disney Magic
“Your employees and your customers know everything you need to know. But will they’ll tell you?” Episode Chapters [00:01:03] Make Time for Better Conversations [00:01:51] Solving Disney’s French Fry Problem [00:02:38] Bringing Frontline Employees Into the Room [00:04:10] You Said, We Did [00:05:15] Creating Trust to Speak Up [00:08:16] Ask the People Doing the Work [00:11:52] Making Employees Part of the Solution [00:13:35] Giving People a Safe Way to Speak Up What could you learn about your organization if you put the people doing the work in a room and simply listened? In this...
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Leaders Do Their Homework
Creating Disney Magic
“You’ll never know what your team knows unless you ask them.” Episode Chapters [01:06] What It Means to Do Your Homework [02:50] Relying on Your Team’s Expertise [05:04] Asking Why Before Making a Decision [07:38] Hiring and Developing the Right Experts [09:16] Having the Confidence to Say “I Don’t Know” Leaders are expected to make decisions, but that doesn’t mean they should make them alone. Lee Cockerell, retired Executive Vice President of Walt Disney World, has a conversation on what it means for a leader to do their homework before deciding what comes next. Lee shares how...
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Be Candid and Save Time
Creating Disney Magic
“When you give people straightforward feedback, you're preparing them for the future.” Episode Chapters [00:00:43] What Leaders Are Asking Lee [00:04:00] Why Being Candid Saves Time [00:06:36] The Cost of Avoiding Difficult Conversations [00:07:33] What Truth With Empathy Looks Like [00:10:37] Building a Culture of Candor at Work Difficult conversations are rarely comfortable, but avoiding them can create even more problems. Lee Cockerell, retired Executive Vice President of Walt Disney World, discusses why being candid and getting to the point can save...
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Become a Better Leader
Creating Disney Magic
"Are people getting better because they work with you?” Episode Chapters [00:56] What Lee Once Believed About Leadership [03:32] Learning Through Experience and Self-Awareness [05:34] Developing Management and Leadership Together [08:26] The Experiences That Changed Lee’s Leadership [11:13] How to Become a Better Leader Being a strong manager does not automatically make someone a strong leader. Lee Cockerell, retired Executive Vice President of Walt Disney World, and Jody Maberry explore the difference between getting things done and leading people well. Lee reflects on the years when...
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Honoring Heritage Doesn't Mean Staying The Same
Creating Disney Magic
“What seems insignificant to you may carry tremendous meaning for your customer.” Episode Chapters [00:01:27] Honoring Heritage Without Staying the Same [00:03:54] Protecting What Customers Value [00:06:23] Knowing When to Reverse a Change [00:08:18] Moving Beyond Resistance to New Ideas [00:11:01] Adapting Without Losing Your Purpose Change is necessary for any organization that wants to remain relevant, but moving forward does not mean abandoning what people already value. Lee Cockerell, retired Executive Vice President of Walt Disney World, how leaders can balance heritage with changing...
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Can Your Operation Keep Your Promises?
Creating Disney Magic
“The customer doesn’t care about who did what. They want it to be right.” Episode Chapters [00:01:41] Can Operations Deliver What Marketing Promises? [00:04:21] Keeping the Frontline Informed [00:06:52] Creating One Purpose Across Departments [00:08:41] Trust, Ethics, and Speaking Up [00:10:18] Preparing Operations for Big Disney Announcements [00:14:24] Meeting the Expectations You Create Every promise your organization makes creates an expectation your operation must be prepared to meet. Lee Cockerell discussed what happens behind the scenes when marketing, sales, creative teams, and...
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Little Problems Become Big Problems
Creating Disney Magic
“If somebody tells you something needs fixed and you don't do something about it, then you really lose credibility very quickly.” Episode Chapters [00:01:19] When a Small Problem Becomes Serious [00:04:24] Acting Quickly and Listening to Experts [00:05:07] What D23 Teaches About Attention to Detail [00:10:28] Why Leaders Need to Walk the Operation [00:14:04] Go to the Source to Find the Facts Little problems have a way of becoming bigger when they are overlooked, but sometimes they grow even when you think you are handling them. Lee Cockerell shares the scary reaility of that lesson...
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Take a Position of Leadership on Safety
Creating Disney Magic
“Be the leader that steps up and narrows the odds of something happening.” Episode Chapters [00:02:36] Taking a Leadership Position on Safety [00:04:53] Preparing Before a Crisis Happens [00:06:48] Why Safety Must Be the Top Priority [00:10:02] The Organizational Cost of Preventable Accidents [00:12:14] Creating a Culture Where Employees Speak Up Safety is not just a policy or a responsibility reserved for managers. It is a mindset everyone in an organization can practice. Lee Cockerell, retired Executive Vice President of Walt Disney World, knows firsthand why preparation, awareness, and...
info_outline“Don’t hire someone just to fill a position. Hire the right person for the long haul.”
Episode Chapters
[00:01:35] Looking Beyond Retention Rates
[00:03:02] Why Great Employees Always Have Options
[00:07:59] How Disney Measured Turnover and Retention
[00:10:42] The Real Reason Employees Leave
[00:12:35] Using Data to Improve Hiring and Leadership
Low turnover doesn't always mean your organization is healthy. In this episode, Lee Cockerell shares the difference between retaining employees and retaining the right employees. Great people have choices and poor leadership is often what drives turnover. When you take the time to understand who leaves and why, it can strengthen your culture, improve hiring, and build a stronger organization.
Read my blog for more from this episode.
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