The Disney way to working the magic

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: It’s not magic that makes it work; it’s the way we work that makes it magic. That’s the philosophy that has brought much success and acclaim to Lee Cockerell, the man is synonymous with the Disney World. Suman Tarafdar takes tips to hopefully make him a better leader.

Why are employees and leadership so crucial?

Your employees are your brand. They create quality work which translates to your reputation. Your employees can be more productive or less productive depending on how they are led. At least at Walt Disney World we were able to quantify greater financial results based upon the quality of leadership at each level delivered. Excellent leadership leads to more committed employees who then take care of the work and the customer because they want to, instead of because they have to. We all want to have a great leader who treats us respectfully and cares about us as individuals.

Was it easy to get to that level of customer and employee satisfaction as you have over the years?

Nothing is easy. We work hard at many levels from selection to training and development to holding each employee accountable for excellent performance. It makes all the difference in the world. When you have a world class reputation for customer service and employee satisfaction you get better results in service, and in profits.

What are the points that you believe are most crucial here?

I believe strategy is the most important. It is titled, “Remember everyone is Important.” Get this one right and you get better results in every area of your business. Create an environment and culture where everyone matters and they know that they matter and they will perform better. This is one of the main responsibilities of managers (leaders).

Who can benefit most from the book?

My book is aimed at any leader, which can include a worker or even a parent. Anyone who has the responsibility for leading others and being a good role-model will find great value in this book. It really is the manual on how Disney achieves such great results. Any company can do this if they apply the right business and people strategies.

What are the implications of poor leadership? How does an organisation take steps to address this issue?

Poor leadership creates humiliation in small and big ways from low productivity to theft to low turnover to poor workmanship. Top leadership has to decide how they want to treat people and if that decision is to treat them with respect and to train and develop them, then they need to start communicating and role modeling this to the entire organisation and holding everyone accountable for their leadership behaviour.

Is the current global crisis a factor of inadequate leadership as well?