I plowed through another book after dropping The Wisdom of Walt halfway… It’s another Disney title, but very much more focused on the “behind the scenes” of what makes Disney tick, and it’s published by the Disney Institute, and full of practical magic. It’s called Be Our Guest: Perfecting the Art of Customer Service, by the Disney Institute, with Theodore Kinni, 2011.
TLDR: It’s pretty good, and a quick read. Might be worth it, especially if you want to learn more about the high-level process behind what makes visiting a Disney park so amazing.
When I publish a book, I swear I will include and easy to reference for how to cite my book… no more deciphering from ISBN numbers, publisher’s hometown, APA or MLA, etc. I’ll make it easy for ya!
Disney’s Approach to Quality Service
People remember how you “make them feel.”
It’s easy. All it takes is a process, and a non-wavering commitment from all to see it through.
“You build the best product you can. You give people effective training to support the delivery of exceptional service. You learn from you experiences. And you celebrate success. You never stop growing. You never stop believing.” (p. xv)
Disney speak, where cast = employees, guest = customer, and so on. At Disney, it’s a show, and customer service becomes a well-rehearsed performance.
What is your mental model for the folks you work with, lead, and serve? Do you think in terms of customer, value, flow, employee? Or something else? I often refer to our students at Streetsboro as “our future astronauts” and have named all of our conference rooms for their predecessors like Alan Shepard, Yuri Gagarin, Sally Ride, and Valentina Tereshkova.
Brand loyalty, and messaging, are after all, key to a wholistic approach to making customer service the magic that it is. Be it Mickey, or Yuri.
No organization can do well without a customer-friendly employees. The tricky thing is – do you consider yourself a customer facing organization? Oftentimes, in K-12 education, we don’t like to talk about ‘product’ and ‘customer’. Cliche, and too easy, perhaps?
But you know what? What is the student to the teacher, if not a client of good learning? Our product is simple – a well rounded young person ready for life. Our customers are almost everyone – the students, the parents, the community, each other, society’s, and so on. Customer service, then, becomes key to success.
“Customer satisfaction is a moving target.” (p. 9)
What is the value of the experience you provide? Who benefits, and who needs to know what you do? How can we make school (just like a visit to Mickey’s park) part of the “everyday family conversation” (p. 11) for a long time?
Quality Service, according to Disney, mean exceeding your customer’s expectations. How? By paying attention to what they want.
How often do we actually meet with stakeholders in education, and listed to what they want? How involved is a community in the education of our young, truly? Sure, plenty of parents would say “they’re involved” but we take our marching orders from the state, who gets their data requirements from the federal government. Makes it hard to pay attention to what folks really want… and with a moving target, even that much harder to hit!
“When the experience is consistent, seamless, and of high quality” (p. 17) people come back to you for more… Do we think about that in K-12? What will happen now that competitors like private schools, STEM schools, and online are making attractive offers in lieu of attending public, especially in the wake of COVID?
Disney uses a Quality Service Compass to help them think about how to deliver service that is above and beyond. The four cardinal points are Guestology, Quality Standards, Delivery Systems, and Integration. Guestology is Disney’s solution to listening to the voice of the customer.
What’s your story? What do you tell people about yourself? How are you directing the lead actor (you!) on the stage of life? All good questions.
[Disneyland is… what it is…] but it “stood first on the shoulders of story (p. 40). Imagine a system, institution like that of Disney, but without a clear message, without a known experience. You already know what you’re in for (sort of…) when you visit, based on so many previous inputs – movies, short films, characters, etc.
What if school was the same way? What it school (public, private, doesn’t matter) already had a story, had a known experience? Does it? Is it good or bad? Is schooling itself the protagonist, or the antagonist? Who’s the hero in schooling?
Disney approached building parks like a movie set – the parking lots took the shape of lobbies to the theater within, and all guests are afforded the “red carpet treatment” (p. 41).
Main Street USA, the entry to Disneyland and Disney World, sets the tone for the rest of the story, and raises the expectation of a good story. If you’ve ever been, you know the feeling of awe, of wonder, and of excitement that builds as you stroll down the paved path lined with curious shops, scents of popcorn, and a castle at the horizon. What a wonderful way to start the day!
How do you start the day? How do those in your care start the day? For some, it’s a ride on a school bus. For others it’s a walk across the parking lot after the car rider line drop off. It’s dark, cold, and you’d rather skip it you could.
How do we make that experience better? How do we enable the red carpet treatment up front? What can you do to make it happen, and what role do you play in the production that is school?
There are two lessons – 1) we must make sure to meet the needs of those around us by sharing stories, and setting the stage for success, and 2) we have to live a great story. Put words into action. Make meaningful choices within “our own stories, too” (p. 45).
Universal (another park purveyor) calls their attractions ‘rides’. Disney calls them adventures, experiences, and stories. What’s the difference? Who narrates the story of your life?
“Too many people live their lives like they are … an original attraction” (p. 46). Get busy revising! Edit your life. Splice it together the way you want it.
You’re both the director, and the leading hero. You have the power to script your own adventure, so why ever go back to the “meaningless scenes stitched together by the forgettable thread of wasted time?” (p.46). Action!
“Edit your life frequently and ruthlessly. It’s your masterpiece after all.” – Nathan W. Morris
Facing Fear and Failure
What’s holding you back? What if you put on a show, and nobody came? Would you continue down the same path? Or would you resign?
You “need to embrace fear and failure” (p. 54).
Easier said than done, that’s for sure. But if you’re there, on the cusp of fear, on the brink of failure – you still have grip, you’ve still got traction, and you can still make it.
Like tires on a car squealing on the edge of slipping, you’re still making forward progress, and even though you’re scared witless, you’re making it happen.
You’re “very much on the right path” (p. 54).
The other course I’m taking this semester is centered on survey design and statistics. It’s all about getting the best data, and about driving validity, and later, generalizability, through solid design strategies.
Barnes (2015) describes a story where Disney screen tested Snow White, and most of the audience left halfway through. Little did he know they were college students heading back before curfew.
Is your data valid? (or is it “are your data”?) When you collect and analyze information around you, are you making sure it’s good to go? What does your design look like for collecting feedback, personal stories, performance metrics, and more?
Are people (seemingly) walking out on you, but really leaving to go do something else totally unrelated?
Depending on the decisions needed, be sure to collect solid data – or as we say in the quantitative sciences – data that is statistically significant.
“Many people avoid success, but it is impossible to avoid fear and failure; they are part of the human experience” (p. 56).
Action is important. Take that step. Have that discussion. Inaction paralyzes us. Makes it never so. Don’t fall for its trap.
“Fear is the boss you fight before taking your life to the next level.” – Stephen Guise
I went sledding with my kids this afternoon. We started on the smaller hill, before graduating to the much taller one… I am not an adrenaline junkie, and avoid things like haunted houses, Hollywood Studio’s Tower of Terror, and the possibilities of certain doom on the sledding hill.
But my kids wanted to go. “Let’s go dad, to the top!” So we went. And down we swirled – and successfully so!
The risks are minimal, right? Fear and failure translate into risk. And the good news? Risk can be managed…
I may have not won a particularly nasty fight with a mini-boss on the snow level (video game parlance here…) but I felt good about having embraced my fear of “too fast, not enough brakes, steering, or safety gear” that is sledding.
I felt good. The kids then thought it’d be a good idea to try laying on their stomachs, face first to go down the hill…
Ok, let’s talk about these memes for a minute. What are they, and how do you make them?
Memes are easy ways to telling stories through popular imagery – they tell a story, layered on top of a story that you’re already familiar with, or one that is easy to absorb. At least, that’s my definition for what a meme is, and how it works for me.
When I make memes on the laptop, I go here: https://imgflip.com/memegenerator
Most of the popular templates are available there, and you can visually browse instead of having to know the names of each meme.
Yes, they have names. The one above is called “Running Away Balloon” and the guy making tough choices is “Two Buttons”. One of my favorites is the “Distracted Boyfriend” one – you can see him in the previous post, and will likely make another appearance later…
“The tragedy of life is often … not in living above our ability, but rather in our living below our capacities.” – Benjamin E. Mays
Mastering Curiosity, Confidence, Courage, and Constancy
“The melody of mediocrity” (p. 68).
Oh, I hate it so. Excellence is more my tune. A drive to seek more, to improve, to make better, and to explore through genuine curiosity.
“Somewhere on the road [ to adulthood ] too many of us stop being curious” (p. 71). Why?
Why do we allow ourselves to let go of the “big eyes” and of all the wonderful things around us that makes the world the way it is? Why do we no longer ask questions – just to ask them? After all, it’s how we learn best.
When you’re able to ask questions, honestly, and without ulterior motives, you’re opening up doors to forward movement, towards growth, and towards a better understanding of the variables that make change happen.
Without a childlike wonder about those things of which you know very little about, how do you expect to expand your understanding.
Be more like our new cat, Binx Bonx. She’s curious. She gets in all the nooks a crannies, and learns all she can. And what does she gain from that? Everything.
“… life is composed of lights and shadows …” (p. 74)
“You have to make the conscious choice to be courageous” (p. 79).
“Psychological studies show that high achieving, successful people are not overly concerned about what others think” (p. 81).
Correct. And I’m not. And that drives some people bonkers, and others to loathe me. And somewhere in that chaos, I’m okay with not pleasing everyone, and moving forward on my path, making my map as I go.
Perspective, after all, comes by looking backwards. Or is it forward? I guess it depends…
A friend of mine from another life had a theory about people, and it went something like this: You can tell a lot about people when you figure out where they live – in the past, on the present, or in the future.
Those in the past hold on to things, and bring back memories of the good old days. Those in the present live for the now, and see things as they happen. And those of us who are already in the future know where they’re going to get there. Where do you live?
This blog post from Dan Rockwell is a great followup to this idea – especially when it comes to holding on tight, and resisting change.
“Be brave and courageous. Most importantly, keep moving forward” (p. 81).
Excellence is a habit. True that.
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence , then, is not an act, but a habit” – Aristotle (p. 82).
What you do each day counts. Everyone around you can see that. It’s what you bring to the table day in and day out that makes it happen, that feeds others, and that tell the story of you.
Do you arrive on time? Are you prepared for the meeting? Are you ready to ask the tough questions? Do you walk the walk?
If you do, then you’re on your way towards excellence. If you don’t, it’s time to reflect. Yes, yes, the old adage about making your bed each day, and so on… but it’s true.
You either bring your A game every day, or you don’t. Yoda-style! I bet you can try a little harder tomorrow, right? And the next day, and the next day… if you adopt a habit (and that only takes 17 days or so) there’s no telling where you’ll end up?
“Disneyland always shows up” (p. 83). Do you? If you answered yes, would those you lead and inspire agree with you?
“What you do every day matters more than what you do every now and again.” – Gretchen Rubin
Learning Your Lessons
“Why worry? If you’ve done the very best you can, worry won’t make it any better” (p. 91).
I often say that luck favors the prepared. I shared a story with a few colleagues last year about how we had a gas leak behind our house, and had to evacuate on orders from the Fire Department.
We grabbed our ‘go-bags’ and left, cats and all. In 2 minutes we were on the road, and away towards safety. In the end, our house didn’t blow up (nice!), and we could return safely.
“You have go-bags?” – Molly
Yes. Yes we do. Prepared for stuff. What’s so wrong with that? I carry a tourniquet with me almost all the time, and I have other gear nearby that meets the mission requirements.
I have training, too, that makes me more prepared than others. And why? So I don’t have to worry so much. Worry, or mitigating risk, is like that dragon from the last post. It’s always around, always asking “did you do your best?” or “are you prepared if X happens?”
I like to answer ‘yes’ to as many of those questions as I can. Go-bag or not, preparing to fail is a worthy exercise, so that when you do, the landing won’t be so bad.
There was a real chance our house could’ve been destroyed – gas was literally flowing wildly from a gas well… but in mitigating the action of being able to leave quickly, at least we put ourselves at a safe distance from that risk.
I try to do the best I can at all times. Why not? There’s only so much time left… I’d rather my story sells, than lies forgotten on the publisher’s floor.
Who’s responsible for your story? Do you take responsibility for your script, and own the outcomes of mistakes, blunders, and side-quests? You should.
“Once you’ve lived through the worst, you’re never quite as vulnerable afterward.” – Walt Disney, on failure and learning from it. (p. 99)
I’d like to avoid ‘the worst’ if at all possible through planning, mitigation, and experience-based decision making. But chance is what it is, and I’m as ready as I can be.
“Experience is the name everyone gives their mistakes.” – Oscar Wilde
Barnes, J. A. (2015). The Wisdom of Walt – Leadership Lessons from the Happiest Place on Earth. Lake Placid, NY: Aviva Publishing.
It’s spring, and time for another round of coursework at Kent State University. This time, only 1 of the 6 remaining courses I need was available, so I lobbied to design my own – a book study of sorts.
The plans are plentiful, and in addition to working with my advisor Dr. Cenker on the outline and chapter resources for a book I plan to write [exact title forthcoming…], I wanted to explore what Disney can teach me in terms of leadership, the guest experience, and most of all – excellence in service to others.
I’m starting with three books:
The Wisdom of Walt – Leadership Lessons from the Happiest Place on Earth, by Jeffrey A. Barnes, and
Beyond the Wisdom of Walk – Life Lessons from the Most Magical Place on Earth, also by Jeffrey A. Barnes, and
Be Our Guest (Revised and Updated Edition): Perfecting the Art of Customer Service (A Disney Institute Book), from the Disney Institute.
I will also sprinkle in a few others I think (list incomplete), and really give myself a boost this semester:
How to Have Impossible Conversations: A Very Practical Guide, by Peter Boghossian, and
Revisiting the Art of War (basic leadership stuff), and
Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win, by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin.
Here’s how I see this thing going… I will read a few chapters per week, think about it, and then create a mind map / brain dump here. There’s no real syllabus in terms of due dates, etc. so I will be in charge of how and when. Discipline will be essential.
I typically underline quotes, words, and ideas as I go along (in a text), and noting them down again & massaging the content will help with absorption. Feel free to comment down below, and follow along if you wish.
The books are all available on Amazon for not that much. Or, you may borrow them once I’m done – just let me know. Be sure to return them safely, please.
I’m doing this project along with yet another course on statistics and quantitative research – Survey Design and Applied Research, by Dr. Bolden (also at Kent State). So far, so good, however error prone the data may be.
Wisdom of Walt, foreword, intro, chapters 1-3
“Dreams offer too little collateral…”
“Disneyland was the ultimate expression of leading through action in Walt’s time.”
“It’s the special dreamer (and leader) who keeps the flame of interest, of promise and hope, lit…”
“…leaders must have a vision for themselves to make it apparent to others.”
the role of “dreamer-leader”
Introduction
“Disneyland is the star. Everything else is the supporting cast.”
Imagine if we treated school and learning this way – where the district and its buildings became the ultimate destination for learning, and where every detail, every person, and every move is meticulously designed to enhance, support, and create the best possible learning outcome for our students.
Sitting on a Park Bench
Barnes (2015) uses the backdrop of Disneyland in his story, thus far, and I’ve never been.
I’ve been to Disney World, and oh boy, is it amazing! And I say that as an adult, faced with taking our kids there for a vacation, and not knowing anything about it – dreading the long lines, the loads of people, and “everything” that wouldn’t make it magical.
After all, would it be all it was claiming to be? Could Disney really live up to all the hype? You bet.
It was the best trip, and I can’t wait to go back. As a matter of fact, after reading this chapter, I immediately checked on when Disneyland would open (closed for COVID reasons)… It’s hard to describe, but if you’ve ever been there, you know. And if you haven’t, you should. Not just for the leadership lessons, but for the unbridled joy the park and the experience creates for any and all visitors.
Disney’s idea for the park came from sitting on a park bench in a local park near his house on a Sunday morning, watching his kids having a great time on the carrousel. Why not create a larger endeavor, where kids and adults can have fun – together!
He kept the dream alive, and let himself begin to design what it would take to pull it off. Naturally, I’m a skeptic, and it’s key to recognize here that Disney at this point had already come up with Mickey Mouse, and had already published Sleeping Beauty. It’s not like Disneyland was built in a garage over night…but…
“Dreams, like children, don’t raise themselves.” (p. 7)
As a leader, you need a plan, a vision, and you need to get after it. It’s okay to take time to just think. To do nothing, to “take a weekend to dream” (p. 6). Why not?
How much time is spent on paperwork, routine, and management? And how much time, as a leader, should you probably be driving the vision, the big picture, the “some day this will be the new present…”? More than you’re doing now. Dreams aren’t coming true by themselves. You have to make it happen.
And, you have to be ready to tell others where you’re going. Every day. Here’s why, and let’s go!
“Leadership is about transforming reality into your vision for a better tomorrow.” (p.9)
Pursuing Your Passion
“Big dreams require big canvasses.” (p. 19)
Disney began looking for the appropriate canvas to build on, and soon found a place in Anaheim, CA – filled with orange groves and walnut trees. Bulldozed it, started building.
Sometimes, that’s what it takes. Out with the old, in with the new, instead of a little here, and a little there. Drastic measures, and all that jazz.
As a leader, you have to be ready to make the map – none will be supplied for you. You must ready the canvas, and you must have ideas about what to paint. “You have to trust in something” (p.21).
That something is often yourself. And finding your purpose in life is “more of a path than a plan” (p. 21) so get used to bushwhacking, and start making it happen.
“Am I afraid of death because I won’t be able to do this anymore?” – Marcus Aurelius (p. 25)
Yes, Marcus. Yes I am.
Lately, I have become more and more aware that I am now half-way through at 42, and have less and less time left to make it happen.
Sure, medical science will likely extend my expiration date for a bit, but boy do I wish I could stay here a while – the 40’s seem like a sweet spot of knowledge, experience, and the guts to get it done. I bought a motorcycle last November. I mean, c’mon, if that’s not a clear signal that I’m “mid-life” I’m not sure what is.
“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside of you.” – Maya Angelou (p. 25)
So light up that passion – because no-one else will light it for you – and start stringing some lightbulbs in your wonderland. Light the way, burn with passion, and take a few folks with you.
“It is easier to tame a zealot than to pump life into a cadaver.” (p. 27)
Create a team of likeminded folks who, like you, don’t need a map to know where they’re going. Find a path, and move forward. You can always make the map later…
“None of us have forever.” (p. 27)
Don’t I know it. I can feel it.
Listening to Your “Walter” Ego
Mickey Mouse is a “symbol of universal good will” (p. 33)
What does your inner ego look like? Do you have conversations with yourself? How do you handle stress, and that dragon on your shoulder telling you you’re no good?
Slay it. Partner with your ego.
“… you cannot give what you do not have …” (p. 34)
After all, if you don’t have solid footing with yourself, how can you give support to others, infecting them with your enthusiasm, and spreading your vision like the coronavirus?
Let’s come back to the dragon again… Why? Because “stories without dragons are boring” (p. 34). Do you have a dragon? Of course you do. All of us do. And that’s ok.
The key is to manage the dragon – don’t let it sit on all your gold, hoarding your best ideas in your mind’s prison cave.
This happens to me all the time – often as I’m waking, and ideas start flowing. And you know what I do?
I capture the ideas on paper, snatching them away from the claws of the dragon before he wakes from slumber, too. And then I have the ideas, my dreams, my visions for myself – my better future self – and can get to work.
I partner with myself to outsmart that beast who stands in the way of moving down the path…
You did it! You’ve ready this far, and you’re like “what the hell is happening?”
Well, if you didn’t know what you were in for, there will be more of this. Thoughts. Commentary. Free-associating, and lots of it! It’s how I grow, learn, develop, and make it so.
I hope you’ll continue with me. More next week.
Barnes, J. A. (2015). The Wisdom of Walt – Leadership Lessons from the Happiest Place on Earth. Lake Placid, NY: Aviva Publishing.
