Author: jeff noel

Retired Disney Institute Keynote Speaker and Prolific Blogger. Five daily, differently-themed personal blogs (about life's 5 big choices) on five interconnected sites.

The Wow Factor Works Like This

The wow factor.  Most have heard of it.  Many, even, have written about it.

Walt Disney perfected it, and made it “business as usual”, while others are still trying to comprehend how to do it consistently.

So how is it instilled in every employee of an organization?  That’s the vision isn’t it?  That all your employees, at every level, embrace the consistent, surprising and delighting, of all your customers.

And by the way, I’ve always said, “Consistency is the hallmark of Quality Service”.

Anyway, back to my original point.  I’m checking my gate number on the monitor and hear, “Over here”!

Michele, the TSA hostess, calls me over to the expert traveler line.  There is no line.  Sweet!  And I find myself smack on the receiving end of the wow factor – small, seemingly insignificant moments when an employee does something nice for a Customer.

I’ve never been invited through the expert traveller line.  She told me I could come back the next time I fly.

Thank you Michele.  See you next week.

Carpe diem, jungle jeff 🙂

Does Your Vision Do This?

Does your vision – personal, professional, or both – send a shiver down your spine when you think or talk about it?

What if it did?

What would it take?

As a professional speaker, a wise person once told me, “Jeff, if you look out at your audience, and they look bored, you’re boring them”.

To me, this means if I’m  bored with my thinking, and not motivated, excited or inspired enough, it’s my responsibility to take action.

There are many ways to figure this out.  It happened to me and I’m applying my best efforts to, as Gandhi said, “You must become the change you wish to see in the world”.

What about you?

Thank goodness it’s Monday.  Bring it on.  Carpe diem, jungle jeff 🙂

What, No Pixie Dust?

A comment on yesterday’s jungle jeff post started me thinking.

His question to me was, “No Pixie Dust”?

It was “missing” from my personal Leadership Top Ten List.

He made a good point and I thought for a moment, “How could I have forgotten Pixie Dust”?

Then, just as quickly, if not faster, the answer hit me.

Pixie Dust IS Passion.  Period.

What’s Magic about the way Disney does things is their PASSION to:

  1. Create the highest quality products and services.
  2. To stay focused on why they are in business – to serve their Guests
  3. To stay disciplined to “keep their eye on the ball” – Quality

Passion IS Pixie Dust.

Always was.  Always will be.   Thank you Walt Disney for your vision.

By the way, Vision and Passion are my respective number one & two top leadership values.

Guess what’s number three?   Communication!

Looks like a coincidence, doesn’t it?  The harder you work, the luckier you get.

Carpe diem, jungle jeff  🙂

PS.  Does your own Vision send shivers down your spine?

PSS.  What if it did?  Can you comprehend that?  I hope so.  🙂

jungle jeff’s Top Ten List

jungle jeff’s top ten list:

Today, my personal Leadership recipe:

  1. Vision – number one, it must be compelling, and impossible
  2. Passion – passion is unlike yeast, we need a ton of passion
  3. Communication – more is better; daily
  4. Confidence – people love someone who believes “all the way”
  5. Structure – how great work gets done effectively, and quickly
  6. Teamwork – together, everyone achieves more
  7. Innovation –  fancy word for creativity; implementing creative ideas
  8. Measurement – you can’t improve what you don’t measure
  9. Results – this is why we are in business
  10. Fun – do what you love

Mix with courage, or, an indomitable will, and you have the opportunity to achieve what others say can’t be done.

Carpe diem, jungle jeff  🙂