Disney – Page 119 – Disney Brand Loyalty Keynote Speaker

jungle jeff & Corporate Blogs

Last Sunday, on the connecting flight from Paris to Helsinki, I flew Finnair.

Like Delta Airline’s Sky Magazine, Finnair has a similar publication in every seat back pocket.

In usual fashion, my eyes gravitated to what many would overlook.

Here’s the photo – a picture’s worth a 1,000 words:

Happy corporate blogging. Carpe diem, jungle jeff 🙂

PS. For any potential critics out there that might be saying, “So what’s your point jungle jeff? I thought you said August was going to be about how you are applying what Disney has taught you to raising your son”?

And I say, “Exactly. Did I mention my son has started blogging”?

And did I mention, “He’s eight”?

Carpe diem, jungle jeff 🙂

It’s What You Learn After You Think You…

“It’s what you learn after you think you know it all that counts”.

That quote belongs to John Wooden, former UCLA Men’s Basketball Coach, and ESPN’s recipient of “Coach of the Century”.

Not the basketball coach of the century. THE Coach of the century, any sport.

Our son is pretty certain I know just about everything. Maybe that will last another year or two. Maybe not.

I can’t wait to tell him stories and show him pictures and videos of all that is the same and all that is different here in Lahti, Finland.

In fact, it seems everything is the same here. And still, everything is different.

Everything Disney does is the same as every other company. And yet, everything Disney does is different.

If there are young children in your life, and this doesn’t mean only parents, have you ever stopped to contemplate your role in their learning about similarities and differences?

Or are you like me – tempted to think I know it all?

Carpe diem, jungle jeff 🙂

Motivation: One Size Fits All?

Motivation. Who doesn’t want to be motivated? Humans love to be motivated?

Why?

Because we get more done, and what we get done, usually gets done better.

Who doesn’t want that?

But motivation is like a child’s toy, one size does not fit everyone.

This is why there are thousands of toy manufacturers, stores, prices, etc.

There are thousands of ways to get motivated. Thousands to stay motivated.

But have you ever noticed a very young child playing with the box that a nice toy came in, neglecting the actual toy?

Motivation is really pretty simple. But no rules for success will work unless you do.

My eight-year old son understands this. Yet sometimes adults forget.

Get motivated. Stay motivated. Motivate others. It’s our duty as leaders.

Carpe diem, jungle jeff 🙂

Paying Attention Pays

Yogi Berra, the baseball player who is also famous for saying, “Ninety percent of it is half mental”, and, “When you come to the fork in the road, take it”, also coined one of my all-time favorite sayings:

“You can observe a lot by watching”.

Walt Disney has taught me to watch and listen for what is done, and for what is not done. And try to learn why.

And now I’m teaching our son. Most of life’s secrets are pretty simple.

What’s challenging for most of us, myself included, is that we are easily distracted. Easily swayed by peer pressure and society’s norms.

Walt Disney was a man who challenged the status quo, in virtually everything he did professionally.

Look where that got him. One of the most creative minds in modern times.

Why?

Because he watched what wasn’t being done, and then did it. Soon after, everyone else tried to catch him.

In a very humble sort of way, I can totally relate to Walt Disney.

Our son, at eight years old understands this, while many adults do not. Crazy. But true. Carpe diem, jungle jeff 🙂

jungle jeff in Finland?

Yes. Was a zombie yesterday. Severe jet lag. Woke at 5AM here, with eight hours of fresh sleep. I’m very consciously ignoring the fact that it’s 10PM Disney World time. 🙂

Ever notice how I always, without exception, use lower case letters in my name?

Initially, most think it’s simply a typo – that I’m not actually paying attention to the little details, which Disney is famous for.

When a person consistently does something, well or not well, it’s called a habit.

The Disney organization works desperately hard to have their employees do things consistently well.

Because, very simply, if they don’t do things consistently well, the odds are staggering that they’ll trend to the opposite.

So our son has heard me preach about using his manners, for years. I never give up. Never get frustrated. I just keep focused. He’s “only” eight, but he fully understands this:

Stand two 8-year olds together. Assume one consistently uses manners. The other boy doesn’t.

Which boy will adults trust more?

Same with business. Two businesses offer customers the same product, same price point. One is service-focused. One is not.

My work here today is done. Carpe diem, jungle jeff 🙂