Tag: Disney

Walt Disney was “crazy”

Inspiration can come from the most unlikely source.

Do you ever find this to be true?

It’s like a gift, right under our nose, waiting to be unwrapped.

Except for one thing.

We rarely take notice.

Walt Disney spent a lifetime teaching his associates to pay attention to the smallest of details.  Details so “insignificant” that some would say, “Walt, that’s too much perfection.  The audience won’t see that kind of perfection“. Many people thought Walt Disney was crazy because of his obsession with small details.

Walt would shoot back, “They may not see perfection, but they can feel it“.

Little details.  Little gifts, so to speak.

Insignificant details that become redundant, and most would avoid the effort, because it would cost too much or take too long.

And the payoff?  Nothing. The Guests will never notice.

That was the genius of Disney’s founder, Walt Disney.

It’s every Leader’s duty to keep that genius alive at The Walt Disney Company.

This past Sunday, my wife, son, and I enjoyed a few late afternoon hours at Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water park.  It was 85 degrees and sunny.  Palm trees and tropical flowers everywhere.

We had a wonderful afternoon.

Later that night, as I was cleaning off the countertop, putting away my wallet, keys, and receipts, I noticed something.

A small detail.

On our admission pass was Minnie Mouse, smiling like she always does.  That wasn’t actually the small detail.

What really caught my attention were the two words on either side of Minnie.

“CELEBRATE EVERYDAY!”

So, that’s exactly what I did today.

And you know what else?

Can’t wait to do it all over again tomorrow.

Disney Parks ARE the Happiest places on Earth.  How cool is that?

Know the mistake smart people make?

Wanna know one of the biggest mistakes smart people make?

Sophisticated and intelligent, most organizations wordsmith their vision, mission and brand statements for the benefit of looking good to Wall Street and their Board of Directors.

Here’s the paradox, in a quote from someone really smart.

“Complexity holds people back from acting because they don’t know which action will have impact”.

What smart person said that?

It was Bill Gates, in a Rolling Stone article I read in October 2007.

Next question.

Do you agree with Bill? Why or why not?

Wanna know my opinion?  It sounds bloody brilliant to me.

Many organizations are tempted to put together various “decks” with really cool, lofty, even inspirational stuff. That’s what great organizations do, right?

They capture the essence of the vision, mission, brand, etc. on “paper”, so that new and existing employees will be fully engaged, and committed.

Here’s the paradox: People are too busy to remember what you’re really trying to say.

My mission is to help people take it from the paper to the floor.

I have many ways in which to do this. For the sake of a shorter post, I’ll stop here.

Carpe diem, make it a GREAT day for your employees, customers and shareholders. If you don’t, who will. jungle jeff 🙂

Am I boring?

Am I boring?

Scary thought.  Sometimes I’m convinced I am. Know how I can tell?

Soon after I became a professional speaker a decade ago, a wise person told me, “Jeff, if you look out at your audience, and they looked bored, you’re boring them”. I’ve never forgotten that wisdom.

At risk every single day – failing them and boring them.  The two mortal sins public speakers commit most often.

Want the good news?

I don’t do it nearly as frequently as I used to.  Plus, I’ve also learned to recognize and react more effectively.

So, may I please ask you a question?  Are you boring?

Want to test yourself?

Read your LinkedIn profile and ask yourself, “Is this something that captures attention and motivates the reader to read.  Or, is it like so many others that people don’t even bother”?

At the core of this is your intent for using LinkedIn, in my opinion.

It’s tough out there.  If you don’t figure it out, who will?  Carpe diem, jungle jeff

It matters little…

Did you work out today?

Yesterday?

Within the past three days?

Hey, not trying to make you feel guilty. You’re probably going to do that all by yourself.

If you are exercising regularly, you’re setting a good example for yourself and especially for others.

If you’re not, well, not really sure what to say. It’s not my place to judge others. We’re all going through some sort of challenge right now.  And most likely, we always will be.

That’s one of the secrets of life and business. It’s always going to be tough.

Back to the point – and I do have one. 🙂

What we do says more about us than what we say. Far more.

“Our actions speak louder than words“.

Profoundly simple. Simply profound.

Here’s the way I sum it all up. You’re probably going to have to re-read it a few times, and once you get it, it’s simply profound:

“It matters little to walk to do the preaching, if not the walking, is the preaching“.

PS. Off to the gym. Gonna practice what I preach. jungle jeff 🙂

When Passion, Will, and Opportunity collide

What happens when passion, will, and opportunity collide?  Impossible becomes possible!

While many know me as a “Disney Fanatic“.   Only a handful truly comprehend the passion to do something great, and, the will to do something great, that has been with me all my life.

Are you a dreamer of impossible dreams?

I would bet you are.

Most humans are.  It’s part of our DNA.  Cavemen dreamed of auto insurance, and, reliable fire.  Walt Disney dreamed of creating a place where families could do fun things together.  Roger Bannister dreamed of running one mile in less than four minutes.

I dream of changing the world.

Funny thing about many dreams.  Once the impossible is accomplished, it ends up becoming business as usual.

Quote me on this one, “If your goal isn’t impossible, you’re not reaching high enough“.

Carpe diem, jungle jeff  🙂