Tag: Lane 8

Because Walt said so, that’s why!

Ever heard that phrase, the one that an angry, frustrated adult might say to a young child, “Because I said so?”

Most of us have heard it.  Most of us have also said it.  “Because I said so!”

I know when I hear an adult saying this to a child, there is absolutely no mistaking who’s in charge, is there?

It’s crystal clear, isn’t it?

Why?  Not really sure.  It just is.  Period.  End of story.

Same with the Walt Disney Company.

Why do they focus on, and some might even say obsess over, the small details that most people will never notice?

Because Walt said so!

That’s good enough for me.  I’ve heard enough stories about what their founder valued that it’s crystal clear to me what I should do everyday.

How is it with you and your people, in your organization?

Most people haven’t got time, or motivation, to think about simple questions like this.

And people wonder why it’s so challenging to get people motivated to do a great (not good) job.

I’m certain, today, that being a great organization starts with me.

What are you certain about?

Please consider making it a GREAT day, because if you don’t, who will?  Carpe diem, jungle jeff  🙂

Saturday, short and sweet

“If you can dream it, you can do it.” — Walt Disney

“If you think you can or you think you can not, you are right.” — Henry Ford

“If your goal isn’t impossible, you’re not reaching high enough.” — jungle jeff  🙂

Carpe diem, and have a GREAT weekend.

Do you love what you do?

Do you love what you do?

Ever heard, “Do what you love and you’ll never have to work another day in your life?”

I hope you love what you do.  Where I work, we strive to hire people for positions they will most likely enjoy and are naturally suited for.

It’s called “right-fit talent”.

My wife spent ten years in a very large employment office in Central Florida. I conducted hundreds of interviews myself. So, I know the process intimately.

Want a simple answer? One that’s so easy, even a caveman can understand?

Hire people in positions where they “get to do” more than they “have to do”. It’s unsophisticated and maybe even too simple for senior HR professionals who have their own corporate HR jargon.

Do you “get to do” more than you “have to do“? How about the people who work for you and/or report to you?

Make it a GREAT day, because if you don’t, who will? If you’re a leader, the people around you are looking for “cool, calm, collected – optimistic, hopeful, inspiring“. Carpe diem, jungle jeff 🙂

Danny and Adam are C-Level potentials

Danny and Adam have passion.

How do you know?

All you have to do is watch and listen. That’s what I did last night with my family. Watched and listened.

What does this have to do with you?

Everything!

Please, let me say it one more time, and this time I’ll shout it, “EVERYTHING!”

Thirteen finalists. One will become the next American Idol and sell millions of “records” (downloads). It’s like winning an Olympic gold medal, sort of.

Two stood out far and away the most passionate. Singing and performing are in their heart and soul! Like an unstoppable force of nature – a tornado, a hurricane, a tsunami. Unstoppable, and all-powerful.

This makes me wonder what it takes to be world-class.

To be a world-class leader, speaker, father, follower, friend, visionary, athlete, singer….

“Dude“, I say to myself, “do you inspire yourself so much that others want to be a part of it”?

I feel good about my progress toward the “yes” answer.

Do you?

Please know, as I always say, there is no judgement here on whether or not someone is good or not good. What’s being played out here, are the challenges I set before myself. And so, I’m inviting you to set these challenges before yourself. But only if you have the desire to be excellent. Okay?

(And you know what else? If you’re not sure where you fall in this environment, then I gently invite you to follow along at a distance comfortable to your situation. And, when and if you’re ready, or not ready, you can decide to be in, or to be out. It’s absolutely your choice.)

Excellent and world-class are the highest levels of difficulty, and I often confront the question, “Why are you concerned about it”? My inner voice says, “You must make great sacrifices to be excellent and world-class”.

Yes!

And, you make great sacrifices when you don’t push yourself to be all you can be, so that you can offer others all you can offer them.

This is called regret. And I believe it is much worse than sacrifice.

That’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it!

Make it a GREAT, PASSIONATE day, because if you don’t, who will? Carpe diem, jungle jeff 🙂

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?