Creating Disney Magic
500 episodes - English - Latest episode: 13 days ago - ★★★★★ - 429 ratingsLee Cockerell shares his wisdom and experience from his time as the Executive Vice President of Operations for Walt Disney World. Along with host Jody Maberry, Lee discusses how you can apply lessons in leadership, management, and customer service to create magic in your organization.
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Episodes
How to Make Hard Decisions
July 14, 2020 05:00 - 14 minutes - 15.9 MBPeople who make good choices get ahead in life. To make good choices, you need to understand your values. Take time to figure out what you stand for and what you stand against. It is easy to make the wrong decision. It is tough to be brave and step in and help someone who doesn't have the same influence you don't have. In the long term, it will pay off to stand up for what you believe in and do what is right. Making an easy decision may benefit you in the moment, but there is no ben...
Applying What You Learn to Improve Your Organization
July 07, 2020 05:00 - 18 minutes - 19.4 MBWhen you learn something new, it is only entertainment if you don't use it. On this episode of Creating Disney Magic, Chris Jaskiewicz joins us to explain how he used what he learned to improve his organization. Chris is the President and CEO of Icon Park in Orlando. Icon Park was the first attraction in Orlando to open as the city began open again after the Covid-19 lockdown. Chris explains how they used story, not facts, to present the case why Icon was ready to open again. Chr...
Share Your Opinion With Your Boss
June 30, 2020 05:00 - 14 minutes - 15.9 MBWhen I was the Executive Vice President at Walt Disney World, I treasured my team coming to me with their opinion. They did not think of me as the big bad boss. They knew I was open to hearing their opinions. I told them to keep me out of trouble and not let me make stupid decisions. This attitude flowed up, too. Often, I would tell Al Weiss, my boss, what I needed to get work done. Part of your responsibility as a leader is to do the right thing. Telling your boss what you know is ...
Your Organization Cannot Operate in Silos
June 23, 2020 05:00 - 17 minutes - 18.1 MBWhen I was Executive Vice President of Walt Disney World, Operations and entertainment sometimes had a conflict. The live shows were tremendous, but at times the cost was concerning. There was an entire operation to run, but live entertainment was a big piece of what people enjoy at the parks. There are times when two department's priorities conflict with each other. The key is you both have to have a mindset that you are going to work it out. Get a team together to find a way to make ...
How to Recover From a Bad Decision
June 16, 2020 05:00 - 18 minutes - 19.4 MBWhen you make a bad decision, the first thing you can do is apologize. Don't hope people forget about it. They won't. If you have done something inappropriate, it can be difficult to get over. But if you take action on a decision and it doesn't go well, face it head-on and admit what happened. When you get feedback from someone about a bad decision or how you are perceived, the first step is to believe it. You can't change until you accept the feedback you get. To avoid making mis...
How to Get Accurate Employee Surveys
June 09, 2020 05:00 - 14 minutes - 16.3 MBWhen I was at Disney, cast member surveys brought to my attention some perceived me as playing favorites. It was like a gut punch to get the information. But you know what? They were right. When I reflected on the feedback, I realized I did Immediately, I change my behavior. I sat next to different people. I sought out different opinions. Over the next couple of years, my scores improved. The key to employee surveys is to change your behavior to change the ratings. Don't get def...
Working with Disappointed Customers
June 02, 2020 05:00 - 17 minutes - 18.1 MBAt every business, you are going to disappoint some customers. On this episode of Creating Disney Magic, we answer a listener question about customers getting upset or disappointed. The question is about how the narrative told at a historical president's home causes disappointment and tension with visitors. Sometimes they don't treat staff well when they get upset. From this situation, there are some things you can learn to use in situations with difficult subject matter. Be committ...
Don't Bring Tough Days at Work Home With You
May 26, 2020 05:00 - 16 minutes - 17.2 MBWhen you have a tough day at work, you have to find a way to let it go before you get home. If you are a pain in the neck at home, your family won't want to see you after a workday. I have been there myself. My wife, Priscilla, once asked me if I could try making a little magic at home. When my son was 14, he suggested I sit in the hot tub when I get home because everything was fine before I got there. I needed those reminders. If you let this go on too long, it becomes hard to r...
What Concerns do Your Customers Have About Your Business?
May 19, 2020 05:00 - 17 minutes - 14.4 MBDuring the Coronavirus Pandemic, many businesses have had to shut down temporarily. As businesses begin to reopen, we have the opportunity to do it the right way. Don't just open the doors and expect customers to return. Approach reopening your business like it an entirely new product. Check everything carefully. Talk to your staff for ideas. Start calling customers and ask what concerns they have about reopening. Customers are individuals and they may have different concerns. You m...
Leading a Remote Team
May 12, 2020 05:00 - 16 minutes - 15.4 MBLeading a remote team for the first time can be a challenge for many people. If your leadership style is based on face to face interaction, it can leave you feeling disease about not being able to see your team. Don't stress over it too much. Leading remotely, for the most part, is no different than leading in person. Be yourself. Pick up the phone. Get on Zoom. Communicate often. Often, we magnify the problems that come with remote teams. Most people stress about not being in fr...
How to Work with a Negative Coworker
May 05, 2020 06:50 - 23 minutes - 19.1 MBWhat do you do if you have a negative coworker? For the most part, I recommend you stay away from negative coworkers. There really is no upside to you spending time with someone like that. But, if this person is a friend or someone you are willing to help out, then step in and let them know they are damaging their reputation and career. Keep in mind, any negative culture or environment you spend time in will eventually affect you. Usually, the problem doesn't have much to do with wor...
Put Your Challenge in Front of People
April 28, 2020 05:00 - 14 minutes - 22.9 MBOn this episode of Creating Disney Magic, I answer a listener question that may seem unique, but it is more common than you may think. A listener told me she is 28 and people think she is a teenager. It creates a challenge at work because people think she is young and therefore inexperienced. Although you may not have this problem of looking like a teenager, you do have something in common with this listener. You have a challenge that gets in the way. You hope people don't notice, b...
Documenting HR Issues
April 21, 2020 14:09 - 17 minutes - 18.6 MBDocumenting HR issues is important for you as a leader and your organization as a whole. When I was at Marriott, I learned how to coach, counsel, and discipline employees. Documenting HR issues was part of the training that stuck with me the rest of my career. If you have any issue with an employee, you need to build a record of the history of the behavior in case it becomes a problem. Documentating issue gives you and the employee clarity to what is going on. Without documentation...
The Most Important Activity for Any Leader
April 14, 2020 05:00 - 14 minutes - 16.2 MBThere is one activity every leader should do every day, and it may not be what you think. In my book, The Customer Rules, Rule #15 is Be Like a Bee. There is a story behind this rule or customer service. A girl asked Walt Disney if he was involved in making the movies. Walt explained he was like a bee. He buzzed around the company looking for and spreading new ideas. What Walt told the young girl is the most important activity for any leader. You need to get out among people and hea...
Use Free Time to Gain an Advantage
April 07, 2020 05:00 - 17 minutes - 18.8 MBWhen you have free time, what do you do with it? Too many people let it get away without getting any value from it. But you can use free time to gain an advantage. There are three ways to consider how you use free time; organizationally, at-work, and personally. With organizational free time, you can take care of some of the small items you always wish you had time for. You can train employees or work on planning. Free time is a perfect time to work on maintenance items that are har...
If Disney Ran Your Life
March 31, 2020 05:00 - 15 minutes - 16.4 MBJeff Noel joins us as a special guest on this episode of Creating Disney Magic. Jeff is a 30 year Disney veteran. For the last 15 years of his Disney Career, Jeff taught at the Disney Institute. Now, Jeff is a keynote speaker and helps businesses operate with a little more magic. Jeff has his own podcast If Disney Ran Your Life. On his podcast, Jeff explains how if Disney ran your life, you would have higher standards and not settle. Both Jeff and I give examples of what it will...
How to Introduce Yourself to a New Team
March 24, 2020 05:00 - 20 minutes - 21.6 MBMeeting a new team as a leader is your first chance to let people know what it is going to be like to work with you. When I became the General Manager of a Marriott Hotel, I used the first 30 days to find out what questions people have. Every day, I walked the hotel and met with every employee. First, at 6 am, I would walk every area of the hotel. Then again at 11 am. Finally, before I left at 5 pm I would walk the hotel one more time. Every day, I saw every employee. And I asked quest...
How to Manage and Organize Your Notes
March 17, 2020 06:41 - 14 minutes - 15.8 MBWhether you use a paper planner or a digital planner, you are going to have notes and other items you will need to keep that don't go into your planner. It can be a challenge to keep all of your notes in order and organized so you have them when you need them. In this episode of Creating Disney Magic, I offer some suggestions and ideas on how you can keep your notes and other vital information managed and organized so you have them where you need them when you need them. As with any...
How to Handle a Crisis
March 16, 2020 01:49 - 21 minutes - 17.6 MBOn this special episode of Creating Disney Magic, Dan Cockerell, my son and former VP of the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World joins me to talk about how to handle a crisis. Here are four steps to keep in mind while dealing with a crisis: Safety First. Before anything else, the safety of employees, customers, and yourself comes before anything else. Deal with the Facts. During a crisis people get emotional. People speculate and gossip. You should deal only with the facts when you comm...
Influencing Positive Change in Your Organization
March 10, 2020 05:00 - 12 minutes - 14.4 MBYou don't have to be a supervisor to influence positive change in your organization. At Disney, there are hourly employees who have influence over decisions from management. If you want to influence positive change you need to begin by having a spirit of serving. If people trust you then you will gain some influence. When people want to work with you, you can have more influence on what happens. Positive changes begin with our attitude. Have a positive attitude so people want to ...
How to Handle an Unexpected Customer Rush
March 03, 2020 06:00 - 15 minutes - 17 MBEvery business gets an unexpected rush of customers. You have seen this either as a customer or in your own organization. How often in these situations are you left wondering what is going on? Most of the time, this is what happens. Too many customers leave staff unable to deal with the rush. The line builds up and customers get frustrated. Don't act like nothing is happening. The best thing you can do is acknowledge what is happening. As a customer comes in, greet them and set th...
How to Handle Layoffs
February 25, 2020 06:00 - 16 minutes - 17.7 MBLayoffs are not easy for anyone, no matter which side you are on. When I worked at Marriott in Philadelphia, I had to lay off 10% of our staff. It was the first time I had to do this. Every person I had to lay off I knew personally. It was heartbreaking for me to have to impact them and their families. Employees who are left behind also feel the pain. They have seen it happen and it erodes trust and impacts the culture of the organization. When you have to lay off employees, help the...
Leadership is Leadership No Matter Where You Find it
February 18, 2020 06:00 - 16 minutes - 17.7 MBLeadership is leadership no matter where you find it. A podcast listener wrote in with a question about how leadership looks different in a school versus leadership in a business. Good question with a simple answer. Leadership is leadership no matter where you find it. The words you use may be different, but leadership is the same in a school setting. A Principal sets the standards and teachers carry out the standards and expectations. Appreciation, recognition, and encourageme...
You Can do More than You Did Today
February 11, 2020 06:00 - 15 minutes - 17.2 MB"The biggest obstacle to thriving is arriving" - Dan Miller Once you accomplish something big, do you keep pushing to get better? Or do you settle in? You can do more than you are currently doing in your life. If you want to. Don't try to be the best. Just try to be better every day. The ability to push through obstacles and resistance is how you get ahead in life. If you let something derail you, it will haunt you for the rest of your life. Get better every day by learning...
Don't Fall in Love With Your Ideas
February 04, 2020 06:00 - 15 minutes - 17 MBWe often fall in love with our own ideas. When we have time and money invested in an idea, it becomes hard to walk away. But if you have been doing it for a while and it is not working, it is probably not going to work. Rethink how you are doing things. What do you have going on that is not working right now? I admit, guys tend to be stubborn about hanging onto ideas, even if they are no longer working. One of the best ways to examine your ideas is to get experts around you. Si...
The Three Elements of Strategic Planning
January 28, 2020 06:00 - 15 minutes - 16.7 MBStrategic Planning does not mean creating a big complex plan. The purpose of a strategic plan is simply to make business better. An effective strategic plan only has 3 elements: Customer, Employee, and the Bottom Line. There are three questions you want to answer in your strategic plan; How can we make it better for guests? How can we make it better for employees? How can we make more money? Sit down with employees and ask them about the business. What are they hearing from cu...
How to Handle Disorganized Employees
January 21, 2020 06:00 - 13 minutes - 15 MBIf employees are disorganized it can cause problems for you and other employees. As a leader, you need to deal with it. Other people are watching and wondering why you are letting this problem continue. Sit down with the disorganized and explain what you see and why what they are doing is disruptive. And figure out why it is happening. Maybe they need more from you. Maybe you haven't said anything about it so they assume what they are doing is ok. Good leaders are constantly repe...
Get Ahead in Your Career By Volunteering to Take on More Work
January 14, 2020 06:00 - 15 minutes - 17 MBOne of the quickest ways to get ahead in your career is to take on more work and do a great job. When the opportunity arises, you should volunteer to take on more responsibility. The people who get ahead in life are the ones who raise their hands when the boss needs someone to take on a project. And, usually, it is the busiest person in the room who raises their hand. This is because they have a system and know what they can get done. They know how to delegate, follow up, track a ...
Respect All Employees Not Just the Ones in Nice Suits
January 07, 2020 06:00 - 16 minutes - 17.7 MBThere are times when people of higher positions in an organization feel like they are above other positions. Let me be blunt. Some people feel they are hot stuff and don't appreciate the employees who are really making the business operate. During my career, I was treated as if I wasn't as good as others because I didn't have a college degree. But I know I am not unique. Women have dealt with treatment like this for a long time. So have older employees. And young employees. It becom...
Every Day is a New Opportunity to Get Better
December 31, 2019 06:00 - 18 minutes - 19.2 MBWhen a new year begins, the only shift I make is getting out my January insert for my DayTimer. A new year has no more importance than a new day. Many people make the mistake of having a philosophical approach to a new year. Have you thought to yourself, "well, it's a new year, now is the time to focus on ..." and here is where you might insert losing weight, spending time with family, or finding a new job. If so, you are taking the wrong approach. The better approach is to th...
Your Boss Won't Change
December 24, 2019 06:00 - 16 minutes - 17.4 MBMany companies focus on results and don't care how you feel. You get a paycheck and they don't owe you anything else, they reason. You don't have to put up with it. If you have a job where you are not respected or appreciated, it is time to move on. Perform as good as you can at your current position while you look for a new job, but begin now looking for a new job. Don't stay in a job where you are not satisfied with what you are doing. People who don't feel they matter tend to mak...
The Power of Persistence
December 17, 2019 06:00 - 18 minutes - 19.1 MBIn your book, your phone number. What do you do with all the extra phone calls you get? Believe it or not, I don't get many phone calls. Sure, I get some spam calls. Even when I was the EVP of Disney World, I made myself available to any cast member. It wasn't often a cast member reached out. And today, not many people reach out. If someone calls me, I want to make sure they get in touch with me. That is how I am able to book presentations and other business. If phone calls are taking a...
Being a Parent is the Most Important Leadership Job in the World
December 10, 2019 06:00 - 21 minutes - 22.7 MBBeing a parent is the most important leadership job in the world. If you can't have hard discussions and make tough choices, don't become a leader. And definitely don't have kids. Parenting can be hard. Especially when you are the parent of a teenager. As a leader in your home, you have to keep talking to your teenager constantly. Even when they don't want to talk to you. And you have to model the behavior at home you want to see from your teenager. Kids are going to push back an...
Advice on Careers and Promotions
December 03, 2019 06:00 - 17 minutes - 18.7 MBIn this episode of Creating Disney Magic, we answer listener questions about careers and promotions. How should I dress on my first day at a new job? Before your first day, you should already have an idea of the culture of the company and the way people dress for work. On your first day, dress slightly better than the usual work appearance. It is better to show up a little overdressed than underdressed. People do judge you on how you look. Make sure you look professional. What woul...
Tell People What They are Thinking Before They Ask
November 26, 2019 06:00 - 14 minutes - 16 MBWhen you have a big announcement to make, you know what people are going to ask. Go ahead and address the big issues upfront before they even have to bring it up. If you want to be sure you cover all potential questions, get a team together. Talk about what questions, concerns, and issues people are going to have with the announcement. Come up with 5 or 6 questions you know people are going to have and include the information in your announcement. Anticipating the problems and addressi...
Can You Enforce Rules and Still Give a Great Experience
November 19, 2019 06:00 - 14 minutes - 19.3 MBIs it possible to enforce rules and guidelines and still focus on delivering an excellent customer experience? At Disney, we are clear to cast members about the responsibility to enforce rules and be polite at the same time. No matter what rule or policy you have, there will be someone who does not like it. Always remain polite and courteous and explain why the policy is in place. And be consistent about enforcing the policy. You probably already know the 5 or 6 policies you have ...
Create a Culture of Customer Service
November 12, 2019 06:00 - 18 minutes - 19.2 MBAt Disney, it doesn't matter what your job is. We all have the same purpose. Take care of the guest. It doesn't matter if what you are doing for the guest is in your job description. A culture of customer service doesn't happen by accident. It has to be part of your culture. It has to be repeated. People have to hear it over and over. No matter what your job is, your purpose is to take care of the guests. At Disney, our purpose was to make sure guests have the most fabulous tim...
How to Handle a Team Member Resignation
November 05, 2019 06:00 - 17 minutes - 14.7 MBEvery organization has team members resign. Some of the people who leave are popular. Some of them fill an important role in the organization. How you handle the resignation will have an impact on other employees. Begin by telling the right people in the right order about the resignation. Doing so will eliminate the wrong story getting into the rumor mill. Within a couple of hours, everyone who needs to know should know. Then you can let other team members know. Communicate quickly ...
Own Your Attitude
October 29, 2019 05:00 - 16 minutes - 17.9 MBYour job is not to motivate employees. Your job is to hire the right employees. When you hire the right people they will motivate themselves. Not everyone agrees with this idea. Some people feel the main responsibility of a leader is to motivate employees. During my career, I have had obstacles, bad bosses, bad work situations, bad pay, lots of stress, bad work environments, and in all of those circumstances, I motivated myself. You own your own motivation. You own your own developm...
Time Management Impacts Your Reputation
October 22, 2019 05:00 - 16 minutes - 17.6 MBHow you manage your time is how you manage your reputation. Nobody is born disorganized. It is a learned thing. With discipline, you can do the right things when you are supposed to do them. Time Management Magic is not just a book, it is a way of thinking. Most of my career success can be attributed to 3 things; organization, time management, and persistence. But you can't just focus on work, you need to keep your whole life under control. If you don't take the time to plan t...
What if You are Too Busy for New Customers?
October 15, 2019 05:00 - 19 minutes - 24.6 MBWhat if you are so busy you don't have room to fit in a new customer? It happens. Sometimes we are so overwhelmed with our current workload it is difficult to fit in new customers. But you should never leave it to someone else to get back to you. Put in a system where you get back to a potential customer without putting the burden on them. If you leave it to a potential customer to get back to you, they will find someone else to do business with. Don't let a customer try a competito...
Is it Better to Get an Education or a Promotion?
October 08, 2019 05:00 - 14 minutes - 15.8 MBIs it better to get an education or the experience that comes with a promotion? Education pays off down the road. Take the opportunity to get an education over the chance for a promotion. Sometimes you have to make decisions that will pay off later. Passing up the temporary rewards of promotion in favor of getting an education is one of those times. A promotion pays off now, with more money and responsibility. But you can get that and more if you get an education. Promoting too fast ...
Get in the Right Environment to Get Work Done
October 01, 2019 05:00 - 15 minutes - 16.5 MBEarly in my career, when I worked at Marriott, I begin working away from my office. A Library was the first place I worked away from the office. At Disney, I used to leave my office and work at an unoccupied office or work from the California Grill when it wasn't open. Now, I still do work away from my office, which is in my house. There are too many distractions at home. My productivity has gone up while working from a local coffee shop. When you are working outside your usual se...
Do You Need Brand Name Experience on Your Resume?
September 24, 2019 05:00 - 14 minutes - 15.8 MBIs it better to have experience with a Brand Name company or a bigger role with a small company? This is something to consider, especially early in your career. When you have a brand name like Disney on your resume, people notice. If you have worked at Disney or Marriott, other organizations will know you have received a high level of training and know how to serve customers. On the other hand, you may be able to get a better spot at a smaller company to gain experience. Leadership e...
Product Knowledge Leads to Better Customer Service
September 17, 2019 05:00 - 18 minutes - 19.3 MBPeople are looking for experts to help them. The more you know about your products, the more people will trust you. Knowing everything you possibly can about the products you offer will lead to better customer service. Product knowledge doesn't happen by accident. You have to be deliberate. Schedule time to get out in your operation and see what is really happening. Use your product in the way customers will use your product. If you are going to make it happen, you have to schedu...
The Customer is Not Always Right But They are Still a Customer
September 10, 2019 05:00 - 14 minutes - 16.2 MBThe customer is not always right, but they are always the customer. Sure, people are going to take advantage of you. But overall, you still shouldn't make your policies too strict because a few people will take advantage of you. Treat the customer like they matter to you. Mr. Marriott told me, "Always give the customer the benefit of the doubt." Go in favor of the customer. If you find a trend or something, in particular, getting abused and it becomes a problem, then you can mak...
Why Every Business Should Have Appearance Guidelines
September 03, 2019 05:00 - 15 minutes - 16.6 MBYour people are your brand. The way staff look represents your company to every customer who walks through the door. At Disney, we have appearance guidelines because we are putting on a show. If you want to tell a story people will believe, everyone has to look like the part they are playing in the show. Every business should have appearance guidelines. Staff should be dressed to fit the theme of your business. What do customers expect employees to look like when they visit your busine...
Handling Difficult Situations With Employees
August 27, 2019 05:00 - 18 minutes - 19.3 MBOne of the most difficult things you will have to do as a leader is to handle uncomfortable situations with employees. Talking to an employee about their behavior is hard. Terminating people is probably the hardest thing you will have to do. All of the hardest things you have to do at work, and in life, involve people. Decisions about products are easy. Unfortunately, too many people don't deal with the hard things. By letting it go, you are making your life harder. And you are not ...
Use the Phone to Build Your Reputation
August 20, 2019 05:00 - 14 minutes - 16.3 MBFor many people, your reputation will reach them before you have the chance to meet them in person. Don't underestimate the impact your phone conversations have on people. Your demeanor on the phone will help people know you are respectful, professional, helpful and will show people they can ask you hard questions. Phone conversations will help you build trust with people. Don't do phone calls on a whim. Prepare for a call so you know what you want to accomplish while you are on the...
Take Time to Celebrate Milestones
August 13, 2019 05:00 - 18 minutes - 17 MBTaking time to celebrate milestones is an important part of any organizations culture. With that, we are taking the opportunity to celebrate episode 250 of Creating Disney Magic. Over the past 5 years, with each episode approximately 15 minutes long, we have produced more than 62 hours of lessons in leadership, management and customer service. If you have listened to the episodes, with only 15 minutes once per week, you have accumulated a lot of information. Perhaps more information th...