NACCM 2009: Leading Through Turbulent Times - Disney Institute

Leading Through Turbulent Times - Disney Institute, presented by Bruce Kimbrell

Disney starts of with a video that shows how they go about preparing the park every day for the maximum enjoyment of their customers. PPIR's in the Disney Institutes's box - to encourage audience participation! Kimbrell has had 27 years of experience in Disney parks. Everyday should be a prep day for turbulent times. If it's important, if it has value, every day should be.

In the 24 Disney hotels from coast to coast, they experience 95% occupancy year round. This all has to do with the cast they have. They know what their guests are coming for. They treat every guest as if they're important.

Leadership excellence came from leaders who were willing to listen. Listening is an art and talent, few people have the talent. There were many leadership challenges from the 1960s on, after both of the Disney brothers died.

Communicate the vision. How they did it at Walt Disney:

-Create a shared and meaningful purpose

-Inspire passion and interest

-Guide decision making and strategy

-Convey values

Core competencies at Disney are how clean the park is and how friendly the people are.

What Disney did to improve their brand:

- Refocus on core competencies

- Refined brand, mission and product offerings

- Solidify corporate culture

Refocus your culture to demonstrate appropriate behaviors of:

-Language and symbols

-Cultural values

-Traits and behaviors

Listen to your front line which is your bottom line. Key factor that Disney relies on for communicating with their customers. Example: A Pub in the park was continually asked if they sold fish and chips. A cast member took a tally of the individuals who asked for Fish and Chips, so they created a shop where customers could buy fish and chips, which now brings in $3 million a month. The leader listened, and was rewarded as a result.