Creating Disney Magic

Latest Episodes:

How to Make a Shift in the Way You Operate Aug 21, 2018

Show notes

People only change for two reasons; crisis or education.

Making a life change because of education is much better, believe me. But too many of us wait until we are smacked in the face to make a change.

Making a change is hard, though. In my personal life, I made a drastic shift after going to a Time Management seminar in 1980. Before then, I worked hard and I worked a lot. Yet, I still missed deadlines and didn't get all my work done. But this 2-day changed everything. It shifted the way I thought. It shifted the way I approached life. The seminar taught me how to do things on purpose. Each day since then has been both full and fulfilling.

There is an example of changing how I operate in my personal life.

At Disney, we made a change in how we operated throughout Walt Disney World when I introduced the Great Leader Strategies.

In both cases, making a change involved 2 steps;

Step One: Deciding to Change

Step Two: Taking the action to change

Whether you are making a personal change or changing the way an organization operates, you have to know why you are making the change. You have to be committed to the change. You have to have clarity. And finally, you have to do the work every day. Making a personal change is tough, but imagine how tough it was to implement a culture shifting change to over 40,000 cast members. Any change takes time.

You can change now because you know there is a better way. Or you can change later because you are forced to through a crisis.

In this episode, we talk about the book Essentialism by Greg McKeown.

Career Magic is now available as an audiobook.

Before you plan your next vacation, talk to our friends at Magical Vacation Planners.

How to be a Great Coworker Aug 14, 2018

Show notes

This week on Creating Disney Magic, I answer two questions about working with co-workers. Working with Co-workers.

Two questions both involve working with co-workers. First, how do you handle it if you have information or knowledge that can help co-workers?

Someone would only ask this if they have ambition and a steak of leadership. Often, people keep their heads down and do their job without consideration to co-workers, unless it has a negative impact on them. Even so, this can still be delicate. You have to approach this the right way. You have to have the right intention. But if you work it out with your supervisor to help train on a particular process or procedure, not only will you help your co-workers, you will stand out as a leader.

The second question is how to be a good follower when you may be more qualified for a supervisory job than the person who was promoted to the job. Here is another delicate situation. In this case, the best thing to do is to forget it. Just be nice, let him figure it out, and do your job the best you can. There are times when being a good follower is nothing more than doing your job the best you can. If your opinion is ever asked for, offer your best advice.

Have you downloaded my free Morning Magic Planner yet? You can get it here.

Creating Disney Magic has partnered with Magical Vacation Planner. Talk with them before you plan your next Disney vacation.

The Manager is Always Responsible Aug 07, 2018

Show notes

No matter what business you are in, poor service happens because of the general manager.

If bathrooms are dirty, don't blame the guy who cleans them. Look at the general manager.

If food arrives late at a restaurant and service is lousy, it is not the cooks and servers. It is the general manager.

If people stick to doing only what is in their job description, it is because the manager allows it.

As a leader, there are three steps to help staff create magic.

Set Expectations
Enforce expectations
Train so staff can meet your expectations

Also, consider what plans you have to address any emergencies or unexpected situations come up. For example, what happens at a hotel or restaurant if the kitchen goes out of commission? Or, insert your own what-if situation.

If the staff is not prepared, it is because of the general manager.

Bottom line; the manager is always responsible for what happens in his or her operation.

I am excited to announce our my new partnership with Magical Vacation Planner. If you are going to visit a Disney property, make sure you talk to them. Magic Vacation Planner will take care of you.

Making Old Ideas New Again Jul 31, 2018

Show notes

This episode was recorded while I was in Italy. The sound quality is not the best because I had to find an internet connection that worked good enough to record.

There is a reason I wanted to make sure we recorded an episode while I was in Italy. I have said before, the best way to gain exposure and exposure is to travel. When you meet people from other countries, you will find out they are as wonderful as your neighbors. Spending time with them will open your eyes to new ideas and new ways of doing the things you are most comfortable with.

Which bring me to the topic of this episode, making old ideas new again.

Disney took an old idea, Minature golf, and made it feel new again. Disney miniature golf courses don't feel like the old boring mini-golf courses you might expect. They are special. They tell a story.

There is a lesson you can learn from a Disney Miniature golf course. You can take anything and make it better. An old idea can be new again if you add your own spin, your own story to it. An old idea can be new again if you find a way to do it better than you have been doing it.

We all get set in our ways and accept things are the way they are. We get lazy. Take time to consider if you are as good as you could be? Are you as good as you should be? Can you do better?

Go out and get new ideas and apply them to what you do. Go somewhere you might not expect to get new ideas. Start with a game of miniature golf.

Don't settle for average. Ask people around you; customer, coworkers, vendors, and get new ideas. Always be on the lookout for a way to get better. Each day you are not getting better you are getting worse.

The audio version of Career Magic is now available. You can get it here.

How to Deal With Gossip Jul 24, 2018

Show notes

Gossip can spread through an organization quickly, leaving a wake of confusion, rumors, and hurt feelings.

You must deal with gossip quickly and clearly. But it all begins when you hire someone.

Up front, during the onboarding process, explain gossip is not tolerated. Be clear about what you consider to be gossip and rumors and how you will deal with it.

Don't let it end there. Continue to discuss gossip and what you expect. You will have to continue to remind people. Raise your expectations, be clear about what you want, and hold employees to your standard.

Gossip is not the only topic we discuss in this episode of Creating Disney Magic. We recorded this episode on Facebook Live with listeners being able to ask questions. It made for another fun episode, and we talk about gossip, how to receive a compliment, working with volunteers and more.

What Will Your Legacy Be? Jul 17, 2018

Show notes

What will your legacy be? Have you taken time to consider this?

This episode of Creating Disney Magic is the second episode recorded live at Urbain 40 with a group from a live Mastermind meeting. You can hear the first episode here. People who were in the room had the opportunity to ask me questions, which you will hear on the podcast.

One of the questions was about what my legacy will be.

For a long time, I had this all wrong. I thought it was all about Lee Cockerell. But now, I realize I need to be a teacher to leave a legacy. The I do is to help other people have a bigger life. By teaching other people, they will teach what they learn to other people. It spreads. Teaching builds a legacy that lasts a long time. You can't change America, but you can change your family. And you can change your workplace. Start today and you can leave a legacy.

Other topics we discuss on this episode:

Advice for women in leadership positions.

Advice for young adults entering the workforce.

People who invested in my life who helped me become who I am today.

You can find out more about my Creating Magic Mastermind events HERE.

Don't Underestimate Your Influence Jul 10, 2018

Show notes

This episode of Creating Disney Magic was recorded live in Orlando during a private mastermind event.

Twelve people joined me and Jody Maberry to spend the day talking about business and creating magic. During our time together, we turned on the microphones and recorded two episodes of the podcast. Participants of the mastermind were able to ask a question.

You can find out more about my live Creating Disney Magic Mastermind events here.

Having the participants of the Mastermind ask me questions live added a fun element to this episode of the show.

Here are some highlights of what we talk about in this episode.

Look for attitude, not skill. Great attitude and passion are the elements of a high potential person. Skill can be taught.

Do you have the attitude to put up with a guest when they are upset because they have spent too much money, rain has ruined their day, or they are stressed out?

Don't underestimate the influence you have on people. It matters how you talk to people. It matters what you say to people. It matters if you say "hello". Be aware of the influence and impact you have on people.

When I was at Disney, the moment I stepped out of my car I had to be aware of my actions towards other people. It is important to notice people no matter what I may be preoccupied with.

Plus, I will share with you what I learned during the mastermind event.

Stand Up For Yourself Jul 05, 2018

Show notes

In the last episode of Creating Disney Magic, we answered the first half of a series of questions from a listener. After listening to every episode of the podcast, a listener wrote in with a series of questions. The first half of the questions were more about success.

You can hear the first episode Here.

In this episode, we answer the rest of the questions, which are more about business.

Here are the questions we answer in this episode;

Why do you think most companies don't follow the principles from Creating Magic?

How would you handle working for a company you wanted to stay at, but dealing with the direct supervisor is frustrating and challenging?

Have you ever received feedback that was not valid?

How did we instill the values of hard work and humility in our son when he was young?

You will enjoy the entire episode, but one message I want you to take away is to stand up for yourself. You know the work you do. You know what you believe in. Stand up for yourself and stand up for what is right.

If You Believe in Something, Just Keep Going Jul 03, 2018

Show notes

This episode of Creating Disney Magic is a bit different. Let me tell you why; recently someone discovered the podcast and listened to all of the episodes in the catalog.

After listened to well over 150 episodes, he had a list of questions he wanted to ask.

Normally, we answer a single question on an episode. This time, we combined all of the questions into an episode. Or, rather, two episodes. This episode we tackle the questions that are more success related.

When you are around successful people, what are the questions you ask them and why?

If you can have dinner with 3 people who would it be?

These were fun questions to answer and led to an interesting discussion. Here are the two things I want you to remember from this episode;

Use the tools that work for you. An iPhone 10 will not solve your organizational problem any better than an iPhone 5 will. That is why I have used a DayTimer for so many decades. It works for me. It fits my system perfectly.

If you believe in something, just keep going. Don't give up. You can make a difference. You can create magic.

How to Handle Somone Gearing Down for Retirement Jun 26, 2018

Show notes

Imagine a basketball team where one player decides to stay in the offensive end of the court because it is easier for him. Running up and down the court is hard work. Would the other players allow it? Would the coach allow it? No way! And it should not be allowed in the workplace either.

Yet, it happens all the time. Specifically, it happens as employees are getting close to retirement. People should not "gear down" for retirement. Whether an employee retires in 3 years, 1 year, or 3 months. They have a responsibility to work as hard as ever and produce results.

Some call it Retired on Duty.

If someone is retired on duty, it is a leadership problem. Someone is letting it happen.

Being retired on duty is unethical and unprofessional. If it is happening in your organization you can step in. In fact, you should step in. You have the opportunity to step in and be an advocate for the right thing.

When you accept someone who has retired on duty, it is a step in making the company worse. Other employees see how leadership handles this situation. If this person is allowed to get away with it, the company will start sliding in the wrong direction.

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