I recently completed the book, Creating Magic, by Lee Cockerell, subtitled, “10 Common Sense Leadership Strategies From a Life at Disney.” Now we know Disney (or any enterprise) is not perfect, but they generally have outstanding customer service and effective leadership, so this book is worth the read. Great quote: “It’s not the magic that makes it work; it’s the way we work that makes it magic.”
Cockerell outlines pragmatic leadership strategies/tactics that effective leaders follow and practice. These guidelines include several of the items that I’ve listed in prior blogs about what it takes to be an employer of choice, a world class best company:
Every employee colleague is important.
Recognize and encourage employees.
Employees are your company’s brand.
A leader needs to act consistently — I like to say it as, the leader needs to be the same person in the mail room as s/he is in the board room. (This is the biggest compliment I have ever received btw.)
A leader must always do the right thing — no situational ethics.
Anyone interested in developing as a leader and/or finding out what makes the magic at Disney — this is a good book for you.
For anyone that has read this book already, I’m curious on your thoughts. Thank you. Tom R.
