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Lessons from Disney University: The Four Essentials of Employee Development | Disney Training Methods

“It took more than a good idea to bring the Disney University into existence. This new baby in the corporate family wouldn’t have survived had it not been for certain circumstances.”

Van France, Disney University Founder

 

 

Which of these reflect your employee development efforts?

  • “Why aren’t the standard operating procedures of our company followed?”
  • “Why is it so hard to sustain the momentum we had during training?”
  • “Our employees attend training programs … and tune out.”

Far too many organizations struggle to provide employee development experiences that survive beyond the walls of their classrooms or the pages of their training manuals.

Why? They lack the circumstances referred to by Van France.

Even the lowest-tech, most bare-boned and budget-challenged training program will get the job done when the following four essentials, (Van’s circumstances) are in place: Innovate, Support, Educate & Entertain.

Employee development activities reflect core organizational values and health. The content of training programs, the individuals who teach them, the employees who attend, and the way employees are supported outside the classroom reveal much about organizational culture. What do your training activities (or lack of) tell you?

  • Is innovation encouraged? To what extent is creative, out-of-the-box thinking fostered, both in the training environment and on the job? Or, are you paralyzed by fear of failure?
  • Is organizational support found at every level? Are leaders—from owners and C-level executives to front-line supervisors—aligned with the training team? Is their support overt and enthusiastic? Do Operations and Training staff collaborate to ensure effectiveness of content and delivery methods?
  • Is employee education valued and non-negotiable? Or, is training the first thing cut when budgets are tight?
  • Is entertainment incorporated into training and education initiatives? Is training engaging and practical? Are experiential training techniques that have enough “shock value” (simulations, role-plays, exercises) employed to get maximum involvement from all trainees … even the introverts? Entertainment, effectively used, has a place in virtually any training environment; it helps transform theory into action and boring into memorable.

Yes, the Disney University benefits from having iconic mascots such as Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck. More important, the Disney University enjoys the Four Essentials outlined above. Which of these does your organization bring to life?

Excerpt from:

Disney U

How Disney University Develops the World’s Most

Engaged, Loyal and Customer-Centric Employees

McGraw-Hill

 

Related article:
Disney University Avoids the 4 Employee Development Traps, Do You?

If you want to learn more about what Disney University is and Disney training methods, you may contact us at (916) 962-1231 or send us an email

Jim and Doug Golden Horseshoe

A Leadership Lesson from Disneyland’s Golden Horseshoe Saloon

Our presentation will start in a few minutes and my mind is already racing. I’m sitting adjacent to the stage in the infamous Golden Horseshoe saloon at Disneyland. Next to me is my mentor, and Disney Legend, Jim Cora. In a few minutes, Jim and I will be “on stage” talking about Disney Legend Van France, and the role he played as founder of the Disney University. Jim, who was hand-picked by Walt Disney to help Van create the Disney University, is a veritable fountainhead of information about how Van, he, (and many others) helped Walt transform Disneyland into The Happiest Place on Earth.   

The audience? About 100 Disneyland Resort retirees, proud members of the Golden Ears Retirement Club … (a very clever name, no?).  While Club President Nancy Valeri opens the meeting I attempt to gather my thoughts:

  • What year did Jim Cora meet Walt Disney?
  • Which stories about Van will resonate?
  • Why can’t more companies create the magical chemistry enjoyed by Walt, Van and Jim?

Yet, my mind begins to wander: “If only these saloon walls could talk, what a show that would be.” I recall Wally Boag, in his role as Pecos Bill, galloping onto the stage spitting out fake teeth while cracking jokes. Further clouding my mind are the memories of Betty Taylor gracing that very stage as Slue Foot Sue. Now completely sidetracked, I ponder, “How many performances did Wally and Betty perform here, earning a place in The Guinness Book of World Records?”

In the distance I hear a faint voice. Growing louder, the voice brings an end to my daydream, “So now, let me bring to the stage Jim and Doug …”  It’s showtime.

Jim Cora shared multiple examples of Van’s lead-from-the-front style. The funniest was a “Van Story” I’d never heard:  “Van encouraged us to develop an ability to read “upside-down” … one could learn a lot by reading memos on their manager’s desk during meetings!”

Presenting at The Golden Horseshoe was an honor and it made me reflect again on an important question that eludes far too many organizations:

Why don’t more of today’s leaders leverage lessons of the past to create future success?

van Chalkboard thumb

Would You Have the Guts to Send This Memo to Walt Disney?

“Disneyland will never be completed. We’ve certainly lived up to that promise. But what about the people who operate it? Are we growing with the show, or just getting older? The trouble with people is that we get hardening of the mental arteries, cirrhosis of the enthusiasm and arthritis of the imagination, along with chronic and sometimes acute allergies to supervision, subordinates, the whole darned system. Is it possible that what we have gained through experience, we have lost through habit, and that what we have gained through organization, we have lost in enthusiasm?”

            Van France, Introduction to his Proposed Program for the University of      Disneyland, 1962-63

This masterfully crafted memo to Walt Disney, and his executive team at Disneyland, helped kick-start the world famous Disney University. The author is the brilliantly creative, and brutally honest, Disney University founder Van France.

Would you, or anyone in your organization, have the guts to be this honest with your boss?

Ponder the following questions when considering the state of innovation and creativity in your organization:

1) Who is the equivalent of Van France in your organization? Who has the guts to be so brutally honest with you, your leadership team, your founding family? Van wasn’t afraid to level with anyone … including Walt Disney.

2) Who on your team can package honesty in such an innovative manner? Van’s combination of directness and creative writing grabbed the Disney leadership team by the lapels; his was a wake up call impossible to ignore.

3) Using Van’s words, what have you “lost through habit?”

Now it’s your turn. How do you plan on waking up your “inner Van France” to ignite more honesty and creativity?

 

 

Van France

Disneyland at 60: Why This Diamond Still Sparkles Part 5 of 5— Entertain

“Develop your sense of humor and eventually it will develop you.”  Walt Disney

Today marks the 60th Anniversary of Disneyland’s grand opening. Today, this grande dame of theme parks stands as strong and perfectly relevant as on July 17, 1955, basking in the glow of a well-deserved “Diamond Celebration.”

How do the employees and leaders at Disneyland continue bringing to life Walt’s dream of being “The Happiest Place on Earth?” The answer lies in a rock-solid set of values and a crystal clear, yet adaptable, corporate culture. Disney University founder Van France helped bring Walt’s dream to life by focusing on four key values he discovered when working for Walt: Innovate, Support, Educate, Entertain. This last installment focuses on Entertain.

 The Fourth Circumstance of the Disney University: Entertain

“I had friendly allies in the Art Department of the Marketing Division. As result, our handbooks and training aids were always creative and interesting, rather than the opposite, which would mean ‘dull and academic’.” Van France

Van’s description of this circumstance illustrates his firm belief in a value he shared with Walt; education can be entertaining. As Walt would say, “When the subject permits, we let fly with all the satire and gags at our command. Laughter is no enemy to learning.”

Van believed employing entertainment as a training strategy went well beyond telling jokes and laughing. By no means does a fun, interactive approach devalue training content. Van’s deft merging of education and entertainment—into edutainment—created a powerful approach, increasing trainee engagement, and ensuring their retention of new concepts.  Walt Disney’s values and sense of humor shaped Disneyland, and Van’s values and sense of humor helped shape the Disney University.

Entertainment is Hard Work

Many executives and training professionals are envious of the Disney University. People think Disney trainers have an advantage. Quite a few think that if they had all of that famous stuff, their training programs would be equally well-attended and everyone would be enthusiastic. The excuses and rationale for ineffective training programs flow like water: “If I had the staff and budget of a Disney University, life would be easy.” Or, “If I had that kind of training environment, with all of those famous characters and cutesy things, I’d never have problems getting people to show up. Who wouldn’t love that?” These leaders have a lot to learn.

A Provider of Values, Not Just Things

The benefits the Disney University staff enjoys are undeniable, but glitz and fun alone won’t last. The honeymoon will end … then what? In fact, the Disney University is much, much more than all of these things. Van France would say, “A maxim of the movie industry is that ‘it takes a happy crew to produce a happy show’.” Van would argue that a movie set blessed with the best props and most famous actors is doomed if the crew is unhappy and the director doesn’t provide support and direction. The enduring success of the Disney University—and the Disney brand itself—is due to much more than cartoon characters and award-winning background music. The Disney University enjoys a set of crystal clear values that are aligned with, and fiercely supported by, the company leadership. The culture of having fun, originating well before Disneyland was built, continues to flourish in multiple forms, and cast members thrive in the work hard, play hard environment.

Time, heat and extreme pressure transform a drab blob of carbon into a sparkling diamond. Yet, time, competitive pressure, and heat doom far too many companies. Not Disneyland Resort. Time, heat, and pressure have only added to the brilliance of this diamond.

This article is based on Lipp’s best-selling book, Disney U: How Disney University Develops the World’s Most Engaged, Loyal and Customer-Centric Employees. Published by McGraw-Hill

Blog Disney Keynote Speaker Doug Lipp

The Wonderful World of an Enduring Brand: Why Disneyland Thrives at 60 — Part 4 of 5— Educate

“Marketing is the time and money you spend to get people in the door. Training is the investment you make to get guests to come back and cast members to stay; it creates loyalty. If show was affected, I never cut corners to save money. I never cancelled a training program if it helped our show.”

Jim Cora, Retired Chairman, Disneyland International.

Founding Member,Disney University

 Setting the Stage for Success: The Four Circumstances of the Disney University

Over the course of this 5-part article, I have introduced to you Disney University Founder Van France. Van’s insistence on perpetuating Walt Disney’s dream of creating “The Happiest Place on Earth” set in motion an organizational development revolution that is now studied by corporations worldwide; The Disney University approach to employee engagement.

A Culture of Education and Learning: “Money might be tight, creativity is free” Van France

In 1955, Disney University founder Van France made a commitment to Walt Disney that influenced millions of Disneyland employees … and ultimately the experience of hundreds of millions of guests. Despite the inevitable changes he knew the company would face, Van France helped shape, and then perpetuate, a corporate culture that is both steadfast and flexible. The four corporate values Van France identified, and then brought to life through his transformative employee development initiatives, form the DNA of Disney operations worldwide; each of the eleven Disney theme parks, the resorts and cruise line reflect Walt’s and Van’s values of Innovate, Support, Educate and Entertain (Van called them circumstances). This segment examines the third circumstance, “educate.”

 Circumstance #3: Education.“Back in 1932, Walt had established his own, unique school for training his animators and he could understand why we had to develop our own breed of spectacular show people.”Van France

This circumstance reveals the roots of the Disney University; Walt’s long-standing value of providing employees a tailored, relevant training and education experience. Walt Disney helped create an art school for his animators because, in his own words, “Art schools that existed then didn’t quite have enough for what we needed, so we set up our own art school … we went a little bit beyond what they were getting in art school.”

Stodgy art schools didn’t deter Walt Disney’s goal of providing creative education to his animators. Walt’s solution was to bring into the Disney Studio prominent educators and artists—such as Frank Lloyd Wright—to give classes and lectures to the animators. The innovative ideas and outside-the-box thinking of these visiting educators became an invaluable source of inspiration to the animators.

At Disneyland, Van had to create a different version of Walt’s art school; a unique school that would create a different type of artist. Along with Dick Nunis, Van created Disneyland’s first new-hire orientation program in 1955. By 1963, this vehicle for training cast members in the art of creating happiness evolved into the University of Disneyland.

Employee Education is Essential: No Excuses Allowed. Keenly aware “The word ‘training’ has a nauseating effect on some people,” Van didn’t hesitate to challenge poorly designed or outdated training programs. He was the first person to change or eliminate a training event if he felt it wasn’t getting results. He also knew that training alone wasn’t the answer; training couldn’t solve every problem.

Van was equally ardent in challenging excuses for not conducting training. Similar to Walt Disney, Van rejected the notion that economic malaise warrants abandoning efforts to plus the show. Van firmly believed in employment development activities and didn’t let a slim budget get in the way. The following quote is pure Van France:

“The budget has become the scapegoat … it is the coward’s way out of any problem.”

60 years after Disneyland’s grand opening, cast members at every Disney resort around the world still stream through the Disney University, before interacting with guests. And, the cast members of today are often quite different from those who attended Van’s first orientation programs; generational, cultural and linguistic differences abound. Yet, these cast members continue to learn, and then exude, the happiness and empathy Walt and Van were determined to foster.

Education, offered consistently and with creativity, is an indispensable value held in high esteem in the history and culture of The Walt Disney Company.

What about your organization? Consider the following questions:

  • To what extent is employee education and training valued in your organization?
  • Which leaders overtly support employee development? How?
  • How is training offered? Classroom, On-The-Job-Training, Mentoring? Training needn’t be a big-budget extravaganza. Which leads to the final question …
  • How does your organization bring to life training “outside the classroom?”

Excerpt from, Disney U: How Disney University Develops the World’s Most Engaged, Loyal and Customer-Centric Employees. Published by McGraw-Hill

Ron Miller

The Wonderful World of an Enduring Brand: Why Disneyland Thrives at 60 … Part 3 of 5

Segment 3 of 5-Part Series: Leadership Support

“Walt cared about everyone. He would come out of his apartment (at Disneyland) at night just to interact with the maintenance crew, with the guys sweeping the dust out of the trolley tracks on Main Street.”
Ron Miller, former CEO of Walt Disney Productions

Setting the Stage for Success: The Four Circumstances of the Disney University
In recent weeks, I have introduced to you Disney University Founder Van France. Van’s insistence on perpetuating Walt Disney’s dream of creating “The Happiest Place on Earth” set in motion an employee development revolution that is now studied by corporations worldwide; The Disney Way.

July 17, 2015 marks the 60th Anniversary of Disneyland’s grand opening. Disneyland’s Diamond Celebration celebrates success over the same challenges that derail far too many organizations; the changing tastes of customers and employees, and the never ending emergence of competitors.
How do the employees and leaders at Disneyland continue bringing to life Walt’s dream? The answer lies in a rock-solid set of values and a crystal clear, yet adaptable, corporate culture. The four corporate values Van France identified, and then brought to life through his transformative employee development initiatives, form the DNA of Disney operations worldwide; each of the eleven Disney theme parks, the resorts and cruise line reflect Van’s values (Van called them circumstances).

                     Innovate                  Support                   Educate                    Entertain

Let’s explore the second of the Four Circumstances Van identified: Leadership Support.

Circumstance #2: Leadership Support

“Walt would regularly walk through the Park, looking for problems or things to improve. I copied his routine. I continually walked through the Park, looking for different things, people problems. Facts are easy to identify, I was looking for feelings that were bothering Cast Members.” Van France

This circumstance adds a component lacking in too many organizations; unabashed leadership support and visibility. From Walt and Roy Disney, and then to many generations of leaders, “walking the park” continues to be the ultimate leadership approach used at Disney resorts worldwide.

Walt Disney walked the park … he was visible and actively engaged. Van France did so as well—often with a camera around his neck— interacting with guests and cast members. He reasoned that the camera became an instant bridge, reducing inhibitions and leading to more open, candid interactions. (More often than not, the camera contained no film … it was merely a prop!)

Jim Cora, retired Chairman of Disneyland International, worked with Van for over 30 years and was hand-picked by Walt Disney to help start the Disney University. Consider Jim’s comments about how great leaders give support and earn trust:

“Van was a gifted educator and coach. His uncanny ability to effectively package and convey information was due to his ability to listen and earn trust, vital pre-requisites for any leader. He really listened! Van didn’t always agree with what he heard, and was definitely not a pushover (qualities to which many Disney executives can attest). Yet, aside from Walt Disney, I can’t think of anyone more skilled at connecting with cast members, at every level of the organization.”

How often do you and your leadership team demonstrate support by “walking the park,” personally connecting with your staff and customers. Do you really listen, gather feelings, and then act upon them?

If not, what’s your excuse?

Excerpt from, Disney U: How Disney University Develops the World’s Most Engaged, Loyal and Customer-Centric Employees. Published by McGraw-Hill

The Wonderful World of an Enduring Brand: Why Disneyland Thrives at 60

We Need You Van

Part 2: Innovate

“It took more than a good idea to bring the Disney University into existence. This new baby in the corporate family might have died in the delivery room had it not been for certain circumstances.”

Van France, Disney University Founder

Setting the Stage for Success: The Four Circumstances of the Disney University Two weeks ago I introduced to you Disney University Founder Van France. A human dynamo, Van helped set the stage for Disneyland’s 60 years of success. His insistence on challenging the status quo to foster innovation was rivaled only by Walt Disney.

July 17, 2015 marks the 60th Anniversary of Disneyland’s grand opening. Despite constant bombardment by the dual challenges of competitors and cultural shifts, Disneyland remains an icon of success.

How do the employees and leaders at Disneyland continue bringing to life Walt’s dream of being “The Happiest Place on Earth?” The answer lies in a rock-solid set of values and a crystal clear, yet adaptable, corporate culture. The four corporate values Van France identified, and then brought to life through his transformative employee development initiatives, form the DNA of Disney operations worldwide; each of the eleven Disney theme parks, the resorts and cruise line reflect Van’s values (Van called them circumstances).

 Innovate         Support          Educate          Entertain

Let’s explore the first of the Four Circumstances Van identified: Innovation.

Circumstance #1: Innovation

This circumstance reveals the essential trait associated with those who break new ground; the pioneers who are brutally honest and not afraid to take risks. Van’s focus on being innovative created an ever-evolving culture of learning and adapting. He learned from a great mentor, Walt Disney, who constantly challenged the status quo.

Van’s zeal for challenging entrenched behavioral patterns and beliefs is evident in a passage he created for an early 1980’s Disneyland management training program:

“Budgets, schedules, reports, more reports, union negotiations, training programs, meetings … more meetings, handbooks, cover-your-ass memos and the endless things which take up your time are of no value unless they end up producing A HAPPY GUEST.”

Not content to merely challenge fellow managers, Van also held top management’s feet to the flames. Consider this excerpt from a memo Van penned in 1962, in which he proposed a new approach to employee training … the Disney University. The recipients? Walt Disney and the executives in charge of Disneyland. The creative word choice is pure Van:

“Disneyland will never be completed. We’ve certainly lived up to that promise. But what about the people who operate it? Are we growing with the show, or just getting older? The trouble with people is that we get hardening of the mental arteries, cirrhosis of the enthusiasm and arthritis of the imagination.”

 Van didn’t hesitate to stir the pot to promote innovation. Jack Lindquist, the former president of Disneyland and a leader who spent his share of time with Walt Disney and Van France says this of Van, “Van was a maverick. He didn’t fit into any box … he was his own box.”

Who fills this role on your team?

Mickey and Minnie

The Wonderful World of an Enduring Brand: Why Disneyland Thrives at 60

 Four Leadership Gems from the Disney University Founder

 “I was convinced that managers and owners could come and go, but Walt’s dream would last forever.”

Van France, Disney University Founder

When perfectly combined, time, heat and extreme pressure transform a drab blob of carbon into the sparkling gemstones revered worldwide; diamonds. Companies should be so lucky. The one-two-three punches of time, competitive pressure and heat doom far too many.

  • Over time, companies can grow complacent and risk-averse. Ignoring the fundamental need to maintain people, and property, leads to organizations that are run-down … they grow tired. Employees and customers gladly abandon these companies when competitors emerge.
  • Adding heat and urgency is pressure from competitors, plus economic swings beyond anyone’s control. Some owners and managers chase after slimmer and slimmer pieces of the demographic pie as more players emerge. Finding, and then holding onto, good employees is equally vexing.

Unfortunately, the corrosive results of time, competitive pressure and heat derail most. No diamonds to be found here.

That said, Disneyland is in the midst of celebrating its 60th Anniversary this year … its “Diamond Celebration.” Despite constant bombardment by the same forces plaguing so many other organizations, Disneyland has successfully evolved into a cultural icon. How do the employees and leaders at Disneyland continue bringing to life Walt’s dream of being “The Happiest Place on Earth?” The answer lies in a rock-solid set of values and a crystal clear, yet adaptable, corporate culture. This foundation upon which The Magic Kingdom is built ensures the stability and resiliency that eludes many.

A Culture of Respect and Happiness: “You can’t have a happy show without a happy crew”

In 1955, Disney University founder Van France made a commitment to Walt Disney that influenced millions of Disneyland employees … and ultimately the experience of hundreds of millions of guests. Despite the inevitable changes he knew the company would face, Van France helped shape, and then perpetuate, a corporate culture that is both steadfast and flexible. The four corporate values Van France identified, and then brought to life through his transformative employee development initiatives, form the DNA of Disney operations worldwide; each of the eleven Disney theme parks, the resorts and cruise line reflect Van’s values (Van called them circumstances).

 Innovate             Support              Educate              Entertain

July 17, 2015 marks the 60th Anniversary of Disneyland’s grand opening. In the weeks leading up to this momentous occasion, I’ll explore in detail each of Van France’s Four Circumstances.

I encourage all readers of my blog to do more than read each posting. Please consider adding comments that:

  • Add examples of how the crystal-clear values of your company have enabled you to overcome the one-two-three punches of time, competitive pressure and “heat.”
  • Challenge each of Van France’s four circumstances. (Spirited debate is a vital learning component).

Let’s kick off this series with one of my favorite quotes from Van:

“The business we’re in, if we can’t have fun, how could we expect the public to have fun?”

This article is based on Lipp’s best-selling book, Disney U: How Disney University Develops the World’s Most Engaged, Loyal and Customer-Centric Employees. Published by McGraw-Hill

 

Disneyland

60 Years of Creating Happiness: Disney University Employee Orientation

“At Disneyland, I wanted people to feel they were involved in something more important than parking cars, serving food, or sweeping up popcorn, that they would be creating happiness for others.”

Van France, Disney University Founder

 From Employee to Cast Member, Customer to Guest

Starting with the first Disneyland orientation program Van France and Dick Nunis created in 1955—60 years ago this year—Van’s message has remained the same:

Instill a sense of pride among employees about where they work and the jobs they perform. Van was determined to make Disneyland a place where customers and employees experienced second-to-none service. He knew creating happiness would be impossible if employees didn’t feel respected and good about what they were doing—regardless of their job.

One of Van’s strategies involved creating a whole new language at Disneyland; a language that reinforced the dignity of every job in the park.   Walt Disney originally set the tone when he first introduced the concept for Disneyland; it wasn’t an amusement park, it was a theme park.

Disneyland is a huge stage; Van leveraged this by introducing show-business terms. He reasoned that a new vocabulary, coupled with strong organizational values, could help bring pride and energy to the job. Plus, it wasn’t limited to employees of the park; Van also changed the words used for customers. Thus, employees became “hosts,” “hostesses,” and “cast members.” Customers became “guests,” and crowd-control became “guest control.” Over the years, the show-business vocabulary evolved along with the quality of the show itself. Ultimately, a core of powerful terms emerged from this approach … terms that reflect the essence of Disney’s sustained success:

  • Good Show/Bad Show.
  • On Stage/Backstage.

More importantly, these terms encompass values found throughout the company. Van and the Disney University pioneers were well aware of their task; creating a new organizational culture focusing on respect for customers and employees involves much more than the skillful use of a thesaurus.

More Than a Coat of Paint

Are the people who pay for goods and services “Customers,” “Patients,” “Students,” “Residents,” or “Guests?”

Are the people working in an organization “Associates,” “Team Members,” “Partners,” “Employees or “Cast Members”?

Merely changing nouns or verbs won’t ensure world-class customer service or create a motivated and engaged workforce. Equally preposterous is the notion that simply slapping a fresh coat of paint on a dilapidated, run-down house will bring it up to code.  Just as paint won’t improve the structural integrity of a building, [Tweet “catchy words for customers and employees have no value without leadership support.”]

Yet, the debate about how to best address customers and employees consumes valuable time, energy and money in organizations facing more onerous issues. For those, assessing and clarifying organizational values is a precursor to future improvement.

60 years ago, Disney University founder Van France got it right; treating employees with respect, and then preparing them for their job by providing training, is the recipe for sustained success.

Why don’t more organizations recognize this simple fact?

Excerpt from Disney U: How Disney University Develops the World’s Most Engaged, Loyal and Customer-Centric Employees. McGraw-Hill, 2013

Facts And Feelings

Are You Missing a Golden Opportunity to Connect With Customers and Employees?

“Walt Disney would regularly walk through Disneyland, looking for problems or things to improve. He was good at it and always welcomed suggestions. I copied his routine. I continually walked through Disneyland, looking for different things, people problems. Facts are easy to identify, I was looking for feelings that were bothering Cast Members.”

Disney University Founder, Van France

Walt Disney’s strategy of walking the park dates back to the construction phase of Disneyland. He regularly visited the construction site to assess the proportion, or size, of buildings. A common sight was Walt, squatting down, and then looking up at a building from a lower angle. Walt’s equally common comment, “Can you see little kids looking up at this?” kept his planners and designers on their toes. Walt’s determination to view the storefronts and buildings from the vantage point of children ensured the needs of this large population of guests—an often overlooked group—was addressed.

Gather Facts and Feelings

Staying in touch with the front lines and connecting directly with your team and customers involves more than simply reading summaries derived from surveys. The best leaders know nothing can replace human contact. Restaurant owners praise the value of “touching tables.” The most effective ship captains know the value of “leading from the deck.” Walt Disney and Van France “walked the park.” 60 years later — and several generations removed — scores of Disney leaders continue to do so. How do you stay in touch with the front lines to gather facts and feelings from employees and customers? If Walt made the time, anyone can.  

Walk the Park 

  1. What is the equivalent of walking the park in your organization?  Who does it and how frequently?
  2. How could this strategy be improved? More people involved? More frequency?
  3. If leaders aren’t walking the park, what is the excuse?