The secret to understanding how you can operate your business better, serve customers better, and better support your staff is right in front of you.

All you have to do is ask.

Asking employees how you can do better is a powerful way to infuse new ideas into your organization.

When I was with Disney, I would do this often.

I would meet 10 or 12 front line cast members to find out what is going on with them. Meeting with employees will uncover information you can get no other way. They know something you don’t know. They know a lot more than you about the jobs they do. Listen to them and help them do their jobs better.

Everybody is an expert in something.

Ask employees to look out for things they should tell you.

Once you get everyone involved in helping you run the business, it is amazing.

We all like to give our opinion about the work we do. Give people the chance to offer their opinion and insight.

Here are 3 questions to ask employees:

What should we stop doing?

What should we start doing?

What should we continue doing?

Take the time to sit and listen. Let them talk.

Did you know people used to call me Low-Key Lee?

Don't make the mistake of thinking your work will stand for itself. People have to know you did the great work. 

I made this mistake when I interviewed with Marriott. When I assumed the great work I had done at Hilton would speak for itself. It doesn't work that way. You have to promote yourself. At the time, I didn't know how to promote myself 

Low-Key Lee was not the person Marriott wanted to hire. Fortunately for me, someone I worked with at Hilton was now at Marriott and he knew I was the right guy for the job. But had the hiring decision had been made based on my interview, I would have never been hired by Marriott. 

The feedback from the interview taught me a lesson. During the rest of career, I did a better job at promoting myself and the work I have done. 

Make sure you know what you believe about management and leadership. When you are around your boss, give your opinion based on what you believe. It is a way to promote yourself, show what you can do, and improve the company. Over time, if you do this and plan how you can send a message about how valuable you are, you will prepare your boss to think of you when the time comes for a promotion. 

One of the most effective ways to create new opportunities is to meet new people. 

Meet people and keep in touch because you never know what could pop up later.

If you don't know people they can't help you.

If you don't know people you can't help them. 

I meet as many people as I can. It doesn't matter who they are or where they are from.

Don't expect anything from the people you meet. Just enjoy meeting them and enjoying the diversity of conversation. But, sometimes opportunities arise that wouldn't have been available unless you had met the right person.

Sometimes an opportunity arises right away. Sometimes it is ten years later.

As an example, Lee Sheldon from the United Kingdom makes a brief appearance on this episode of Creating Disney Magic. Lee explains how him reaching out to me led to us teaming up to do a live event in London.

I first met Jody Maberry when he asked me to be a guest on his Park Leaders podcast. Back then, I didn't even know what a podcast was. And now we have published more than 200 episodes of Creating Disney Magic. Who knew that would happen? You never know what opportunities arise when you meet new people.

Our partnership with Magical Vacation Planner came about because two things happened. First, I met Jamie Eubanks, the founder of the company. Second, we kept in touch.

One of the ways I meet new people, is I make myself available. I'm not shy about telling people I am at Starbucks every morning. People often show up there to meet me.  My phone number was in one of my books. I encouraged people to call me.

On the 200th episode of Creating Disney Magic, we examine the Guest Experience Cycle.

Disney implements the Guest Experience Cycle to make sure guest have the best vacation of their lives. 

Anticipation - Anticipate what your guests will expect so you can work on those items before the guest arrives.

Arrival - What will the experience be like when your guest arrives? Whether a guest arrives in person, on the internet, or by phone what will the experience be like for them?

Experience - Think through what the entire experience of the guest will be like. A guest will have many experiences during their time with you, not just a single experience. Each one of these experiences should be thought out by you in advance and planned.

Departure - You have one more opportunity to make a guest feel good. What will you do with it? Don't let a guest leave without doing one more thing to make them feel special.

Savor - If you have anticipated and planned an excellent experience for a guest, they will savor the visit. Your goal should be to create an experience so delightful the guest savors the moments they had with you. 

If you adopt the Guest Experience Cycle, you will begin seeing a difference in your business in a week. 

Don't underestimate the impact this simple plan can have on your business. You will have guests and customers return because you made their experience so delightful. Never forget, the customer you have is a whole lot more valuable than the customer you might get. Rather than spend money on promotion and trying to get new customers, invest your time and dollars into the Guest Experience Cycle and take care of the customers you already have. 

It doesn't matter what business you are in, and how big or small your business is in, the Guest Experience Cycle will have an impact. 

Remember, you can create magic, too. 

Career Magic is available as an Audiobook. You can get it Here.