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Creating Disney Magic

Lee Cockerell, former Executive Vice President of Operations for Walt Disney World, shares his wisdom and experience from his time with Disney, Marriott, and Hilton. Lee joins show host Jody Maberry to discuss how you can apply lessons in leadership, management, and customer service to create magic in your organization.
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Now displaying: 2018
Jul 24, 2018

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. 

Jul 17, 2018

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.  

Jul 10, 2018

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. 

 

Jul 5, 2018

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. 

Jul 3, 2018

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. 

Jun 26, 2018

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. 

Jun 19, 2018

If your business is struggling, it may be hard to hear this, but here is the candid truth...Your business is as good as you want it to be. 

Most business can turn things around in only 2 to 4 weeks. 

In this episode of Creating Disney Magic, I use a doctor office as an example of where to begin to turn a business around. 

The problem in a doctor's office is the doctor doesn't know what is going on out front. But there is so much involved in a customer's experience than the time they spend with the doctor. 

Here are the three steps I would implement right away to change a doctor's office, or any business.

  1. Bring everyone together after the office closes and explain how the office will be tomorrow when it opens. Be clear. Be candid. 
  2. Write down what you expect for each position and role. Provide processes, procedures, guidelines, and scripts all focusing on creating a better experience for the customer. 
  3. Follow up. Ask customers how you are doing. If customers haven't felt the change, there hasn't been a change. 

You may have to repeat these steps over and over until change catches on. For the first month, you may have to be in front of your people every day before the door opens and the show begins. Repeat your expectations over and over until it begins to stick. 

Sure, it is hard work. But let me remind you, your business is as good as you want it to be. 

Jun 12, 2018

When you introduce yourself, or someone asks about you, what do you say?

So many people discuss the work they do. This is especially a problem for those of us in the United States. 

Be careful about becoming who you work for instead of who you are. 

Some people never recover from having a big-ego job. I get it. Those jobs make other people think you matter. Or, that is what you think, anyway.

When I retired, people would ask me if it was hard to leave a high position at Disney. No. It wasn't hard to retire, even though I was Executive Vice President of Walt Disney World. 

During my career, I never really identified myself with Hilton, Marriott, or Disney. I worked for Lee Cockerell. 

People get attached to their job because they work for a high profile company, or have a big position. It leads them to stay too long or keep doing work that doesn't make them happy. 

Next time you introduce yourself, remember this...who you are is more important than what you do. 

Jun 5, 2018

Remote teams are just a fact of business life now. There is no going back.

Whether it comes from telecommuting, an organization spread out geographically or working with employees who work from remote locations, most organizations deal with remote workers.

Now, leaders have to understand how to communicate better with people they do not see in person.

To discuss this topic, we invited Kevin Eikenberry to join us on Creating Disney Magic.

Kevin is the author of the new book, The Long Distance Leader: Rules for Remarkable Remote Leadership

Although remote work has changed the work environment, leadership has not changed. In the book, and on this episode, Kevin talks about how to lead remote teams. 

With distance between you and the staff, it becomes harder to check in. We have to be deliberate and intentional. We can't touch the people on our team, but they need to feel like we have had the personal touch with them.

May 29, 2018

Sometimes you have to ask Why five times to get to the truth. 

What you hear at first is not always the truth. Or not the whole truth, anyway. 

At first, people put the best story up front. They hope it will be enough and you won't go deeper. 

Ask Why. Go deeper. Get down to the truth and get all the details. 

If you want to prevent the problem from happening again, you have to understand what happened. 

Be relentless. Don't accept what you hear at first. Dig deeper. Ask Why five times to uncover what really happened. 

Without the truth, you will not be able to make proper decisions. You asking Why also helps staff think deeper when a problem arises.

If you want to learn more, read this Entrepreneur article about asking Why.  

May 22, 2018

When you are searching for people to add to your staff, you have to have a wide approach. 

Don't just post a job opening and hope the right person applies. 

Finding the right person starts long before you have a job opening. Having the right contacts and relationships with a wide variety of people can lead you to the right person, so it is a good idea to meet people across different industries and professions. 

At Disney World, we would carry a card to give to people we think would be a good fit at Disney. 

Focus on getting well known in your community. Have a good relationship with high schools and colleges. 

One of the best sources of new employees is right in front of you. Good people bring good people into the organization. If you have good employees already, turn to them to get referrals. 

When it comes to hiring the right people, create obstacles in your interview process. Never judge the size of the obstacle. Consider their thinking process and the motivation behind their actions. Carol Quinn is the authority when it comes to hiring. Check out her book Don't Hire Anyone Without Me

You may also consider including a scenario or a task in the interview process. For example, you may want to have a chef make a hamburger as part of the interview process. 

May 15, 2018

Emergencies are the extreme example of finding out how well you have done in delegating authority. 

When you have an emergency you have no time for anyone to wonder what they should do and what responsibility they have. You have to sort it out before you have a problem. 

You don't plan what to do in a tornado when you hear the tornado siren. 

Think about what could go wrong. Work through the scenarios and determine who will do what task. Part of the planning for handling an emergency is to talk to people so they know what they will be doing. Everyone needs to know their role ahead of time. And don't delegate a responsibility to someone who won't be able to handle it. 

Gather your team in a room and discuss different emergencies you could face. If you need inspiration, pull out a recent newspaper and pull headline to talk through it. What would you do if that situation happened to your organization?

Anticipate what can happen and then have your team work through the scenario. Reflect what other organizations have done to minimize the emergency.  

Do you have the Morning Magic Planner yet? You can get it for free HERE

The morning Magic planner will help spend 15 powerful minutes each morning setting the right course. 

If you don't plan where you are going, how are you going to get there? 

Just like putting coordinates in your GPS. Know where you are going so you can get there. 

May 8, 2018

No matter how big or small your organization is, your customers all have the same expectations; 

Make me feel special

Treat me as an individual

Respect me

Have knowledgeable employees

Now, go through these four expectations with your team and figure out how you can master them. You will have to be deliberate to master these four areas. Discuss each expectation individually and figure out what it means for you and your organization. 

If you master these four expectations you will stand out from the competition. Customers will become so loyal they won't even think about going to the competition. 

May 1, 2018

Have you ever been in a situation at work where it seemed like it was Us versus Them?

When you find this situation it often comes in the form of field staff vs. office staff. 

The problem comes from the top. This happens because the CEO lets it happen. Or, in a public agency, the Director or CEO equivalent. 

Al Weiss used to say there would not be any silos at Disney World. And if there were, someone would not be in their silo anymore because he would remove them. 

It is the responsibility of the leader to create a culture where everyone works together, appreciates each other, and realizes everyone has a hard job. 

If an organization has let Us vs. Them creep into a culture, one way to address the situation is to have the office staff work in operations. Give people the exposure and experience to understand what happens in other jobs. Once you understand the work other people are doing you will begin to appreciate them more. 

When your people begin not working together the focus shifts away from the customer. Everyone needs to work towards the same purpose. 

Every day this situation continues it chips away at the culture of your organization. There is a lot at stake. Great people will leave the organization to work at a place with a better culture. Over time you are left with average. 

Ready to take a vacation? Magical Vacation Planners is here to help. You can reach them at 407-442-2694.

Resources

Have an excellent career by learning from Lee: Career Magic

Lee’s website: https://www.leecockerell.com/

Apr 24, 2018

When you lose a customer, is it possible to win them back?

Yes, it is possible, but don't even try to win a customer back unless you are ready to have them back. 

They left you for a reason. Fix the issue that caused them to leave in the first place. Only then, should you try to win a customer back. 

And when you know you are ready to have them back, treat them like a VIP (very individual person). If you are in a position to do so, go see him or her in person. Don't settle for sending an email or text message. Definitely, don't wait for them to come to see you. It won't happen. And it is your responsibility to fix it. Own your mistake, face to face.  

Once I was an hour late for a speech. Immediately I told my customer I would deduct $5,000 from the speaking fee. They didn't ask for the fee reduction. They didn't expect it. But it was the right thing to do. I didn't serve the customer to the level I should have. It needed to be handled professionally. 

Professionals want to take a bad situation and make it right. 

So if you want to win a customer back, you need to fix the problem first. Then be professional and personal. You might win the customer back. 

Apr 17, 2018

Often, people ask me how to stand out in their job. 

Perhaps they want to know a secret. Something no one has told them before. But it is no secret. Most people know what to do, but they don't.

If you want to stand out, focus on the basics. If you focus on these five things, you will stand out about anyone else you work with;

First impressions are important.

Be an expert in something

Find a way to get better every day.

Add value above what is expected of you.

Have a great attitude.

Be better than everyone else. Get to work early, raise your hand to take on the hard tasks, work when your boss needs you to work, be willing to do long stretches of hard work when it is necessary.

To give a simple answer...raise your expectations for your performance. Now try to meet those expectations. Keep expecting more of yourself. 

If you want to hear more on this topic, listen to this episode of the Jody Maberry Show. I also contribute some insight on that episode. 

In this episode, we mention Magical Vacation Planner. If you want to take a trip to Disney, you will want to talk to them. You can even fill out this form to get more information. 

Apr 10, 2018

Want to create a magic environment around you? Start with gratitude. 

When you are around someone who is grateful, you can feel it, can't you?

I used to think about what I didn't have and complain about it. At some point in my career, I became more grateful for what I do have. You know what, life became more enjoyable. 

When you are grateful for what you have, you begin to treat people better. People around you seem to be happier. It is like taking magic with you everywhere you go. 

Gratitude is not limited to individuals. Organizations can be grateful, too. At Disney and Marriott, leaders go out of their way to make sure people matter and know they matter. Disney is the cast members. We appreciate them and in turn, cast members appreciate Disney. 

Gratitude in your organization begins with you. Even if you are not at the top of the organizational chart, you can intervene and make the environment around you better. 

Apr 3, 2018

Too often, when we have a bad employee, we assume we made a great hire and something then went wrong with the employee. The truth is, you made a bad hire. 

It is hard to admit, but it is true. 

In this episode of Creating Disney Magic, we talk candidly about hiring and firing. 

If you want to build a great culture, you have to face the truth about bad hires and put an end to it. 

In this episode, we reference Carol Quinn and her book, Don't Hire Anyone Without Me

To go deeper in this topic, listen to this interview I did with Carol Quinn on the Jody Maberry Show. 

If you want to find out more about the upcoming event in Orlando, CLICK HERE

Mar 27, 2018

Getting fired can feel like a big deal. It can feel like a blow to your confidence and your career. 

When I was younger, I took a job I shouldn't have and it led to me getting fired. 

It felt awful, of course. But it turned out to be the best thing that happened to me.

One thing you are concerned about after getting fired is if it has ruined your reputation. 

After I was fired, I was hired by Marriott. They did not care I had been fired. Next, I was recruited by Disney. By then, having been fired was a non-issue. 

If you have been fired, don't worry about taking the hit. Your career is long. Get up and get back at it. 

When you apply for your new job, be honest. Face what happened. More people have been fired than you expect. 

When I interview people, it doesn't bother me if someone has been fired or quit a job. 

Mar 20, 2018

Walt Disney was a dreamer. Some would say he was unrealistic. Some would say he was unreasonable. 

But without his dreams, there would be no Mickey Mouse. No Snow White. No Disneyland or Disney World. 

If you have big dreams, people are going to tell you that you can't do it or you are being unrealistic. 

Remember, when someone tells you something can't be done, they are talking about their limitations, not yours. Don't listen to them. Take your shot so you don't have regrets later in life. 

People who create change don't listen to the negative people. Block them out and find ways to make things happen. 

Mar 13, 2018

On this episode of Creating Disney Magic, a listener asks what I think is the biggest opportunity for the service industry. 

We've tried everything else, now let's take care of the customer. 

No gimmicks. No marketing campaign. No technology. Just people taking care of people. 

To make this happen, you have to stop relying on your business strategy and develop a leadership strategy. 

In order to take care of the customer, you need the right people. To hire and retain the right people, you need the right leadership. 

Leadership is the difference between being average and being great. 

Mar 6, 2018

This week I answer two listener questions. Although the details are different, both questions are in the same line of "my boss doesn't listen".

Yes, it happens. There are some lousy bosses out there. People are insecure. Insecurity in leadership leads to some bad behavior.

If you find yourself in this position it can make your life miserable. And my advice is simple, don't stay where you are not happy. 

Of course, it is simple to say and hard to act on. I understand many people are not in a position to do something about it. You have financial obligations. You have a family. You are scared. The job you hate is more secure than not knowing what will happen. 

But what are you giving up by staying? If you are not respected and appreciated in the workplace and you stay, you will regret it someday. 

Don't tolerate it. Can you imagine retiring after 40 years and realizing what you gave up? It happens every day. Don't let it happen to you, too.

Feb 27, 2018

If your organization has not experienced a major disruption in the past couple of years it is coming. 

Technology changes so fast, you may not even see the disruption before it hits. Look at what Amazon and Uber did to other businesses in their industry. 

The key to being ready for these disruptions is to plan for them. Even if you don't know what the disruption is, you can plan on being disrupted. 

Get a group of people from your organization together. Pick a possible disruption. Work through the problem from start to finish. How will it impact your business? Let everyone share as you uncover unintended consequences. Talk about what could cause people to no longer do business with you. 

If you anticipate disruption you can prepare for it. 

You can download my Morning Magic Planner for Free HERE.

Feb 20, 2018

In my younger days, I had trouble talking about myself. They even called me "Low Key Lee" because I kept to myself. So you might not be surprised to hear I did not interview well. 

But as I became an expert and became more confident, I became better at job interviews. 

Looking back on my career, I realize there are three things to help you create magic in a job interview;

  1. Talk about what you are passionate about. There needs to be something you are so good at and so passionate about you can talk about it all day long. For example, I am passionate about Time Management. In a job interview, I would work it in as much as possible. 
  2. Know the company before the interview. Study all aspects of the company before you sit across from the hiring manager. 
  3. Talk about the human side of business. When you discuss the importance of a strong culture and the value of proper training it will show what you value most, which is the people in the organization. 

Here is a bonus tip...you get the job before you have the interview. 

At Disney, we often knew who we were going to promote when the job came open. Reputation and results are what gets you from one job to the next. 

Build connections and a strong body of work long before you go for the next big job. 

Feb 13, 2018

Many businesses are missing a big opportunity by not finding the right time to make incremental sales. 

Or you could call it situational selling. In the right situation, you offer an additional service or product to the customer. 

It is what we do in the hotel and restaurant business. We encouraged it and sometimes would create a friendly competition. 

Some people call it upselling, but it is more like upserving because you are finding a small way to serve the customer even better. 

At Disney World, guests will listen when a cast member makes a suggestion. If you use the situation to sell additional services or products that will help a customer, you are not serving them well. 

If I visit your store to buy a shirt and also come out with three ties, you served me well because now I have the exact ties to look good in my shirt. It saves me the trouble of looking for the proper tie later. 

Incremental sales through situational selling will add a boost to your bottom line. All those little additional sales add up. If only 10% of the people say yes to your offer it adds up to big sales over time. 

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