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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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Creating Disney Magic
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Now displaying: September, 2020
Sep 29, 2020

When we don't have much experience in the field we're working in, or get a big promotion, we can have what some people call Imposter Syndrome. 

Imposter syndrome is when you feel like you aren't deserving or good enough for the opportunity, even if your track record might suggest otherwise.  These feelings can be especially prevalent we don’t have much experience in the field in

This week’s episode features a question from a listener who is struggling with imposter syndrome. On the episode, we talk about how to overcome imposter syndrome when we’re leading a team with far more experience than us.

When I first started working at Disney, I didn’t know anything about the theme park. In fact, I had never even been to Disney World! I wasn’t there to run the parks, though. It was my job to be a leader and let the experts around me run the parks.  

The first thing you should do is get everything out of the way upfront. Have a team meeting and have the person who hired you to explain why they chose you for the job. Tell your team that you’re excited to learn from them. Think up every question they may have and address all of them.

If you have the right attitude, have support from the boss, and get every concern squared away immediately, you’ll learn the job. Don’t come in and assert your authority. Be cooperative. Be willing to admit when you don’t know something and ask your team questions.

If there are still employees who aren’t going along with the decision, talk with them one-on-one. Ask them what else you can do to make them happy. Just deal with it and put the flame out as best and as quickly as you can.

Above all, remember that someone in leadership believes you can do the job. They saw something in you. Go in every day seeking to prove the doubters wrong.

If you want to become a strong leader and not worry about imposter syndrome, join us in the Cockerell Academy.

Sep 22, 2020

Innovation doesn’t get in the way of structure. Innovation helps create structure.

Your organization needs to have policies, procedures, and standards within your organization in order to protect your employees and prevent disaster. Once we figure out the best way to do something, we must do it that way and make sure everyone in the organization knows we do it that way.

Structure won’t lead to micromanagement if you’ve hired the right people. If you can rely on your team, they will follow the policies and procedures you’ve put in place.

Anything can get better. If leadership wants to improve something and has the drive to do so, it can be improved.

Structure won't lead to less innovation.  Instead, when you get the right policies and procedures in place, they will create more freedom. They take away the questions and in that way create more innovation.

On this episode, we talk about why structure is so important in organizations and how to make sure it doesn’t impede innovation.

To learn more about adding structure and innovation to your team, check out CockerellAcademy.com

Sep 15, 2020

On this episode of Creating Disney Magic, I answer two listener questions. Both about looking for or starting new jobs. 

Here are some tips;

Applying for jobs online is tough. It is better to know someone. Be recommendable and have someone who can recommend you. 

Use a resume as a way for people to find out who you are, not just what you have done. 

My career didn't take off until my mid-forties. By the time I had an opportunity with Disney, I was ready. Don't be afraid to start over or make a big shift in your 30s or 40s. 

One thing valuable to employers is experience, which you have after you have worked for a while. 

Your greatest assets are your attitude, and what other people are saying about you. 

Be flexible, volunteer for assignments, work the tough shifts, keep learning, have a great attitude, and stick out like a sore thumb. Get a reputation where people notice you and are talking about you. 

To get more career advice and training you won't find anywhere else, join us in the Cockerell Academy. 

 

 

Sep 8, 2020

On this episode of Creating Disney Magic, I want to talk about the importance of continuous training for leaders and employees.

When should you redo formal training?

The training interval will vary depending on what field you’re in. For example, if you are in the medical field, you would need to stay current on pathogens, policy, and procedures for illness and infections. Where if you are in the food industry, then staying current on food handling, proper cleaning procedures, and food safety would be paramount. It would also be necessary to redo training after a leave of absence since policies and procedures can often change rapidly.

Why should you train continuously?

If not trained and retrained, people will shortcut and not apply the formal training the way it was intended, the consequences of this could be deadly. Great leaders continuously train themselves and then coach their staff so they can all be the best example of safety, customer service, and leadership possible.

When we continuously coach the team, not only does it keeps the training information fresh at the front of our minds, it also allows coaching on specific situations that need to be addressed. Using a daily coaching strategy can implement changes as needed rather than waiting for something to happen before we handle a situation.

If your company or business is not paying for training, coaching, or continuing education, it is your responsibility to invest in yourself to become the best leader you can be.

Are you interested in continuing your education and growing your leadership skills?

Visit https://www.cockerellacademy.com for more information.

Sep 1, 2020

On this episode of Creating Disney Magic, we have an anonymous listener question that strikes a chord with a lot of people including myself. 

“What do you do when someone takes credit for your ideas?” 

It is really tough when someone takes an idea you shared, possibly in confidence with them, and presents it as their own idea. What this really indicates is that the person, claiming it as their own idea, is insecure in some way. Insecurity could come from a number of reasons like fear of being passed over for promotion, trying to impress the boss, feeling out of place or it could be because they don’t care who they step on in order to move up.

Depending on the underlying reason the way you handle it will vary. This may be as simple as talking to them in private and letting them know that as a team we share ideas without claiming credit by the individual person. It could also be something they are not aware they are even doing and when brought to their attention they will stop doing it immediately. There are also times it will require intervention by upper management so that claiming credit by the individual doesn’t dissolve the camaraderie of the team.

Having hard conversations isn’t easy and though they may be uncomfortable, they are necessary to create a strong team. 

Always look for ways to improve your leadership skills. You can start by checking out https://www.cockerellacademy.com. It is never too late to get better. 

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