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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: February, 2022
Feb 22, 2022

In the book, The Goal by Ellyahu Goldratt, business is boiled down to one goal. If you are in business, the goal is to make money. Business owners use this end to justify the means, especially how you treat people, especially employees and customers. 

If you treat people right, you will make money. Modern business tells us to look at the bottom line. If you devalue the customer, who is going to contribute to that bottom line? There is no upside or reason to mistreat people if you want them to pay you.

You can still have the end goal of making money. You need to do it in a way that creates a sustainable model. Be approachable and nice. Treat people like you want people to treat your grandmother, mother, or daughter. When you find yourself in a situation, predetermine how you will behave. The potential for negative interactions comes every day. You must be intentional and program your brain to react in a kind and patient way. 

Make sure what you are doing is in line with what you are working for. Don’t lie. Work with integrity. What you try to hide will eventually come out. Giving in to negative emotions can come back up years in the future. When we treat people with kindness and as valuable, we create a model that will scale and provide income for years to come.

Nice weather is quickly approaching. If you are considering touring the states this year and hitting up national parks, make sure you reach out to Magical Vacation Planners. You can reach them at 407-442-2694.

Feb 15, 2022

Today we are answering an anonymous listener question. Our listener asks: “What is your take on personal and family considering and advice on making a transition overseas?”

Thinking about relocating for work? You live in the right era for it. Approach it like you would if you were moving domestically. The first thing you should do is get on the internet and do your research. Make a list of potential impacts to your family, like schools, cost of living, taxes, housing, spousal employment, etc. Identify what it will take to make your family happy and then compare what is available to you where you want to move. Will your family be happy there? If the answer is yes, examine some of the other benefits.

Exposing your family, especially your children, to other experiences and locations will prepare them for life. It instills confidence and provides varied life experiences that will help them engage their world.

If you get the chance to work internationally, I recommend grabbing it. If you can, take a small trip before committing. Past barriers, such as language, are quickly becoming less impactful. Many countries' inhabitants speak English, and you can learn the local language as you go.

When you live and work abroad, you will grow and learn how much you are capable of, adjusting when impact does come. You will gain confidence through the jump. There is often the additional perk of being able to travel more broadly when you live outside of the US.If you are looking to travel, even within the United States, I highly recommend contacting Magical Vacation Planners. You can reach them at 407-442-2694.

Feb 8, 2022

Every industry feels the impact of turnover and instability in staffing due to the current pandemic. Every industry’s customer service is also suffering. Constant staffing changes mean employees often lack training or the development needed to go above and beyond to serve. It also means that anyone can rise to the top right now by offering outstanding service.

It is the perfect time for people who want to show up and be great. There is a hole in service that needs to be filled; that means you can shine by showing up and providing service at a higher level. When you help people and take care of them, it will distinguish you. People can go anywhere for products. How they are treated keeps them coming to you; as a leader or an employee.

Often, people are getting put into the thick of it with inadequate training, and they don’t know what they don’t know. If you have something to offer your team, do it. Help those around you to succeed, and you will rise as a result.

If you are a leader, think outside of the box. You can repurpose existing training to help your team, especially in the soft skills department. We have a lot of great resources at the Cockerell Academy. Filling the holes in training and service will help you stand out when everyone around you is providing subpar experiences.

One company that is never lacking in great service is Magical Vacation Planner. Not only do they offer great service, but they can help navigate some of the most difficult industries for your next trip, so you can eliminate some of the potentials for poor service. You can reach them at 407-442-2694.

Feb 1, 2022

Today we are answering a listener question. Our anonymous listener asks: How do you balance the need to take care of employees with the very real challenge a business is facing?

First, you as a leader need to define what ‘taking care of’ means for you. I think you can start with caring for your team emotionally. Let them know they matter. When you are faced with the type of decision that puts the team against the company, bring them into the discussion. Ask their opinion on the decisions that impact them, like needing to cut costs. Communicate your desire to take care of them and always be honest around uncertainty. When people know you care about them, and you deal with them truthfully, people are understanding.

It isn’t always an easy solution, and you have to make the best choice you can. At the end of the day, you are responsible. Tell people what they are going to be thinking anyway and help them understand the reasoning for decisions. Be willing to take the heat when necessary and deal with people personally. Avoiding a problem will never solve it. Hopefully, you prioritize people, but at the end of the day, the choice is yours to make.

If you need some help making better decisions, make sure you check our Better Decisions course in the Cockerell Academy.

One decision that is easy to make is utilizing Magical Vacation Planner for your next trip. You can reach them at 407-442-2694.

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