Creating Disney Magic: Lessons In Leadership, Management, And Customer Service

Lee Cockerell never met Walt Disney. In this episode Lee discusses what he would have asked Walt Disney if they had met. Lee also discusses other great leaders.  Lee also explains the difference between leadership and management. 

When you attend training or a conference, just being there is not enough. You need to get the most out of the training.  Lee Cockerell offers advice on how to get the most out of any training, conference, or class you attend. It begins by sitting in the front row.  Lee offers insight to how Disney determines how price their products. It is all about value, not price. 

Being a professional means more than dressing nice. Being a professional is an attitude and a decision to act a certain way. A professional adds value in any situation.  Lee Cockerell also explains how companies give employees free fuel by recognizing them by name. 

Many organizations get off track with bad policies and processes. Customers see it and feel it, but often, an organization does not realize the impact of bad process.  Lee Cockerell explains how you can identify what processes and policies are causing trouble for your organization. 

Developing college and high school students into leaders gives them a head start in life. Lee addresses how students can begin to develop as leaders and how others can help.  Lee also reminds us, nothing is the way it is, it is the way you let it be. 

Lee Cockerell tells the story about growing from a shy young man who dropped out of speech class in college to becoming a keynote speaker. He also offers tips on how you can give great presentations.  Lee also gives advice on getting the job you want by doing the best you possibly can at the job you have now.   

When Lee Cockerell took a job with Disney he moved to Paris and hired 200 managers for a new resort. In this episode Lee explains how he created a Disney culture in Paris, where Disney did not have a presence.  Lee also offers advice on how to gain trust from your team. 

If your business relies on a product as a competitive advantage, it is only a matter of time before you begin to lose customers. Other business can match your product, but your service will set you apart.  Excellent customer service can be the best competitive advantage.  Lee also discusses how entire communities can came together to offer great service and ensure tourists continue to return. 

When the doors open at your business, it is as if the curtain opens for a show.  To put on a great show, it takes everyone in your organization to play their role. When everyone realizes they play a role in a show, the team can work together to create a great experience for the customer.  Lee explains how to adopt the concept of putting on a show in your organization. 

Have you ever called a company with a question or concern only to be transferred to a customer service department? Lee Cockerell explains that customer service is not a department. Instead, customer service is an organization wide attitude. It is an approach an organization take to giving authority to employees to serve the customer. 

Don't underestimate the influence you have on other people. As a leader, it is your responsibility to help those around you become great.  Lee Cockerell explains how you can help others live up to their potential.  Lee also discusses how knowing the rules can help everyone win. 

Is your Time Management Effective? In this episode, Lee Cockerell explains how to effectively manage time and get more done. All of us have the same about of time available, but the most successful people manage their time different.   Successful people create magic with their time, and you can too.   

Most people can get 50% more done with their time. Being overworked is not the problem. Being under-organized is the problem. In Lee Cockerell's new book, Time Management Magic, he outlines the exact system he used to get so much done while he was the Executive Vice President of Operations at Disney World. Time management is the key to Lee's success.     

Lee Cockerell explains how he used a weekly newsletter, the Main Street Diary, to build connections with Disney Cast Members. The Main Street Diary helped enhance the Disney culture and shared stories of success at Walt Disney World.  Lee offers advice on where to begin to create a newsletter for your own company.  Lee also explains why you need to work on the hard things to improve your life. 

Lee Cockerell asked his 12 year old granddaughter what makes great customer service. Her simple answer of "Be Nice" can have a profound impact on your organization.  In this episode Lee explains how being nice will help you in customer service, management, and other areas of your life. Lee also outlines a script you can use to be nice during difficult conversations.  Lee also talks about how to handle a culture of poor customer service in a small company. 

Lee Cockerell explains an early lesson he learned from Bill Marriott.  This lesson about flies at a hotel stuck with Lee through the rest of his career. Understanding the concept of "Everyone Has Flies" caused Lee to take responsibility of any problem and grab a flyswatter to attack the problem.  Lee also discusses the impact time management had on his career and personal life. Lee's upcoming book, Time Managment Magic, outlines the system Lee uses to manage his own time. 

Everyone who works for Disney is a cast member, not an employee. In this episode of Creating Disney Magic, Lee Cockerell explains why they are called cast members and the impact it has on the culture of Disney.  Lee also reveals his favorite ride at Disney World. 

Creating Disney Magic with Lee Cockerell delivers lessons in leadership, management, and customer service.  In this introductory episode of Creating Disney Magic, Lee Cockerell tells his story, beginning with growing up on a farm in Oklahoma.  Lee is best known for his time as Vice President of Operations at Walt Disney World. You will hear the story of how Lee got to Disney, and some of the most valuable lessons he learned while there.