I’m delighted to announce the launch of my book, Sweet Spot Leadership. This short, practical guide to creating more value in your business and the lasting success you deserve is now available at Amazon.com
In writing this book and in working with hundreds of multimillion-dollar business leaders over the past few decades, I’ve been able to analyze and define their common traits. One of the most important elements to get a company operating in its “sweet spot”—and therefore driving more revenue and customer value—is that the leader truly understands the “why” of their mission in a way that employees can A) understand it and B) activate it.
One of the best examples of this is the legacy of Walt Disney, the origins of which were recently touched on in the movie, Saving Mr. Banks.
Disney’s extremely strong corporate culture is one that reinforces their values consistently across every member of the company. So whether you are selling churros at Disney World or are an executive in the corporate office, you feel part of the same group. It is part of their management strategy at every level and every stage of recruitment and development.
The Disney Career’s Website describes their culture this way…
Each of our companies has a unique ability to harness the imagination in a way that inspires others, improves lives across the world and brings hope, laughter and smiles to those who need it most. Together as one team, we embrace the values that make The Walt Disney Company an extraordinary place to work:
Innovation. We are committed to a tradition of innovation and technology.
Quality. We strive to set a high standard of excellence. We maintain high-quality standards across all product categories.
Community. We create positive and inclusive ideas about families. We provide entertainment experiences for all generations to share.
Storytelling. Timeless and engaging stories delight and inspire.
Optimism. At The Walt Disney Company, entertainment is about hope, aspiration and positive outcomes.
Decency. We honor and respect the trust people place in us. Our fun is about laughing at our experiences and ourselves.
These values live in everything we do. They create a unified mission that all our people believe in and work toward.
Disney is so skilled at fostering a corporate culture that translates into profits and extreme brand loyalty that they created the Disney Institute to train in their approach to leadership excellence. To illustrate, this is from their website:
Creating a significant change in an organization begins with a clear vision of the future, rooted in core values and communicated with passion. Drawing on decades of storytelling heritage, a Disney leader shares the vision in a way that makes an emotional connection and motivates action.Disney has a foundation created by a strong heritage, established traditions, quality standards, and shared values. At each and every Disney Destination around the world, these are the assets that create our road map—the corporate culture that defines our people management processes and the philosophy that leads to every business decision. Upon this foundation we have built unique traits and behaviors, and introduced language, symbols, processes, and styles that distinguish us in the marketplace. By protecting and nurturing these differences, we remain committed, focused, and ready to achieve new business goals. Disney leaders recognize that the values and behaviors they demonstrate day-to-day will be remembered longer than their accomplishments. With the ability to influence those around them, leaders need to live the values of the organization on a daily basis. Not only does this reveal what they personally value, it provides insight into their character and ensures that their leadership will have a long-lasting, positive impact. —Disney Institute Courses
Does your own brand of leadership have this kind of clarity? Are your mission and values evident in across your corporate culture?