Walt Disney said everything he had ever accomplished was a result of Mickey Mouse. Mickey was Walt’s alter ego and he was originally modeled after Charlie Chaplin’s Little Tramp character. So without Chaplin, who knows what Mickey would have become!
There is an old Indian saying, “When legends die, dreams end. When dreams end, there is no more greatness.” Leaders like Walt Disney inspire their organizations to keep their legends and stories alive.
When you focus on results, you will very seldom see a change in your culture. But, if you focus on a customer-centric culture, you will realize long-term results.
Walt’s major passion was to provide the finest in family entertainment. For the most part, for nearly a century, the Company has stayed true to that legacy, and has set the standard for the entire entertainment industry.
Write down your Dream or story; create your own unique Values, Believe in them, and use them to make all decisions; Dare to take some risks; and Do the planning, revisions and details to realize the Dream.
The best ideas can come from anyone within an organization. Leaders must remember that if they want employees to embrace a new organizational “Dream” or strategy, they need to include them and seek their ideas. Creativity is NOT just for the R&D department.
The two greatest role models in my professional career were Walt Disney and Dr. Deming. Dr. Deming was the Father of Total Quality Management and the person who redefined quality for the entire world.
