The Walt Disney Company has had a large influence on the lives of many people. Through the characters, experiences, and stories that the company has spread to the lives of billions, it remains one of the world's largest companies. Even with recent acquisitions of companies like Marvel and 21st Century Fox, Disney has held in the ways and philosophies that make it one of the most influential organizations to date.
Many people can be credited for the growth and success Disney has experienced and is continuing to achieve, but no one deserves more credit than Robert A. Iger (former CEO and current Executive Chairman of The Walt Disney Company and Chairman of the Board of Directors). I recently had the opportunity to read Bob's book The Ride of a Lifetime, which gave more understanding and context to the lessons that Bog Iger had learned throughout his lifetime that paved the way for Disney to be where they are today.
This post is dedicated to sharing the lessons from Bob Iger that, if applied to our day-to-day lives, can make a difference towards the growth and success we can achieve – even if we don’t become CEO someday.
Live With Optimism
We live in a crazy world, but we choose how we see and respond to it. Instead of living with pessimism and fear, tap into optimism. Choose to have faith in yourself and the work that you do. Doing so will lead to more opportunities towards creating a better world, but most importantly, a better world for yourself. By leaning into optimism, it will enable you to focus on feeling confident in yourself to focus on what matters and not operate from a place of defensiveness.
Never Lose Focus On What Matters
Life can become busy fast, and it is essential to reflect and think about the actions and choices we make each day – are they in alignment with what I believe in, and are they towards something that matters? With all the responsibilities and duties we complete for ourselves and others, it is important to communicate your priorities early and often. This practice enables self-reflection and continued practice to ensure you are on the path you want.
Be Decisive
To bring your ideas and dreams to life, one must be decisive in the choices one makes. Instead of being stuck in analysis paralysis – it is imperative to make choices promptly. Not every option will be perfect, and the results of the choices will never be certain, but that is okay. When you don’t have all the right information, it is crucial to ask for help/learn and deploy a growth mindset. It creates an opportunity to put ego aside and set yourself up for success.
Explore Your Curiosity
Our ideas have the power to change the world, and when we explore and think about the ideas that flow through our minds, they become the seed for our realities. Whether it’s a journal or the notes app on your phone, take the time to write down your ideas and reflect on them throughout the week. Sometimes these ideas will have no direct connection to the work or ideas you are pursuing, but the ones that do may offer the breakthrough that can make a difference in the end. Curiosity is often needed for good innovation and adaption to the changes that occur in our lives. Always be curious and always be willing to reflect on what sparks curiosity for you.
Always Deploy Fairness And Integrity With The People You Work With/For
The work we often choose to do will involve and impact others somehow, shape or form. When we choose to deploy compassion and empathy in our actions, it sets a greater standard for treating others and impacting them. When dealing with others, create a space to hear them out and be emotionally consistent and fair-minded in how you treat them. Even when there are conflicts and mistakes from yourself or the people you work with, make sure to offer second chances for honest mistakes and take ownership for any you make. When you know who you are and are guided by your sense of right and wrong, you can never go wrong by treating people with respect and doing the right thing.
Whether you choose to take some of Bob’s lessons or all of them, we hope that they will help you on your journey towards becoming a better person. If you like the lessons from Bob Iger above, we highly recommend you check out his commencement speech at the University of Texas in Austin:
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