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Lessons from the Mouse

by Dennis Snow

(DC Press, 156 Pages)

Lessons From the Mouse is constructed as a series of lessons -- because therein lies the secret to discovering Disney s magic -- understanding and applying these ideas every day in a disciplined way. Each chapter explores how a particular lesson was taught and reinforced at Disney World and why it s important and how to apply it to other industries by using examples from the author's consulting work and from conversations with leaders and employees of other organizations. The end of each chapter provides some questions and ideas for utilizing the lesson. The book has multiple uses: raising the bar for personal performance, using a chapter for a series of staff meetings, or training modules for an entire organization. The ideas in the book have been applied to hospitals, law firms, banks, trucking companies, and gas station chains. Topics include identification of appropriate and inappropriate corporate behaviors, consistency, accepting responsibility, understanding how customers can make or break an organization, building loyalty among employee and customers, bring passion to your work, making your boss look good, and respect. Several books have already been written about the Disney way, but there is a gap in the Disney literature. Most of the books out there were written by people who had never actually worked at Disney or were written from the perspective of senior management. It was thought that there was a need for a Disney book written by someone who had actually worked on the rides, controlled the crowds at parades, stood in the rain for hours telling guests Space Mountain was closed, and even had to reprimand Goofy for poor attendance. Over the past eight years Dennis Snow has helped many organizations apply the principles found inside this book the principles he was privileged to learn at Disney. The results for these companies have been positive: improved customer satisfaction; reduced employee turnover; and increased profitability. There are a lot of ways you can apply the lessons in this book. You might decide to use them to raise the bar of your own performance. You might decide to make each chapter a topic for a series of staff meetings to get the whole team involved. If you re really ambitious, you can use each chapter as a training module for the entire organization. Or you might simply open the book periodically to any chapter for a quick dose of inspiration. However you decide to use Lessons From the Mouse, the important thing is to put the lessons to work. Anybody and any organization can employ these ideas. They have been applied by major research hospitals and by gas stations. Bank presidents as well as truck mechanics have put these principles to good use. It all comes down to commitment, consistency, and hard work.