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

The way you handle customer complaints can make or break your company. Today, companies often look for a quick and easy way to deal with complaints. Automated options are a good resource, but you can’t let technology take the place of truly serving your customer. Disney is known for its customer service and how they handle complaints. They investigate each one with a personal call. That in and of itself can serve to resolve issues. People need to feel heard, and having the opportunity to talk with someone who genuinely cares about their experience goes a long way in handling issues. Couple that with a quick response, and you will be leaps and bounds ahead of the competition. People want to know that they aren’t just a number. Personal contact and solutions show customers they are valued, which cultivates customer loyalty. For smaller companies, you can still offer top-notch customer service. Make sure your train your employees to handle complaints. Equip them with a clear understanding of what they can do to

There is a lot going on in the world right now. Whether it is understanding the benefit of Cloud services or navigating this new season in the world of hiring and retaining talent, leadership is taking a long hard look at how they operate. One thing leaders need to be looking at is how they can cut through the multiple layers of management and connect directly with employees. With every layer of management you add, communication gets diluted. It becomes a grown-up version of the game of telephone. By the time concerns get to the correct individuals, the message is corrupted from the original intent. As leaders, we need to prioritize connecting directly to those at the source of a situation. When you hire the right people and provide the needed quality training, you don’t need as many managerial layers. By respecting, including, and involving those on the front lines, you create a culture that empowers employees to do the right thing. Hire the right people, and you won’t need backup levels of micromanagers. Wh

Now more than ever, individuals are resigning from their current jobs and pursuing something different. It’s being called The Great Resignation. People have realized that they don’t want to do a job that they don’t like. They also don't want to be where they don’t feel valued. They have learned that they can work from home and be with their family. They have learned that enduring a commute every day is not necessary. Employers and leaders must be prepared to offer more. More money? Maybe. Beyond the dollars and cents, you have to be ready with more than just monetary compensation. Value your employees. Let them know they matter. Team with them. Get to know their goals and commit to helping them succeed. When people are satisfied with their work and feel valued, they don’t want to leave. Every industry is complaining about the lack of people. Jobs are sitting undone because there is no one to do them. When you focus on people, your problems will be solved. Be nice. Be respectful and inclusive. Help your employ

It is never easy having hard conversations. Today I am answering a listener question in this vein. An anonymous listener asks: What do you do when you love your job but can’t stand what is happening behind the scenes with management? How do you have a conversation with your boss to address your concerns? It can be intimidating to approach your boss with concerns. Sometimes, we can even build it up in our minds and imagine the worst possible outcome. You won’t lose your job over raising concerns, especially if you do it in the right way. Take some time to write out your questions and concerns. Do some research. Are you the only one who feels this way, or is it a recurring issue among the staff? Look beneath the surface. What is your manager like? Might there be an outside circumstance that is impacting your current situation? Once you take a good look at it and get organized, set up a meeting. Approach it humbly. Come at it from a standpoint of how can you help? Chances are your boss doesn’t even realize how e

In his poem “If” Rudyard Kipling closes with the line, “If you can fill the unforgiving minute with sixty seconds worth of distance run, yours is the earth and everything that’s in it." Today Jody and I are discussing what you can do to make the most of your time. I’ve been preaching the power of 60 seconds for years. When you fill your minute with something that pays off down the road, you can make the most of the time you have. How do you make sure you have time to invest what matters? You plan it. Planning out your time will make sure you build a life centered on what is important to you. Being intentional is an attitude. You don’t get the payoff right away, but as you continue, you will see the reward. Set time aside to work out, sleep and eat right. Your decision can cause you trouble. We often don’t know how bad you’ve been until you start to see how good you can feel. Have a discussion with yourself and get yourself on track. You become the culture you grow up in. If you are looking for a tool to help

Today Jody and I are answering a question submitted by Melanie Maximus. Melanie asks, “How do you handle negatives posts online or comments in person from former employees?” In the wake of an ongoing pandemic, businesses have closed or have had to lay off employees at an unprecedented rate. While the reasoning may be understandable, it doesn’t mean there won’t be some upset former team member left in the wake. As a leader, it doesn’t matter if the feedback is from a disappointed former employee or a disgruntled one, make sure you engage them with ethics and honesty. You can let them know you are sorry for how things turned out. You can listen to them and let them know they are heard. Whether the comments are online or in person, don’t get into a debate. For feedback left on an online forum, don’t address it online. That is a sure-fire way to blow it up. If the comments are in person, hear them, treat them with compassion and remain calm. Don’t defend yourself and don’t try to convince them. You can validate h

Today Jody and I are talking about what it takes to create a great experience. I have visited restaurants where the food was good, but the waiter was great. Their service elevated the experience. A middle-of-the-road product can be elevated into a good experience through great customer service. Products aren’t what sets a company or organization apart. Service that shines can outweigh the product it produces. The beauty of great service is anyone can do it. You don’t have to be in leadership or have a title. You may not be in a position to do anything about the product itself, but you can serve people well. Anyone can be the one who says I am going to do what I can where I am at with what I have, and that is what causes an organization to shine. For those in leadership, the level of service your team provides is your responsibility. If you hire the right people, put them in the right position, and communicate and enforce clear expectations, you will cultivate a culture that produces excellent service. If your

Today, Jody brought up an interesting story I had illuded to when we first started this podcast. In the 1970s, I ran a restaurant in the Fairfield Inn in Philadelphia. While there, there was a woman that came in every day and ordered tea. There was a particular instance when this customer decided to complain about the water not being hot. This story sparked the question between Jody and me: should you argue with a customer? This encounter solidified a specific understanding for me: The world does not revolve around Lee. Just get the customer the tea. We have discussed the importance of treating guests as individuals before. When you personalize and individualize how you treat guests, you will have return customers. If you have a customer complain, don’t get upset about it. It is about the issue, not you. Your customers and employees know everything you need to know to make your company better. You just have to be open when they come up. Complaints are one way you may receive this insight. Chances are that com

In today’s corporate landscape, it is hard to fill jobs. Many leaders ask how to make their companies a desirable place to work, especially if you don’t have direct control over what you can pay. Today, you have to give more than a payday or a salary to get people to come and work for you. When considering how to make your company competitive in the employment pond, ask yourself what else can you offer potential employees? Treating people with appreciation, recognition, and encouragement can be a difference-maker. Providing a clear path for development adds to an environment that communicates value. The environment has a lot of staying power for you. People can get a paycheck anywhere, so you need to offer more. Once you hire someone, connect with them, involve them. Help your employees know they matter. Show them that they are valued and that you care for them. You have to be intentional about sending that message. This will help cultivate an environment that grows committed employees. As a leader, you have

Today Jody and I are covering a topic that is relevant to many companies. What do you do when you are reintroducing staff back into the office? So many companies have had to go remote over the past year and a half. As many companies seek to return to business as "normal", it is important to learn from this season and see what is best for our company. Don’t get stuck on the idea that everyone needs to come back in. If you have stayed in contact with your team while at home, they should understand expectations and the vision because you have kept it in front of them. Don’t get stuck on getting people back. Instead, focus on doing what works best for you and your team. We have learned that there is a lot that can be done virtually.  There is a market for it. There is also a market for in-person connections. As a leader, you have a lot to think through, and you have to make the call of what is best. Whatever you decide, do your best to create buy-in when bringing people back. Give recognition. If your team is sta

Today I am taking a listener question: As a manager, how do you set professional boundaries between you and employees but still be there for them and be supportive? This specific question is motivated by a leader who is getting calls at all hours of the day and night from their employees. They want to be available, but not at the expense of their family. This might seem like a large challenge, but when you boil it down, it hinges on something simple: Clarity. Whether you are clarifying company protocols or what decisions are within an employee's purview to make, as a leader, the clarity you bring will help create and reinforce healthy boundaries. Often, a question that comes up once will come up again. As you notice patterns, be proactive. Get those involved in a room and document the appropriate answer. Once it is clear what protocol is, train your team. Empower them to make the call at the moment by creating clarity around an issue and providing the training need to execute it. People are more responsible t

One of the most underrated skills a leader must have is the ability to listen. Even if it is one of the five senses, it takes intentionality and cultivation to make it a skill. How you listen, as a leader can make or break your team. It is easy to mistake planning how to replay with actively listening. The difference is remaining present. Take time to prepare yourself and actively listen. Put your phone away. Remove distractions. Sit near the individual you are listening to. Take notes and let them get it all out before you craft an answer. Taking notes will help you know how to follow up and how you follow-up builds your credibility. Listening is one of the best ways to build trust. Whether you are a leader or a parent, taking the time to listen to the small things paves the way to being trusted with the large ones. How we listen to people communicates how we value them. Not to mention failing to listen fully can lead you to make a wrong or ill-informed decision. If you want to work with a team that will lis

Catie Harris, the founder of Nursepreneurs, joins Creating Disney Magic to talk about nurses and healthcare.  Hospitals can be a tough environment for nurses. Many nurses prefer to take a holistic approach to patient care, but it doesn't always work that way in a hospital. Often, this leads to nurses getting out of healthcare.  Nursepreneurs helps nurses start their own businesses, so they can still care for patients. Many nurses don't believe they can start their own business since most healthcare careers are tied to hospitals.  Catie offers insight into why nurses feel burnout and why some hospitals are struggling to keep enough on staff.  The problems with culture in hospitals and turnover are the same many organizations are dealing with. When staff is stressed out, it is hard to maintain a vibrant culture. 

Today, Louie Gravance, author of Service is a Superpower, is joining me on my final podcast recording in Colorado. As many people are currently encountering, dependability in service industries is struggling. From airlines to restaurants to Harry Potter World, the service industry is running on a bare-bones crew who has grown rusty in their craft. Louie unpacks the importance of everyone wanting and needing to be heard. Those in service may not be able to guarantee a flight, but they can go out of their way to make sure those enduring inconveniences are heard and taken care of. Louie said it best – to deliver a wow moment, aim for the heart, not the head. When you give, you gain strength. When you give, you will have more. Attitude surpasses technical skills, and when you can exceed a customer's expectations, it rivals a standing ovation any day. You have to ask yourself, are you going to make it better or worse for other people? This is a time when going above and beyond can be the difference-maker in someon

As I wrap up my last week in Colorado, Jody and I want to tackle a unique listener question from an anonymous listener. If you have a diverse staff, how do you handle it when some of your staff speak their native language? Especially if another staff member is concerned that they are being talked about? Honestly, I have been guilty of this myself. When I worked in France, I didn’t speak French, and I spoke English to anyone on my staff who understood it. I was not using my native language to talk about any of the French-speaking staff. It was a matter of ability and comfort. It is probably not something that needs to be a concern. People feel comfortable speaking in their native language. If a team member is worried, you can mention it to the party in question and confirm with both parties what was discussed. The goal is not to worry. As English speakers, we must understand we live in a multi-cultural world. We would not want to have to speak every language of every country to do business there. It isn’t real

I recently mentioned the importance of going out and getting feedback from your customers. It is key to setting yourself apart in most industries. Your customers and your employees know everything you need to know, you just need to ask. How do you ask for feedback?  Very simply. My two favorite questions to use are 1) Would you recommend us to your loved ones? Why or why not? 2) What can we do better? Simple. You don’t need a huge survey. That can turn people off. If it takes too long, your customer may lose interest or stop investing in their answers. Keep it simple and make it personal. People are busy and they don’t have time to run your business for them. Once you have their answers, thank them. If you need to make something right, make it right. Once you have the information, you need to be ready to take action. How do you know what to take action on? Where do you see a trend or hear a comment more than usual? Don’t be afraid to dig a little deeper, and ask around your organization to find if others are

When you know better, you do better. When you learn more, you know more. In this episode, I am answering Glenn’s question. Glenn asked a question based on a quote of mine. You’ve got to know more to be more. What does that look like? Knowledge is power. When you know things, people listen to you. You have more power, more influence. You get better opportunities, and you make better decisions. You can help people more. There is value in education. I’m not just talking about college, but the hunger to learn and grow. When paired with your experience and what you are exposed to, your education makes you a better person. If you aren’t getting knowledge, you aren’t getting “it”. You can learn a lot in as little as 15-20 minutes in a day. Break it down into bite-size chunks. Listen to a 10-15 minute podcast once a day. In two years, investing 10-15 minutes a day, you can become an expert in most topics. Everything is connected, in one way or another. Get a wide range, varying points of view, and make sure you get o

No one likes breaking bad news to people. As a leader, sometimes that goes with the job description. It may be logistical issues or maybe even breaking the news to someone about a promotion they will not be getting. In this episode, I will answer a listener question along these lines. This week’s question comes from a listener who was actually in this situation. How do you navigate any fallout from having to hire only one person out of a pool of leadership options? Often, we want to overcomplicate things. We end up spending more time and effort worrying about the outcome than needed. The best answer is always to tell them the truth. Sit down one on one and explain to them. There can be only one person, and sometimes, it is a matter of one person being the best fit out of a strong pool of candidates. Let them know if there was a key differentiator. If there is hope for a promotion in the future, communicate that. Don’t try to manipulate it, and don’t overcomplicate it. Deal in facts. Most of the time, people w

Jody and I are in person again, recording from my office in Orlando. We are trying a new setup. One topic is on my mind as we navigate a world opening up after an unprecedented pandemic: what has happened to customer service? During the shutdown, many businesses had to pivot. They had to make changes and figure out how to work in a “touchless” world. As things continue to open up, companies have to make the call: continue delivering bare-bones or embrace customer service. If you are the one making the call, there are a few things you need to remember. The market will take care of people who skimp on service. Rather than looking for ways to cut costs at the expense of your customers' experience, try treating them like you would someone visiting your home. Taking shortcuts trying to save a few bucks will backfire in the end. It can be difficult; navigating the new normal. Keep talking to your customers. Find out what they like. Pay attention to how they respond to the changes you are making. Efficiencies are gr

Jody and I are recording in person again from Orlando. After a recent conversation with Ron Logan, the question of building a solid reputation is at the forefront of our minds. Your reputation gets to other people before you do. How you treat people and how you help them gets spread around. People’s opinions of you get broadcast. Like it or not, people are talking behind your back. Good or bad. Your reputation is getting better or worse every day based on what you do or don’t do. Doing the right thing isn’t always easy, but it is one way to ensure you are building a trustworthy reputation. Every day, make sure what you say you will do is something you can live up to. You are judged by whether or not you live up to your word. Every day, your reputation is being formed…by you. If you want to be trusted, you must be trustworthy. To be trustworthy you have to do what you say you will do. Practically speaking, make sure you have an open mind and respect those you work alongside. Don’t let ego get in the way. Remem