Articles | Disneyland | Walt Disney World
Results 1 to 3 of 3

Thread: Korkis Korner: Walt Disney's Leadership

  1. #1
    MousePlanet Staff
    MousePlanet Staff
    MousePlanet AutoPoster's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2001
    Location
    MousePlanet Global HQ

    Korkis Korner: Walt Disney's Leadership

    Walt Disney's Leadership by Jim Korkis

    Jim reflects on what we can learn from Uncle Walt.

    Read it here!


  2. # ADS

    Join Date
    Location
    Posts
     

  3. #2
    Registered User DisneyGator's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Modesto (Waterford), California

    Hmmm. Was Walt a micro-manager? By reading a few bits of info you provided, it reminds me of some micro-managers I've had - only Walt could inspire rather than just create a network of fear like most micro-managers. What do you think?

    Working for Disney. No, no. Working (in a Modesto office) for (the money to take a trip to) Disney (World/Land)

    WDW Trips: June 2002, Feb 2004, Dec 2006, Dec 2008, Jan 2010, Feb 2011, Dec 2012
    Disneyland Trips: Feb 2006, Nov 2013, Nov 2014, Feb, March, June 2015 (x2), Nov 2015

  4. #3

    Yes, Walt was a micro-manager at times

    Quote Originally Posted by DisneyGator View Post
    Hmmm. Was Walt a micro-manager? By reading a few bits of info you provided, it reminds me of some micro-managers I've had - only Walt could inspire rather than just create a network of fear like most micro-managers. What do you think?
    Very clever that you spotted that Walt could be a micro-manager. In my presentation, I point out some of the Leadership things NOT to do that Walt did.

    Walt, however, fought against micro-managing. For instance, he took an extended trip to Europe in 1935 and left others in charge to make decisions about the animated shorts. He did this purposely because he was going to start work on SNOW WHITE and he couldn't micro-manage both the shorts and the feature. To his delight, he discovered that the people he had trained and trusted made the right decisions in his absence so it made it possible for him to focus on SNOW WHITE when he returned.

    Walt considered his micro-managing "attention to detail" and for the most part, it was. Often he would give an animator or an Imagineer an assignment with only vague suggestions and let them loose to achieve it. Only later he would come in to the project to tweak it...generally for the better. If the animator or Imagineer had the project fail or explode, Walt always supported them if he felt they had made their best effort, something most micro-managers would not do. In the Fantasyland attraction, Walt wanted Dumbo's ears to flap but when it proved not to work well, without hesitation he had that addition eliminated.

    Walt liked to get his hands in everything and play but it is important to remember that most of the people involved WANTED Walt's input and approval. However, there was sometimes a frustration where Walt had to sign off on something before it proceeded to the next level and with Walt's busy schedule, he wasn't always available to do so as quickly as people liked.

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •