Our special guest on this week’s episode of the Vibrant Leadership Podcast is Dan Cockerell, the author of How's the Culture in Your Kingdom? Dan graduated from Boston University in 1991 with a degree in Political Science. After graduating, he moved to Florida and worked as a parking attendant at Disney's Epcot Center. He went on to join the Disneyland Paris management trainee program and went to France as part of the opening team in 1992.
Show Notes
Our special guest on this week’s episode of the Vibrant Leadership Podcast is Dan Cockerell, the author of How's the Culture in Your Kingdom? Dan graduated from Boston University in 1991 with a degree in Political Science. After graduating, he moved to Florida and worked as a parking attendant at Disney's Epcot Center. He went on to join the Disneyland Paris management trainee program and went to France as part of the opening team in 1992.
After five years in France, Dan came back to Florida and held a number of management positions at the Disney World Resort, including Vice President of Epcot, Vice President of Disney's Hollywood Studios, and eventually Vice President of the Magic Kingdom, where he led 12,000 cast members, and entertained over 20 million guests annually.
Dan says, “I think a lot of times leadership becomes too inwardly focused for people and it's about who they are and what they do. At the Magic Kingdom, it didn't matter who I was because I didn't see the guests; I was leading 12,000 people who interacted with 20 million people. My job was to make sure those 12,000 people loved what they did so we could complete our mission to create incredible magical experiences for guests.”
We chat with Dan about setting clear expectations, as well as:
- Disney’s formula for an incredible guest experience
- Hiring practices to find the best people who align with Disney’s values
- Frontline workers at Disney creating the real magic
- 12,000 cast members tuning into the same purpose every day
- Letting go of your ego to allow your team to provide constructive feedback
- And more
What is Build a Vibrant Culture Podcast?
💥 Ignite your company culture with the Build a Vibrant Culture podcast!
We bring together incredible leaders, trailblazing entrepreneurs, and expert visionaries to share the secrets to their success, explore real-world challenges, and reveal what it truly takes to lead with energy, passion, and purpose as a 🌟VIBRANT🌟 Leader.
🎧 Tune in every week as Nicole Greer dives deep with a new inspiring guest, delivering fresh insights and actionable wisdom to elevate your leadership game!
💥 Subscribe now and leave a review to help drive the future of creating vibrant workplaces!
💥 Need a speaker, trainer, or coach? Visit our website today: www.vibrantculture.com
💥 Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/build-a-vibrant-culture-nicole-greer/
💥 Want to be a guest on the show? Email Nicole@vibrantculture.com