Corporate Culture

As an employee of the Disney Institute, we teach programs that highly focus on the corporate culture of the company we are teaching. Being a current business student and having just completed a business plan, I am fully aware of how important the corporate culture aspect is for the success of a company. So much so that, in fact, I am a firm believer that it is the culture of employees that will make or break any company. Currently at work we at the Disney Institute have partnered with a very large client to create a collaborative training experience tailored for this client’s needs. This client joins us every year with 5,000 interns that have been extended a job offer, in contingency with the fact that they have to complete the week’s training that the Disney Institute offers.

One event that all interns have to pass is entitled “creating your own comic.” I just recently had the opportunity to be trained in the facilitation of this event. I just want to give you a little background about what the event entails before we discuss how it aids in corporate culture. Marvel and Disney developed a comic book that captured the interns of this company; throughout the comic book you find that these interns have to help save the popular Fantastic Four characters against the evil Sandman. But the comic book does not have an ending, because it was developed so that the interns have to draft and complete their own endings however they choose. With that in mind each intern must take on a role to help finish this comic. These roles can consist of: producer, storyboard artist, or talent to just name a few. After the interns have finished their story, they will then have to locate a backdrop that best fits their storyline out of a collection of 30 life-size picture backdrops that Marvel has created. Then, the interns will take pictures with their actors and props, to construct a visual representation of each comic. At the end of the event each team leader will pitch their comic with the visual pictures their group took. The judges will then decide based upon how strong their story is and other credentials which team is the best and the winning team all win iPads.

Now the important lesson from this experience other then winning an iPad is that communication is key. Because this event is a timed event, it is important that each member does their job to their fullest capacity and work together to create this final project in a very small amount of time. They also learn through the judging process that even though the judges know them each individually that the judges are going to pick the best work that is presented. This is designed to show the interns that they must be open to accepting others success if its what’s best for the company’s growth.

I really like activities like this one because it gives an individual an experience that they can relate to, and remember. If I ever own my own company one day, I will definitely be implementing events or activities that mirror the Disney/ Marvel activity to generate lessons on corporate culture, communication and success.

                This is a picture of my team and I doing the "Create Your Own Comic Book" training.

The End of a Chapter

“The future depends on what we do in the present.” – Mahatam Gandhi

There are countless fears and excitements that accompany any student close to their graduation date. Besides never having to worry again about homework deadlines, finals, or rigorous school schedules the stresses began to trickle in to fast to intake, how will the student accumulate substantial funds to live, where to live, and what one will do with their career that will fulfill their financial needs and hopefully their wildest dreams or desires? Sometimes those worries can be more then enough to discourage any individual from pursing head strong down any path or direction. That’s why I wanted to share 5 key points that have helped myself properly handle these dreaded beginnings.

1-    Know yourself- when I returned to graduate school to further my education I expected to do just that further my education in the area of study my degree was focused on. I had no idea that throughout a graduate program I would not only learn about the subject at hand but also truly discover myself in ways I had never noticed before. As my program has progressed my wants for a career and a personal life had changed immensely. It is important to understand exactly what you want, write down a list of those goals, and then outline a plan by which those goals can be reached.  Track your goals, constantly look over your plan of action and reassess situations or plans so that they accommodate your situation at the time. So many things can change in an instant, so keep those goals up to date and attainable.

2-    Ask for help- for me personally this has always been a struggle. Networking is key in many professions and knowing who and when to ask for help can be vital to your success.  Make sure you are prepared in many capacities before asking for help, the more prepared you are the more those connections can help you.

3-    Be flexible- as I stated above outline goals and a plan where those goals can be reached, but understand that those goals can change at anytime. It is important to keep your head straight and be flexible with plans and situations, life doesn’t always happen the way we want it to, but sometimes we wont understand the reason for the outcome until later down the path.

4-    Stay current- it is vital for anyone’s survival in the professional world to stay current with trends, technology, and efficient processes. Just because you have graduated doesn’t mean the learning stops, in fact that is the time to really push yourself to the next level of education, real life.

5-    Don’t compare- the last tip is something that is one of my biggest challenges. DON’T COMPARE YOURSELF OR SITUATIONS TO OTHERS! We all have our own life and destiny, just because your friend or enemy has accomplished specific things doesn’t mean you are any less successful. It is important to understand that you are different and that your everyday life will be different as well.  Comparing yourself to others can damage yourself esteem, and leaving you feeling contentment, jealousy or anger, and in the end that only hinders your personal growth. 

The most important thing to remember during this time in our life is nothing lasts forever, so make the most of those moments, remember the great things, learn from the worst, and move on to the next step that encourages your personal growth and happiness. Because happiness is the key that unlocks any door, and is the only door that truly matters.

For more graduation tips that can help assist you or anyone you know please click here.

Oprah Winfrey and Peter Adamson

There are thousands of investors around the world, each with diverse agendas, different views, and a plethora of funds to support their ideals. Oprah Winfrey being one of the most powerful names and brands in media today has gained an empire worth over $2.4 billion dollars (Pilon, 2010).  As a young adult Oprah emerged into the entertainment field acting and winning awards for such performances in “The Color Purple”, “Native Son”, and “The Women of Brewster Place” ("Oprah Winfrey's Official Biography", n.d.). Along with her acting career Oprah created both Harpo, Inc. and Oprah’s Angel Network, both of which aired the Oprah Winfrey talk show. Over her career Oprah has gained millions of fans, countless awards and has dedicated her life to giving back to those in need. Her work has made her one of the richest African-Americans of the 20^th century (Pilon, 2010), and has crowned her one of the most influential females in the world.  

            As a leading lady in business Oprah stands for one main recipe for success which is “follow your instincts, that’s where true wisdom manifests itself” ("Oprah Winfrey", n.d.). Having invested her time, money and life’s work in her fans, friends, and family, Oprah has taken her business and given it back to the people who have supported her. Although she has reached an end with the Oprah Winfrey talk show, she has began her next business move to the Oprah Winfrey Network, a television station which strictly focuses on investing in herself along with thousands of individuals and organizations that make a difference.

With Oprah’s new dynasty she has hired a manager that will invest her money wisely. This investor himself has quite a reputation for innovative investing. Peter Adamson, a graduate of Sanford University with a degree in Business, has had a successful career as an advisor, consulter, and investor for Eli Broad, McKinsey & Company along with billionaire Lee Bass to name a few (Memmott, 2010). Adamson in an interview had stated he was drawn to business because he wanted to do something that was practical (Bonar, 1990). Adamson’s colleagues and mentors have often described him as the most hard working, dedicated young individual they had ever been in contact with. He has a way of focusing on what’s important instead of total figures or amounts. Adamson’s success can be recognized for his personal technique to “tailor his investment strategies to individual clients based on their goals and tolerance for risk” (Bonar, 1990). This is why Adamson and Winfrey will make a great partnership.

Taking a look at these professionals and their strategies for success, I think it is important as a young entrepreneur to incorporate your personal interests and passion into your life’s work. Knowing that others have succeeded before you with this equation for success, it is always a great reminder to know what you stand for as a business owner, to know what your brand stands for and to invest in your passions. Sometimes the smartest move is the road that has never been taken, and maybe along the way you can discover a new path that will change the way you and the rest of the world walks.

A New Hollywood

Being just 3 months short of graduation has become a very stressful thought for me. Growing up in a state like Utah can have its challenges when you want to merge your career in the entertainment industry. While Utah is closer to California, where a large part of the film industry is located, I decided to make a cross-country trip to Disney World in Florida to work for the company I had idolized since I was a little girl. Now, after working at Disney for over a year and being nearly finished with my Master’s Degree, I have done what any other future graduate has began to do – look for a job in the field of my study.

With the job search in mind, I am happy to announce that Utah may very well be the next Hollywood. With the already accelerating population growth rate from the 2002 Winter Olympics and the ever-growing Sundance Film Festivals, the film industry has had a very warm welcome in Utah. The biggest news of all is that Raleigh Studios’ decided to move to Utah. Raleigh Studio’s, the major motion picture studio know for such works as Iron Man 2 and The Avengers, is building not only a soundstage but an entire entertainment center that will include hotels. This will give celebrities and crewmembers convenient places to stay while shooting on location in Utah.

It was also announced that, because of the entertainment center, future graduates would have more opportunities to hone their craft by doing internships and applying for positions in the industry while staying in one location.  Utah has welcomed this upcoming attraction by giving more tax breaks to film production companies, making this already high profiled film state even more desirable. This will create more jobs and artistic freedom for young graduates like myself. I guess its time for me to pack my bags!

Dine In Theatre

For this weeks post I had a very interesting experience that I wanted to share because I felt from a future business owner’s point of view it was a very original idea and will be the future of movie experiences. As many of you are aware, I currently work at Walt Disney World, and I try my best to keep current with Disney’s training and innovative business practices. A while back, Disney partnered with AMC and created the Dine In Theatre at Downtown Disney. In the past, theatres have earned most of their revenue not just from ticket sales but from concession stand sales, and I don’t know about you, but how many treats or beverages do you actually buy at a theatre that you don’t pay an arm and a leg for?  AMC and Disney have now changed the approach to revenue growth from concessions to full gourmet meals. The best part about this dining experience is the prices - all food platters range from $4 to $12 dollars making it a very affordable experience. To top off the great meal selection the seats themselves inside the theatre are a lot more confortable then the normal seating selection most theatres have to offer.

            With the Disney/AMC dining experience you simply show up to your movie, select your seats, pay for a ticket (which is only $2 more then an average show) and take your seats. From there you have a personal waiter/waitress that will take care of all your dining needs throughout the show, without large disruption, due to the layout of the theatre. All aisles are on the side of your viewing areas so your waiter/waitress will not obstruct or distract your attention or the attention of those around you. The most impressive piece of the puzzle, however, is the call button. This little button, which simply very dimly lights up to signify to you that you’ve pressed it, is a signal to the waiter/waitress that let’s them know you need something – be it a drink refill, to order a snack, or just to tell them you’re ready for the bill. For me I will never watch another movie at a theatre again unless it’s accompanied by dinner.

            As you can see from the link the idea of more entertainment dinning experiences are spreading fast with Universal Studio’s implementing a summer dinner experience. Enjoy!

Troika

Above is a picture of me attending a great presentation given at Full Sail University in marketing. The presentation was given by current employees of Troika, if you wish to learn more about the company you can visit them at Troika.tv.

Happiness Sparks Creativity

Throughout my personal career I have discovered numerous management techniques that individuals use inside a work place.  These methods range from micromanagement to positive reinforcement models. It is my personal belief that if you are in a management position creating a positive atmosphere for your employees will make you and your team more successful in nature. Giving employees a residence to feel the freedom and joy of happiness helps trigger creativity, while unlocking doors of comfort and endless potential.

To illustrate these theories I have found a great TED talk that reveals how the psychology of happiness and the functions of the brain can effect an individual’s personal interpretation of any given situation, to help create a patterned consequence.  Shawn Achor gives supported evidence to back his theory of happiness.

Watch Video Here

 Now that we have watched the video I want to discuss how some of his techniques can be applied in a management approach. For example, Shawn discusses how happiness releases dopamine into the brain making it easier for an individual to process incoming data and intake that data to create an innovative approach to any given situation. Knowing this key element as a manager can give you the upper hand in people management. I would also like to point out if you feel at anytime you or any of your employees or co-workers ever feel the need to create happiness in your workplace, all you have to do is construct a more positive viewpoint on everyday circumstances. You can do this by completing daily or weekly exercises, which includes writing lists of positive details that enhance your love for your work. You can also surround yourself with opportunities to do service for other individuals in the work place or reliving optimistic experiences you encountered within the last 24 hours. Doing these steps continually will release dopamine into the brain relieving menial stresses and leave feelings of happiness and creativity.

I have also applied these techniques within my work environment recently and seen the outcome to be accurate.  I had heard that two of my close coworkers were thinking of transferring departments due to upper management degrading attitudes. Because I wanted to create happiness in my workplace, I decided to decorate their cubicles to let them know others appreciate them and the hard work they do. By doing this it gave them a feeling of necessity to the team and discharged a happy atmosphere at work that day. In fact, productivity was much higher then it had been all week. I strongly believe it was due to the attitude of each individual. When they were happy at work, their approach to work was ecstatic and pleasurable. 

If you would like to learn more techniques for people management or leadership you can check out classes given by the Disney Institute, which helps demonstrate and support the idea of happiness and creativity wrapped up into attitude making each individual a team member for success.