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.