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What Worked For Walt?
Disney trainers share their business acumen with health-care administrators
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Business New Haven
9/29/2003
By: Melissa Nicefaro
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Walt Disney said, "Courage is the main quality of leadership, in my opinion, no matter where it is expected. Usually it implies some risk — especially in new undertakings. Courage to initiate something and keep it going—pioneering and adventurous spirit to blaze new ways, often, in our land of opportunity."
Disney’s vision worked for him, but can the same tactics and strategies be applied to health-care operations?
About 100 health-care administrators from Connecticut and Rhode Island attended a Disney Keys to Excellence Management Seminar hosted by the American College of Healthcare Administrators on September 23 at the Aquaturf in Plantsville. Though growing a health-care system the size of Walt Disney’s empire is unlikely, administrators hoped to take home a piece of the Disney magic.
Walt Disney died in 1966, just months after announcing the Florida project later known as Walt Disney World. The theme park opened five years later and Disney’s legacy and vision continue.
In 1984 Michael Eisner joined Disney as chairman and chief executive officer. Though it hasn’t exactly been smooth sailing for Eisner for the past 20 years, he has carried on the vision begun by Walt Disney and his brother Roy. Disney was known for his vision, especially when it came to leadership and management, two topics covered at the recent seminar.
A personal vision should be the backbone of a business. But unless the vision is conveyed, understood and shared by business leaders and staff alike, the vision is wasted.
Attendees at the seminar were taught that leaders take responsibility for creating and communicating a clear vision—this is essential to leading a group to success.
Disney "excellence trainer" Jeff Noel described the difference between a vision and a vision statement: "A vision is a picture of the future that is created in the imagination and motivates action. A vision statement is a collection of words, created collaboratively, that summarizes what an organization is intended to look like."
An effectively communicated vision creates a shared and meaningful purpose, inspires passion and interest, guides decision-making and strategy and conveys values.
"The leader has the ability to set a vision on fire, or put the fire out," Noel explains.
The Eastern Connecticut Health Network (ECHN) implemented the Disney excellence program about three years ago. Two leaders from ECHN attended the seminar as a refresher course and were pleased to see they were on target with Noel’s suggestions.
"We’ve had an excited, positive response to the program," says Diane Morey, ECHN’s customer service supervisor.
But some say comparing the healthcare industry and Disney is like comparing apples to oranges—one is for vacation and one is clearly not.
"If I could take away the finance problems and the short-staff problems and have the money to spend to implement all aspects of this program, it would be a perfect world. We do very well implementing the program, though."
The answer is not necessarily in the budget, as Noel explains, but in the image: "We judge ourselves based on our intentions. Everyone else judges us based on our behaviors." That message was conveyed repeatedly during the seminar.
In true Disney style, Noel asked attendees to remember: "Every leader is telling a story about what he or she values."
At Disney, cast members (a/k/a employees) are given and take responsibility of the performance of the Disney business. The theory is that when power goes to cast members, they have a greater sense of ownership, demonstrate initiative in their work, and take pride in what they produce. Walt Disney World leaders are held accountable individually for their own business results and leadership behaviors.
"They wanted every leader to come in with their own vision," Noel said. "That’s 6,000 leaders who would typically just execute orders. But then their job was not just maintaining results, but continuously making it better."
"Business as usual is a business that does not survive," Noel said. "We can’t just talk, we need to follow through and do it. We need to work smarter, not harder. There is competition in every business. For Disney, there are cruises, Las Vegas and trips to Grandma’s house that compete with a trip to Disney World."
Jennifer Marchesi, employee programs coordinator for ECHN said there is a tremendous amount of competition between health-care organizations. "The competition is huge between hospitals, especially in the emergency room, because when doctor’s offices are closed, especially on weekends, patients need somewhere to go and they have to choose where it will be.
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Marchesi agreed that treating all employees individually and accommodating employees can have a tremendous impact on the message an organization conveys. To help keep Disney cast member morale up, Disney recognizes "Guest Service Fanatics" with pins, trinkets or company-wide e-mails.
ECHN’s Morey says the hospital has a similar recognition method in place. Employees can be recognized either by patients, volunteers or coworkers for their excellent attitude and "going the extra mile." The exemplary employee is given a $100 check, a special parking place, a portrait to be hung in the hospital and a plaque.
"I’m pleased that we have a lot of the [keys to excellence] in place," Marchesi says. "It’s confirmation that we are doing this right. It is cyclical and ever-changing."
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