Lee Cockerell shares his wisdom and experience from his time as the Executive Vice President of Operations for Walt Disney World. Along with host Jody Maberry, Lee discusses how you can apply lessons in leadership, management, and customer service to create magic in your organization.
"If somebody tells you something needs fixed and you don't do something about it, then you really lose credibility very quickly." Episode Chapters [00:01:19] When a Small Problem Becomes Serious [00:04:24] Acting Quickly and Listening to Experts [00:05:07] What D23 Teaches About Attention to Detail [00:10:28] Why Leaders Need to Walk the Operation [00:14:04] Go to the Source to Find the Facts…
"Be the leader that steps up and narrows the odds of something happening." Episode Chapters [00:02:36] Taking a Leadership Position on Safety [00:04:53] Preparing Before a Crisis Happens [00:06:48] Why Safety Must Be the Top Priority [00:10:02] The Organizational Cost of Preventable Accidents [00:12:14] Creating a Culture Where Employees Speak Up Safety is not just a policy or a responsibility…
"If you know something, you ought to be teaching it to others." Episode Chapters [00:01:36] When People Consider You a Role Model [00:03:23] Why Helping Others Changes You Too [00:07:20] Becoming the Person People Expect You to Be [00:09:31] What It Takes to Be a Good Role Model [00:10:00] Managing Emotions and Treating People with Respect You may be a role model without realizing it. In this…
"Great people with a great attitude will always get noticed." Episode Chapters [00:00:58] Speaking to Disney College Program participants [00:03:16] Advice for landing your first career opportunity [00:05:18] Why Disney experience opens doors [00:08:48] The biggest concerns facing college students [00:12:39] Lee's best advice for young professionals Starting a career can feel overwhelming,…
"The problem you see is often three steps away from the real problem." Episode Chapters [00:01:52] Why Every Leader Should Walk the Front Line [00:03:19] What You Learn by Being Present Every Day [00:08:25] Removing Obstacles for Your Team [00:08:58] Looking Beyond the Symptoms to Find the Real Problem [00:14:49] Leading Through Visibility and Consistency The best leaders don't manage from behind…
"If you want great customer service, you need to start by defining what great looks like." Episode Chapters [00:01:12] A Customer Service Challenge in Local Government [00:03:01] Creating Standards for Every Customer Interaction [00:05:25] How Leaders Build a Service-Focused Culture [00:08:23] Learning from Customer Frustration [00:10:08] Defining the Perfect Day for Your Customer Great customer…
"Don't hire someone just to fill a position. Hire the right person for the long haul." Episode Chapters [00:01:35] Looking Beyond Retention Rates [00:03:02] Why Great Employees Always Have Options [00:07:59] How Disney Measured Turnover and Retention [00:10:42] The Real Reason Employees Leave [00:12:35] Using Data to Improve Hiring and Leadership Low turnover doesn't always mean your organization…
"Curiosity grows when you expose yourself to new experiences." Episode Chapters [00:05:18] Keeping Kids Curious in an AI World [00:07:37] Using AI to Enhance, Not Replace, Learning [00:09:05] Why Experience Matters More Than Information [00:10:41] Escaping Comfort Through New Experiences [00:12:37] Building Authentic Intelligence with AI AI can answer questions in seconds, but it can't replace the…
"Everything is hard until it becomes a habit." Episode Chapters [00:01:25] Why Most Training Never Changes Behavior [00:03:27] Turning Learning into Daily Action [00:05:17] Tackling the Hard Things You've Been Avoiding [00:08:14] Why Discipline Creates Long-Term Success [00:09:42] You Know What to Do. Now What? You invest time reading books, attending workshops, and listening to podcasts because…
"The goal is not to win the argument. The goal is to keep the customer." Episode Chapters [01:00] Why Service Recovery Creates Loyalty [03:13] Empowering Employees to Solve Problems Fast [05:32] Service Recovery in Call Centers and High-Volume Environments [09:04] The LAST Model for Handling Complaints [11:22] How Great Recovery Protects Your Reputation Most leaders spend a lot of time thinking…
"When people know their ideas matter, they want to do a better job." Episode Chapters [00:02:10] Should employees be rewarded for solving problems? [00:03:45] Why listening builds a stronger culture than incentives [00:06:06] How recognition increases confidence and engagement [00:08:14] The connection between ownership and self-confidence [00:10:20] Practical ways leaders can encourage better…