Creating Magic by Lee Cockerell

I like Disney World.
I like reading business books.
Therefore, I bought this.

During our last visit to Disney World I purchased a copy of Lee Cockerell's book Creating Magic: 10 Common Sense Leadership Strategies from a Life at Disney. (The author spent many years working for Disney including running their resort operations.)

Like most business books, common sense is an apt phrase to put in the subtitle. Like most business books (and maybe I've read too many), there are common threads through them all. Unlike most business books, this one inspired me to act.

Judge for yourself. The 10 strategies are:

1. Remember, everyone is important. Be inclusive, communicate well, treat your people as well as your customers.
2. Break the mold. Be clear about responsibility and authority, flatten your structure.
3. Make your people your brand. Define the perfect employee by talent, nurture your people, fire quickly and kindly.
4. Create magic through training. Become a coach, give your people a purpose, train and teach them.
5. Eliminate hassles. Learn first hand what's working and what's not, stay technically up to date.
6. Learn the truth. Get out and about, meet regularly with people, answer the tough questions.
7. Burn the free fuel. Appreciation, recognition, and encouragement are free fuels that keep your organization running.
8. Stay ahead of the pack. Be a life-long learner and expand your horizons.
9. Be careful what you say and do. Set high standards and have positive attitude.
10. Develop character. Have moral and ethical strength, train for values not just skills.

Like I said, common sense. So what about it compelled me to act? Don't know. Maybe just the association with Disney? That seems silly if that's what it takes for me to act.

Lee Cockerell's website is www.leecockerell.com.

I received no compensation of any kind for this review.