Making Magic at Disney

...but what really drives the magic is the extraordinary service

The enchanted realm called Walt Disney World is about the size of San Francisco, or twice the size of Manhattan.  It is the largest tourist destination and one of the biggest convention sites in the world.  With it's 59,000 cast members, it is the largest single-site employer n the world.

It has thrilling attractions and great shows that bring millions of people a year to Disney World.  Those are extremely important, of course, but what really drives the magic is the extraordinary service.  Each of the 59,000 cast members is trained to treat each and every guest with the utmost care and respect.  And they do this consistently because they are treated exactly the same way by the Disney leadership: with the utmost care and respect.

If that sounds like a commercial fluff feel-good Disney movie, it is not.  It's a rational, muscular, no-nonsense business strategy.  And it's results are reflected in Disney's robust bottom line, not to mention its astonishing 70 percent return rate among visitors and the lowest employee turnover rate of any major company in the hospitality industry.  The formula is simple: Committed, responsible, inspiring leaders create a culture of care, which leads to measurable business results and a strong competitive advantage.

ACTION POINT: Commit to creating a culture of utmost care, respect and extraordinary service.