Creativity and Innovation time out, Disney-Style

Two month calendar — Same color coding as a traffic light.

Creativity and Innovation time out, Disney-Style

Four world-class creativity and innovation basics i learned from 30 years at Disney.

Do the basics brilliantly.

Never get bored with the basics.

Generate, select, implement, leader’s role.

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Cultural Creativity and Innovation Blueprints Implementation Plan

Disney’s Wilderness Lodge was built around this natural Hot Spring.

Improve

Let’s review the suggested cultural blueprints implementation plan.

The Building owner is the CEO.

Deliverables from Leader Champions are plumbing, hvac, electric, lighting.

Generate Ideas: Build your box.

Select Ideas: Six steps Continuous Improvement Process (CIP).

Select Ideas: CIP.

Leaders Role: Environmentalist. Everyone’s creative. Organize to maximize. Your idea is separate from your identity.

All collaborative efforts by executive leaders and the cross-functional teams should revolve around simple, focused, energetic, creative, visionary, and scalable outcomes – blueprints for an organizationally vibrant culture.

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How to execute next steps to convert theory into reality

Themed Disney signage — Intentionally over-focused on theming.

How to execute next steps to convert theory into reality

Big picture involvement:

Five foundational ownership tracts; 19 total blueprints.

One owner of everything, the CEO.

Up to ten Champions selected from CEO Cabinet; two Champions for each of the five ownership tracts (Leaders, Employees, Customers, Reputation, Improve). Some Cabinet members may be responsible for two ownership tracts.

Ten assistant champions selected from your best, most passionate leaders in Human Resources, Labor Relations, Employee Relations, Compliance, Employment, Marketing, Public Relations, Communications. Assistant Champions should only focus on one ownership tract.

From 15-30 advocate teams selected from every employee, at every level, in every department. This is three to five team advocates per ownership tract.

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Owner

Champions

C-Level Executive (always have two, to solve for unexpected absences)
Provides vision, inspiration, commitment

Assistant Champions

Cross-functional pair from Human Resources, Labor Relations, Employee Relations, Compliance, Employment, Marketing, Public Relations, Communications.
Always have two, to solve for unexpected absences
Provides involvement, accountability, commitment
For unexpected absences, always be grooming the replacement from the Advocate Team.

Advocate Teams

Created from any employee, at any level, in every department
3-6 total per team recommended
Cross-functional
Provides energy, enthusiasm, effort, commitment

Final blueprint

Create action steps
Review, organize notes
Create plan
Discuss
Summarize
Create final blueprint
Present to CEO and Cabinet

Develop and deliver campaign

Goals/deliverables
Assign roles
Timeline
Accountability

Misc

Manage project scope creep
Prepare contingency plans for project disruptions
Always be grooming replacement/succession

Continuous Improvement

Manage health of all teams
Grow team bench
Measure
Celebrate
Share
Historian documents growth, change, transformation

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Cultural Transformation Next Steps after Executive engagement (2-days with 19 cultural blueprints)

Disney author Jeff Noel writing at Disney — Always pushing conventional thinking. Write seven Disney Business Books, on an iPhone, at Walt Disney World? Why not?

Cultural Transformation Next Steps after Executive engagement (2-days with 19 cultural blueprints)

Traditional blueprint assignments:

Leaders: CEO, Human Resources, Labor Relations, Employee Relations; one of these four owns total responsibility.

Employees: HR & Marketing (Employment, Training & Development, Communications, Recognition)

Customers: CCO (Chief Customer Officer), HR (Orientation, OJT, Ongoing Training)

Reputation: HR (Training) Marketing & PR (Communications)

Improve: CEO, HR, Marketing

Notes:
We started with senior leadership because you are the most connected and experienced with the organization’s strategy. You know things no other levels know.

Recommend creating a corporate Historian (including video/photo library) to work with and assist all other areas to make key links and connections to the founder’s story, heritage & traditions, traits and behaviors, language and symbols, and shared values.

The most natural things to feel about uncharted territory: doubt, fear, anxiety, confusion, excitement, joy, relief, hope, motivation.

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IMPROVE (functionality – plumbing, electric, hvac, lighting, etc)

Xulon Press admin screen — Who will publish seven Disney Business Books?

IMPROVE (functionality – plumbing, electric, hvac, lighting, etc)

16. (Generate Ideas) Build your corporate box and think inside it.
17. (Select ideas) Use process mapping, 360 analysis, financials, surveys, etc
18. (Implement ideas) Develop a corporate framework for Continuous improvement (CIP); a literal six sigma for dummies.
19. (Leader’s Role) Create environment where great ideas have no choice but to flourish. Everyone is creative, your ideas are separate from your identity, “yes, and”.

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