“Getting better is not easy, but it’s the only way to be successful.”

One of the biggest challenges leaders face is getting people to change. Especially the ones who have been doing the job for a long time. They’re comfortable. They’ve been successful. From their perspective, if it’s not broken, why fix it?

I’ve seen this many times, including at Disney. W...

“Your path doesn’t have to be traditional to be successful.”

When people look at a career, they usually see the polished version. If you look online you’ll see people talk about their titles, the promotions, and a bunch of highlights. What they don’t see is the real resume. The one that is filled with setbacks and mistakes. Careers are full of unexpected turns. B...

“If you don’t enforce it, you’re giving permission.”

Some of the hardest leadership decisions involve your best people. I’ve seen it many times. You have someone who is exceptional at their job. Customers love them. They stand out. They make a difference each time they are there. However, they don’t always follow the rules.

Situations where a leader bends ...

“We have internal customers, and the business depends on them.”

Early in my career, it was easy to focus on the “real” customer. The person standing in front of you, buying the product, checking into the hotel, or riding the attraction. As the years went on I realized that some of the most critical customers never walk through the front door. They work right besi...

“Somebody’s either got to step up, or people are going to start to step out.”

When poor leadership affects moraLee Cockerell explains why courage and ethical leadership are essential when workplace culture begins to suffer. le and customer service, employees must find safe ways to surface concerns and leaders must create environments where honest feedbac...