Mickey, Donald, or Mufasa: What Disney’s Leadership Strategies can Teach your People

Much like his beloved characters, Walt Disney demonstrated three different leadership personalities during his lifetime. He started out emulating his alter–ego Mickey Mouse. Later, as circumstances became difficult and his burdens became greater, his behavior resembled the angry Donald Duck. Eventually, he found the sweet spot, comparative to a character developed years after his passing, Mufasa from The Lion King.

In this illuminating session, Lenn Millbower, The Mouse Man™, and a 25-year Walt Disney World veteran will share Walt Disney’s leadership journey. He will explain each of the three approaches, the situations appropriate for each, and, more importantly, situations where each is not appropriate. The formula Walt Disney World leaders are expected to follow will be explained. So will the three leader expectations that determine promotions, raises, discipline, and, unfortunately sometimes, the termination of underperforming leaders. Finally, you will be able to compare you and your own organization’s leaders against the Disney model and action plan the next steps for turning your organization’s Mickeys and Donalds into wise Mufasas who can inspire and guide the path to your own magical kingdom.