Workshop will teach the Disney way for achieving excellence

By Leah Masterson, Today’s Local News
September 3, 2008

San Marcos - For employees, working for Disney is a lot like being in a movie.  Instead of performing job duties, they play roles on a stage.  They don’t wear uniforms – they don costumes.  And they are referred to as cast members.  Makes sense, if the job is playing Mickey Mouse.

But Terry Brinkoetter, Disney Institute representative, said role playing is the foundation of the culture at Disney, and the philosophy applies to cashiers, servers and Cinderella.  The showbiz vernacular is all part of reinforcing the Disney culture and Walt’s effort to make the moviegoing experience as real as possible.

“Walt set the standard for us, and the fundamental philosophies haven’t changed that much,” Brinkoetter said.  “All of this is common sense, but it’s not common practice.”

The common sense he’s referring to are the basic principles of leadership, management, service and loyalty that have guided the Disney empire for more than eight decades.

With more than 11 theme parks, dozens of resorts worldwide, several television networks and one of the biggest Hollywood studios, Disney is one of the largest multimedia corporations.

Thursday, Ben Thomson and Bruce Kimbrell will offer a one-day workshop.  “Disney Keys to Excellence,” as part of the Disney Institute.  The class, sponsored by Cal State San Marcos Extended Learning, will teach Disney’s philosophy in four key areas: leadership, management, service and loyalty.

Brinkoetter, who originated the Disney Keys program in 1995, shared some of the key points that workshop participants will learn Thursday.

Leadership
At Disney, leadership affects all the other components of the success model, Brinkoetter said. 

“It’s the one element that permeates all other aspects,” he said.  The program will teach participants how to find and make great leaders.  He said being a good storyteller is an important component, and doing it in a way that is compelling and memorable is the key.

Management
Thomson and Kimbrell will discuss strategies for selection and recruitment processes.  At Disney, the casting building is the first stop for prospective employees.

“The door handles are from ‘Alice in Wonderland’ and it looks like a Venetian palace,” he said.  There are giant columns with all the characters on top.”

All prospective employees attend a screening of a movie describing the conditions for employment at Disney – pay scales, need for availability, transportation and appearance guidelines.  About 15 percent of attendees leave without taking an application, Brinkoetter said.

The bottom line?
“To show your potential employees a very realistic expectation of what the conditions are,” he said. 

Service
When hiring employees, Brinkoetter said they look first for aptitude, second for experience and lastly for education.

“It’s about getting the right person who comes to the role with the right attitude,” he said.

Loyalty
To earn a customer’s loyalty, one must turn a transaction into a relationship, Brinkoetter said.

“The first time you deal with a customer it’s pretty easy to impress them,” he said.  “It’s the second time you come back, the fifth time, the 50th time, you don’t come back as a guest, you come back as an inspector.”

Attention to detail is the key to impressing repeat customers in any business.

“You want to build as many ‘wow’ moments as possible,” he said. 

“Disney Keys to Excellence”
WHEN 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Thursday
WHERE California Center for Arts, Escondido, 340 N. Escondido Blvd
COST $399, includes breakfast and course materials
INFORMATION Register at (760) 750-4020