Bob Iger, President and CEO of the Walt Disney Company said this “…we want to be the most admired company in the world, admired for the quality of our product, the integrity of our people, and the way in which we behave as citizens of the world.”

The Disney Institute, business training following the Disney approach, serves not only the business leaders it provides valuable lessons that have helped build the Disney company, but as a tool to achieve this vision that Iger has set forth.

Business leaders from across the country have access to well presented classes and workshop on many themes - from leadership to people management, quality service and creativity.  These classes are available through private engagement, or through open-enrollment classes at both Orlando and Anaheim parks.  Some classes are available in a city near you (although these tend to be shorter classes - perhaps appropriately described as ‘teasers’).

I had the opportunity this week to attend three one-day workshops at the Disneyland resort in Anaheim.  For me, these classes were eye opening. 

The Walt Disney Company is a world-class entertainment company.  They’ve strived to improve results, and the people, places and processes that deliver those results for YEARS.  They have dedicated people that buy into the Disney culture and they’ve had millions of data points of customer feedback - not just through their own VAST efforts to ask for it but also from the millions of letters they’ve received since their creation.  All of these efforts, targetted, smart efforts, they’ve come up with A LOT of information and perspectives that really, I think, will change my life.

If you have an opportunity to attend classes through the Disney Institute, do it!

One thing I thought was terrific about on-site classes was the access we had to the parks.  Each day included at least one field experience outside on the property.  Our facilitators, Bruce Kimbrell and Leslie (will get her last name!) were terrific, and had more combined experience than the Disneyland park has been around.

If one of Bob Iger’s goals is to the world’s most admired company, the Disney Institute does a great job as ambassador to business professionals throughout hundreds of industries, and thousands of companies.

Just an interesting note:  Mr. Kimbrell authored a class available to the tens of thousands of Disneyland cast members called “Walt & You”.  Googling his name I found this image, a faux book case located in City Hall.