The Blog
I’ve been a fan of all things Disney since my parents drove me through the orange groves of Orange County from the east bay area to Disneyland. This was a while ago. Mission to Mars blew my mind, and I felt incredibly lucky to have returned to earth safely. I had the same sense of awe recently, while working with Opus Bank, smack dab in the middle of their presentation this popped up. The sketch was copyrighted by Walt Disney. In 1957.
This sketch fascinates me.
I’ve heard a lot of CEO’s tell their story and a lot is written about storytelling in the digital age, but the fact remains, very few people running companies really take the time to truly understand the keys to the hierarchy of their business before they start the work of telling their story. There are three things I find truly remarkable things about this sketch.
1. The clarity.
He was not vague about what he put at the center of his business. If you worked for Disney, you were there to support that. And he didn’t just put theatrical films at the center; he put “Creative Talent”, specifically “of the studio”.
2. He pictured it.
He didn’t just write it. Maybe it’s the age of powerpoint, but I don’t think that would have mattered. He was in a visual business. He created a visual. We’ve all heard that before you can achieve something, you need to visualize what you’re trying to achieve. But few apply this to business; they bury the story in powerpoint presentations, numbers, and white papers.
3. The simplicity.
Disney had a complicated business model going that had a lot of moving parts. But he was able to simplify it with as few words as necessary and the pictures and icons where not superfluous. Simple is hard. The attention to detail is extraordinary. The important iconography is everywhere. Mickey dominates. Tinker Bell represents TV (think about the opening), and “supporting characters” represent supporting lines of business.
This is so powerful, I’ve heard that when Michael Eisner joined as CEO when Disney was struggling, he dusted it off and put it back at the center of his business plan. Although the orange groves are long gone, and some details may change, it remains as relevant today as it did in 1957.
It seems simple (or easy), but creating this kind of clarity for a business is not for the faint of heart. If you want to read the saga that was the creation of the Disney Empire, I’d recommend one of my favorite books, “An American Original” by Bob Thomas. The story of Disney has it all, drama, conflict and voyeurism. And it may help you find the keys to your kingdom.
