Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Create Magical Moments For Your Team
After touchdown in Orlando last week, the pilot gave the usual Welcome-to-the-City spiel but this time with a twist. He ended the broadcast with, “Enjoy your stay in the happiest place on earth. Have a magical day!” Those few words set the stage for my interactions during the next 24-hours.
If you’ve ever been to the Magic Kingdom, you will immediately associate those two sentences with a Disney Experience. An experience where all cast members (employees) are trained to create moments of magic. And, they are held accountable every day, in every role, on every shift. At Disney, magical moments are deliberate actions that exceed guest expectations throughout the entire park.
Create Team Magical Moments
How can the Disney guest experience translate into your team? The premise is pretty straight-forward:
• Anticipate needs, wants, and desires before team members ask.
• Actively look for ways to help.
• Take an interest in individuals beyond the scope of their job.
• Be a learning resource for each person on the team.
Simply – do the unexpected. Provide something extraordinary that a team member would not anticipate during the normal course of their day.
The key to creating magical moments, however, is to ALWAYS be consistent. You are being consistent in how you serve every person on the team, how you make decisions, how you solve problems, and how you communicate to team members. It is with your consistent behavior that the magical moments become part of your team culture.
Practical Magical Moment Ideas
• Always exceed expectations. For example, if you promise a deadline by 4pm, always deliver an hour earlier.
• Remember significant events. Become known for remembering a significant milestone for each team member. For example, their birthday or anniversary.
• Create a signature impression. For example, hand-written notes mailed to their home, ice-cream sandwiches every day it’s over 95-degrees, or lunch on their first day with your team.
The ideas are limited only to your imagination, however, you must be willing to invest your time and provide each staff member the same experience without fail.
Walt Disney said, “There is no magic in magic; it’s all in the details.”
Remember the details and always deliver your best performance.
Until next time...Lead like you mean it!
Marjorie