Disney CEO Bob Iger: Principles For Great Leadership
Disney CEO Bob Iger’s book, “The Ride of a Lifetime,” continues to give insight into the processes used by a man whose first job was as a school janitor; a person who had 20-plus jobs at ABC/Disney before being named CEO in 2005.
Jade Scipioni of CNBC.com explained:
“I’ve been the lowliest crew member working on a daytime soap opera and run a network that produced some of the most innovative television (and one of the infamous flops) of all time. I’ve twice been on the side of the company being taken over, and I’ve acquired and assimilated several others, among them Pixar, Marvel, Lucas-film, and, most recently, 21st Century Fox,” Iger writes in his memoir, “The Ride of a Lifetime.”
And while he credits his father for encouraging him to work hard and stay productive, Iger has also learned a thing or two about what it takes to rise to the top — and stay there.
Iger outlines in his book a set of 10 principles, which he says helped him succeed and are essential for every good leader.
We’ve written about Iger’s book and list before, but here are three more favorite principles:
Decisiveness
“All decisions, no matter how difficult, can and should be made in a timely way. Chronic indecision is not only inefficient and counterproductive but deeply corrosive to morale,” writes Iger.
Curiosity
Iger says having a “deep and abiding” curiosity enables the discovery of new people, places and ideas (i.e., business ventures). Curiosity also helps leaders gain awareness and an understanding of the marketplace and its changing dynamics.
“The path to innovation begins with curiosity,” he says.
Fairness
Be decent to people always, Iger says. Every leader must treat everyone with fairness and empathy.
“This doesn’t mean that you lower your expectations or convey the message that mistakes don’t matter. It means that you create an environment where people know you’ll hear them out, that you’re emotionally consistent and fair-minded, and that they’ll be given second chances for honest mistakes.”