The Secret Behind the Disney Magic (3-8-23)

Happy Wednesday,

Last week was about employee engagement and pixie dust. This week is about the secret behind the Disney magic.

When people talk about Disney, they also usually talk about the magic of Disney. Magic is that little something extra that makes the moment enjoyable and memorable. It could be a Disney staff member stepping in at just the right moment to turn a wrong into a right. It might be a little surprise waiting for you in a Disney resort. It might be the feeling you get as you walk through Galaxy’s Edge and see your favorite Star Wars characters coming to life. You would think that incredible moments like this would only happen once in a while, but at Disney they happen quite often.

Do you want to know a secret? Technically, anyone could do the same thing that Disney does. It’s not magic. Instead, it’s being extremely INTENTIONAL about creating amazing customer experience. They design the place, processes, and choose the right people who all combine to routinely create memorable magic for folks. They think through every touchpoint, every opportunity, and determine how to instill magic in that moment. There is no top secret patented magic formula. Other companies could do these things. They choose not to.

What does this have to do with anything? Think about the experiences you deliver to other employees. Do they contain magic? Are there moments that make the person on the receiving end, pause and smile because they feel so seen and valued? The best leaders I have ever been around found a way to consistently deliver this magic. It wasn’t anything incredibly fancy. It wasn’t anything that others couldn’t do. They delivered this magic, because they were intentional and consistent day in and day out. Now think about the experiences you’re delivering to customers. Do any of those have magic in them? What would it take to make more of these customer experiences feel magical?

The challenge: How can you be more intentional about creating magical moments for other employees and for customers?

Bonus- Speaking of magic, I recently performed this poem at our Neuroscience National Meeting. If you want a little fire and inspiration, give it a listen. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/andrew-embry-979831b7_whowantstheball-poetry-poetryatwork-activity-7037083285360975873-V3hz?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

Have a jolly good day,

Andrew Embry

Hermione, Self-Doubt, and Running out of Magic (2-22-17)

It’s time to go full on nerdtastic. This week we will kick of a series inspired by Harry Potter. Spoiler alert. This series will divulge plots points and secrets. You’ve been warned. This week is about self-doubt and my fear of “running out of magic.”

In the Harry Potter universe, magic does not just stem from natural ability. Instead, the power of your magic comes from your learning and practice. That’s why they send people to Hogwarts to develop their skills. I would argue that Harry Potter is one of the more naturally talented characters, but it is Hermione Granger who is the best wizard in her class. She’s a studious bookworm who has built up quite the knowledge base and who puts a lot of effort into practicing, so whenever everybody’s back is against the wall she’s the one who knows what to do. Obviously, her natural ability, wand, and other magical artifacts have a positive impact on her, but it is the combination of these with her work ethic that always helps her come out on top.

You’re probably wondering what this has to do with doubt. I recently started a new role, and the team has given me a very warm reception. Even with this, self-doubt keeps creeping in. My current self-doubt conversation goes like this, “Andrew, what if you don’t meet their expectations. What if you fail? What if this is the role when you run out of magic?” I’ve been stuck on that last phrase for a few weeks and then all of a sudden one day after I said, “What if this is the role when you run out of magic?” I replied with, “Forget that. I’m going to be like Hermione Granger,” for all the reasons mentioned in the above paragraph.

How does this connect to work? I’m guessing you probably have these self-doubt fueled conversations. If you’re anything like me, when you have these conversations you forget who you are and you conjure up these stories about how the only reason you are where you are is because of luck and because people haven’t figured out you’re an imposter yet. Now don’t get me wrong, luck and other factors definitely play a role in success, much like how a wand plays a role in Hermione’s magic, but at the same time, it’s not all just because of luck. You’ve put the work in. You’ve pulled through in tough situations. That same skill and tenacity that helped you be successful then will help you now. These are the things I have to remind myself of when I’m filled with doubt and am afraid of running out of magic.

The challenge: How will you respond when you are afraid of running out of magic? Remember this when you face self-doubt. You aren’t here by accident. You’ve put the work in. You aren’t a muggle. You are a powerful wizard. Now go cast some spells starting with Accio confidence!

Have a jolly good day,

Andrew Embry

Frosty and his Magic Hat (12-10-14)

This week is about the power of magic, so let’s talk about one of the coolest guys I know, Frosty the Snowman.

“There must have been some magic in that old silk hat they found, for when they placed it on his head, he began to dance around!” Have you ever stopped to think about that hat? I find it fascinating, because it didn’t have any magic for the magician. For the evil magician it was just an old hat. However, once the kids had it all of a sudden it had some magic in it. Magic that was powerful enough to bring a snowman to life. The question of the day is, “Are you the type of person that fills the hat with magic?”

Think about the work we do. Whether you routinely work on projects or make sales calls, everything we do involves working with other people. Throughout my career there have been times when I have worked with people on things and the final outcome was good, but nothing special. This is kind of like the hat when the magician had it. There have been other times when I have worked with people and the final outcome had a little something extra. It’s like the team was able to accomplish something that was delightfully unexpected (like bringing a snowman to life).

What was the difference between the two scenarios? The difference was the people. In the second scenario people were brave enough to bring their own magic to the work. It’s hard to say what the magic was for sure. Maybe their magic was their shiny red nose. Maybe it was their authenticity, their passion, or their purpose. Maybe it was their dedication to the team and a larger goal. Whatever it was, these individuals were brave enough to bring something extra and make the impossible possible.

What is your magic and how are you using it to bring a snowman to life?

Have a jolly good day,

Andrew Embry