Morning Minute 11/19/24:
“How Do YOU Benefit, By Being ‘Onstage?’”
How were your experiences at Disney World or Disney Land?
Was Mickey or Goofy distracted or unenthusiastic due to the weather? Was Minnie or Cinderella unfriendly due to their awkward costumes? The answer is “No!” They were approachable & enthusiastic because they were “in character.” They were “Onstage.”
To learn how Disney creates terrific guest experiences, I joined a group of automotive professionals visiting Disney World. Touring the backlots and hidden areas that park guests never see, we learned their “onstage” process. Here is what we discovered.
Disney requires that every employee, regardless of their function, be addressed and treated as a “cast member.” This includes every employee, not just those dressed up as Disney characters. As cast members, every gate attendant, maintenance person, food service provider, vendor, photographer…everyone, is to perform their duties in a way that enhances the experiences of their guests, regardless of their guest’s age.
Cast members function in 2 separate areas. There are “onstage” areas where their guests are located, and “offstage” areas that guests never see. Disney strategically places hidden doors, fences, and landscape barriers to keep the offstage areas out of sight. Those are the places where cast members go to change, to eat, to rest, and to congregate away from guests. These necessary areas provide resources for training and counseling, as cast members strive to continuously improve their roles.
As cast members approach the “onstage” areas where they will encounter guests, they are reminded of their responsibility not only to be in costume, They are to be friendly, approachable, and enthusiastic in their demeanor, and in their performance. There are signs painted on the walkways, gates, and doors leading to onstage areas reminding cast members they are entering an “onstage” area. They understand that they are always to be ‘in character” when “onstage.” For them, “onstage” means to flip the switch from their personal lives to being performers…being cast members.
What can we learn from how Disney operates? First, the guest experiences your customers encounter when they interact with your team members, must exceed their expectations. If their experiences are less than pleasurable, or unhelpful, you will not create the positive image that you desire customers have of you and/or your team.
Second, all customer access areas are “Onstage.” Every team member your guests encounter must perform in a way that is helpful, pleasant, and professional. Your code of conduct requires that every word and action they perform must support the customer experience that visitors expect. All disagreements and personal issues must be kept out of the ‘onstage” areas.
Third, ensure that your team members are “cast members,” clearly identifiable to your guests, with identifying apparel and name tags. They must display the image you want to create by flipping the switch from their personal lives to being performers.
“How Do YOU Benefit, By Being ‘Onstage?’”
That is today’s Morning Minute!
Morning Minute 11/22/24:
“Overcoming Dishonesty & Character Assassination!”
“The only taste of success that some people get is when they take a bite out of you!’ Zig Ziglar.
People lie about what you said. They twist your words, adding to, changing, or eliminating words to completely change the meaning and/or context of your statement. Or, they lie about what you did. They change your actions, the motive for what you did, or the results of your actions. They misrepresent who was involved, who was affected, and/or the timing of your action.
Why do people do these things? What should you do about it? If I say or do something about these lies, will it make my situation worse? Let’s answer each of these questions.
WHY DO THEY LIE? Answer this: What do these people have to gain or keep from losing, by lying? Many times, those people have a narrative, a storyline, that they are promoting. Because your words or actions are not in alignment with their narrative, they lie, seeking to nullify your point of view. Or, to destroy your credibility.
Then again, they may view you as a threat to their status. So, they lie in order to smear you, to destroy your reputation, or to change the positive opinions others have of you. Understanding their motive for lying, will help to guide your response or nonresponse.
WHAT SHOULD I DO? First, determine what will happen if you do nothing. Many times, the person lying is viewed as what they are, a known liar. Are they someone with no credibility and/or no standing? By challenging a known liar, you loan them “your credibility” and “your standing.” So, ignore the known liar, and ignore their lies.
If the person lying has some standing or credibility, challenge them directly; in person if possible. Restate exactly what you said or did, why you did it, and the results of your words and actions. If there is audio and/or video, include those in your rebuttal. Then directly question the motive of the liar, displaying how they will benefit from their lie. By turning the discussion away from what you said or did, to why they lied about it, you will put the spotlight back on the liar and off of you.
Or course, if you made a mistake or a misstatement, admit it quickly, and move on.
WILL MY ACTION OR INACTION MAKE THINGS WORSE? This question requires you to decide to respond or ignore the lie. List your options. If you have a trusted friend or advisor, who always has your best interest at heart, ask them for advice. Then again, you can use the Ben Franklin method. On a clean sheet of paper, draw a vertical line down the center of the page, putting a + over the left column, and a – over the right column. List your anticipated positive outcomes in the + column, and the negative outcomes in the – column. Using this process, plus getting worthwhile advice, can guide you toward making your best decision.
In addressing the “mud,” the things said about him as he ran for governor of Alabama, Jim Folsom stated (paraphrasing): “If you try to wipe off the mud thrown at you while it is still wet, it just makes a mess. By waiting until it dries, you can just flick it off!”
So, be sure to use these methods to overcome dishonesty or character assassination!
That is today’s Morning Minute.