"What Would Disney Do?" 5 More Lessons

If Disney Ran Your Hospital: 91/2 Things You Would Do Differently by Fred Lee

Cultural Insights From a Hospital Executive Who Became a Disney Cast Member

It's About Culture, Not Service

Culture is what you think and do without thinking about it. Client/Patient-focused care can be represented by the acronym SHARE:

Sense people's needs before they ask (initiative)

Help each other out (teamwork)

Acknowledge people's feelings (empathy)

Respect the dignity and privacy of everyone (courtesy)

Explain what's happening (communication)

Look to the AAHA Compliance Study to understand what people (pet owners) want. Move your practice toward having/doing what pet owners want. Stop defending "our way or no way".

If Disney Ran Your Hospital, You Would:

6. Change the Concept of Work From Service to Theater —

This is the model of business as a transforming experience. We need to shift from providing services to staging experiences. "Scripting" contributes to the activity of creating experiences. It provides a concrete expression of vision. It describes the roles people need to play in creating client experiences and how team members are expected to relate to one another and to clients. What would your clients say if you asked, "What is a memorable moment of doing business with us?" Be fanatical about paying attention to details. Even if 99% of your clients don't notice a given detail (talk about it), do it anyway.

The #1 question at Disney World (after "Where are the restrooms") is, "What time is the 3 o'clock parade?" What are they really asking? Be sure to "hear" the "real" questions your clients are asking you! Give your clients what they want before they need it.

What is your practice's service theme? Your staff should know your service theme, even if they cannot recite it word-for-word. Once you know and can articulate your service theme, you can create service standards, which need to include the image you will project — that's the "show" or "theater" of what we do. What do you want to be known for? Think in terms of hiring for talent rather than simply for skills.

7. Harness the Motivating Power of Imagination —

Imagination influences feelings. Imagination and empathy (feelings) are keys to teamwork. Use imagination for motivation, not creativity.

Four levels of motivation:

level 1 — compliance

level 2 — willpower

level 3 — imagination

level 4 — habit (another name for "habit" is "talent")

Imagination and empathy diffuse anger. Teach your teams to "LAST" when there is a problem in a client interaction:

Listen

Apologize

Solve the problem

Thank the client

(You can't fake empathy...)

Know what your clients want. Know what your clients need. Know what your clients think. Know what your clients feel. Know whether your clients are satisfied. Know whether your clients will return.

8. Create a Climate of Dissatisfaction —

Dissatisfaction is the father of improvement. The drive for competence is the primary source of pleasure in the normal development of human beings. Complacency is the human equivalent of inertia. Competition is not a better motivator than our own deepest desire to be more competent tomorrow than we are today. Successful practices exist to satisfy the needs of clients and patients — the majority of our clients want us to advocate for what is best for their pets — this is the heart of improved compliance. Surprise and delight your client any time you get a chance. Continuously improve your processes for delivering services to clients and patients.

Walt Disney said, "Leadership implies a strong faith or belief in something. It may be a cause, an institution, a political or business operation in which a man takes active direction by virtue of his faith and self-assurance."

9. Cease Using Competitive Monetary Rewards to Motivate People —

Competitive rewards encourage win/lose thinking. Recognition is not dependent upon competition — people want to be appreciated for doing the right thing, not given a prize. Merit rating rewards people who do well in the system. It does not reward attempts to improve the system. Team members are better recognized for client satisfaction (solving a problem), performance of job tasks, longevity on the team, or a unique contributions to the practice.

10. Close the Gap Between Knowing & Doing —

Consistency in the day-to-day execution of universally shared values and commonly desired behaviors closes the gap between knowing and doing. To go from good to great, the practice culture needs to be a culture of commitment not compliance (e.g I do this because I must). Responsibility and accountability occur in one's work area. Accountability is not contingent on being told "how" — instead, focus on "what". Attitude is everything.

Don't forget the 80/20 rule. Earl Nightingale said, "All the money you will ever have is currently in the hands of someone else". And Larry Winget said, "We must make a switch from a 'client satisfaction' mentality to a 'client success' mentality."

When Maximizing the Client Experience, Leverage all Three Levels of Caring:

1. Competence

The enemy of competence is carelessness

2. Courtesy

The enemy of courtesy is avoidance

3. Compassion

You can't fake empathy

Fred Lee — "Consistency is the Hallmark of Great Performances..."

Walt Disney — "You can dream, create, design, and build the most wonderful place in the world, but it requires people to make the dream a reality."

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