FROM: Communication Around the 'World' A Disney Dispatch Feature
Upward Mobility at Disney World
In a student report written for David Zanolla's course about Disney organizational culture and communication, Shelby Rogers explains some of what she learned in the course, including what it takes to climb the career ladder at Disney World, Cockerell style.
David Zanolla teaches an advanced honors course at Western Illinois University called Communication Around the "World". Disney World! In addition to standard lectures and projects, students will spend a week at the happiest place on earth. Cool, eh?
As part of the course requirements, each student must write a short report both for David and for ... Disney Dispatch! Cool, eh?
During our weeklong communication field study of the 'World,' we experienced the organizational culture and dissected the structured environments of Walt Disney World.
How We Learned
Early each day, we had a scheduled learning experience, such as the Keys to the Kingdom tour, a shortened version of Disney's Traditions course (which all Cast Members must attend), a discussion with EPCOT Vice-President Dan Cockerell, and informative sessions with Disney experts.
During the rest of the day, we were given research time in the Parks to evaluate how well the service theme ('We create happiness'), service basics (safety, courtesy, show, efficiency), and the Imagineering motto ('Everything Speaks') were put into practice.
Upward Mobility at Disney World
One recurring theme that I noticed about Disney's organizational culture is that the company provides countless opportunities for Cast Members to advance from their initial front-line jobs to their dream careers.
For example, although Dan Cockerell's father, Lee Cockerell, was one of the top executives at Walt Disney World, he got his start in the Disney family working as a frontline Cast Member and slowly took on more managerial roles until he reached his career today.
Following in the footsteps of Lee Cockerell, or those like him, takes a great deal of time, commitment, and dedication. About 75% of the Cast Members that we met had gotten their start in the College Program, and that speaks volumes about the importance Disney puts into this program for developing great workers.
Listen: Everything Speaks
For me, the most fun aspect of Walt Disney World's communication network was analyzing how they portray ideas non-verbally - in other words, how they put into practice the motto 'Everything Speaks'.
During our trip, we spent a lot of time discussing the 'designed environment' of Liberty Square, such as how the street numbers on the buildings reflect the year from which the architecture derives. These small details not only add to the authenticity and believability of the environment, they also enhance the Guest experience. They play an important part in communicating to Guests the importance of unique encounters. Disney invests the time and money to ensure that Guests can have memorable "a-ha!" moments.
Perhaps the most important way to analyze the organizational culture of Walt Disney World is by examining the actions of the face of the company - the front-line Cast Members.
Whether it is figuring out the Haunted Mansion greeter's role in carrying out the service basics or witnessing the Jungle Cruise manager's service recovery for when an elephant's water cannon malfunctions, each Cast Member supplies an important piece to the Walt Disney World organizational communication puzzle.
Shelby's Takeaway
My time spent both in the classroom and at Disney World have taught me to analyze whether a company really is putting their mission statement(s) into practice, and to answer the seminal question: If 'Everything Speaks', what is being said?
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