LEAD LIKE DISNEY

Have you ever noticed the difference between Disneyland and Six Flags?  Besides Disney’s obvious obsession with mice, they have distinct differences between pretty much every other theme park you will visit.  My family had recently visited Six Flags during a recent vacation, and the differences became quickly noticeable.   

From Disneyland's inception, Walt Disney placed a great emphasis on customer service.   He was so detailed, you will even find a Mickey Mouse logo on the manhole cover.  You will never find trash in the park, and you constantly and consistently greeted by everyone who works at Disneyland.   At other theme parks you are often greeted by the disdain of employees who seem rather upset that you decided to visit their park.

On our twins’ most recent birthday, we took our whole family to Disneyland in Southern California.   At the gate, the birthday boys were given big buttons saying “it’s my birthday.”  Every person who worked for Disneyland made a point of stopping and wishing them a ‘happy birthday.’  Even during the parade, characters on top of floats, would notice, point out our boys, and wish them a happy birthday.  This was an amazing attention to detail.

It reminded me of a verse that we all know quite well.  It is in Matthew 7:12:

 “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you.”    

It is a simple and well known verse.    Yet how often do we see the world or view the world this way?  In a world focused on the self, this verse serves as a refreshing reminder the Christ called us to put others before ourselves.

Here are some things Disney applies to their parks.  They used the 7 Dwarfs to establish their model:

Be Happy – Make contact with everyone and smile!

Be Sneezy – Greet everyone and be contagious with your attitude.

Don’t Be Bashful – Make a point of connecting with people; do not avoid them.

Be Like Doc – Be a part of the solution, not the problem.  Help solve problems when they arrive.

Don’t be Grumpy – Your body language communicates louder than you think.

Be Sleepy-  Create dreams.  Help students discover their God-given potential.

Don’t be Dopey-  Treat everyone with respect and grace.

How can we apply this to our ministries?  What are we communicating in how we greet others, treat one another, or through our body language and the other non-verbal ways we communicate?  How do your volunteers greet and treat people?  What is your facility say about how you value it and therefore those who would come through your doors?  

Walt Disney paid attention to detail because he valued everyone who would come through his doors.   Let us put value in all that we do so we too communicate to all who walk through our doors that we place great value on them, and in so doing, we gain the opportunity to pour into them and help them become who God created them to be.

Abe Daniel

District Student Ministries Director - NCN Student Ministries