Walt again. In the mid-'30s this time.

This just in from Jim Korkis:

[My newest book was just released today at Amazon. Who's The Leader of the Club?  Walt Disney's Leadership Lessons.  The print edition is available now and the Kindle edition will be paired with the print edition in a few days.  That's just Amazon's way.

 

My new book is different than any other book I have written.  It is a workbook on Walt Disney's approach to leadership.   There is a Walt quote (sometimes several) and a Walt story on every single page so it should satisfy the casual Disney fan.   However, you can tell this was written for a different demographic...the coach of a Little League team, the head of a P.T.A., the owner of a small business, the person in charge at a hospital, etc...with useful information.  I have purposely avoided technical jargon whenever possible so it is accessible to all.

  

Here's the Table of Contents

 

SECTION ONE:  DISNEY AND LEADERSHIP

Who Was Walt Disney?

What Type of Leader was Walt?

Leaders and Managers:  Walt and Roy

Roy O. Disney and Manager Skills

Walt Disney and Leadership Skills

 

SECTION TWO:  LEADERSHIP LESSONS

Lesson One:  Know The Story

Lesson Two:  Share The Story

Lesson Three:  Take a (Calculated) Risk

Lesson Four:  Make ‘Em Laugh

Lesson Five:  Eager To Learn

Lesson Six:  Understand People

Lesson Seven:  Live The Story (Integrity)

 

SECTION THREE: ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE

Walt’s Bad Leadership Traits

Walt’s Advice to Leaders

Create Leaders

Letting People Go

Walt and Money

Do You Know Your Story?

Remembering Walt’s Leadership  (Quotes from those who worked for Walt)

Final Words from Walt  (Quotes from Walt not previously used in the book)

Recommended Reading

Quotation Sources (which runs ten pages of teeny type so I had no room for a planned index)

 

Each of the lesson chapters ends with a one page checklist called “What Would Walt Do?” summarizing the key points in the lesson and a space to write notes.

 

This was one of the hardest books I have ever written but it is also one that I am proudest to say I have written.

 

Here are some comments from business oriented folks who also happen to be Disney fans. 

Mark David Jones, President of Small World Alliance, Inc. and co-author of Lead With Your Customer: Transform Culture and Brand into World-Class Excellence.   www.SmallWorldAlliance.com

"As a former Disney leader whose career there spanned 26 years, I am very fortunate to have worked with Jim Korkis.  His unrivaled knowledge of Disney history was a consistent highlight of our projects with Fortune 500 companies such as PricewaterhouseCoopers.  Jim’s transformational insights of Disney history and leadership are brilliantly captured within the pages of this intriguing book.  I’m buying copies for everyone on my team.  And if you want to optimize your leadership potential, I highly recommend you doing the same."

Henry Hardt, Professor of Business Law and Professor of Finance,

Harold Walter Siebens School of Business, Buena Vista University, Storm Lake, Iowa

“Jim weaves an entertaining story of Walt’s leadership principles into seven lessons. Although each lesson merits the attention of any serious business or organizational leader, I would highlight Lesson Seven, ‘Live the Story’.  In this lesson, Jim reaches deep into his seemingly never-ending bag of Disney information to set forth Walt’s approach to ethics and integrity.

 

“Until you have the great pleasure to hear Jim speak in person (Jim’s passion about Disney and his oratorical skills spellbind all audiences including our students at Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, Iowa as well as business and organizational leaders.), I am confident the readers of Jim’s book will likewise be entertained by the story narrative that only Jim can tell. At the same time, they will be able to immediately apply Walt’s ‘best practices’ to their businesses or organizations to help achieve their goals—with integrity.”

 

Lou J. Repassy,  Former Senior Sales Manager, Walt Disney Parks & Resorts

"Our department called on the services of Jim Korkis for specialized client seminars.  With his vast knowledge of Disney heritage and tradition, Jim was always able to effectively include those elements to complement the business needs of the programs.  In the pages of this book are the same passion, insight and good humor that made Jim a very valuable internal business partner."

 

Kaye Bundey, Disney Institute Manager of Disney Adult Discoveries programs and Convention Workshops

“Jim's knowledge and insight of Walt and all things Disney enhanced and enriched all our offerings at the Disney Institute including introducing elements of Disney history into the business programs.  This book captures Jim's skill on how to make something both entertaining and informative and should be on your bookshelf.”

 

David Zanolla, Senior Associate Faculty, Western Illinois University

“Jim Korkis' expertise in the field of Disney studies is beyond compare and I am thrilled that he continues to share his knowledge in books like Who’s the Leader of the Club?  My students thoroughly enjoyed their time with him and it greatly enhanced their understanding of both Walt himself and the Disney Company.”

 

William Dixon, Adjunct Professor, Rosen College of Hospitality Management 

"Over the years that Jim Korkis lectured to my classes at the Rosen College of Hospitality Management, he was always an engaging and informative speaker.  He understood not only Disney history but the Disney business.  My students always rated his presentations as one of the highpoints of the class." I hope that this book will prove to be an informative workbook of Walt’s leadership philosophy as well as an entertaining glimpse into a different perspective of his life.  

I hope that Walt’s words and actions will inspire a new generation just as he inspired so many others in the past.   I hope you will consider adding this new, but very different, Disney book to your collection and letting others know that it exists.]

Great piece of art by Fred Spencer being sold at the moment on Animation Art Gallery (Thanks to Dan Cunningham for the heads up).

Great photo of Walt sold recently on ebay.

If I had to make a list of the Disney historians I look up to, John Canemaker would be at the very top of the list, along with just a handful of others.

I never thought he could top books like Before the Animation Begins or Paper Dreams, but I was wrong: The Lost Notebook: Herman Schultheis & the Secrets of Walt Disney's Movie Magic is John's best book to date, a true masterpiece. The text, as always, is meticulously researched and written with absolute clarity and depth. But what stunned me is that in the first half of the book, about 80% of the illustrations used (and probably even more) have never been seen before. The book is very heavily illustrated and the second half showcases what I believe is the complete notebook.

The key message is a very simple one: If you only buy one Disney history book this year, this is the one you should get!

The blog will be updated again around May 26.

This just in from Gunnar Andreassen:

[Here's another magazine cover with WD - this time a Swedish one from 1953, Teknikens Värld (The World of Technics).]

 

This just in, from Garry Apgar.

Great article unearthed by Joe Campana recently. The last paragraph is of special interest. 

This extremely rare magazine from September 1935 was sold on ebay this weekend. It was way too expensive for me, unfortunately. If you are a reader of this blog and picked it up, could you please email me at: didier.ghez@gmail.com?

I just heard from my co-author Alain Littaye who mentions that he has a few copies of the book Disneyland Paris - From Sketch To Reality for sale during the month of May at the special price of 60 Euros + 15 Euros postage.

You can pay via Paypal and you can contact Alain at neverlandeditions@gmail.com

For more info about the book, check: http://neverlandeditions.blogspot.com/

It is a real pleasure to announce the release of the long-awaited Walt's People - Volume 14! This is an extremely strong volume. Probably the strongest to date.

Here is the table of contents:

Foreword: Todd James Pierce

Bob Thomas: Carman Maxwell
Mark Mayerson: Dick Lundy
Leonard Maltin: Dick Lundy
Leonard Maltin: Phil Klein
Leonard Maltin: Zack Schwartz
John Culhane: Ray Patterson
Didier Ghez: Marge Champion
John Canemaker: Joe Grant
Dave Smith: Bob Jones
Jim Korkis & Didier Ghez: Bob Baker
Vincent Randle: A Life Rendering: The Unrealized Art of Richmond “Dick” Kelsey
David Culbert: Eric Knight at Disney
The Holling C. Holling letters
John Culhane: Bill Justice
John Culhane: Irvin Graham
Michael Broggie: Lillian Disney
Alberto Becattini: Carson Van Osten
George Sherman: Bruce Bushman
George Sherman: Bob Mattey
Dave Smith: Chris Mueller
John G. West: Arthur Vitarelli
Charles Solomon: Alice Davis
Didier Ghez: Lucile Bosché
Harry Wessel: Joe Fowler
Didier Ghez: Eddie Sotto

Here is a new book released by Theme Park Press which might interest some of us. I will review it when I get a copy. In the meantime, here is what the publisher had to say about it:

[LIGHTS! CAMERA! TAKE ACTION!

Guests at Disney's Hollywood Studios become the stars in a theme park experience like no other. In this behind-the-camera book, you’ll find out how Disney does it, and how you can use the same techniques to bring some show biz into your biz, with your customers the stars.

_Stories from the Studios_

Former Disney University executive J. Jeff Kober shares little-known stories behind dozens of park attractions, restaurants, and shops, and teaches you how to use Disney's peerless storytelling and customer service secrets to take your life and your business to new heights.

From the "ugly ducklings" of Min and Bill's Dockside Diner (and how to turn your own weaknesses into strengths) to Toy Story Midway Mania (and how to prevent "mania" from undermining your success), Kober takes you on a tour of Disney's Hollywood Studios that will change how you view the park - and how you view your own life, both personal and professional.

_Putting on the Show_

"Disney's Hollywood Studios: From Show Biz to Your Biz" is the only book devoted entirely to the Hollywood Studios theme park, with over forty chapters of park history, Disney trivia, and business best practices, including:

- How the experience starts in the parking lot

- A tale of two movie moguls: Walt Disney vs Louis B. Mayer

- The valuable lessons of "merchantainment"

- Adventures in partnership with George Lucas, Jim Henson, and Aerosmith

- How Disney turns mundane minutes into Magical Moments

- Hidden secrets of the Tower of Terror, and how Disney exceeded even its own standards

Get your business ready for *its* close-up!]

The Kindle version of Walt's People - Volume 1 is now available. Its price is only $0.99! For those of you who have yet to check out the Walt's People book series, this is your opportunity to do so.

This just in:

[The Disneyland Resort diversity group is flying Jim Korkis out to Anaheim to do a presentation on Asian-Pacific heritage and the many connections to Disney.  The presentation is for Disney cast members and will be held 5:30pm on Wednesday May 21 at the Sequoia Ballroom of the Grand Californian Hotel.   Contact Jeff L. Chang if you are eligible to attend and are interested]

The Disney Books Network was updated over the weekend.

This just in from Disney archivist Ed Ovalle about the photo I posted on March 3, 2014.

[The group of French journalists visited the Walt Disney Studio and met Walt on February 14, 1945.

There were eight journalists in the group which Walt met:

Mme. Etiennette Benichon
Mme. D'Ardene de Tizac
Jean-Paul Sartre
Stephane Pizella
Pierre Denoyer
Louis Lombard
Robert Wischner
Joseph Antonorsi

According to an IOC from Jack Cutting to Walt, the O.W.I.'s main purpose in having the journalists tour the country was to get them to do a series of articles on "America at War".  During their visit to the studio, they were shown numerous samples of the Army and Navy training films, C.I.A.A. Health films and were very enthusiastic about them.

One of the journalists told Walt how Léon Bancal was put in jail by the Germans because of the implications in his first Mickey Mouse article. I assume they were talking about, "Au Revoir, Mickey" which appeared on Oct. 1, 1942, in Le Petit Marseillais. They asked that Walt honor Léon Bancal  by making a drawing of Mickey on a reprint of the article and Mme. Benichon asked if Walt could send a brief greeting addressed to the children of France.]

Beautiful photo of Walt seen on HowardLowery.com recently.

This just in:

[I thought you might be interested to know that Swann Auction Galleries in New York will offer a charming Disney poster at its Modernist Posters auction on April 24.

The poster is one of the few early Disney posters with a prominent cross-marketing pitch – in this case, Pepsi was an official sponsor of Disneyland from opening day, 1955, through 1990.  (Lot 142, $700 - $1,000).]

While looking for information about Ethel Kulsar and Gyo Fujikawa, I stumbled about this 1941 article from the LA Times, which I believe a few of you will enjoy.