New book uses Disneyland as classroom for leadership development
When Jeff Barnes came up with the idea of teaching a “History of Disneyland” class, he was afraid his colleagues would laugh and never let him teach what they would perceive as a “Mickey Mouse” course, but he went ahead with the idea. anyway, and teaching at a university in Southern California, not far from Disneyland, meant that he soon had plenty of students who were not only interested but enthusiastic.
What is fascinating and educational about the history of Disneyland? More than you could imagine, and enough that Dr. Barnes has written an entire book on the subject, but it’s not just a history book: Walt’s Wisdom: Leadership Lessons from the Happiest Place on Earth presents the vision and development of Walt Disney. of Disneyland as a source of inspiration for all of us in our own pursuit of our dreams and life purposes. Every Disneyland story Dr. Barnes shares contains a lesson to help us become better visionaries, overcome our obstacles, and guide ourselves and others to success.
The book takes us on a journey through the history of Disneyland, telling us the inspiring stories behind many of the attractions, as well as many smaller elements that we may not immediately notice. Anyone who has visited Disneyland will have noticed the big things like Space Mountain or Sleeping Beauty Castle, but what about that park bench Walt Disney sat on that’s on display, and what about the berm? Chances are you don’t even know what a berm is or that Disneyland has one, but it does, and it has a valuable lesson to teach us, as Dr. Barnes informs us.
By reading this book, I learned so much about Disneyland that I didn’t know. I haven’t even been there, although I have been to Walt Disney World, but through the stories of Dr. Barnes, this magical park completely captivated me. I was fascinated by how Walt was influenced by World’s Fairs and then helped develop one after Disneyland became such a success. He was intrigued by Walt’s positive vision for the future as evidenced in the Tomorrowland section of the park. I loved reading about his commitment to his visitors’ experiences and how he spoke personally with park visitors. I loved learning how Walt was a television pioneer who used it to reach viewers’ homes, win their trust, and take them to Disneyland. I was impressed by his willingness to get involved in the details, even to the point of rearranging chairs before performances and getting on rides to understand his guests’ experiences. Nearly fifty years after Walt’s death and sixty years after Disneyland opened, there is still much to be learned from Walt’s vision.
As a true visionary, Walt Disney not only created the blueprint for all the theme parks to come, but he was also a leader who got others to buy into his vision and help him develop it, as well as pass that vision on to all who visit Disneyland. . . Dr. Barnes recounts that vision from the beginning, when Walt created Mickey Mouse as his own “Walter’s ego,” through the many obstacles, failures, and detractors Walt faced and overcame to achieve his tremendous success. . Dr. Barnes shows us how we can do the same and teaches us the lessons that each part of the park has to offer. Chapter titles such as “Making an Impression on the High Street,” “Keeping Fantasy at the Heart of Everything,” and “Creating E-Ticket Experiences” reflect specific Disney ideas translated into skills that people can develop to achieve success. success. Dr. Barnes teaches us how Walt Disney treated his employees as a model of how we should treat our own. It teaches us about the power of patience through waiting in lines at Disneyland, and reminds us that education should be entertaining, so we must be educators, just like Walt Disney himself was, and like Dr. Barnes tries to be in his Disneyland Class Story.
Each chapter of this book is packed with Disneyland stories that make it both entertaining and educational, but the educational aspect also comes in the exercises that Dr. Barnes provides to encourage readers to have their own goals and dreams, to overcome obstacles. that block them in life. and always look to the future, not to the past. He asks us to reflect on what we really want in life, how to overcome the obstacles that come our way, what clothes we can create to make our dreams come true, and many more questions that propel us towards our goals.
The Wisdom of Walt is a true classic inspired by the Disney tradition. Dr. Barnes has captured a magic in these pages that Walt Disney himself would have embraced. Walt wanted to entertain us, but most of all, he wanted to inspire us to make the world a better place, to have a better tomorrow. As he himself said, “All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.” In these pages, I think many readers will find some of that courage.