Disney

Project Overview

Leadership Instructor-Led Training

Walt Disney Parks and Recreation hired me and a fellow designer to create an engaging, instructor-led training course for new leaders in the company - including external hires and some who were promoted from within. The goal of the training was to help leaders identify and embody the "Disney Way" of leadership. We designed the program remotely and then piloted and eventually launched the course on site in Orlando, Florida.

Process

ADDIE Waterfall Process

Per client request, we followed a waterfall process - conducting analysis via interviews and focus groups; designing the course and developing all instructor-led training materials (e.g. facilitator guides, participant handouts, visual presentation); piloting and editing the course based on pilot feedback and observations; and then conducting a train-the-trainer session with Disney facilitators who would then implement the course with the target learning audience.

Approach

Observing Leadership Styles in Action

The training started with a high-level overview of Disney's preferred leadership style. Then, learners played a game in which they created small teams, designed theme parks, and faced several rounds of scenarios (e.g. mechanical failure, bad weather) that impacted their operations. After each round, teams received revenue and customer/employee satisfaction scores. Meanwhile, a panel of experts observed each learner during the game and rated how well they followed Disney's leadership style. To the surprise of some, the team who best embodied Disney's leadership style won the game - not the team with the highest revenue or scores.