New book uses Disneyland as a classroom for leadership development
When Jeff Barnes came up with the idea of teaching a “Disneyland History” class, he feared that his colleagues would laugh and never allow him to 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 it soon had many students who were not only interested but also excited.
What’s so fascinating and educational about the Disneyland story? 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: The Wisdom of Walt: Leadership Lessons from the Happiest Place on Earth presents the vision and development of Walt Disney. Disneyland as a source of inspiration to all of us in our own pursuit of our dreams and life purposes. Every Disneyland story that 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 Disneyland history and tells 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 big things like Space Mountain or Sleeping Beauty Castle, but what about that park bench that 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 have not 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 the World Fairs and then helped develop one after Disneyland became a hit. I was intrigued by Walt’s positive vision for the future, as evidenced by the Tomorrowland section of the park. I loved reading about her commitment to her visitor experiences and how she spoke personally with park visitors. I loved learning about how Walt was a television pioneer who used television to reach viewers’ homes, gain their trust, and bring them to Disneyland. I was impressed by her willingness to get involved in the details, even to the point of rearranging chairs before introductions and setting up games to understand her guests’ experiences. Nearly fifty years after Walt’s death and sixty years after Disneyland opened, there is still much to learn from Walt’s vision.
As a true visionary, Walt Disney not only created the blueprint for all the theme parks to come, he was a leader who was able to get others to buy his vision and help him develop it, and he passed that vision on to everyone who visits Disneyland. . Dr. Barnes narrates that vision from the beginning when Walt created Mickey Mouse as his own “Walter ego,” through the many obstacles, failures, and detractors that 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 Main Street,” “Keeping Fantasy at the Heart of It All,” 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 for how we should treat bears. It teaches us about the power of patience when waiting in line at Disneyland, and reminds us that education should be entertaining, so we should be educators, just as Walt Disney himself was, and as Dr. Barnes tries to do. be in your Disneyland Class History.
Each chapter in this book is filled with Disneyland stories that make it 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 be looking to the future, not to the past. It asks us to think about what we really want in life, how to overcome the obstacles we face, what habits we can create to make our dreams come true, and many more questions that propel us toward our goals.
Walt’s Wisdom is a true classic inspired by Disney lore. 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, so that we would 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 something of that value.