This review has to start by letting you know I liked this book. It did an excellent job of laying out important aspects of successful leaders. Cockerell has done a perfect job of pulling from his experiences at Disney, Marriott, and his entire life to talk about what makes successful leadership.

Just reading the titles, it can feel these are self-evident truths – a rehash of things we've seen before. "Everyone is Important" and "Eliminate Hassles" and "Break the Mold" sound like they could come from many of the other leadership books we have all read. What makes this different is the stories he tells around them – the life lessons he learned and teaches – and the details he builds around each of these concepts. It is a very persuasive and motivating book.

Here's the only problem I've had. I know a few people who have worked at Disney. It is like any other company. It has it good (maybe more good than most), but it also has its bad. That means that the rosy picture painted by Cockerell is probably less than accurate. As I read this book, a little voice in the back of my head kept reminding me of that.

However, that does not diminish the truths he is telling.

And so, my job was to keep turning that nagging voice off and listen close to the lessons. And that is why you should read the book – the lessons and the detail will be valuable in anyone's pursuit towards leadership. ( )

This book was originally given to me by our district superintendent who wanted us to take a look at how we lead and start to change a culture. The book is written by Lee Cockerell, who is the former Executive VP of Operations at Walt Disney World Resort - the epitome of customer service. His expertise of leadership strategies is definitely top notch.

Mr. Cockerell goes through his strategies in a very familiar, easy to read style, with stories throughout, in order to visualize his points clearly. Emphasis on obvious leadership issues, such as character, communication, and the ability to listen for that next great idea are prevalent throughout the book.

We used this book as a study guide over several months and it gave cause to stop, ponder, and reflect on ways that we were incorporating these strategies into our own leadership situation (mine as an elementary principal). While some of the explanations were geared more towards business, most could be adapted to our schools, in which the student and their family are our most valued customers.

I found myself highlighting and marking pages for ideas to bring to staff to spread leadership tidbits throughout the year next year. Teachers have a lot of professional development on strategies for instruction, technology, or the management of their classrooms, but oftentimes, don't see themselves as leaders - this might be a step to acknowledge that role for them.

This book, overall, was excellent - it isn't a strategy that you can instantly put into effect, but rather something to be pondered, processed, and carried forth in the way you carry yourself. It helps to address the LEADERSHIP part of the job, not the MANAGEMENT part (and yes, I have both parts, as do most leaders). It will definitely be one that I refer back to throughout my career. ( )

Lee Cockerell, retired executive at Disney, shares Disney's 10 leadership strategies, along with lots of examples and stories. These leadership strategies won't be new or surprising. As Cockerell notes most of them are common sense. But common sense does not mean common practice. For leaders who are not fully utilizing these leadership strategies, Cockerell's specific strategies and examples (from Disney, Marriott, and a host of other organizations that have participated in the Disney Leader Institute) may provide the details needed to put these practices into action. For example, I liked the story about how paying attention to customer complaints led to Disney's Fast Pass System, and how the Pin Trader idea was borrowed from the Olympics in Japan.

The book is a little repetitive at times, due to the overlap between the 10 strategies. And Cockerell seems more than willing to tell stories that illustrate his leadership excellence. But overall, this book gave me several specific examples that I'll share with undergraduates in my leadership classes. If you are interested in leadership, and especially specific examples of good leadership, this book may be worth a read. ( )

While Orbiting the Giant Hairball is still my favorite business book, Creating Magic is a close second. The management techniques and skills discussed in the book can be applied in all organizations to improve customer and employee relations. ARE, Appreciation, Recognition, and Encouragement are the keys to having happy employees and guests. Well worth reading, especially if you are planning on a leadership role in your organization. ( )

There aren't any surprise business revelations in this book. The title describes it best as "common sense leadership." But if you are a fan of Disney, you may enjoy reading the anecdotal stories. ( )