Sustaining a Competitive Advantage though a Culture of Excellence.

"I dream, I test my dreams against my beliefs, I dare to take risks, and I execute my vision to make those dreams come true." - Walt Disney.

Bruce Jones

Welcome to a special Leadership Development Channel podcast on Total Picture Radio, with our continuing coverage of the SHRM 2009 Annual Conference in New Orleans. Joining Peter Clayton is Programming Director for the Disney Institute, Bruce Jones. Bruce directs the development and delivery of Disney training and professional development programs across the globe. His team provides innovative business solutions to a diverse clientele of Fortune 500 companies and international organizations.

Bruce has 28 years of leadership experience – the last two decades with Disney – and he is a recognized expert on Disney business practices, including leadership, people management, service excellence, brand loyalty, and creativity.

This podcast is sponsored by Taleo, where Talent Drives Performance.™

22 Min:

15.7 MB Download Now!

Questions we asked Bruce Jones

Bruce, Disney lead an executive education program at SHRM’s Annual Conference titled “Sustaining a Competitive Advantage though a Culture of Excellence.” Can you give us a brief overview -- and the major concepts your team presented?

How can business leaders foster a “Culture of Excellence” considering the turbulent business environment we’re experiencing? Many organizations are focused on nothing but survival.

Dream, believe, dare, and do are the four principles that guide Disney's business philosophy. Sounds great. Difficult to execute, am I right?

Tough economic times usually mean things like training budgets get cut to the bone. What metrics do you have to convince a CFO that employee training programs are worth investing in?

I’ve always thought Disney’s use of “cast member” for employees and “stage” for work environment was brilliant. However these metaphors don’t translate well for most businesses. Have you come up with other metaphors that would be appropriate for say a tech company or financial services organization?

How is the proliferation of new technology -- especially online -- impacting training and organizational development?

What technologies does the Institute use to deliver you content and training programs?

How has technology improved the delivery of your services? Customer satisfaction? Operating Margins?