Show Daily
Break the Lid!
Executives from San Diego Zoo, Universal Orlando, and Seattle Space Needle encourage out-of-the-box thinking
By Amanda Charney
Zoo and aquarium participants received a rare treat Monday when three top executives from three vastly different world-class facilities shared their insights into the attractions industry.
Bob Dillon, director of operations with the San Diego Zoo; Bill Davis, president of Universal Studios Orlando; and Ron Sevart, president and CEO of the Seattle Space Needle shared their perspectives on leadership, how to foster new ideas among staff, the “why” behind their business goals, and advice for future leaders.
Moderator Ron Morrison, CEO of the Docentus Group, was the perfect bridge between the audience and the panelists, as he used some of his own leadership advice as a springboard for a lively conversation.
The ‘Law of the Lid’
Morrison began by sharing the “Law of the Lid,” which essentially says if you create barriers within your organization (the lid) creativity, new ideas, and growth will be stifled. The panelists have all taken risks and jumped outside the lid, so to speak, to bring even more meaningful experiences to their guests.
The San Diego Zoo opened its facility an hour early to specific groups such as Mommy Meetup organizations and guests with disabilities, of which Dillon said, “It solidifies our spot in the community; this is just something we do. We don’t hang our hat on it.” Of the Mommy group promotion, he said the events have increased membership. They also give zoo marketers a chance to share with mothers details of the zoo’s other paid programs.
At Universal Orlando, instead of just adding a ride or show, the park added The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, breaking through the proverbial lid. “If you get the right [intellectual property] and partner you can expand your horizons beyond what might be traditional in terms of footprint,” Davis said. He believes the new area changed the landscape of the park business, and “I think that’s a good thing.”
The Seattle Space Needle’s lid-breaker is the Dale Chihuly project that includes a glass house, museum, store, and café. Given the Needle’s small footprint, facility developers needed to find the expansion that fit the company’s vision. “Art is controversial, so it was a bit of a struggle,” Sevart said. The Needle also launched a project that would ultimately elevate the company’s brand on a massive scale: a competition that would send the winner to space. “It’s not about the return on the monthly rollup; it’s the stories we hear from people who are entering this competition,” he said.
Strong Leaders Empower Lid-Breaking Teams
These projects wouldn’t be what they are without the strong leadership and guidance from these three panelists. They all agreed leadership is about giving team members the tools to follow through with the company’s mission and to be accountable for their ideas and how they’re executed.
“It’s easy to give vision and walk away; it’s another thing to hold them accountable in the right way,” said Sevart.
Dillon added that his overarching leadership tenet is to do the right thing and do it well, adding that managers should “do it with kindness” or they can explore a career in another business. “If people want to do the work, you can get them where they need to be,” he said.
Davis believes leaders need to be consistent, adding that he takes pains to walk the park every day. “I need to stay in touch with our product; I need that feedback loop with our guests and team members,” he said.