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Funworld January 2012
Open and Honest Great leaders say the key to success is surrounding themselves with great people It's quite telling that when a group of executives are asked to talk about their own leadership styles, all they really want to talk about is their employees. Such was the case at the Expo during "CEO Speak," a panel discussion, moderated by Ron Morrison of The Docentus Group, that brought together leaders from some of the top companies in the attractions industry. Hearing them talk about their employees with such respect and pride, it's easy to see how these executives reached their positions and why their companies are successful. "You have to surround yourself with great people," said Kim Schaefer, CEO of Great Wolf Resorts. It also helps employees, she said, if you define expectations for them by defining your own vision. "Do you know the three or four things that define your company?" Herschend Family Entertainment started a foundation for employees, by employees. Through it employees give money out of their own checks that is then matched by the company; in turn, this money is used to help other employees in time of financial need or other hardships. "My parents taught me to love at home, and Pete and Jack [Herschend] taught me how to love in a work environment," said Herschend CEO Joel Manby. He also said how you treat your employees translates directly to how those employees treat your guests. And, he added, don't think your guests don't notice a happy, satisfied, fulfilled employee. This is something Manby said he didn't learn until coming to Herschend. For 20 years in the automobile industry, Manby led "autocratically," believing he knew best and dictating that to employees based on his long experience. When he came to Herschend, however, he was a fish completely out of water and had to reach out to his employees for help. This, he said, helped open his eyes to a whole new way of encouraging employees to be an active part of decision making. Jim Reid-Anderson, CEO of Six Flags, has helped two different companies recover from bankruptcy (including his current one). He said in difficult times "if you communicate openly and honestly with people, you are much more likely to succeed." Bring employees with you, he stressed, encouraging their creativity and problem-solving skills. Reid-Anderson regularly sends e-mails to his employees (that he writes himself—critical detail, there) that provide both positive and negative news so everyone is on the same page. "It's amazing the reaction you get—people love to know what's going on in the company," he said. John Lawn, vice president of operations for Hershey Entertainment & Resorts, said he's strived to turn "accountability" from a negative word into a positive one by regularly recognizing employees who go above and beyond their job descriptions—like, for instance, a street sweeper who stops to make eye contact with a guest and give a friendly welcome. "People understand what vision and success look like, and then they model those behaviors," Lawn said. —Jeremy Schoolfield Break the Lid! Executives from San Diego Zoo, Universal Orlando, and Seattle Space Needle encourage outside-the-box thinking 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. —Amanda Charney A Helping Hand SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment CEO Jim Atchison explains how his company reaches beyond its own world It's a good bet most IAAPA Attractions Expo attendees are familiar with the SeaWorld and Busch Gardens theme parks in one way or another. What they might not know, however, is all the work SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment does outside their properties, outside the United States, and even outside the attractions industry.That was one of the reasons the company's CEO, Jim Atchison, wanted to address the annual GM and Owners' Breakfast this year. During the event, he shared with a group of more than 400 some of the exciting philanthropic work SeaWorld Parks does on behalf of the world's animal population. Atchison talked about the SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund, a nonprofit foundation established in 2003 to provide resources for animal care around the globe. The CEO relayed a story of an elephant caught in a poacher's trap in Cambodia whose leg had deteriorated to the point it had to be amputated. "So we paid to have a prosthetic leg made for an elephant on the other side of the world," Atchison said. "This guy's not in our care, he's not in our collection, but he's better off today because of the work we're doing and the things we support. You name it; we will respond." SeaWorld Parks is also branching out in other ways, Atchison said. This year the company opened its own film division, SeaWorld Pictures, to create and distribute films that reinforce SeaWorld's conservation message. This summer marked the debut of its first release, "Turtle: The Incredible Journey," a documentary about a loggerhead turtle as it grows from hatchling to maturity. "We'll do more movies like this as time passes," Atchison said. He also discussed how SeaWorld's animal collection and research are used by veterinarians and scientists all over the world. One group approached SeaWorld to conduct thermographic research on one of its elephants, to study how the animal releases heat. "Having these animals in our care allows people to do research that benefits [animals] everywhere in the wild," he said. All of this work, of course, stems from SeaWorld Parks' core mission of connecting guests with animals "in ways they otherwise never could," Atchison said. In that vein, the company continues to invest heavily in its properties across North America, focusing particularly on rides and other attractions that mix action with animal habitats. "In 2011 we opened a number of new attractions; it was actually the most significant capital year we've ever had in the history of our company," Atchison said. "And it will only be beat by 2012, when we're spending even more capital." This past year saw Busch Gardens Tampa's major "Cheetah Hunt" roller coaster and "Cheetah Run" animal exhibit. Next year brings the "Manta" coaster to SeaWorld San Diego that will incorporate the park's "Forbidden Reef" exhibit, which will be enhanced, as well. And in 2013, SeaWorld Orlando will unveil its new Antarctica themed land, which focuses on penguins and will be "the coldest attraction ever in a theme park company," Atchison said. —Jeremy Schoolfield Disney Legends Reflect on Building a World Without Walt
So it's odd, then, as we celebrate its 40th anniversary this year, to consider the notion that it almost never came to be. When Walt Disney died in December 1966, he almost took his life's biggest dream with him. So said Marty Sklar and Jack Lindquist, two men who were instrumental in the resort's creation. During the "Disney Legends" panel, moderated by BRC Imagination Arts' Bob Rogers, they said Walt's death left an understandably large leadership gap in The Walt Disney Company. Lindquist described it as "a great deal of paralysis," meaning all projects—most notably Disney World—ground to a halt. "Nobody wanted to step forward and try to take that banner," said Lindquist, who was in charge of Disney theme park marketing at the time and eventually became Disneyland's first official president. It was several months before the company started to recover, and Disney World sat dormant for nearly a year, he said. Sklar, who eventually went on to lead all of Walt Disney Imagineering, said he soon discovered the only way to break through the post-Walt malaise was to actually stop thinking "What would Walt do?" and start thinking for himself. Because that's what Walt would really have wanted him to do, anyway. Walt gave his team his vision for Disney World—drawing the master plan in his own hand—and now it was up to them to carry it to fruition. From there the discussion veered into alternately hilarious and endearing stories about the creation of Walt Disney World. Here's just a sample: "We were blessed with ignorance—we didn't know we couldn't do something, so we went and did it," Lindquist said. "Walt built Disneyland and Walt Disney World and didn't spend five cents on market research," Lindquist said. "He wanted it, he believed in it, and he funded it with his own money." Sklar's first visit to the property in Central Florida was October 1967. When he brought Lindquist out two years later, Lindquist had to open a padlocked gate to get onto the property and use a four-wheel-drive vehicle to traverse its swampy grounds. "There were no roads," Lindquist said. It took him three hours to reach his destination, Bay Lake, and "I thought, 'I'm gonna die!'" After all the laughter died down and the session drew to a close, Sklar concluded with this sobering and inspirational thought: "You can't do this business without taking a chance. It's not risk free," Sklar said. "You have to be careful about the kind of risk you take, but don't be afraid to try something new. We'd never have gone beyond Disneyland if we'd played it safe." —Jeremy Schoolfield Something to Believe In Ripley's Jim Pattison shares company history, fun facts, business insight
From Sunscreen Condiments to the 'Soup Nazi,' Pat Koch Delivers Amusing Lessons
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Jim Pattison, president of Ripley Entertainment Inc., shared his philosophies behind running numerous and varied businesses around the world, management advice, and this surprising piece of information:
