Delighted to share a report from writer and fellow ASJA member Rodney J. Moore on his experiences at the Disney Institute. From the very first day I delved into corporate history, I’ve contended that all organizations bear the DNA of their founder. Rod's story confirms my instinct:
“One of my first takeaways was how much Disney believes in storytelling. I knew that going in, but it permeates everything they do. Walt is the foundation of the Disney brand and so we started our course with details about his story. It was fascinating to hear that Walt was influenced by one main person and experience in his childhood. It wasn't his parents. It was his uncle. Walt clearly was an artist at heart so his creativity was boundless. But he had no outlet for it after his family moved to a farm when he was 5. His uncle gave him that outlet by allowing Walt to ride with him on his train. Walt's uncle Mike was an engineer. So Walt had a different adventure every time he rode that train. I think it inspired him to dream and those dreams are what birthed the brand we know today.”
More to come here! Meantime, check out Rod’s blog for additional insights: http://www.rodneyjmoore.com/blog.htm
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