Bill Capodagli

If Walt Ran Your Organization! - The Disney Way

Walt Disney’s management lessons are as relevant today as they were four decades ago at the time of his death. And his spirit, the culture he established, and the values he lived by still guide the Disney organization.

In this highly acclaimed presentation, Bill Capodagli describes the 6 reasons why Disney is a relevant role model for today’s business leaders. Bill shares lessons from The Walt Disney Company and other highly successful companies such as Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, Men’s Warehouse, and Ernst & Young.

Dreams and Dreamers: How to Innovate Like Walt Disney and the Pixarians

Pixar is the benchmark of innovative success. With numerous Academy Awards under their belts, they keep breaking the mold on creativity and taking it to the next level. From Toy Story to Up, Pixar never settles for what they’ve done but continues to look forward to the future. 

Bill takes you on a tour of the most innovative, creative organization in the world. You’ll learn how to look at the world through a child’s eyes (and why it’s important). You’ll learn how to believe in your team … how to jump in and try something different … how to create your own corporate playground … and more. 

Among the Key Points You’ll Learn: 

• The Dreamers Walt Disney and the Pixarians 
• Dream Like a Child Where did the creativity go? 
• Believe in Your Playmates Collaboration in the sandbox 
• Dare to Jump in the Water and Make Waves Try, Learn, Try Again 
• Do Unleash Your Childlike Potential Make a Dent in the Universe 
• New Beginnings

Leadership - The Disney Way

Walt Disney was once asked what the secret to his success was and he replied, I dream things and ways of doing business that have never been done before; I test those dreams against my personal believes and the values of the organization; I dare to take the risks to make my dreams a reality; and I put plans together so those dreams do become a reality. Dream, Believe, Dare, Do are the principles that have guided the Disney organization for over 80 years. Walt Disney’s leadership not only created an organization that has stood the test of time, but it created an international icon. Can we even imagine a world without Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse or Goofy?

Walt left us over 40 years ago, but his leadership lessons are as relevant now as they were back then. Bill Capodagli will not only explain the critical elements in Walt’s definition of leadership, but also provide extraordinary leadership examples from the featured companies in The Disney Way. Bill will also recommend an action plan to improve anyone’s leadership skills.

Customer Service - The Disney Way

Walt Disney created an organization that has become the quintessential model for customer service, perhaps in the entire world. In this presentation, Bill Capodagli leads his audience to apply Walt’s Dream, Believe, Dare, Do principles to achieve a Disney Way service culture. Bill challenges his audience to view their organizations as “show business.” He clarifies the importance of continuously putting on a good “show” for guests. Bill encourages audiences to begin a journey of becoming “customer-centric producers” of their own “shows”.

Walt Disney once said. “You don’t build the product for yourself. You need to know what people want and build it for them.” Bill provides a solid roadmap required to become a customer-centric organization.

Creativity and Storyboarding - The Disney Way

Walt Disney was indeed a creative genius, even though he often said, “we don’t allow geniuses around here.” His true genius was his ability to focus on being the best by creating something new or reinventing the old. Great leaders don’t just meet customer needs; they create unique experiences. They don’t simply provide a product or service that meets specifications; they solve customer problems; they fulfill customer dreams; and they create “magical moments.”

In this presentation, Bill Capodagli introduces Storyboarding, a tool that Walt Disney created in the 1930s and continued to use in all of his creative projects for the remainder of his life.
Storyboarding is a structured exercise that quickly captures the thoughts and creative ideas from a group of participants. These thoughts and ideas are recorded on cards and then displayed on a board or a wall. The result is what Bill calls an “idea landscape.” Storyboarding is an ideal tool for generating solutions to problems and enhancing communications. Bill teaches audiences how storyboards can be adapted to a variety of problem-solving situations in which the introduction of the visual element makes interconnections of ideas, creative thoughts and activities readily apparent.

Bill will present how Disney creates an environment that is conducive to creativity and innovation. Bill also explains how to apply the “nine-step” process to move a “blue sky” dream to a unique guest experience.

If Walt Ran Your Hospital! - The Disney Way

Success in today’s health care industry comes from inspired leadership and focusing on the holistic patient experience. There are great lessons to be learned from Walt Disney who believed in creating a “magical” experience for guests. . . the same paradigm that is alive and well in the best of the best health care environments today.

Walt Disney was once asked what made him so successful. He said that he would often Dream of new techniques that had not been attempted in the past; Believe in the power of his own values; Dare to take risks; and then just Do something to accomplish the dream.

In this presentation, Bill Capodagli translates the Dream, Believe, Dare, Do model for the health care setting. He provides a variety of examples, most notably Griffin Hospital in Derby, Connecticut, owner of the famed Planetree approach to hospital management. Bill also recounts the inside story of how the Disney leadership and service standards were achieved – not by sudden flashes of creative insight, but by a much considered and carefully wrought system for constantly raising the bar of excellence. Bill provides solid techniques for adapting The Disney Way model to the health care environment.