Disney innovation: Bring a tiger into the room to make bosses experience what the customer will experience
Joe RohdeÂ
 How do you lead creatively when the bosses who make decisions are often too far removed from the marketplace to know what customers will want?
Joe Rohde was an imagineer at Disney who was convinced that Disney should launch a new theme park called Animal Kingdom. Twice he presented a large, well-researched report to the Board of Disney in support of his idea. Twice it was rejected. "People just don't want to see wild animals. That's old hat," was the feeling.
The third time Rohde's proposal was before the Board for consideration, he didn't walk into the Board room with a thick report for them to consider. He walked in with a six foot Bengal tiger on the end of a chain. "Now do you get it?" he asked them.
Michael Eisner, then CEO of Disney, impressed with the impact made by the tiger in the room, gave the go-ahead, and Animal Kingdom was born.
Last month Rohde led the celebrations for the tenth birthday of Animal Kingdom.Â
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Beats a PowerPoint
Fantastic this really beats a PowerPoint or business proposal for immediate value recognition.Â
One of the challenges of today is to get your message across (at board level) as quickly as possible to achieve the outcome desired. Most senior executives (and yes I am one of them) are time poor. Â
I am not sure what the equivalent of a tiger is in the legal publishing world but I am sure we can have some fun in trying to figure this out.Â
Kate
GROWL...My first contribution to 'What Inspires us' :)<chuckles>
Dear Joe and folks!
I'm reminded of a book, The Tongue - A Creative Force, By Charles Capps (publisher: Harison House)...some poignant little pearls:
1 John 3:18My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.
1 Cor 14:22 Therefore tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophesying is not for unbelievers but for those who believe.
Revelation 13:7 It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. Revelation 14:6 Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth -- to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people --
Deuteronomy 30:19"I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, [that] I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;
Job 6:24 " Teach me, and I will hold my tongue; Cause me to understand wherein I have erred.
Job 6:30 Is there injustice on my tongue? Cannot my taste discern the unsavory?
1 Peter 3:10 For "He who would love life And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips from speaking deceit.
1 Peter 3:10 For "He who would love life And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips from speaking deceit.
1Cor1:7 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty...
GOD BLESS ALL YOUR SOX OFF :) Thank you granting me the opportunity to share stuff that interests me
Tiger in the room
The idea of the Tiger in the room is great I can almost picture the scene in my mind.
Can you see the 7ft long 300lb animal and hear it growling and the heat and odour , the tension as everyone thinks is it going to get away and eat me. Picture it and you are there.Â
 I have shared this with graduates in my workplace who have to do presentations in the hope that they will think beyond Powerpoint and slides.