The Walt Disney Company, Research Paper Example

Walt Disney Corporation understands that the best way to encourage employees to contribute innovative ideas is by creating an environment in which each individual is valued for his/her opinions and people are encouraged to think outside the box.The new recruits are introduced to tales of innovative initiatives at Disney during the training programs and they personally discover that innovative ideas are embraced at all levels and in all work environments at Disney. These personal observations motivate employees because a company’s culture is the best indicator of the accepted norms and values. In addition, employees also observe that management continues to implement some of their ideas on a regular basis. Thus, employees are convinced that the management is genuinely interested in their opinions. In addition, the employees also know they will not be penalized for failed ideas, thus, they are more willing to take bold steps(Lynch, 2001).

In addition to motivating employees by encouraging them to contribute ideas, the company also has several employee recognition programs to make employees feel valued and appreciated. One of the programs is Spirit of FRED Award which employees give to individuals who coached and mentored them. Another program is Five-Minute Chats which involves manager meeting subordinates who didn’t report to them. This program is to ensure interaction between manager and his subordinates and motivates employees by giving them an opportunity to communicate their concerns or ideas to their managers. Similarly, WOW! Cards are brightly-colored than you notes given by employees to thank fellow staff-members for their help or kindness (Nelson, 1999).

Disney also has taken several steps to promote teamwork. First of all, the company hires individuals who are like-minded and are a good fit to the company’s culture. In other words, Disney hires people-oriented employees who can work with others to achieve organizational objectives.In addition, training programs are often supervised by cast members who introduced new recruits to different aspects of the work environment to give them realistic expectations of their responsibilities (Nelson, 1999). All these activities increase the probability of effective work teams due to individuals who share similar visions and whose personalities complement each others.

Disney also subscribes to Theory Y in McGregor’s theory(Hernandez, 2008). This is reflected by the management’s willingness to delegate tasks to subordinates to suggest ideas for improvement and perform their tasks as they see fit to provide the best experience to consumers. As a result, employees are encouraged to work together. The company is committed to collaborative culture and not only encourages employees to work together but also teaches them effective collaboration skills in the training programs (Disney Institute).

Walt Disney’ management understands that leading is not simply communicating organizational values to the subordinates but also creating a culture that enforces those values. In addition, the management set personal examples to build credibility in the eyes of the subordinates. The company also ensures that it hires people who share its mission and can work with others to provide best customer service to the visitors. The company also has several recognition programs to reward employees for their contributions and make them feel valued and appreciated. In addition, employees’ suggestions are implemented on regular basis which further motivates them to increase their productivity.

References

Disney Institute. (n.d.). Disney’s Approach to Creativity and Innovation. Retrieved October 20, 2012, from http://www.disneyinstitutecollateral.com/files/PDP/CreativityInnovation_Extended.pdf

Hernandez, C. (2008, July 3). Disney: The Magic Business Kingdom. Retrieved October 20, 2012, from http://voices.yahoo.com/disney-magic-business-kingdom-1606157.html?cat=3

Lynch, L. (2001). Sustaining innovation: Walt disney instilled how. T + D, pp. 44-49. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.snhu.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/

Nelson, B. (1999, July 1). Motivation Matters: Disney’s Magic? Recognition. Retrieved October 20, 2012, from http://meetingsnet.com/corporate-meetings/motivation-matters-disneys-magic-recognition