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Artwork for Creating Disney Magic

Creating Disney Magic

Lee Cockerell
Leadership
Customer Service
Disney
Management
Time Management
Walt Disney World
Workplace Culture
Communication
Career Development
Psychological Safety
Employee Engagement
Disney World
Mental Health
Technology
Coaching
Cockerell Academy
Training
Customer Experience
Personal Development
Leadership Training

Lee Cockerell shares his wisdom and experience from his time as the Executive Vice President of Operations for Walt Disney World. Along with host Jody Maberry, Lee discusses how you can apply lessons in leadership, management, and customer service to create magic in your organization.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes620Founded12 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
ManagementBusinessCareers

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Creating Disney Magic

Latest Episodes

"Great people with a great attitude will always get noticed."

Episode Chapters

[00:00:58] Speaking to Disney College Program participants

[00:03:16] Advice for landing your first career opportunity

[00:05:18] Why Disney experience opens doors... more

"The problem you see is often three steps away from the real problem."

Episode Chapters

[00:01:52] Why Every Leader Should Walk the Front Line [00:03:19] What You Learn by Being Present Every Day [00:08:25] Removing Obstacles for Your Team [00:08... more

YouTube

"If you want great customer service, you need to start by defining what great looks like."

Episode Chapters

[00:01:12] A Customer Service Challenge in Local Government

[00:03:01] Creating Standards for Every Customer Interaction

[00:05:25] Ho... more

YouTube

"Don't hire someone just to fill a position. Hire the right person for the long haul."

Episode Chapters

[00:01:35] Looking Beyond Retention Rates

[00:03:02] Why Great Employees Always Have Options

[00:07:59] How Disney Measured Turnover and R... more

YouTube

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Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
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Number of Listeners
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Recent Guests

Tim Dyck
Founder of Best Culture Solutions
Best Culture Solutions
Episode: Dealing with Stress
Jeff Barnes
Author of The Wisdom of Walt; educator and speaker
The Wisdom of Walt / Jeff Barnes
Episode: Leadership Lessons from Walt Disney
Greg Archbold
Author of Fail, Fight, Finish
Author, Speaker
Episode: Leadership is Not About a Title
Lee Cockerell
Former Executive Vice President of Operations for Walt Disney World
Disney
Episode: Experience and Exposure Create Opportunity
Lindsay Barnes
Episode contributor highlighted as a younger voice with a real resume perspective
Episode: Experience and Exposure Create Opportunity
Liz Wilcox
A guest who applied leadership lessons from Lee's book on 'Survivor'
Episode: Knowledge is Currency
Djuan Rivers
Former Executive at Disney who ran Animal Kingdom
Disney
Episode: Stories That Work
Bob Allen
Former executive at Disney
Disney
Episode: Stories That Work
Rick Allen
Former executive at Disney
Disney
Episode: Stories That Work

Hosts

Jody Maberry
Host of Creating Disney Magic
Lee Cockerell
Former Executive Vice President of Operations, Walt Disney World; guest sharing leadership insights and practical applications

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 575 ratings
  • It’s never too late to get better.

    Lee’s views on leadership are easy to follow and implement. It’s not complicated to do the right thing and I love how his podcasts remind us of this. We over complicate things. Thanks Lee and Jody for a great podcast.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    JamieAne MVP
    United States3 years ago
  • Leadership, Life Lessons, Legendary

    Be the type of Leader Lee and Jody would hire

    I listen to two to four episodes a week depending how long it takes me to digest the episodes but this is not a bingeing podcast it’s a learning podcast. Maybe not every lesson applies to you but the ones that do Really do.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    A. Maguire
    United States3 years ago
  • Master Class in Business Wisdom

    If you listen to this podcast and seriously apply the principles at the work place, you will have employees and managers that work well together and respect one another. Lee and Jody basically provide an MBA in Leadership if you listen to it and use it everyday. Lee has great stories on the why and how things were done at Disney to make it so special to the guests and cast members. Jody is a great guide to get you through the episode and to get Lee to explain his experiences. Thank you to both o... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Dave W. 1
    United States3 years ago
  • Leadership, Life Lessons, Legendary

    I listen to two to four episodes a week depending how long it takes me to digest the episodes but this is not a bingeing podcast it’s a learning podcast. Maybe not every lesson applies to you but the ones that do Really do.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    A. Maguire
    United States3 years ago
  • These guys know what they're talking about !!! And the humor is great too. Thank you Lee and Jody !!! I've followed from the beginning. I appreciate you !!! Keep up the great work !!!

    Podcast Addict
    Peter Gavel
    4 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

High-quality storytelling and useful frameworks for managers
Guest mix combines Disney leadership with broader business lessons
Professional, practical leadership insights that apply beyond Disney
Concise, actionable episodes with real-world impact

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Use Customer Service Standards
Q: What can she do to help the department heads provide the best customer service experience to all the people they serve?
Focus on establishing clear customer service standards, implement a simple script for phone and greeting interactions, socialize a 'perfect day' for citizens, provide training and procedures, and ensure leadership consistently communicates and reinforces these standards daily.
Encourage Your Team to Take Ownership of Problems
Q: Did you have a system of keeping track of cast members who solved problems before they escalated to upper management, and would a reward system encourage ownership?
Disney had tried an idea-submission program, but over time it mainly benefited engineers; the key takeaway is that listening and implementing ideas, combined with visible recognition, is the real driver of engagement and ownership—even without a big monetary program.
Dealing with Stress
Q: Tim, how can leaders begin to address stress and anxiety in their teams without overstepping?
Start by recognizing that anxiety is real and treatable, observe changes in behavior, and create safe spaces for conversations. Build trust by asking daily how you can help, and connect individuals with appropriate support rather than waiting for a crisis.
Building Trust After Layoffs
Q: From a leadership perspective, what does it take to rebuild trust and sustain a strong culture after disruptions like layoffs?
Lead with transparency, provide timely and honest information, support both departing and remaining employees with fair severance and placement help, and keep the team engaged by focusing on development and open communication. Rebuilding trust also requires acknowledging the emotional impact and maintaining consistency in actions over time.
Leadership Lessons from Walt Disney
Q: What are the main lessons people take away from Walt Disney's life and career?
The guest emphasizes resilience, taking persistent action on strong ideas, and the power of storytelling to engage people emotionally, along with the importance of being all in and continuously ideating until an idea becomes reality.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Creating Disney Magic

What is Creating Disney Magic about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show centers on leadership, management, and customer experience, frequently drawing on Disney's operations playbook to translate high-level concepts into practical workplace steps. Across episodes, themes include building trust during change, hiring for attitude and culture, communicating clearly under pressure, and delivering consistent, high-quality service. Notable angles include leveraging storytelling to scale standards, handling layoffs with dignity, and addressing mental health and anxiety in the workplace. A standout trait is the frequent collaboration with Lee Cockerell, whose Disney-era leadership insights underpin many conversations, often complemented by guests who broaden the applicability to other industries. The format t... more

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How many listeners does Creating Disney Magic get?

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Which podcasts are similar to Creating Disney Magic?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Creating Disney Magic:

1. DCL Duo Podcast: A Disney Cruise Line Fan Podcast
2. Be Our Guest WDW Podcast
3. The Wisdom of Walt
4. Main Street Magic - A Walt Disney World Podcast
5. The StoryBrand Podcast

How many episodes of Creating Disney Magic are there?

Creating Disney Magic launched 12 years ago and published 620 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Creating Disney Magic?

Recent guests on Creating Disney Magic include:

1. Tim Dyck
2. Jeff Barnes
3. Greg Archbold
4. Lee Cockerell
5. Lindsay Barnes
6. Liz Wilcox
7. Djuan Rivers
8. Bob Allen

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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