Page 8 - The Edge - Fall 2020

AASBO 2020 VIRTUAL ANNUAL CONFERENCE

BY DON HARRIS
Doug Lipp

Ex-Disney Official Urges Stepping Outside Your Comfort Zone

Considering the totally unexpected challenges AASBO toughness we can improve our happiness. When we improve
members and everybody else are facing, Doug Lipp, our happiness, coincidentally, we improve our performance
a former Disney executive, suggested focusing on the (and) we improve our health. All are interconnected. If one
possibilities of – What if… starts to fall apart, the other two will definitely take a hit.”

In a keynote address at AASBO’s Annual Virtual Conference
in October, Lipp told how Disney officials would respond
when Walt Disney had a new, creative idea that perhaps
had some problems. Instead of saying, “No. it won’t work
because…” they would say, “Yes, if this happens or that
happens.”

Taking that optimistic, rather than pessimistic, approach is
the way to go, Lipp said, particularly since it’s unknown
when a COVID-19 vaccine will be widely available. Lipp
took a moment to congratulate AASBO on putting together
the most interactive virtual conference he has seen.

He talked about stepping outside of the norm, outside of
your comfort zone “to address what’s going on now.” An
example of dealing with an untoward challenge, Lipp said A Disney executive who was hired to train employees and
Disney’s first character was Oswald the lucky rabbit, but cast members was quoted as saying that what happens
Disney lost control of the character. Instead, Disney came backstage ends up onstage. Lipp explained the person meant
up with a mouse he wanted to call Mortimer, but his wife that if you’re not friendly with each other in meetings or
Lillian said Mortimer was boring and suggested Mickey. greeting someone in a hallway, a similar negative attitude
“The way we handle things is a lesson,” Lipp said. It’s been will hit Disney guests.
said that “a good kick in the teeth might be the best thing
in the world for you,” Lipp said. “Sometimes it’s kind of
hard to swallow.” “If you’re the dreamer, who is the
doer? If you’re the doer, who is the
But Lipp, former head of training at the legendary Disney
University, emphasized the importance of how we handle dreamer? You’ve got to have both
challenges, often by stepping outside our comfort zone –
like Mickey coming back better than Oswald. to move forward.”

Resilience involves how we bound back from adversity. Lipp recommended celebrating wins, focusing on things
Lipp, cited a Japanese term that means continual pursuit that went well, and try meditation or some self-calming
of perfection – having mental toughness. He told of a book approach. “Don’t lose the ability to focus,” he said.
he wrote about having the undesirable middle seat on a “Express gratitude to those around you who helped you.
plane. “We may not like the seat, but it’s up to us to take You will see how much comes back to you.”
control of our mindset and not let it get us down,” Lipp
said. Options could include engaging with a seatmate or On the topic of teams and teamwork, there are dreamers
putting on earplugs. and doers. As an example, Lipp cited Walt Disney and his
brother Roy. Walt was a visionary, a risk-taker. Roy asked
“It’s the concept of mental toughness,” he added. “We are the what if questions, what’s the backup plan? How do
in control, regardless of the physical or psychological place we make it happen in theme parks? Roy was feet-on-the-
due to forces well beyond our control. Through mental ground, Lipp said.

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8 THE EDGE FALL 2020