Lessons from the Mouse: A Guide for Applying Disney World's Secrets of Success to Your Organization, Your Career, and Life [Hardcover]

Dennis Snow (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2008

What can you learn from a mouse? When that mouse has been delighting and entertaining hundreds of millions of people for decades it turns out there is plenty to learn. Dennis Snow s Lessons From the Mouse provides ten no-nonsense, practical principles that anyone, anywhere can apply. He entertains while he educates with chapters like What Time is the 3:00 Parade? Is Not a Stupid Question. The mouse is very candid here no Disney pixie dust blinds the reader. Backstage snafus, onstage errors, and occasional chaos emerge in all their drama, humor, or irony. At its heart, though, Lessons From the Mouse presents ten lessons that guide readers in applying excellence in their own organizations, careers, and lives. Whether being used as a tool for increased organizational effectiveness or a pocket guide for the college grad or new entrepreneur, Lessons From the Mouse offers timeless, straightforward advice.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Dennis Snow has built a better mousetrap, capturing the best ideas from his years with Walt Disney World and sharing them with anyone interested in improving his or her organization or career. By mastering his simple Lessons From the Mouse, any company and any employee can become well known for extraordinary customer service. --Ed Yingling, President and CEO, American Bankers Association

The principles outlined in Lessons From the Mouse, while based upon Dennis' experience at Walt Disney World, translate to any organization and any individual within an organization. Cummins is successfully applying these principles globally to create great experiences for customers and to enable every employee to have a clear line of sight to the customer. --Joe Loughrey, President and Chief Operating Officer, Cummins Inc.

What makes Lessons from the Mouse so valuable is that Dennis Snow writes from a front line, customer contact perspective. There's no wasted space in this book. Every page has ideas ready to put to work for you or your organization. Lessons from the Mouse is engaging, entertaining, and of great practical value. This is a winner! --Joe Calloway, Author, Work Like You're Showing Off

About the Author

Dennis Snow spent twenty-years working for the mouse at Walt Disney World. Starting his Disney career at the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Attraction, he moved into a management position, managing various operating areas throughout the famous theme park. He also spent several years with the Disney University, teaching corporate philosophy and business practices to cast members and the leadership team. Today Dennis Snow is a full-time speaker, trainer, and consultant, Dennis is dedicated to helping organizations achieve their goals in the areas of customer service, employee engagement, and leadership. He is currently one of the most sought-after speakers in the North America. Snow & Associates works with businesses, trade associations and executives who strive to be world-class service organizations. Dennis Snow and his associates give customized keynote addresses, workshops and training sessions geared toward moving companies forward into customer service excellence. Each program is designed to meet a client s specific needs and growth area goals. Included among Dennis Snow's clients are: Johns Hopkins Medicine, Cornell University, Novartis, American Express, St. Joseph s Health System, ExxonMobil, Cummins Engines, American Hospital Association, American Bankers Association, BMW Financial Services, Georgetown University Medical Center, First Citizens Bank, Baptist Health System, National Association of Truck Stop Operators, Wakefern Foods, Wachovia Bank, Blockbuster Video, Florida Power and Light, Carle Clinic Association, Childtime/ Tutor Time Learning Centers, Fiserv, Florida State University, Investment Planning Counsel, Hospira, Council of Hotel and Restaurant Trainers, International Marketing Systems, Legal Marketing Association, Nationwide Health Plans, and Select Medical.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 156 pages
• Publisher: DC Press; 1st edition (August 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1932021299
• ISBN-13: 978-1932021295
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #854,973 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Learn Service Excellence and Customer Loyalty the Disney Way, August 29, 2008

By 

Sarah Moore "Sarah" (Nashville, TN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lessons from the Mouse: A Guide for Applying Disney World's Secrets of Success to Your Organization, Your Career, and Life (Hardcover)

When families visit Disney World, their attention is focused on the majesty of Cinderella's castle, the cultural experiences available at EPCOT Center, and the kids' eager dash to hug Mickey Mouse as he walks down the Magic Kingdom's Main Street, USA. Guests can forget that Disney World is an intricate corporation employing thousands of people who must pay attention to every detail of the park's operation. Without fanatical focus on customer satisfaction and an organized business model, Disney World could not be the fantasy destination for millions of tourists every year. In his new book, Lessons from the Mouse, Dennis Snow shares his experiences as a former Disney cast member, trainer, and manager. Along the way, he provides readers with wonderful advice that can be applied to any business or organization.

Snow develops each chapter of his book to serve perfectly as a step-by-step guide to improving customer service. Each lesson presented by the author begins with a memorable heading, my favorite being Lesson #3 "What Time is the Three O'Clock Parade? is Not a Stupid Question." (Read the lesson and you will learn that the questioner really wants to know when a parade will reach his particular vantage point.) Snow then dives right into specific examples from personal employment experiences at Disney World. In one chapter, the introductory story may be the way in which Snow delicately shared the bad news that Space Mountain was closed for repairs while another lesson may begin with the reminder he received from a guest to smile when doing his job. Snow also makes a point to take the lesson of each chapter and extend it beyond its Walt Disney World roots. Through the clear layout of bulleted points, Snow shares how his lessons can be applied to airlines, hospitals, sandwich shops and collection agencies. Finally, Snow ends each lesson with a distinct set of questions which members of any organization can discuss in order to apply the key points of the chapter to their specific needs.

Snow has an engaging and conversational tone to his writing. I easily can picture him leading a discussion in an auditorium filled with professionals. Therefore, I was not surprised to learn that Snow maintains a schedule of over one hundred speaking engagements every year. Readers will quickly sense the passion that Snow has for superior customer service and the effect that it can have on the success for any organization. As someone who often laments the lack of common courtesy amongst one another in public settings and the seemingly increasing absence of work ethic in our service industry, I found myself nodding in agreement with each piece of advice made in this book. The lessons should be common-sense essentials for a successful business but, as the author indicates through his examples, a basic discussion of these customer service details is long overdue in both boardrooms and break rooms.

Prospective readers should not be turned off by an assumption that Lessons from the Mouse is simply yet another self-help training manual for those in the business world. While the lessons are undoubtedly important to prospective corporate leaders, Snow's approachable style keeps the context engaging and relevant for any reader. I found myself relating to many scenarios described, if only from the perspective of a customer. Haven't we all gotten frustrated when a cashier cannot be bothered to stop her personal conversation while ringing up your groceries or when we cannot place our trash in a fast food restaurant's bins because they are already overflowing? If you have left the house and interacted with a fellow human who is somehow employed in a service capacity, you will be able to relate to this book. And, perhaps you will be challenged to think about how your own attitude may be affecting the quality of your outcomes.

What can you learn from a mouse? When that mouse has been delighting and entertaining hundreds of millions of people for decades, it turns out there is plenty to learn. Readers of any professional background will appreciate and enjoy the advice dispensed by Dennis Snow in Lessons from the Mouse. As a consumer, after reading this book I immediately took notice of the level of customer service I received from local businesses and recognized its impact on my overall satisfaction. Concerning my own work, I am now consciously striving to apply every lesson to my communication with clients. I am confident that each reader will find unique ways to use Lessons from a Mouse in their own lives. Whether you are a physician or a mechanic or a cotton candy vendor at Disney World, Mr. Snow's book is filled with relevant material and should be a must-read for employees and leaders in any field.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very practical principles!, November 25, 2008

By 

Nolan (Columbus, OH) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lessons from the Mouse: A Guide for Applying Disney World's Secrets of Success to Your Organization, Your Career, and Life (Hardcover)

If you are in leadership and/or wanting to grow within an organization, this is the roadmap for your success. These are practical lessons that, when consistently applied, will yield tremdous growth in all areas of your life.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Lessons - easy/fast read!, July 12, 2010

By 

Kodiakj - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Lessons from the Mouse: A Guide for Applying Disney World's Secrets of Success to Your Organization, Your Career, and Life: 1 (Kindle Edition)

I have to disagree with some of the negative comments of this book. The author makes no apologies for the book being short (156 pages) - he even jokes about it at the end. What he does give you are 10 practical lessons that can be applied to any business. His job related experience gives you a behind-the-scenes (or "Backstage" from the book) peek of Disney World. I found his examples concise and easy to understand. For my MBA I have read countless business books who's authors delight in tech-talk and creating lessons and theories that often require further reading from other books to explain the principles - Mr. Snow keeps it simple and gives it to you straight. While some reviewers are quick to criticize that this book is non-technical (one reviewer wrote "for the novice"), I ask, does it have to be? Sound/simple lessons are often refreshing!
If you are sitting in a terminal waiting for your next flight - download the book to your Kindle - it will make your trip go by a little faster.

Practical + Helpful + Great examples using Disney as a backdrop + Easy read + Relevant = 5-stars.