Meet your new instructor: chairman and CEO of The Walt Disney Company, Bob Iger. In his introduction, Bob talks about what he’s learned from great teachers and what he wants to share with you.
To demonstrate how to use your time effectively, Bob shares in detail how he structures his day to make the most of it. He talks about making time for focus and reveals just how early he wakes up.
Bob believes you must narrow your focus to develop a successful strategy. He illustrates this point by explaining how he ultimately convinced the Disney board that he should become the next CEO.
Bob breaks down the acquisition of Pixar, including his strategy to convince Steve Jobs—the head of Pixar—and the Disney board. He explains how he overcame the odds with the acquisition and why it was essential to Disney’s future success.
Bob shares his tips for successful negotiation, including how to remove your ego from the process and how to make everyone feel like they’ve come out a winner.
It goes without saying that the Disney brand is powerful. Bob explains why the brand needed to evolve while staying true to its core in order to stay relevant.
Bob shares the strategy behind folding Marvel into the Disney brand, and he discusses how to capitalize on well-loved brands to maximize growth.
Bob gives his perspective on consumer data and why he believes you sometimes have to push it aside and go with your gut. He uses the films Black Panther and Captain Marvel to illustrate his point.
Bob shares why he thinks taking risks is essential to success, even when they end in failure. He uses an example from early in his career when he made an epic mistake that ultimately yielded a huge success.
The process to acquire 21st Century Fox was complicated and time-consuming. Bob walks you through the deal and explains the challenges.
One of Bob’s superpowers is his ability to predict where the industry is headed. He talks about how Disney navigated the change to streaming video on demand, starting with ESPN+ and leading to Disney+.
Bob shares his tenets for successful leadership, including how to foster curiosity, practice candor, project optimism, be authentic, and own your mistakes.
To conclude, Bob wishes students the best on their future, encouraging them to lead with integrity and advocate for a better world.