During the day, Walt would walk around his studio. Many people have said they knew he was coming because they could hear his cough. (Mouseplanet, Korkis, 2014). At night, he would visit artist’s desk and see what was drawn. When Disneyland was being built, Walt knew that there was a time crunch. They had about one year to finish the park, and Walt would walk around, lend a hand in tasks that needed to be done, and hoping that his presence would inspire the workers to work faster.
One reason that Walt did this was that it helped him understand what everyone in the organization was doing, and he could bring different projects or points of view to his employees who may otherwise never have the opportunity to collaborate:
My role? Well, you know I was stumped one day when a little boy asked, 'Do you draw Mickey Mouse? I had to admit I do not draw anymore. 'Then you think up all the jokes and ideas?' 'No,' I said, 'I don't do that'. Finally, he looked at me and said, 'Mr. Disney, just what do you do?' 'Well,' I said, ' sometimes I think of myself as a little bee. I go from one area to another and gather pollen and sort of stimulate everybody. I guess that's the job I do” (Mouseplanet, Korkis, 2017).
Management by Walking Around does have its drawbacks, at least until it is fully implemented and accepted as a vital part of business. Employees may feel like they are being spied upon. Managers may feel like they have too much to do with the addition of walking around. However, the success of the Walt Disney Company from 1923 through 1966 when Walt died is something few can argue with, and its results came in large part from Walt’s management style.
Walt Disney’s accomplishments can help you be more creative. In “Disneyland Is Creativity: 25 Tips for Becoming More Creative,” you will find tips for enhancing your creativity using Disneyland’s history and structure to make dry research more fun! Let Walt’s dream bring you greater inspiration and more joy. Get “Disneyland Is Creativity” due out June 2, 2018.