The film Saving Mr. Banks opens in theaters today across the US. The movie tells the story behind Disney’s 1964 classic Mary Poppins. Walt Disney spends two weeks trying to persuade hard-nosed author P. L. Travers to grant him the movie rights to her beloved 1934 book. He pulls out all the stops to convince her which only causes Mrs. Travers to resist the project even more. Only after Mr. Disney understands the story from the author’s perspective does he finally come to comprehend the book’s true meaning. This realization and appreciation of the message was then brought to life as Mary Poppins, one of Disney’s most successful and critically acclaimed films of all time.
Walt Disney went into these meetings with a clear vision of how he would bring the Mary Poppins character to life. Initially, his vision, enthusiasm, and ideas for the movie did not persuade P. L. Travers. All that changed when he began to focus on understanding Mrs. Travers and how her experiences manifested themselves in her work. Over time, Mrs. Travers was able to embrace the film as an extension of her book and as an opportunity to introduce Mary Poppins to new audiences.
When a company decides to launch an employee engagement program, they, like Mr. Disney, focus on the vision, enthusiasm, and ideas of the program. Real success comes when they consider the viewpoints of those they are attempting to engage. Managers and senior leadership are better able to convey the vision, express enthusiasm, and communicate the ideas for the engagement program once they have a clear understanding of the underlying viewpoints of their employees.
How do you incorporate the viewpoint of employees into your engagement programs? What tips can you share on ways to help management and employees recognize opportunities that can move the company forward?
Picture copyright 2013 Disney Enterprises, Inc.
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Let’s Get Engaged!
I’m Agent in Engagement Simpson…Greg Simpson.
My mission? To help companies succeed by focusing on how they engage, manage, and develop their employees.
My credentials? Award winning engagement work with Fortune 150 companies.
My next assignment? To come in from the field, the consulting field, and return to headquarters. There I’ll lead the ongoing battle against the greatest nemesis in every company – employee disengagement.
I’m excited about this opportunity to connect with fellow “Agents.” Subscribe to the RSS Feed to receive the latest updates and/or register if you would like to comment on posts.
You can follow me @agtinengagement, email me at g…@a…t.com or learn more about me at www.gregoryfsimpson.com.
