Create Career Magic featuring Lee Cockerell

By William Manzanares | September 28, 2022 |

Lee Cockerell, former Executive Vice President of Walt Disney World Resort, is someone we have talked about frequently. Since retiring from Disney he has written several books, does speaking, and has the Cockerell Academy where he offers a variety of leadership courses. Today he joins to talk more about his book, Career Magic

Key Takeaways:

{2:07} Lee wrote the book as a way to look back at his career and understand how valuable experience and exposure are to life in addition to their education.

{4:03} If there is something you really like and want to do, then become an expert in it. No one else knows the limiting thoughts in your mind. Don’t believe your brain because half those thoughts aren’t true. Set yourself up to be the one people notice.

{5:55} The best advice in Lee’s career were to not take things personally and get defensive and to become more open minded to feedback and the suggestions of others.

{8:19} The book Career Magic was updated to include insights and additional advice from Lee based on the lessons and stories in the chapters.

{10:30} Lee shared that one of his biggest lessons was to not get “too big for your britches”. To be a good leader you need the confidence of your people. You want them to see that you sit with them around the table, not that you sit at the head of the table.

{12:01} when you’re overly confident you are willing to take risks, but often they are the wrong ones. You may not think through all the possibilities and end up hurting yourself, your career, and other’s careers.

“I didn’t consider myself the boss. I came to consider myself a teacher.” Lee Cockerell