Mikelittle things make a difference. Disney properties are known for being practically spotless, and it’s clear that this is embedded in their culture from top to bottom. I see three important leadership questions in this simple axiom and story:
- Are you willing to touch the little things? One philosophy stresses that leaders should always spend their time working on the high level, strategic things. This means that they leave the “little things” to others. While I agree that time is a leader’s greatest resource, the person who can never be bothered with little things will be seen as aloof or condescending. That’s clearly not what Jesus had in mind when he said, “Whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant” (Matt. 20:26).
- Which little things to do you emphasize? Obviously, a leader can’t spend all of his or her time on the little things. A leader’s choice of which little things to touch sends a clear signal to the rest of the organization. A clean property, which relates to a broader value of exceptional guest experiences, is important for Disney. The best leaders understand the core organizational values, and they intentionally choose to do little things that underscore these.
- Do you touch too many little things? There’s a word for the leader who tries to touch too many little things: micromanager. Actually, these leaders will often be described with a couple of other words, like ineffective and tired. There are some things that must be done by the leader, like setting direction and establishing strategic priorities. If you never have time to work on these things, your leadership will be hampered. Wise leaders find the balance between never doing little things and trying to touch everything.
