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The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned from 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company
A grand vision defined: The CEO of The Walt Disney Company shares the ideas and values he has used to reinvent one of the most beloved companies in the world, and inspire the people who bring the magic to life.
In 2005, Robert Iger became CEO of The Walt Disney Company during a difficult time. Morale had deteriorated, competition was more intense, and technology was changing faster than at any time in the company's history. "I knew there was nothing to be gained from arguing over the past," Iger writes. "The only thing that mattered was the future, and I believed I had a clear idea of the direction Disney needed to go." It came down to three clear ideas: 1) Create the highest quality content Disney could produce. 2) Embrace and adopt technology instead of fighting it. And 3) Think bigger--think global--and turn Disney into a stronger brand in international markets.
Twelve years later, Disney is the largest, most respected media company in the world counting Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm and 21st Century Fox among its properties. Its value is nearly five times what it was when Iger took over, and Iger is recognized as one of the most innovative and successful CEOs of our time.
Now, he's sharing the lessons he's learned while running Disney and leading its 200,000 employees--taking big risks in the face of historic disruption; learning to inspire the people who work for you; leading with fairness and communicating principles clearly. This book is about the relentless curiosity that has driven Iger for forty-five years, since the day he started as a studio supervisor at ABC. It's also about thoughtfulness and respect, and a decency-over-dollars approach that has become the bedrock of every project and partnership Iger pursues, from a deep friendship with Steve Jobs in his final years to an abiding love of the evolving Star Wars myth.
"Over the past fourteen years, I think I've learned so much about what real leadership is," Iger writes. "But I couldn't have articulated all of this until I lived it. You can't fake it--and that's one of the key lessons in this book."
Librarian Note: This is an Advance Reader Copy issued with ISBN 9780399592096. That ISBN has been moved to the final published copy, found here
In 2005, Robert Iger became CEO of The Walt Disney Company during a difficult time. Morale had deteriorated, competition was more intense, and technology was changing faster than at any time in the company's history. "I knew there was nothing to be gained from arguing over the past," Iger writes. "The only thing that mattered was the future, and I believed I had a clear idea of the direction Disney needed to go." It came down to three clear ideas: 1) Create the highest quality content Disney could produce. 2) Embrace and adopt technology instead of fighting it. And 3) Think bigger--think global--and turn Disney into a stronger brand in international markets.
Twelve years later, Disney is the largest, most respected media company in the world counting Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm and 21st Century Fox among its properties. Its value is nearly five times what it was when Iger took over, and Iger is recognized as one of the most innovative and successful CEOs of our time.
Now, he's sharing the lessons he's learned while running Disney and leading its 200,000 employees--taking big risks in the face of historic disruption; learning to inspire the people who work for you; leading with fairness and communicating principles clearly. This book is about the relentless curiosity that has driven Iger for forty-five years, since the day he started as a studio supervisor at ABC. It's also about thoughtfulness and respect, and a decency-over-dollars approach that has become the bedrock of every project and partnership Iger pursues, from a deep friendship with Steve Jobs in his final years to an abiding love of the evolving Star Wars myth.
"Over the past fourteen years, I think I've learned so much about what real leadership is," Iger writes. "But I couldn't have articulated all of this until I lived it. You can't fake it--and that's one of the key lessons in this book."
Librarian Note: This is an Advance Reader Copy issued with ISBN 9780399592096. That ISBN has been moved to the final published copy, found here
272 pages, Hardcover
First published September 23, 2019
About the author
Robert Iger
10 books346 followersRobert Allen Iger is an American businessman who served as the CEO of The Walt Disney Company between 2005 and 2020, as well as the chairman of the Board and executive chairman.
He previously served as the president of ABC Television between 1994 and 1995 and the president and COO of Capital Cities/ABC from 1995 until its acquisition by Disney in 1996. Iger was named president and COO of Disney in 2000 and succeeded Michael Eisner as CEO in 2005.
On February 25, 2020, Bob Chapek was named his successor as Disney CEO. Iger continued to serve as executive and board chairman until he was replaced by Susan Arnold on December 31, 2021.
He previously served as the president of ABC Television between 1994 and 1995 and the president and COO of Capital Cities/ABC from 1995 until its acquisition by Disney in 1996. Iger was named president and COO of Disney in 2000 and succeeded Michael Eisner as CEO in 2005.
On February 25, 2020, Bob Chapek was named his successor as Disney CEO. Iger continued to serve as executive and board chairman until he was replaced by Susan Arnold on December 31, 2021.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 6,195 reviews
January 24, 2020
I’m a huge admirer of Disney as an organization, and it was fascinating to follow Iger’s career there and [learn] how he shaped the company. There are countless lessons in this book, and it’s an excellent resource on leadership and problem-solving.”
June 16, 2020
- Can't recommend this highly enough
- Listened to this at 2.6x on Audible. Finished it in 2 days. 10/10. Made me tear up in many parts.
- Probably would've gotten a little more from it if I were American and older, and therefore would've been familiar with ABC shows etc.
A few highlights:
- Wakes up at 0415
- Good enough isn't good enough
- If you want innovation, you can't be afraid of failure
- 'The way they conveyed their faith in me made all the difference'
- Great is often the result of the little things
- No one wants to follow a pessimist
- To continue to create the same things for the same loyal customers is stagnation
- Its important not to let blows to the ego (as real as they often are) from occupying too great a space in your mind and sapping too much of your energy. It's easy to be optimistic when everyone's telling you you're great. It's a lot harder, and much more necessary, when your sense of self is being challenged, and in a very public way.
- Long shots aren’t usually as long as they seem
- Listened to this at 2.6x on Audible. Finished it in 2 days. 10/10. Made me tear up in many parts.
- Probably would've gotten a little more from it if I were American and older, and therefore would've been familiar with ABC shows etc.
A few highlights:
- Wakes up at 0415
- Good enough isn't good enough
- If you want innovation, you can't be afraid of failure
- 'The way they conveyed their faith in me made all the difference'
- Great is often the result of the little things
- No one wants to follow a pessimist
- To continue to create the same things for the same loyal customers is stagnation
- Its important not to let blows to the ego (as real as they often are) from occupying too great a space in your mind and sapping too much of your energy. It's easy to be optimistic when everyone's telling you you're great. It's a lot harder, and much more necessary, when your sense of self is being challenged, and in a very public way.
- Long shots aren’t usually as long as they seem
September 28, 2019
I really enjoyed how candid Iger chose to be here. Not a lot of sugarcoating at all. The narratives of the Pixar, Marvel, and Lucasfilm acquisitions were all fascinating.
May 24, 2020
I found this very dull. I understand why Bill Gates loves it. It is completely politically correct, often clichéd. So dry it is almost inhuman. Iger is probably somewhat aware of this, so he throws in as many Steve Jobs anecdotes as he can—which I think is also evidence of his creative insecurity. The business part of the story is also rather dull. While Iger has a huge ego, and thinks his leadership skills would make him a great US President, the only details we get are how he negotiates deals to purchase other big media companies (Pixar, Lucasfilm, Marvel, Bamtech, Fox, …) and nothing about how he worked on what Disney already had. His main goal seems to be to make Disney as big as is legally possible, with no thought as to what this means. Besides negotiating takeovers, he also negotiates his compensation packages, but here he is very diplomatic—no details. Of course not.
I don't know if Iger himself is one-dimensional, or if he just seems like it from this whitewashed, ghostwritten "memoir."
> Firing people, or taking responsibility away from them, is arguably the most difficult thing you have to do as a boss.
I don't know if Iger himself is one-dimensional, or if he just seems like it from this whitewashed, ghostwritten "memoir."
> Firing people, or taking responsibility away from them, is arguably the most difficult thing you have to do as a boss.
October 12, 2019
Part business lessons, part personal journey, and part the rise of today's dominant entertainment empire, this book is endlessly fascinating and consistently engaging. Chapters such as the acquisition of Pixar are written with the sort of nail-biting edge of your seat intensity that would make thrillers envious. Who knew board room meetings and phone calls could be so exciting? I think Bob Iger struck the perfect balance of personal and professional. A genuinely interesting and surprising personal touch was his relationship with Steve Jobs, I had no idea how close the two were. As someone's who's followed every move Disney has made for years and been in awe of Bob Iger's ability to navigate the evolving media landscape and make calculated acquisitions to position Disney at the top, this book was an invaluable inside/behind the scenes look at how so many defining deals went down. His personal journey chronicling his 45 year rise to the most powerful man in entertainment was also a marvel and came with some valuable insights, lessons and exciting "how will he make this happen" moments. I loved this book and only wish it were longer and even more detailed.
November 24, 2019
Bob Iger is the CEO of Disney and the kind of person who shows up on lists like Time's Most Influential and Forbes's Most Powerful People (at #49). He's been at the company for 45 years, CEO since 2005, postponed retirement a couple times, and now commands a $65.7 million salary (he's #9 on that particular list). This is his first, much anticipated book, authored as the more formal "Robert Iger". I was interested in reading it for a number of reasons: I happen to work at Disney, and Iger's decisions have directly affected the last 11+ years of my life. He's perceived as a fair and wise decision maker, has made a string of successful large-scale acquisitions, and his thoughts on leadership are naturally relevant. I've seen him speak at studio events, but wanted additional insight into what makes Bob Iger tick. At the same time, I expected a buttoned up, public-image-friendly narrative that wouldn't reveal much, make headlines or worry shareholders. Any hesitation was curtailed when my boss's boss kindly bought me a copy (her boss's boss's boss being Bob), and I started reading right away. While The Ride of a Lifetime is guarded in many respects, I was pleasantly surprised at how engaging and personal the storytelling was. It was legitimately hard to put down (unusual for any management book), and I finished it within a week: coincidentally on the launch date of Disney+, Disney's latest venture into direct-to-consumer delivery and a big player in the narrative.
It starts off with a story of things going terribly wrong. The Pulse Nightclub shooting (which had a surprising Disney connection) and the death of a child in an alligator attack both happened in Florida as Iger was in China preparing to inaugurate Shanghai Disneyland. This was a project he'd worked on for 18 years, and he shares his conflicted reactions, the organizational structure he'd set up, and how he tried to maintain a sense of humanity and connection from afar. He then unpacks the pillars of his leadership philosophy: optimism, courage, focus, decisiveness, curiosity, fairness, thoughtfulness, authenticity, the relentless pursuit of perfection, and integrity. None of these sound revolutionary or controversial, but are illustrated as Bob leads you, like the Ghost of Christmas Past, chronologically through his career.
Almost the entirety of Bob Iger's work life has been with Disney (or companies eventually acquired by Disney). He has a brief stint as an Ithaca weatherman, but in 1974 starts as a factotum at ABC television. He tells memorable stories of working under intense sports TV producers, getting a lighter from Frank Sinatra, covering the winter olympics, seeing a workplace jerk expose himself... stuff like that. He eventually rises into the ranks of management, and when ABC is acquired by Capital Cities, he wins the favor of the new owners. Put in charge at ABC Television, he is responsible for hits like Twin Peaks, Roseanne and Doogie Howser, but also for flops like the musical series Cop Rock (I'd never even heard of this). As he shares these stories, he talks about the lessons that have stuck with him, such as the value of taking big risks, accepting blame, rewarding well-intentioned failure, not letting good-enough ever be good enough, and letting acquired companies maintain their culture. Bob is quickly catapulted (a little too quickly, even by his lofty expectations) to EVP of the combined companies shortly before they are in turn acquired by Disney under the leadership of Michael Eisner. This sets off a rocky decade as Bob tries to find his place. He advocates for his newly-subsumed division of the juggernaut, and tries to maneuver himself into the number two position under Eisner, who alternately trusts and pushes Iger away, only letting him see certain parts of the whole picture. Eventually Eisner's leadership begins to falter, the company suffers, and an intense board battle with Roy E. Disney (Walt's nephew) rocks the company. At this point, the stories gain added interest for me as they overlap with my own outside recollections. I was an animation student in Burbank at the time, and remember meeting Roy and reading his Save Disney website and its bitter missives about the misguided leadership of animation, the parks, merchandising, and the shattered relationship with Pixar.
When the board begins its search for a new CEO, Iger is the only internal candidate. He details the frequent interviews, intense grillings, public scrutiny and press coverage. Bob works hard to focus on his vision for the future without throwing Eisner under the bus or defending his role in the past decade of bad decisions. Eventually he is chosen as CEO (spoiler alert), and sets about acting on his three-part vision for the company: high-quality branded content, embracing technology, and becoming truly global. From this point forward, the book is largely structured by major acquisitions that Iger negotiates and executes. It's fascinating to contemplate just how much our global business landscape is driven by the personalities and gut feelings of the people at the top. Apart from board/shareholder approvals and regulatory checkboxes (thank goodness for those), it's all about who's ready to retire, is worried about a legacy, or is feeling slighted or underappreciated. I'm intentionally avoiding the masculine pronoun, but virtually all the players in this story are men.
Bob is able to form a friendship with Steve Jobs, and their initial deal to put ABC shows on the video iPod blossoms into the 2006 purchase of Pixar, with Pixar's John Lasseter and Ed Catmull put in charge at Walt Disney Animation Studios instead of shuttering Disney's Animation division (as Jobs wanted to do). Iger rightly recognizes Animation as the heart of the company, from which all other divisions flow: "As Disney Animation goes, so goes the company." This is where the story gets even more personal for me, as I started at the studio in 2008, dying to work on a project that never would have happened without that deal in place. Steve Jobs ends up on the board, and we learn a lot about their friendship. Next comes the Marvel acquisition (Steve didn't like the idea, but acquiesced to Iger's passion). Then Lucasfilm. Then Twentieth Century Fox. For each massive, multi-billion-dollar deal, we learn how the conversation was initiated, how Bob convinced the board, and how he guided the pieces to make something seemingly impossible move inexorably toward reality. Each could have gone horribly wrong, but ends up as a massive success (the Fox acquisition is too fresh to judge, but signs look good). We are treated to a single counter-example, when Iger gets cold feet about acquiring Twitter. The pieces and approvals are all in place, but his gut tells him Disney isn't in the business of monitoring online communication. Probably another good call.
Finally, Bob talks about seeing the writing on the wall with traditional content delivery (cable, broadcast and theatrical) being subsumed by direct-to-customer streaming. Enter Disney+. It's a move that will involve cannibalizing some of Disney's own hundreds-of-millions-of-dollars revenue streams, but with a path toward future profitability. This portion of the book is a peek into the future, and a pitch for the new platform (I'd already pre-bought 3 years' access, so mission accomplished). Iger concludes with a helpful chapter of bullet points in which he extracts the various leadership lessons from the book. To pick a quick example that could double as a Yoda quote: "Pessimism leads to paranoia, which leads to defensiveness, which leads to risk aversion." I'll give you a couple other short ones. "It should be about the future, not the past." "If something doesn't feel right to you, it won't be right for you." "If you're in the business of making something, be in the business of making something great."
The Ride of a Lifetime sparked a lot of contemplation about art, creativity, commerce, global impact, and a host of other factors. It's amazing that people like Bob Iger exist, stepping confidently into roles in which their decisions will influence the careers of thousands and whose taste-making affects the lives of millions. It's a strangely parallel world to politics, and it's not surprising that Iger admits his own political aspirations, having contemplated a direct run for the presidency. He just happens to have the right combination of intelligence, good looks, self-assurance, and drive to make these kinds of massive deals happen. I'm still not entirely sure where Iger's compass comes from, but I'm glad he has it. There's not a lot about Walt Disney here beyond a stated sense of admiration, but the drive to expand while showcasing the best in art and technology is clearly alive. Disney as a company has always balanced on the tightrope between creating art and selling product, and has endeavored a proof-of-concept that good money can be made while leaving the world a better, happier place. It's easy to point to instances where the company has fallen short of that goal, but there's a lot it gets right. Iger's legacy furthers that funambulism, measuring success in stock price and shareholder approval while insisting upon quality and integrity.
Right as I was finishing the book, MasterClass announced a new series with Bob Iger on business strategy and leadership. It's a good corollary to this book, and you can hear these same management philosophies outlined, illustrated and told in Bob's own comforting monotone.
It starts off with a story of things going terribly wrong. The Pulse Nightclub shooting (which had a surprising Disney connection) and the death of a child in an alligator attack both happened in Florida as Iger was in China preparing to inaugurate Shanghai Disneyland. This was a project he'd worked on for 18 years, and he shares his conflicted reactions, the organizational structure he'd set up, and how he tried to maintain a sense of humanity and connection from afar. He then unpacks the pillars of his leadership philosophy: optimism, courage, focus, decisiveness, curiosity, fairness, thoughtfulness, authenticity, the relentless pursuit of perfection, and integrity. None of these sound revolutionary or controversial, but are illustrated as Bob leads you, like the Ghost of Christmas Past, chronologically through his career.
Almost the entirety of Bob Iger's work life has been with Disney (or companies eventually acquired by Disney). He has a brief stint as an Ithaca weatherman, but in 1974 starts as a factotum at ABC television. He tells memorable stories of working under intense sports TV producers, getting a lighter from Frank Sinatra, covering the winter olympics, seeing a workplace jerk expose himself... stuff like that. He eventually rises into the ranks of management, and when ABC is acquired by Capital Cities, he wins the favor of the new owners. Put in charge at ABC Television, he is responsible for hits like Twin Peaks, Roseanne and Doogie Howser, but also for flops like the musical series Cop Rock (I'd never even heard of this). As he shares these stories, he talks about the lessons that have stuck with him, such as the value of taking big risks, accepting blame, rewarding well-intentioned failure, not letting good-enough ever be good enough, and letting acquired companies maintain their culture. Bob is quickly catapulted (a little too quickly, even by his lofty expectations) to EVP of the combined companies shortly before they are in turn acquired by Disney under the leadership of Michael Eisner. This sets off a rocky decade as Bob tries to find his place. He advocates for his newly-subsumed division of the juggernaut, and tries to maneuver himself into the number two position under Eisner, who alternately trusts and pushes Iger away, only letting him see certain parts of the whole picture. Eventually Eisner's leadership begins to falter, the company suffers, and an intense board battle with Roy E. Disney (Walt's nephew) rocks the company. At this point, the stories gain added interest for me as they overlap with my own outside recollections. I was an animation student in Burbank at the time, and remember meeting Roy and reading his Save Disney website and its bitter missives about the misguided leadership of animation, the parks, merchandising, and the shattered relationship with Pixar.
When the board begins its search for a new CEO, Iger is the only internal candidate. He details the frequent interviews, intense grillings, public scrutiny and press coverage. Bob works hard to focus on his vision for the future without throwing Eisner under the bus or defending his role in the past decade of bad decisions. Eventually he is chosen as CEO (spoiler alert), and sets about acting on his three-part vision for the company: high-quality branded content, embracing technology, and becoming truly global. From this point forward, the book is largely structured by major acquisitions that Iger negotiates and executes. It's fascinating to contemplate just how much our global business landscape is driven by the personalities and gut feelings of the people at the top. Apart from board/shareholder approvals and regulatory checkboxes (thank goodness for those), it's all about who's ready to retire, is worried about a legacy, or is feeling slighted or underappreciated. I'm intentionally avoiding the masculine pronoun, but virtually all the players in this story are men.
Bob is able to form a friendship with Steve Jobs, and their initial deal to put ABC shows on the video iPod blossoms into the 2006 purchase of Pixar, with Pixar's John Lasseter and Ed Catmull put in charge at Walt Disney Animation Studios instead of shuttering Disney's Animation division (as Jobs wanted to do). Iger rightly recognizes Animation as the heart of the company, from which all other divisions flow: "As Disney Animation goes, so goes the company." This is where the story gets even more personal for me, as I started at the studio in 2008, dying to work on a project that never would have happened without that deal in place. Steve Jobs ends up on the board, and we learn a lot about their friendship. Next comes the Marvel acquisition (Steve didn't like the idea, but acquiesced to Iger's passion). Then Lucasfilm. Then Twentieth Century Fox. For each massive, multi-billion-dollar deal, we learn how the conversation was initiated, how Bob convinced the board, and how he guided the pieces to make something seemingly impossible move inexorably toward reality. Each could have gone horribly wrong, but ends up as a massive success (the Fox acquisition is too fresh to judge, but signs look good). We are treated to a single counter-example, when Iger gets cold feet about acquiring Twitter. The pieces and approvals are all in place, but his gut tells him Disney isn't in the business of monitoring online communication. Probably another good call.
Finally, Bob talks about seeing the writing on the wall with traditional content delivery (cable, broadcast and theatrical) being subsumed by direct-to-customer streaming. Enter Disney+. It's a move that will involve cannibalizing some of Disney's own hundreds-of-millions-of-dollars revenue streams, but with a path toward future profitability. This portion of the book is a peek into the future, and a pitch for the new platform (I'd already pre-bought 3 years' access, so mission accomplished). Iger concludes with a helpful chapter of bullet points in which he extracts the various leadership lessons from the book. To pick a quick example that could double as a Yoda quote: "Pessimism leads to paranoia, which leads to defensiveness, which leads to risk aversion." I'll give you a couple other short ones. "It should be about the future, not the past." "If something doesn't feel right to you, it won't be right for you." "If you're in the business of making something, be in the business of making something great."
The Ride of a Lifetime sparked a lot of contemplation about art, creativity, commerce, global impact, and a host of other factors. It's amazing that people like Bob Iger exist, stepping confidently into roles in which their decisions will influence the careers of thousands and whose taste-making affects the lives of millions. It's a strangely parallel world to politics, and it's not surprising that Iger admits his own political aspirations, having contemplated a direct run for the presidency. He just happens to have the right combination of intelligence, good looks, self-assurance, and drive to make these kinds of massive deals happen. I'm still not entirely sure where Iger's compass comes from, but I'm glad he has it. There's not a lot about Walt Disney here beyond a stated sense of admiration, but the drive to expand while showcasing the best in art and technology is clearly alive. Disney as a company has always balanced on the tightrope between creating art and selling product, and has endeavored a proof-of-concept that good money can be made while leaving the world a better, happier place. It's easy to point to instances where the company has fallen short of that goal, but there's a lot it gets right. Iger's legacy furthers that funambulism, measuring success in stock price and shareholder approval while insisting upon quality and integrity.
Right as I was finishing the book, MasterClass announced a new series with Bob Iger on business strategy and leadership. It's a good corollary to this book, and you can hear these same management philosophies outlined, illustrated and told in Bob's own comforting monotone.
April 27, 2020
There’s a subtle lack of humility here that I found off-putting and that undermined my desire to admire this accomplished CEO. (1) Iger almost never talks about his reports or supporting team: 98% of the book is about his bosses, the board, and his acquisition targets. It’s as if he did it all himself. (2) Iger too frequently “punches down.” In the Eisner episode, Iger makes an interesting authorial choice: he includes a summary of the seven complaints that Roy Disney made about Eisner. This allows him to keep his own hands clean (he repeatedly states he couldn’t be baited by the board into saying a negative thing about Eisner), while simultaneously putting a fairly damning and one-sided anti-Eisner rant in print.
To be good, autobiographical memoirs require their authors to be vulnerable. I didn’t get the feeling that Iger ever truly let down his guard here, and perhaps that’s to be expected of someone who could still be eyeing a presidential run in 2024.
That said, I learned a bit about the media business, about Disney’s approach to recent acquisitions, and so on. This was a good read overall, I’m just bothered by the lack of courage to make it great.
To be good, autobiographical memoirs require their authors to be vulnerable. I didn’t get the feeling that Iger ever truly let down his guard here, and perhaps that’s to be expected of someone who could still be eyeing a presidential run in 2024.
That said, I learned a bit about the media business, about Disney’s approach to recent acquisitions, and so on. This was a good read overall, I’m just bothered by the lack of courage to make it great.
January 9, 2023
Not many CEOs have positive reputations, even fewer are begged to return after they retire. Such a rare occasion prompted me to see what this Bob Iger is all about. And I don't usually gravitate toward business memoirs.
The book is pretty good. Behind-the-scenes Hollywood gossip always makes for an engaging read, and Iger doesn't shy away from sharing significant stories on the making of familiar TV shows and blockbuster movies. There are several detailed encounters with Steve Jobs during the Pixar purchase. The largest chunk of the book is, in fact, discussing Disney's many acquisitions under his watch, like Marvel, Star Wars and Fox.
Bob presents himself with humility but adds a lot of sugar. Struggles all have happy endings and Bob's instincts are either always correct or chosen for the Greater Good. Not to say that the examples are presented inaccurately, it's just that they all follow this same template. I think he's probably more vulnerable than most come across in the celebrity memoir genre. But it does all come across as grossly oversimplified.
As for inspirational tidbits of wisdom, there are a small number of gems in here. Some lessons in people skills and leadership traits. Bob has convinced me that he's a good person. In the end, that's probably the biggest lesson from the book. If you work hard for the right reasons and treat people with respect, good things tend to happen.
Overall, recommended for Disney fans who salivate over movie gossip. Self-improvement fans will also learn valuable insights from a beloved CEO....Beloved CEO? Writing that left such a weird taste in my mouth--it seems impossible! But there's no doubt about it, people LOVE Bob. Reading this book, I'm starting to understand why.
The book is pretty good. Behind-the-scenes Hollywood gossip always makes for an engaging read, and Iger doesn't shy away from sharing significant stories on the making of familiar TV shows and blockbuster movies. There are several detailed encounters with Steve Jobs during the Pixar purchase. The largest chunk of the book is, in fact, discussing Disney's many acquisitions under his watch, like Marvel, Star Wars and Fox.
Bob presents himself with humility but adds a lot of sugar. Struggles all have happy endings and Bob's instincts are either always correct or chosen for the Greater Good. Not to say that the examples are presented inaccurately, it's just that they all follow this same template. I think he's probably more vulnerable than most come across in the celebrity memoir genre. But it does all come across as grossly oversimplified.
As for inspirational tidbits of wisdom, there are a small number of gems in here. Some lessons in people skills and leadership traits. Bob has convinced me that he's a good person. In the end, that's probably the biggest lesson from the book. If you work hard for the right reasons and treat people with respect, good things tend to happen.
Overall, recommended for Disney fans who salivate over movie gossip. Self-improvement fans will also learn valuable insights from a beloved CEO....Beloved CEO? Writing that left such a weird taste in my mouth--it seems impossible! But there's no doubt about it, people LOVE Bob. Reading this book, I'm starting to understand why.
June 5, 2020
The Ride of a Lifetime is an inspiring and optimistic yet largely colorless account of Bob Iger's 45-year career in television and media. Disclosure: Bob was my boss's boss for several years, and it was probably a lot more entertaining to read due to personal memories of some of the office politics.
A potentially fascinating subject for this sort of book, perhaps the greatest entertainment industry leader of our time, shares insight into how he tackled impossible challenges coming up in the business. In the course of reading it, however, it felt like he glossed over a lot of the character flaws and personal demons that make a good memoir great.
The book opens with an electrifying account of a 24-hour period in which Iger kept multiple balls in the air dealing with Chinese officials and all the complex moving pieces of launching Shanghai Disneyland, while simultaneously responding to the mass shooting at Pulse nightclub in Orlando where Disney cast members counted among the victims. Just before the ribbon cutting ceremony in Shanghai, he learns Disneyland House of Blues was the terrorist's original target. Then he is told an alligator has killed a 2 year-old boy at the park in Florida and immediately reaches out to the parents.
He compartmentalizes in order to deal with these simultaneous dilemmas, and this habit of compartmentalization might have made for a much more interesting lens through which to view his personal and career setbacks. Unfortunately, the rest of the book doesn't explore any of this, nor does it live up to the frenetic pacing of the opening chapter. It's a largely aseptic narrative that reads like his publicist and his lawyer went over everything with a fine-toothed comb.
Of course Bob Iger is no Walter Isaacson, but there are a number of riveting, raw business memoirs like Horowitz's The Hard Thing About Hard Things that dare to expose some of the author's worst shortcomings and as a result feel more authentic and exhilarating. I found it a delightful read, but perhaps this has more to do with knowing some of the people described and having been present at some of the events.
Running any large organization is an imperfect, messy endeavor and The Walt Disney Company is no exception. Iger's account is far too neat and tidy. There is a lack of personal crises depicted here and to make matters worse, the prose is watery and limp. I doubt The Ride of a Lifetime would be a particularly enjoyable read for most unless the author's lessons have some relevance to your own experiences.
A potentially fascinating subject for this sort of book, perhaps the greatest entertainment industry leader of our time, shares insight into how he tackled impossible challenges coming up in the business. In the course of reading it, however, it felt like he glossed over a lot of the character flaws and personal demons that make a good memoir great.
The book opens with an electrifying account of a 24-hour period in which Iger kept multiple balls in the air dealing with Chinese officials and all the complex moving pieces of launching Shanghai Disneyland, while simultaneously responding to the mass shooting at Pulse nightclub in Orlando where Disney cast members counted among the victims. Just before the ribbon cutting ceremony in Shanghai, he learns Disneyland House of Blues was the terrorist's original target. Then he is told an alligator has killed a 2 year-old boy at the park in Florida and immediately reaches out to the parents.
He compartmentalizes in order to deal with these simultaneous dilemmas, and this habit of compartmentalization might have made for a much more interesting lens through which to view his personal and career setbacks. Unfortunately, the rest of the book doesn't explore any of this, nor does it live up to the frenetic pacing of the opening chapter. It's a largely aseptic narrative that reads like his publicist and his lawyer went over everything with a fine-toothed comb.
Of course Bob Iger is no Walter Isaacson, but there are a number of riveting, raw business memoirs like Horowitz's The Hard Thing About Hard Things that dare to expose some of the author's worst shortcomings and as a result feel more authentic and exhilarating. I found it a delightful read, but perhaps this has more to do with knowing some of the people described and having been present at some of the events.
Running any large organization is an imperfect, messy endeavor and The Walt Disney Company is no exception. Iger's account is far too neat and tidy. There is a lack of personal crises depicted here and to make matters worse, the prose is watery and limp. I doubt The Ride of a Lifetime would be a particularly enjoyable read for most unless the author's lessons have some relevance to your own experiences.
February 20, 2020
Overall: This book is amazing! An incredible true story of Bob Iger's career and journey to his current role as CEO of Disney. Not the typical leadership book I expected but an amazing story of perseverance, passion, focus, forward thinking, and drive. So inspiring and well written, and he narrates the audiobook himself. Highly recommend this to all, it is an incredible story and will leave you inspired in more than one way.
“True authority and true leadership come from knowing who you are and not pretending to be anything else.”
“Optimism. One of the most important qualities of a good leader is optimism, a pragmatic enthusiasm for what can be achieved. Even in the face of difficult choices and less than ideal outcomes, an optimistic leader does not yield to pessimism. Simply put, people are not motivated or energized by pessimists.”
“Ask the questions you need to ask, admit without apology what you don’t understand, and do the work to learn what you need to learn as quickly as you can.”
“And I tend to approach bad news as a problem that can be worked through and solved, something I have control over rather than something happening to me.”
“Don’t be in the business of playing it safe. Be in the business of creating possibilities for greatness.”
“At its essence, good leadership isn’t about being indispensable; it’s about helping others be prepared to possibly step into your shoes—giving them access to your own decision making, identifying the skills they need to develop and helping them improve, and, as I’ve had to do, sometimes being honest with them about why they’re not ready for the next step up.”
“I learned from them that genuine decency and professional competitiveness weren't mutually exclusive. In fact, true integrity, a sense of knowing who you are and being guided by your own clear sense of right and wrong is a kind of secret weapon. They trusted in their own instincts. They treated people with respect. And over time, the company came to represent the values they live by.”
“Don’t start negatively, and don’t start small. People will often focus on little details as a way of masking a lack of any clear, coherent, big thoughts. If you start petty, you seem petty.”
“If you approach and engage people with respect and empathy, the seemingly impossible can become real.”
“True authority and true leadership come from knowing who you are and not pretending to be anything else.”
“Optimism. One of the most important qualities of a good leader is optimism, a pragmatic enthusiasm for what can be achieved. Even in the face of difficult choices and less than ideal outcomes, an optimistic leader does not yield to pessimism. Simply put, people are not motivated or energized by pessimists.”
“Ask the questions you need to ask, admit without apology what you don’t understand, and do the work to learn what you need to learn as quickly as you can.”
“And I tend to approach bad news as a problem that can be worked through and solved, something I have control over rather than something happening to me.”
“Don’t be in the business of playing it safe. Be in the business of creating possibilities for greatness.”
“At its essence, good leadership isn’t about being indispensable; it’s about helping others be prepared to possibly step into your shoes—giving them access to your own decision making, identifying the skills they need to develop and helping them improve, and, as I’ve had to do, sometimes being honest with them about why they’re not ready for the next step up.”
“I learned from them that genuine decency and professional competitiveness weren't mutually exclusive. In fact, true integrity, a sense of knowing who you are and being guided by your own clear sense of right and wrong is a kind of secret weapon. They trusted in their own instincts. They treated people with respect. And over time, the company came to represent the values they live by.”
“Don’t start negatively, and don’t start small. People will often focus on little details as a way of masking a lack of any clear, coherent, big thoughts. If you start petty, you seem petty.”
“If you approach and engage people with respect and empathy, the seemingly impossible can become real.”
October 16, 2019
The leadership components of this life story are enlightening and applicable.
But what I picked up this book to learn was in-depth insight into managing the creative process, negotiating difficult personalities, and creating a unique creative culture at Disney and subsumed companies. Although the book told a coherent, clear storyline with interesting vignettes, it ultimately glossed over key moments in the general sense, rather than diving deep and mining their emotions. Some examples:
1.) Characters -- A story involves interesting personalities and the dynamics between them. Some of them -- like Steve Jobs -- required no introduction, but others did, and they often popped into Bob Iger's story without the proper introduction or backstory. He spends a lot of time on his father, and later his most successful hires, like Alan Horn, but I wanted to know more about his wife, his closest colleagues, John Lasseter, and his relationship with Disney's lifeblood animators. Give them a name and a face for us! Where do they come from, and how did they influence you? The most emotional scene with the most well-painted character -- Roone -- touched me not because Roone was dying, but because of all they had been through together. Roone's relentless pursuit of perfection, and his extravagance in getting there, provided memorable scene after memorable scene, and it was because Bob described his character and their shared journey -- from the early day on-calls to the Olympics to the New Year's 2000 coverage -- so deeply, through so many moments. But then "highly confidential" dynamics like the John Lasseter relationship were handled within a single paragraph, with no insight into John's background or their shared experiences. I found myself mixing up all the Toms, Johns, and Michaels as the book went on, because their motivations, character quirks, and backgrounds hadn't distinguished them in my mind. Much of what has made Disney such a well-known brand in storytelling is its characters. I expected more complete characters.
2.) Depth -- Disney is, at its heart, a creative company. Their acquisitions, like Pixar and Marvel, are also creative companies. Show us more of the creative side! What makes their artists and animators tick, and how do you manage creative souls into a large corporate culture? The book goes into some of the challenges, especially early on with the ABC show ideas (Twin Peaks et al), but as the story continues, it increasingly takes a high bird's-eye view, rather than a deep-down look in the trenches with the creative minds. It captivated me discussing George Lucas' struggles with creative control, including meetings on the script, but many of the later events came from the media, like interviews, and few were dramatized in-scene, moment-by-moment conflict, as was so skillfully done in the Olympic coverage. How did Disney animators and creative teams handle the new IP? What were their storytelling strategies? What kinds of challenges cropped up? I don't want to hear that "fans loved it" or that Iron Giant 2 was grossing $75 million (or however much) at the box office; what's of interest is the blood, sweat, and tears that go into such a creative endeavor, and how Bob Iger managed a lot of talented egos, bridging the past to the future. What matters is the journey, not the result.
3.) Emotion -- The opening scene -- Disneyland Shanghai's opening and the Pulse shooting and alligator attack -- captivated me because of the difficult phone conversation the author describes, and how his wife supports him through that moment. The final conversation with Roone also elicited feeling, because of what the two had been through, and how close the author described their relationship. The rest of the book didn't deliver those moments on a consistent basis. Descriptions of potentially emotional moments were couched too much in generals and facts, like Steve's confidance of cancer being viewed through the lens of the impending deadline, counting down minutes to a public announcement, or John Lasseter's departure. They were described too much in the general sense, as difficult moments, without diving into the specifics of what made them so complicated and emotional for the individuals involved. As a result, it was hard to grasp the nature of the inner conflict, and feel the storyteller's emotion.
Make no mistake: The book had meaningful conflicts -- like shareholder votes and phone calls -- but they didn't generate as much emotional payoff in me because they didn't have the buildup, depth, or detail into what was motivating or driving each individual in the battle. It's hard to relate to people when they haven't received the introduction they deserve, but more than anything, I wanted to feel more emotion from happenings and events, rather than the cool, calm, collected recap: "This happened, then that happened" or the common "That was difficult, but after months of work, we persevered" type of narrative.
I enjoyed the story and devoured it quickly, but ultimately came away unsatisfied with how little I knew about the people involved, or their motivations.
But what I picked up this book to learn was in-depth insight into managing the creative process, negotiating difficult personalities, and creating a unique creative culture at Disney and subsumed companies. Although the book told a coherent, clear storyline with interesting vignettes, it ultimately glossed over key moments in the general sense, rather than diving deep and mining their emotions. Some examples:
1.) Characters -- A story involves interesting personalities and the dynamics between them. Some of them -- like Steve Jobs -- required no introduction, but others did, and they often popped into Bob Iger's story without the proper introduction or backstory. He spends a lot of time on his father, and later his most successful hires, like Alan Horn, but I wanted to know more about his wife, his closest colleagues, John Lasseter, and his relationship with Disney's lifeblood animators. Give them a name and a face for us! Where do they come from, and how did they influence you? The most emotional scene with the most well-painted character -- Roone -- touched me not because Roone was dying, but because of all they had been through together. Roone's relentless pursuit of perfection, and his extravagance in getting there, provided memorable scene after memorable scene, and it was because Bob described his character and their shared journey -- from the early day on-calls to the Olympics to the New Year's 2000 coverage -- so deeply, through so many moments. But then "highly confidential" dynamics like the John Lasseter relationship were handled within a single paragraph, with no insight into John's background or their shared experiences. I found myself mixing up all the Toms, Johns, and Michaels as the book went on, because their motivations, character quirks, and backgrounds hadn't distinguished them in my mind. Much of what has made Disney such a well-known brand in storytelling is its characters. I expected more complete characters.
2.) Depth -- Disney is, at its heart, a creative company. Their acquisitions, like Pixar and Marvel, are also creative companies. Show us more of the creative side! What makes their artists and animators tick, and how do you manage creative souls into a large corporate culture? The book goes into some of the challenges, especially early on with the ABC show ideas (Twin Peaks et al), but as the story continues, it increasingly takes a high bird's-eye view, rather than a deep-down look in the trenches with the creative minds. It captivated me discussing George Lucas' struggles with creative control, including meetings on the script, but many of the later events came from the media, like interviews, and few were dramatized in-scene, moment-by-moment conflict, as was so skillfully done in the Olympic coverage. How did Disney animators and creative teams handle the new IP? What were their storytelling strategies? What kinds of challenges cropped up? I don't want to hear that "fans loved it" or that Iron Giant 2 was grossing $75 million (or however much) at the box office; what's of interest is the blood, sweat, and tears that go into such a creative endeavor, and how Bob Iger managed a lot of talented egos, bridging the past to the future. What matters is the journey, not the result.
3.) Emotion -- The opening scene -- Disneyland Shanghai's opening and the Pulse shooting and alligator attack -- captivated me because of the difficult phone conversation the author describes, and how his wife supports him through that moment. The final conversation with Roone also elicited feeling, because of what the two had been through, and how close the author described their relationship. The rest of the book didn't deliver those moments on a consistent basis. Descriptions of potentially emotional moments were couched too much in generals and facts, like Steve's confidance of cancer being viewed through the lens of the impending deadline, counting down minutes to a public announcement, or John Lasseter's departure. They were described too much in the general sense, as difficult moments, without diving into the specifics of what made them so complicated and emotional for the individuals involved. As a result, it was hard to grasp the nature of the inner conflict, and feel the storyteller's emotion.
Make no mistake: The book had meaningful conflicts -- like shareholder votes and phone calls -- but they didn't generate as much emotional payoff in me because they didn't have the buildup, depth, or detail into what was motivating or driving each individual in the battle. It's hard to relate to people when they haven't received the introduction they deserve, but more than anything, I wanted to feel more emotion from happenings and events, rather than the cool, calm, collected recap: "This happened, then that happened" or the common "That was difficult, but after months of work, we persevered" type of narrative.
I enjoyed the story and devoured it quickly, but ultimately came away unsatisfied with how little I knew about the people involved, or their motivations.
January 24, 2020
As hard to believe as it is, there are many aspects of my life I could probably improve upon. To name just a few: I eat way too many pies. The pies I eat do not contain enough fruits or vegetables. Many folks are shocked at the overabundance of whipped cream topping my pies. And often times I will eat my pie extremely quick (sometimes even without breathing) so I do not have to share pie with my family or close friends. But like most people I see the New Year as a chance to start over and correct some of these deficiencies. So I have been reading a bunch of improvement books. The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned from 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company by Robert Iger uses the candid life experiences of this incredibly successful head honcho to show what I need to do to improve my life.
Ride of a Lifetime reads more like a memoir than an actual self-improvement book. It is a quick interesting read if you take it on this level. Those looking for little nuggets or gems on bettering their lives will be disappointed as all of his advice seems to relate to corporate big-shots succeeding by acquiring successful companies. Iger shows me that if I want to get better all I really need to do is spend a few hundred million dollars and buy Pixar. Or if that is not the strategy for me, I can always spend a few million dollars and buy Marvel. Heck, while I’m at it I can just spend a few hundred million dollars and also buy Fox. I mean I like The Simpsons. Don’t I?
So if you are a regular shmoe without hundreds of millions of dollars laying around to buy up hugely successful and innovative companies as you construct the mother of all monster conglomerates then there is not a whole lot of practical advice here. Reading about Iger’s devious plans to seize every beloved creation from R2D2 to the Hulk to that old guy who sounds like Ed Asner and ties balloons all over his house, forcing all mortals to their knees to bow before the twisted evilness of his mouse-eared greatness shouting, “here take my money, take all my money” is a gripping story. It is enjoyable, especially when eating pie.
Ride of a Lifetime reads more like a memoir than an actual self-improvement book. It is a quick interesting read if you take it on this level. Those looking for little nuggets or gems on bettering their lives will be disappointed as all of his advice seems to relate to corporate big-shots succeeding by acquiring successful companies. Iger shows me that if I want to get better all I really need to do is spend a few hundred million dollars and buy Pixar. Or if that is not the strategy for me, I can always spend a few million dollars and buy Marvel. Heck, while I’m at it I can just spend a few hundred million dollars and also buy Fox. I mean I like The Simpsons. Don’t I?
So if you are a regular shmoe without hundreds of millions of dollars laying around to buy up hugely successful and innovative companies as you construct the mother of all monster conglomerates then there is not a whole lot of practical advice here. Reading about Iger’s devious plans to seize every beloved creation from R2D2 to the Hulk to that old guy who sounds like Ed Asner and ties balloons all over his house, forcing all mortals to their knees to bow before the twisted evilness of his mouse-eared greatness shouting, “here take my money, take all my money” is a gripping story. It is enjoyable, especially when eating pie.
October 7, 2019
I was really hoping for more insights into how Disney was run and his leadership style. Was a light version of both. Some cool stories about buying Pixar but would have preferred way more details.
November 21, 2019
I finished reading Robert Iger’s “Ride of A Lifetime: Lessons Learned From 15 Year as CEO of Walt Disney Company” two days ago and I am still blown away by the insights he shared and how much I have learned. If you are a CEO, Entrepreneur, Manager, in HR, part of a team or looking to learn about how you can advance in your current role, Robert Iger provides a roadmap and lessons that everyone can benefit from. As someone who loves learning about brands and how to tell a great brand story, getting a behind the scenes look into Walt Disney the brand was exhilarating.
Five key insights:
1. Robert Iger have worked for the same company for 45 years, he started out as a studio supervisor and is currently the 6th CEO to run the company since Walt founded it in 1923. Throughout the book Iger referenced how his career progressed and how we prepared himself for each opportunity that was presented to him. This really resonated with me because even though he was at a company for 45 years, he was able to show his growth, how he changed with the times and why he is and will continue to be an asset to Disney.
2. Iger made numerous mention of his Chief Communication Officer Zenia Mucha, he said “she always has the interests of the company at heart”. As someone who is in Marketing and Communications, hearing from the CEO of Walt Disney on how ways I can be more of an asset to an organization was impactful.
3. If you are in HR or will one day have the hard task of firing someone, Iger goes through step by step on how accomplish this difficult task.
4. Iger explores in-depth the principles that are necessary for true leadership, they included; Optimism, Courage, Focus, Decisiveness, Curiosity, Fairness, Thoughtfulness and Integrity. I admired the fact that curiosity made the list because one point really stuck with me was the need to innovate and in order to do this, you have to remain curious.
5. “Don’t be in the business of playing it safe. Be in the business of creating possibilities for greatness.”
This is definitely a book I will be recommending and re-reading in the future, it is packed with key lessons that everyone can learn from. I highly suggest you add it to the list of books you read to help with your development.
Five key insights:
1. Robert Iger have worked for the same company for 45 years, he started out as a studio supervisor and is currently the 6th CEO to run the company since Walt founded it in 1923. Throughout the book Iger referenced how his career progressed and how we prepared himself for each opportunity that was presented to him. This really resonated with me because even though he was at a company for 45 years, he was able to show his growth, how he changed with the times and why he is and will continue to be an asset to Disney.
2. Iger made numerous mention of his Chief Communication Officer Zenia Mucha, he said “she always has the interests of the company at heart”. As someone who is in Marketing and Communications, hearing from the CEO of Walt Disney on how ways I can be more of an asset to an organization was impactful.
3. If you are in HR or will one day have the hard task of firing someone, Iger goes through step by step on how accomplish this difficult task.
4. Iger explores in-depth the principles that are necessary for true leadership, they included; Optimism, Courage, Focus, Decisiveness, Curiosity, Fairness, Thoughtfulness and Integrity. I admired the fact that curiosity made the list because one point really stuck with me was the need to innovate and in order to do this, you have to remain curious.
5. “Don’t be in the business of playing it safe. Be in the business of creating possibilities for greatness.”
This is definitely a book I will be recommending and re-reading in the future, it is packed with key lessons that everyone can learn from. I highly suggest you add it to the list of books you read to help with your development.
March 6, 2022
Read Creativity.Inc & Ride of a Lifetime back to back if you want to see both sides of one of the most fascinating and well executed mergers of our times.
This is largely a chronicle of acquisitions by Disney under Iger, and not very engrossing for me, but the Pixar section was fascinating.
This is largely a chronicle of acquisitions by Disney under Iger, and not very engrossing for me, but the Pixar section was fascinating.
March 30, 2023
Sākumā biju skeptiski noskaņota, bet grāmata izvērtās ļoti interesantā lasīšanas pieredzē par darbu televīzijā un kāpšanu pa karjeras kāpnēm līdz Volta Disneja korporācijas vadīšanai. Jāsaka, ka interesantākais ir tieši laiks korporācijas vadītāja amatā, kurā Roberts Aigers sevi pierāda kā patiešām lielisku vadītāju. Starp citu, Disnejam šogad 100 gadu jubileja un Aigers atkal ir CEO.
May 5, 2020
Iger comes across as very down to earth with solid business acumen.
Still— such large corporate monopolies make me uneasy.
What will Disney buy next?
“Innovate or die, and there’s no innovation if you operate out of fear of the new or untested.”
Still— such large corporate monopolies make me uneasy.
What will Disney buy next?
“Innovate or die, and there’s no innovation if you operate out of fear of the new or untested.”
January 19, 2020
While you can’t, rightfully, attribute any company’s success to the work of one person, the right type of person---a leader, versus just a manager or a chief executive---at the head of a company can make a huge difference.
The history of the 20th century is the history of business ascendant and the history of powerful businessmen and women: Coco Chanel, Henry Ford, Bill Gates, Martha Stewart, Steve Jobs, Oprah Winfrey. These are just a few names at the top of a long list of people who have made an impact in the world---for good or ill---through business.
There’s one name that, I’m sure, almost everyone will agree has made a positive impact in the lives of people throughout the world, and, regardless how one feels about business and the corporate world, it is highly unlikely that one has not been entertained or found pleasure in something that was created by this person.
I’m talking, of course, about Walt Disney, who went from creating a short black-and-white cartoon in 1928 that starred, for the first time, a mouse named Mickey to building a legacy that has become his posthumous empire of entertainment.
The Disney brand has become the brand of high-quality entertainment that all members of the family can enjoy, and it has branched out into not just amusement parks but resort hotels and cruise lines. And, like the classic “Steamboat Willie” cartoon, Disney is still making great, memorable films, only now the Disney umbrella has grown to include the story-making juggernauts of Marvel and Lucasfilm. It is, literally, unstoppable.
The success of Disney can’t, of course, be credited to one person. It’s a team effort, and Disney has an amazing team of talent in its animation departments, park and resort managers, and Imagineers, the men and women who churn out idea after wonderful idea.
But the history of Disney, as a corporation, is a history of the importance of finding the right person to steer the ship. Without a captain---a good captain, especially---no ship can maneuver well in any waters.
In 2005, Robert Iger was named the CEO of Disney during a turbulent time for the company. Michael Eisner, the previous CEO, who inherited the position in 1984 during another rough time, had turned the company around and had successfully more than doubled Disney’s global footprint, but it was, unfortunately, during the last ten years of his tenure that Eisner’s reputation became tarnished by some very public mistakes, failures, and decisions that the Board of Directors deemed ultimately disastrous for the company. They had lost faith in Eisner, and, as former Board member Roy E. Disney once said, “Eisner had lost his focus”.
Iger, who had worked closely with Eisner as the company’s President and COO, was seen as a natural successor to Eisner. He immediately went to work repairing some of the damage, including rebuilding the failing Animation Studios (the last ten years had seen a string of box-office failures for a studio that once made three films---”The Little Mermaid”, “Beauty and the Beast”, and “The Lion King” back to back---that had won multiple Academy Awards and broke box-office records at the time for animated films) and acquiring Pixar, a move that Eisner fought for years and nearly destroyed a very lucrative relationship with Steve Jobs. (According to Iger, years later, Eisner told him that he had been so wrong about Pixar.)
Iger also went on to make a historic deal with China with the opening of Shanghai Disney, a multi-billion dollar project that could have been a multi-billion dollar disaster. It wasn’t.
He also oversaw the acquisition of Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm, both of which have flourished under the Disney umbrella without destroying their integrity or their originality.
“The Ride of a Lifetime” is Iger’s memoir/blueprint for being a successful business leader, and he comes across as being a somewhat humble, intelligent, and likable businessman. Those are three words, by the way, that I would almost never have attached to anyone in business, as anyone who knows me knows that I detest the business world. I despise corporate mentality and what I call the “MBA”-ification of the world, so it is definitely a big deal that I actually read, and enjoyed, Iger’s book.
Iger proves that one can actually have a soul and a penchant for empathy and compassion in business. One doesn’t need to be the soul-sucking, avaricious, greed-monster that I so often (and, admittedly, probably unfairly) imagine most CEOs to be.
Disney’s success isn’t solely attributable to Iger, but they probably couldn’t have picked a better person to steer their ship.
The history of the 20th century is the history of business ascendant and the history of powerful businessmen and women: Coco Chanel, Henry Ford, Bill Gates, Martha Stewart, Steve Jobs, Oprah Winfrey. These are just a few names at the top of a long list of people who have made an impact in the world---for good or ill---through business.
There’s one name that, I’m sure, almost everyone will agree has made a positive impact in the lives of people throughout the world, and, regardless how one feels about business and the corporate world, it is highly unlikely that one has not been entertained or found pleasure in something that was created by this person.
I’m talking, of course, about Walt Disney, who went from creating a short black-and-white cartoon in 1928 that starred, for the first time, a mouse named Mickey to building a legacy that has become his posthumous empire of entertainment.
The Disney brand has become the brand of high-quality entertainment that all members of the family can enjoy, and it has branched out into not just amusement parks but resort hotels and cruise lines. And, like the classic “Steamboat Willie” cartoon, Disney is still making great, memorable films, only now the Disney umbrella has grown to include the story-making juggernauts of Marvel and Lucasfilm. It is, literally, unstoppable.
The success of Disney can’t, of course, be credited to one person. It’s a team effort, and Disney has an amazing team of talent in its animation departments, park and resort managers, and Imagineers, the men and women who churn out idea after wonderful idea.
But the history of Disney, as a corporation, is a history of the importance of finding the right person to steer the ship. Without a captain---a good captain, especially---no ship can maneuver well in any waters.
In 2005, Robert Iger was named the CEO of Disney during a turbulent time for the company. Michael Eisner, the previous CEO, who inherited the position in 1984 during another rough time, had turned the company around and had successfully more than doubled Disney’s global footprint, but it was, unfortunately, during the last ten years of his tenure that Eisner’s reputation became tarnished by some very public mistakes, failures, and decisions that the Board of Directors deemed ultimately disastrous for the company. They had lost faith in Eisner, and, as former Board member Roy E. Disney once said, “Eisner had lost his focus”.
Iger, who had worked closely with Eisner as the company’s President and COO, was seen as a natural successor to Eisner. He immediately went to work repairing some of the damage, including rebuilding the failing Animation Studios (the last ten years had seen a string of box-office failures for a studio that once made three films---”The Little Mermaid”, “Beauty and the Beast”, and “The Lion King” back to back---that had won multiple Academy Awards and broke box-office records at the time for animated films) and acquiring Pixar, a move that Eisner fought for years and nearly destroyed a very lucrative relationship with Steve Jobs. (According to Iger, years later, Eisner told him that he had been so wrong about Pixar.)
Iger also went on to make a historic deal with China with the opening of Shanghai Disney, a multi-billion dollar project that could have been a multi-billion dollar disaster. It wasn’t.
He also oversaw the acquisition of Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm, both of which have flourished under the Disney umbrella without destroying their integrity or their originality.
“The Ride of a Lifetime” is Iger’s memoir/blueprint for being a successful business leader, and he comes across as being a somewhat humble, intelligent, and likable businessman. Those are three words, by the way, that I would almost never have attached to anyone in business, as anyone who knows me knows that I detest the business world. I despise corporate mentality and what I call the “MBA”-ification of the world, so it is definitely a big deal that I actually read, and enjoyed, Iger’s book.
Iger proves that one can actually have a soul and a penchant for empathy and compassion in business. One doesn’t need to be the soul-sucking, avaricious, greed-monster that I so often (and, admittedly, probably unfairly) imagine most CEOs to be.
Disney’s success isn’t solely attributable to Iger, but they probably couldn’t have picked a better person to steer their ship.
February 24, 2022
4.5
wasn't aware of Bob Iger before this book. after reading, it's clear how Disney became so successful with this guy at its helm. enjoyed it a lot more than expected and learned a lot.
wasn't aware of Bob Iger before this book. after reading, it's clear how Disney became so successful with this guy at its helm. enjoyed it a lot more than expected and learned a lot.
January 22, 2022
Robert Iger chose to be honest, straightforward, and structured with his words and the way he told his story, which definitely reflects his character. With risks, innovation, leadership he impressively transformed Disney and I really enjoyed reading exactly how. It’s an inspiring and unique journey worth learning from.
February 11, 2020
This book contains a lot of key lessons for success. The first big lesson that stood out to me was the importance of developing relationships and how Bob Iger, over time, become one of the most respected and trusted CEOs. This was crucial for Disney's success as they were acquiring other companies. It's clear that Bob viewed acquiring companies through the lens of taking care of people that works at that company, respecting their work, and putting them in a position where they can succeed.
Another thing that stood out was the importance of setting the right tone as a leader and how that has an enormous effect on the people around you. As Bob said, no one wants to follow a pessimist. Communicating a clear vision for the company is critical. That transfer of certainty from you as the leader to everyone else in the company is one of the most important roles you have.
And lastly, I really found the book to be a hero's journey, and I appreciated that the book didn't only talk about successes but also numerous failures, both in his personal life and career. Bob had to deal with these failures with a great deal of humility, and to listen to how he overcame them was very insightful. Overall, the book was very easy to read, and time flew by rapidly. Highly recommended!
Another thing that stood out was the importance of setting the right tone as a leader and how that has an enormous effect on the people around you. As Bob said, no one wants to follow a pessimist. Communicating a clear vision for the company is critical. That transfer of certainty from you as the leader to everyone else in the company is one of the most important roles you have.
And lastly, I really found the book to be a hero's journey, and I appreciated that the book didn't only talk about successes but also numerous failures, both in his personal life and career. Bob had to deal with these failures with a great deal of humility, and to listen to how he overcame them was very insightful. Overall, the book was very easy to read, and time flew by rapidly. Highly recommended!
November 8, 2020
Lessons learned by Robert Iger.
Lessons shared by Robert Iger with generosity, optimism and decency.
Fostering risk taking and creativity, building a culture of trust, fuelling a deep and abiding curiosity are just few great examples of his inspiring lessons.
Lessons shared by Robert Iger with generosity, optimism and decency.
Fostering risk taking and creativity, building a culture of trust, fuelling a deep and abiding curiosity are just few great examples of his inspiring lessons.
December 17, 2020
It's no Shoe Dog.
Iger pulls too many punches for this to really entertain. In his Bill Simmons podcast interview, he mentions that he spent a weekend softening the edges and calling people out less. He should've waited to write this until when he actually retired, but then again this is part business memoir part ‘I want to be a politician’ book so what can you do.
His relationship with Jobs was touching and the acquisition stories were illustrative of how personal relationships matter even in these big deals, but most of the time I would've rather read a deeper business case study about how at a more granular level he integrated the companies he bought rather than staying at the level of “we wanted Pixar to be Pixar.”
Life at the head of a giant media empire does seem fun. It does seem pretty fun to help shape culture, create positive memories for millions and help support artists creating lasting art that touches people (so many Pixar classics, Black Panther...). That said, there's clearly a part of him that wants to have a bigger impact.
I don't want him to be president though. Iger reading books about Middle East history on the weekends to bone up for a potential run smacks of Jared Kushner. Picking up a source book for AP US History and reading some speeches is something people who care about politics do in high school and rings pretty hollow to brag about in your mid-60s.
Would he be a better president than Bloomberg? Hard call because at least Bloomberg has real experience playing politics. It’s a different ball game from making an inspiring speech to a corporate board in favor of acquiring Marvel or bringing Disney to Shanghai (something the CCP wanted anyways). I don't think he'd have any idea how to handle a polarized Washington. It seems like his heart is in the right place, but that should just be table stakes.
Iger pulls too many punches for this to really entertain. In his Bill Simmons podcast interview, he mentions that he spent a weekend softening the edges and calling people out less. He should've waited to write this until when he actually retired, but then again this is part business memoir part ‘I want to be a politician’ book so what can you do.
His relationship with Jobs was touching and the acquisition stories were illustrative of how personal relationships matter even in these big deals, but most of the time I would've rather read a deeper business case study about how at a more granular level he integrated the companies he bought rather than staying at the level of “we wanted Pixar to be Pixar.”
Life at the head of a giant media empire does seem fun. It does seem pretty fun to help shape culture, create positive memories for millions and help support artists creating lasting art that touches people (so many Pixar classics, Black Panther...). That said, there's clearly a part of him that wants to have a bigger impact.
I don't want him to be president though. Iger reading books about Middle East history on the weekends to bone up for a potential run smacks of Jared Kushner. Picking up a source book for AP US History and reading some speeches is something people who care about politics do in high school and rings pretty hollow to brag about in your mid-60s.
Would he be a better president than Bloomberg? Hard call because at least Bloomberg has real experience playing politics. It’s a different ball game from making an inspiring speech to a corporate board in favor of acquiring Marvel or bringing Disney to Shanghai (something the CCP wanted anyways). I don't think he'd have any idea how to handle a polarized Washington. It seems like his heart is in the right place, but that should just be table stakes.
June 14, 2020
Interesante narración del ascenso del CEO de Disney desde que trabajó en un programa deportivo de ABC hasta que llegó a la cúspide de la empresa más grande de entretenimiento a nivel mundial. El libro recoge buenas lecciones de liderazgo y confirma que basta ser una persona trabajadora, de principios, y optimista para que las cosas sucedan positivamente. Recomendado
September 12, 2020
3.5* I would recommend this book to those who are drawn to it from a business perspective over the human interest story. The business aspect of it was interesting and I learned a thing or two about the corporate world and how it ticks. However I picked this book up for the human interest aspect and it really didn't offer much in that way.
April 2, 2021
When I finished reading this book last night, my first reaction was: 'Oh my god! This was such a treat. Why did it end so soon?'. I thought about Disney, the company behind some of my cherished childhood memories. And then I thought about the man who was behind running this amazing company. My thought train took me almost a decade back, when I first set my foot on Hong Kong Disney Land. I remember being mesmerized by the Disney parade, I was grooving, dancing, smiling, happily forming memories I was going to carry with me now for about a decade. These legendary fictional characters of Disney are just as alive as you and me. That's what this company is in business of: making characters and stories that stay alive, even long after all of us are gone. Who said it was going to be easy running a company like that?
The Ride of a Lifetime is the collection of very small things that Robert has learned in a very long span of time, and it's great. As his boss used to say, and Robert and I both agree: "great" is often a collection of very small things. It is an unputdownable guide on leadership, on problem solving, on developing correct attitude, on the need of innovating, and on knowing that long shots are not as long as they seem to be, that leaves you wanting for more.
And that's probably the only complain I have with this book, it leaves me wanting for more. The picture is only half complete. This book dwells little on the flaws of the man, and therefore it makes me little skeptic.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading the story of Pixar acquisition and the story of Robert becoming number one from number two at Disney.
Here are some of the lines from the book that impressed me:
The Ride of a Lifetime is the collection of very small things that Robert has learned in a very long span of time, and it's great. As his boss used to say, and Robert and I both agree: "great" is often a collection of very small things. It is an unputdownable guide on leadership, on problem solving, on developing correct attitude, on the need of innovating, and on knowing that long shots are not as long as they seem to be, that leaves you wanting for more.
And that's probably the only complain I have with this book, it leaves me wanting for more. The picture is only half complete. This book dwells little on the flaws of the man, and therefore it makes me little skeptic.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading the story of Pixar acquisition and the story of Robert becoming number one from number two at Disney.
Here are some of the lines from the book that impressed me:
"Avoid getting into the business of manufacturing trombone oil. You may become the greatest trombone-oil manufacturer in the world, but in the end, the world only consumes a few quarts of trombone oil a year!"
"We all want to believe we're irreplaceable. The trick is to be self-aware enough that you don't cling to the notion that you are the only person who can do this job. At its essence, good leadership isn't about being indispensable; it's about helping others be prepared to possibly step into your shoes-giving them access to your own decision making, identifying the skills they need to develop and helping them improve, and, as I've had to do, sometimes being honest with them about why they're not ready for the next step up."
"Maybe this is the case for many of us: No matter who we become or what we accomplish, we still feel that we're essentially the kid we were at some simpler time long ago. Somehow that's the trick of leadership, too, I think, to hold on to that awareness of yourself even as the world tells you how powerful and important you are. The moment you start to believe it all too much, the moment you look yourself in the mirror and see a title emblazoned on your forehead, you've lost your way. That may be the hardest but also the most necessary lesson to keep in mind, that wherever you are along the path, you're the same person you've always been."
July 14, 2020
I wish I could give it more than 5 stars
It is hands down the best book I read on leadership. Unlike every other book in the realm, it isn't prescriptive. You're going through the journey with Bob and understand why he believes in the things he does. The ups and downs of the journey gave me goosebumps and really drilled into my head those core principles that Bob lives by. I can't stop crushing on Iger after this book hahaha. Absolutely loved the book omg.
I also got a physical copy of it because I think it simply is a wonderful book to keep - there are so so many notes I made throughout the book and I definitely see myself rereading it time to time (something I rarely think of doing with books).
It is hands down the best book I read on leadership. Unlike every other book in the realm, it isn't prescriptive. You're going through the journey with Bob and understand why he believes in the things he does. The ups and downs of the journey gave me goosebumps and really drilled into my head those core principles that Bob lives by. I can't stop crushing on Iger after this book hahaha. Absolutely loved the book omg.
I also got a physical copy of it because I think it simply is a wonderful book to keep - there are so so many notes I made throughout the book and I definitely see myself rereading it time to time (something I rarely think of doing with books).
August 2, 2020
"True authority and true leadership come from knowing who you are and not pretending to be anything else."
"Ask the questions you need to ask, admit without apology what you don’t understand, and do the work to learn what you need to learn as quickly as you can."
"We all want to believe we are irreplaceable. The trick is to be self-aware enough that you don't cling to that notion that you are the only person who can do this job."
"You cannot win on the defensive. It's only about the future. It's not about the past."
"When the two people at the top of a company have a dysfunctional relationship, there is no way that the rest of the company beneath them can function."
"Ask the questions you need to ask, admit without apology what you don’t understand, and do the work to learn what you need to learn as quickly as you can."
"We all want to believe we are irreplaceable. The trick is to be self-aware enough that you don't cling to that notion that you are the only person who can do this job."
"You cannot win on the defensive. It's only about the future. It's not about the past."
"When the two people at the top of a company have a dysfunctional relationship, there is no way that the rest of the company beneath them can function."
January 18, 2020
هذا الكتاب هو مفاجأة الشهر.
أبهرني الأسلوب والمفردات، وأعجبت جدًا بسيرة السيد بوب إيجر.. لم أكن قبل الكتاب أعرف عنه أي شيء، وكان أكثر ما أثار حماستي عندما علمت أنه جاء من خلفية متواضعة نسبيًا ليثبت نفسه في عالم مختلف.
صحيح أن الاستحواذات التي قامت بها ديزني خلال الخمسة عشر سنة الماضية للاعبين كِبار مثل پيكسار، لوكس فيلمز، مارڤل وفوكس إلى جانب عدة شركات تقنية أخرى كان أحد أهم الجوانب التي تطرق لها الكتاب، إلا أن البعد الإنسان كان قد غُطي بسخاء وسط الأرقام المذكورة والمُفزِعة.
سأفكر جديًا باستعراض رأي مستقبلي للكتاب أكثر إسهابًا
وحتى ذلك الوقت، أشجعك بشدة على قراءته
أبهرني الأسلوب والمفردات، وأعجبت جدًا بسيرة السيد بوب إيجر.. لم أكن قبل الكتاب أعرف عنه أي شيء، وكان أكثر ما أثار حماستي عندما علمت أنه جاء من خلفية متواضعة نسبيًا ليثبت نفسه في عالم مختلف.
صحيح أن الاستحواذات التي قامت بها ديزني خلال الخمسة عشر سنة الماضية للاعبين كِبار مثل پيكسار، لوكس فيلمز، مارڤل وفوكس إلى جانب عدة شركات تقنية أخرى كان أحد أهم الجوانب التي تطرق لها الكتاب، إلا أن البعد الإنسان كان قد غُطي بسخاء وسط الأرقام المذكورة والمُفزِعة.
سأفكر جديًا باستعراض رأي مستقبلي للكتاب أكثر إسهابًا
وحتى ذلك الوقت، أشجعك بشدة على قراءته
February 16, 2020
A dry play-by-play. There is a quick summary of his leadership principles in the last part of the book. Skip the rest and read that portion.
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