In his latest book titled The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned from 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company, Robert Iger speaks of his time as the CEO of the Walt Disney Company.
In spring 1995 Iger, the CEO of Disney, couldn’t begin to fathom how it was just the beginning of his long career which would eventually led him to running Disney one day.
“I’ve generally tried over the years to keep my eye on the job I have and not the jobs I might someday have, but the thought that I might have a shot at running Disney one day was hard to ignore,” Iger said
Iger knew through instinct that if he stuck with Disney all these years, he’d eventually work his way up and become the CEO of Disney.
He stayed faithful at other jobs before, hoping to move up in the ranks, but for this job he knew that even through the difficult times staying would be worth it.
For those who read Iger’s autobiography, it’s difficult to relate to the situations he endures, but it is very intriguing to be informed of his experiences.
Almost every deal he has made throughout his career is nearly sucessful. For each deal, whether it was for Pixar, Fox or Marvel, he explained the thought process behind it and how each step led to the success of the deal.
In the book, Iger informs the reader that “This book is not a memoir, but it’s impossible to talk about the traits that have served me well over the course of my professional life and not look back at my childhood.”
He delves into this as he discusses how his father, who suffered from depression, had a huge impact on the kind of person he grew up to be.
“We never knew which Dad was coming home at night, and I can distinctly recall sitting in my room on the second floor of our house, knowing by the sound of the way he opened and shut the door and walked up the steps whether it was happy or sad Dad,” Iger said.
For Iger, being around his father was never easy, but he always treasured the happy moments and advice his father gave him.
He mentions in an interview with Robin Roberts how his father’s depression impacted him.
“It also created resilience and the ability to just understand the world was far from perfect and people were far from perfect, even loved ones,” Iger said
Iger’s daily routine begins at 4:15 a.m. with a workout. This commitment and dedication prove it is no co- incidence his work ethic, core values and now his well-written book are just as strong as he is.
Iger also stresses that each person he’s encountered throughout his career is an incredibly great person and how each person has made an impact on his life.
He mentions that he’s an extremely lucky person and his life is “dreamlike.”
After reading this book, I believe Iger was always at the right place at the right time and said the right words at the right time.
He was smart with his decisions and the words he used around people which helped him get to the top of the Walt Disney Company.
