Lessons From Someone I Wasn't Seeking Lessons From

Our boss at Second City recently gave the whole leadership team a copy of Bob Iger's 2019 leadership book/memoir that he says is not a memoir, "The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned from 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company." I was thoroughly prepared to use this "gift" as a way to make fun of my boss for years, but alas, this book was pretty terrific.

First, it's just truly relatable storytelling. Iger's career in media spans my personal life's consumption of media. From working at the feet of the legendary Roone Arledge on the Wide World of Sports and the Olympics to developing "NYPD Blue" and the disastrous "Cop Rock" to the dozens of Pixar Films that my own kids grew up on, Iger has overseen an American media landscape that has vast cultural relevance.

Secondly, his espoused leadership principles are laced with respect, mutual accountability and empathy. He writes of a quest for perfection that recognizes that failure will always be an ingredient, so one must create an atmosphere where individuals feel free to risk without fear of repercussions.

I also appreciate his thoughts on leading creatives, something I've done throughout my entire career. He writes: "This is all a way of stating what might seem obvious but is often ignored: that a delicate balance is required between management being responsible for the financial performance of any creative work and, in exercising that responsibility, being careful not to encroach on the creative processes in harmful and counterproductive ways. Empathy is a prerequisite to the sound management of creativity, and respect is critical."

Amen.