“The Ride of a Lifetime” by Robert Iger
I became interested in reading this book while listening to Oprah Winfrey interview the author on one of her Super Soul podcast episodes. Having grown up with Disney characters and movies and being a huge fan of their theme parks even as an adult, I was intrigued by the insights and experiences that Robert Iger shared of his journey as Chairman and CEO of The Walt Disney Company. Of course, the marketer in me also admires the Disney brand as one of the most important global brands out there, so I was eager to learn more about the man who was its leader for 15 years.
Something that surprised me right away was how personable and down to earth Iger seemed during the interview, attitudes that you can also find throughout his book.
This memoir is divided into two parts, both of them equally interesting. On the first one, called "Learning", the author describes the early stages of his career and the years leading up to his appointment as CEO of The Walt Disney Company. He shares the roads that took him to that position - the challenges he navigated through, the important decisions he had to make, the hard work he put into it and of course the lessons he learned along the way.
In Part 2, "Leading", the author shares the "ride" that he was on during his 15 years leading the company. The reader learns the story behind the strategic billionaire acquisitions that Iger successfully led (e.g. Pixar, Lucasfilm, Marvel and 21st Century Fox) the key business and personal relationships that he built and nurtured (e.g. with Steve Jobs), but most importantly, the lessons he continued to learn and the skills he was able to develop throughout his career.
The Ride of a Lifetime covers 45 years of Iger's successful career in the media and entertainment industries, which gave him the possibility to identify, learn and develop many valuable leadership principles. In his book, the author provides a list of the ten principles that he deems leaders need to have. While I think that all of them are important, among the ones that struck me the most are Authenticity and Integrity. To me being honest and genuine, and carrying oneself in an ethical way are so important in leaders and everywhere else - they're key to being respected and trusted.
Along with that list there are countless other anecdotes and situations included in the book which are also interesting principles to follow. A couple of examples that really resonated with me are: owning up to your mistakes - you can learn from them and it can actually make others respect you more; and my personal favourite, be nice and decent to others… something that was key to Iger's success in achieving his personal and business goals.
The book has a good balance of both personal and professional insights and experiences. A global corporate leader is a human being at the end of the day, and I was touched by the candor and sensibility with which Iger describes his grief when a little boy died tragically at one of Disney's Orlando resorts and his sadness when Steve Jobs shared with him that he was sick with cancer.
I highly recommend this book. It is an inspiring and valuable read not only for those looking to become the CEO of a global company, but for everyone who wants to advance in their career. It's certainly one of those that's worth keeping handy for referencing at any time.