Iger's first big call: fix animation

When Bob Iger became Disney CEO in two thousand four or two thousand five, the animation business was faltering but crucial to the company's brand and bottom line.

Pixar's leaders turned it around

Iger bought Pixar and brought its leadership, including John Lasseter and Ed Catmull, into Disney Animation. They turned the division around relatively quickly, leading to hits like Moana, Frozen, Tangled and Zootopia.

Respect the past, don't revere it

Iger found Disney stuck in Walt Disney's past, revering his legacy to a fault.He decided to respect what Walt created but not treat it as untouchable, using it as a foundation to innovate and change.

“Let's respect what he did. Let's not relegate it to a museum case of some sort to be looked at and appreciated. Let's use it to build on it and to change from it, which is exactly what Walt would have done.”

Walt was a futurist, not a monument

Iger noted that Walt Disney himself was a real futurist and innovator willing to challenge the status quo and break boundaries. The company had forgotten that traditions were once innovations.

Balancing collaboration and authority

Iger shaped Disney's culture by creating a collaborative environment where many voices were heard, but everyone knew he had final say as CEO. He wanted to balance being an autocrat with running an inclusive process.

“I wanted to be a collaborative environment, a collaborative company. Not everything should be top down. But I also wanted everybody to know that as CEO, I was an authority figure and that I had the final say.”

Accessibility as a leadership tool

Iger made himself accessible to people at all levels of Disney. He cut extracurricular activities, served on only one outside board, attended few conferences and gave few speeches, spending his time with company people.

Three buckets for CEO time

Iger devoted ninety nine percent of his non-family time to Disney. He sorted his time into three buckets: things a CEO must do, decisions with major capital or brand impact, and areas where his involvement…

Creative work kept him engaged

Even though Iger's discretionary time was small, he made sure something creative happened every single day. Days without creative engagement left him unhappy, so he prioritized involvement in Disney's creative process.

The first succession didn't go as planned

In two thousand nineteen and twenty, Disney chose Iger's successor through a process he now sees as not thorough enough.

Crisis became the new normal

Iger realized the succession process missed a crucial shift: the environment was changing dramatically. We now live in an age where crisis is almost omnipresent, requiring a different kind of leadership than Disney anticipated.

“We live in a state of almost perpetual crisis, or an environment in which a crisis can occur almost on a very regular basis.”

What crisis leadership demands

Crisis leadership requires stamina, the ability to admit problems without losing hope, a good team to share the burden, and presence rather than retreat. Leaders must show vulnerability but never fear, balancing optimism with realism.

Iger returned with a two year clock

When Iger came back as CEO, he had an agreement to stay for two years.

Speed required more autocracy

With limited time, Iger had to act faster and become more of an autocrat, though he tried to balance this with collaboration.He moved quickly on decisions while still making people feel part of the process.

The creative intervention dance

Iger learned to intervene in creative projects by hearing the pitch early, letting the idea gestate, providing critique and advice, then stepping back. If things went well he disengaged; if not, he deeply engaged.

“It's a come in, come in, come out to the process.”

Creativity needs to accept failure

A culture of creativity must accept failure because creativity is not a science.Companies cannot bat one thousand.It is crucial to process failure in ways that protect people's ability to take risks and continue creating.

Speaking up tied to company interest

Iger spoke on environmental and immigration issues, but framed them as business decisions, not politics.

You're renting the title, not owning it

Iger stayed grounded by remembering he was renting the CEO title and office, just passing through as a steward of the brand. He constantly reminded himself it was Disney first, not Iger's Disney.

“You're renting the title. You're renting your office. You're just passing through. You are a steward of the brand and the company for a period of time, but not forever.”

People who poke you in the ribs

Iger surrounded himself with people who would remind him to stay grounded: his head of corporate communications, CFO, general counsel and chief of staff.

Home keeps you honest

Iger's spouse reminded him that she did not marry the CEO of the Walt Disney Company.He still had to empty the dishwasher, take out the garbage and make the beds.His personal life kept him grounded.

The letter to his successor

Iger wrote his successor a letter left in his desk, following the practice of US Presidents.

“Be aware of how much influence you have over the company. You can exert that influence quickly and sometimes almost inadvertently just by having the title.”