The Ride of a Lifetime cover art

The Ride of a Lifetime

Lessons in Creative Leadership from the CEO of the Walt Disney Company

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The Ride of a Lifetime

By: Robert Iger
Narrated by: Robert Iger, Jim Frangione
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

The CEO of Disney, one of
Time's most influential people of 2019, shares the ideas and values he embraced to reinvent one of the most beloved companies in the world and inspire the people who bring the magic to life.

Robert Iger became CEO of The Walt Disney Company in 2005, during a difficult time. Morale had deteriorated, competition was intense, and technology was changing faster than at any time in the company's history. His vision came down to three clear ideas: Recommit to the concept that quality matters, embrace technology instead of fighting it, and think bigger?think global?and turn Disney into a stronger brand in international markets.

Fourteen 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 he is recognized as one of the most innovative and successful CEOs of our era.

In The Ride of a Lifetime, Robert Iger shares the lessons he's learned while running Disney and leading its 200,000 employees, and he explores the principles that are necessary for true leadership, including:

Optimism. Even in the face of difficulty, an optimistic leader will find the path toward the best possible outcome and focus on that, rather than give in to pessimism and blaming.

Courage. Leaders have to be willing to take risks and place big bets. Fear of failure destroys creativity.

Decisiveness. All decisions, no matter how difficult, can be made on a timely basis. Indecisiveness is both wasteful and destructive to morale.

Fairness. Treat people decently, with empathy, and be accessible to them.

This book is about the relentless curiosity that has driven Iger for forty-five years, since the day he started as the lowliest studio grunt 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 Star Wars mythology.

©2019 Robert Iger (P)2019 Penguin Audio
Business Career Success Leadership Management & Leadership Motivation & Self-Improvement Professionals & Academics Inspiring Thought-Provoking Management

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Featured article: Steven Bartlett recommends…


In the spirit of continuous learning we asked Steven to share with us the books he’s enjoyed and been inspired by. Covering psychology and health to business and technology, read on to discover Steven Bartlett’s top listening recommendations.

All stars
Most relevant
I really liked the book and the reader. It's an interesting story about his work life.
I did not feel like I got a lot of lessons in creative leadership. There are some tips and he explains how he made choices, but I feel it's more his personal experiences than concrete advise.

Good, but what it is felt a bit missleaded

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A fascinating story which charts a history that feels tangible and in part one I’ve lived.
A masterclass into understanding how the boardroom and shareholder mentality works and how to operate in those space.
Loved this and recommended endless to many friends and family members!

Capturing & a Masterclass

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I think it’s fair to say that the Disney magic stopped at the Boardroom door during Michael Eisner tenure, but Bob Igers approach, including the dissolution of central strategic command authorities, along with the tales of mass acquisitions are interesting.

His approach to people leadership is a useful barometer, and for me, the reduction in small talk during difficult conversations is something I’ll take forward.

The narrator has a great voice and the performance kept me interested, especially considering corporate affairs could easily become quite droll.

Great book, would recommend

A really insightful look at how corporate businesses can adapt to foster creativity

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Robert has a Great voice to listen to
And A very Relatable story
Amazing career and reeks integrity and empathy
Great lessons for everybody

Very relatable

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Honestly, this is one of the best audio books I've ever listened to. Top 3!!

Inspiring

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