How Disney Innovates and Stays Relevant and Strong

The problem is never how to get new, innovative thoughts into your mind, but how to get the old ones out.

-Dee Hock

Walt Disney certainly never worried about getting the old thoughts out of his mind, did he? He was always 3 steps ahead of just about all his competitors and would-be competitors. Very good at spotting trends. And once spotted, he certainly knew what action was required to take advantage of them. It is a very important skill and a factor in Disney’s innovation, even today. An important way to start the process of managing business change and adaptation.

Most businesses do not manage change. Change takes them by surprise. Not a good thing. What these businesses do best is manage the conflict wrought by change.

Reacting does not equate to anticipating … you must improve your trend watching and anticipating skills so you can change before you have to. A good thing.

Let’s get back to Walt Disney and his abilities in trend spotting and rifts. Rift … what is a rift you may ask? A rift is a big tear in the rules we live by. Not a small tear, a fundamental change in the game type of tear. One that creates a small number of BIG, new winners, and bunches of losers who were sticking steadfastly to the old rules.