Walt responded by saying this.
John, you’re being a poor communicator. People are okay, don’t you ever forget that. They will respond to it. They will appreciate it. And they will keep coming back to the park again, and again and again.
The result? According to Hench, he ended up putting “the best leather straps on that stagecoach that you’ve ever seen.” Just as Walt said, people keep coming back again and again and again.
Being committed to excellence and showing kids they are worth it keeps you focused on the small details that lead to excellence.
In Disneyland, there is a store on main street called Coke Corner. If you look closely at the light bulbs in the store, you will see a bulb affectionately known as “Walt’s Light bulb.” The light bulbs in the store are a series of alternating red and white bulbs. The shape of the store requires an odd number of bulbs. Walt didn’t want to break the alternating pattern so he personally grabbed a paintbrush and painted the last bulb half-red and half-white.
Walt was obsessed with the details and his extreme commitment to excellence led to extreme excellence in family entertainment. The kind of excellence that causes kids and families to return over and over again.
As we finish this article, I want you to remember a quote that came to me as I was pondering excellence in children’s ministry.
Extreme attention to the details whispers excellence.
Excellence. Be committed to it. Pursue it. Strive for it. Show kids they are worth it.
This article originally appeared here and is used by permission.
