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Overview

Disney is a movie and theme park empire that generates billions of dollars. It has been so successful because it has introduced the world to famous characters like Mickey Mouse, who have captured people’s imaginations. The company had some failures in the past but was able to bounce back thanks to its CEO Robert Iger, who took over when things were starting to turn around.

That’s what Iger did. He transformed the company and helped it reach its current position. Here are four key points about him: where he came from, who he is, how he got here, and what his accomplishments have been.

Throughout this article, you’ll learn about how Steve Jobs made a decision to sell Pixar to Disney. You will also learn what Iger did that helped him make a name for himself and why companies should always innovate or they’ll fail.

Big Idea #1: Robert Iger owes much of his success in life to his father’s influence.

We’re all influenced by our inherited traits and the things we learn. It’s hard to separate the two, but one thing that is clear is that what we learned from our parents has a huge influence on us as adults.

Robert Iger grew up in a split-level house on Long Island, New York. He was the oldest of two children. His mother was warm and loving; his father had served in the military during World War II. Ultimately, it was his father who had the greatest influence on Iger’s career as an executive with The Walt Disney Company.

The author, who has a degree from an acclaimed business school in Pennsylvania, learned that his father was prone to brooding and self-doubt. He decided to do some research on the subject of manic depression.

His legacy was to help his son develop a sense of curiosity. He read the works of American writers and had them on their bookshelves. He also discussed politics with his dad, who was liberal about it and left work early to hear Martin Luther King Jr. speak one time. Iger learned that as long as he spent his time productively, he could do what he wanted in life.

And, that’s what he did. He delivered papers to help bring in extra income and mended household appliances. He immersed himself in the New York Times, which was something he’d always wanted to do because his father had been a journalist. Iger didn’t want to end up like his father who suffered from depression due to failure at work.

Years later, after he became the CEO of Disney, Iger took his dad out to lunch in New York City. He told him how grateful he was for everything that his parent had done and how those qualities helped Iger succeed in life.

Working hard is one thing that both have shared throughout years.

Big Idea #2: A lucky break gave Iger his start in the TV business.

Iger’s career began when he met a low-level executive at ABC. Iger was recovering from surgery in the hospital and sharing his room with this person, who happened to work for ABC.

An executive wanted to impress Bob. The executive was either bored or vain, so he decided that he would exaggerate his reputation as a corporate hot shot in order to get Bob’s attention. He told Bob about how successful he was and gave him the contact information of Iger’s nephew who is looking for a job because the executive felt like it was an opportunity to help someone out.

An executive was embarrassed when Iger called him and asked for an interview. He pulled some strings to get the executive a meeting at ABC’s production services department, where he was hired on the spot.

Iger was paid $150 a week to be the gopher at the television station. He had to show up wherever he was needed and do whatever needed doing, which meant getting up early in the morning and running errands for everyone.