'One of the best business books I¿ve read in years.' BILL GATES THE #1 NEW YORK TIMES
BESTSELLER A SUNDAY TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR 2019_____________________________ 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. ¿The ideas in this book strike me as universal¿ Iger writes. ¿Not just to
the aspiring CEOs of the world but to anyone wanting to feel less fearful more confidently
themselves as they navigate their professional and even personal lives.¿
