The Ride Of A Lifetime Book Summary And Review

The Ride Of A Lifetime details Robert Iger’s path to becoming Disney’s CEO as well as how his foresight, plan, and leadership successfully guided the business during a period when its future was quite unclear.

Disney is currently dominating a variety of industries. They have recently bought Fox, Marvel, ESPN, and other companies. Nowadays, it looks like it’s the source of everything you see related to entertainment. In retrospect, it seems as though its ascent to power was all but certain.

But did you realize that it was in trouble when Robert Iger took over as CEO in 2005? Iger led the corporation to new heights after costly failures and controversy with the previous CEO in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

The tale of Robert Iger’s rise to power and his mission to transform the corporation is told in The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned from 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company. The man’s imaginative and risk-taking leadership style, as well as the results it produced, will inspire you.

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One “coincidence” could be all it takes for you to succeed.

Call Iger’s career success luck or fate if you will, but it didn’t start out that way. His uncle Bob was recuperating from surgery in Manhattan and just so happened to be staying in the same room as an ABC executive.

For whatever reason, this hospital flatmate chose to tell Iger’s uncle about his reputation. The CEO provided Bob his number to give to Iger when Bob mentioned that he had a 23-year-old nephew who needed a job.

Despite feeling humiliated when Iger really called, the man leveraged his connections to secure an interview for Iger in a modest ABC division. Iger held his first position with the business despite the low pay and challenging schedule.

The position did have advantages, though. For instance, he met Frank Sinatra while working on one show. He also had the opportunity to network with other key figures at ABC, one of whom offered him a new job in the Sports department.

Iger enjoyed a lot more luxury while there than he had in his former position. He had the opportunity to travel the world, have fancy lunches, and interact with athletes and celebrities. Iger put in a lot of work and learned a lot, so it wasn’t all fun and games.

His work with Disney was being laid out in advance by all of this. And it came about as a result of Iger’s tenacity in following up on a straightforward connection his uncle established at a hospital.

You can find unbelievable chances by exploring concepts that at first seem unfeasible.

When the two corporations merged in 1996, Iger found himself working for Disney after being eventually promoted to COO of ABC. Iger proven himself by persevering under trying conditions.

His efforts and strategy for moving forward helped him secure the post of CEO when the time came for the business to name a new leader. Of course, he had his work cut out for him because Disney had been having trouble under its previous CEO.

Buying Pixar was a key component of his strategy to reclaim lost territory. The studio has a troubled history with Disney, and its then-owner Steve Jobs wasn’t fond of the company either.

The board found it difficult to accept Iger’s strategy when he first presented it to them. Pixar was valued at $6 billion, and Jobs would be difficult to replace. Iger persisted, convinced that doing this would salvage Disney.

Iger called Jobs in 2005 to present his wild idea. Steve Jobs was eager to hear the news, even though Iger requested a meeting. Iger outlined it with trepidation. During a lengthy gap, Jobs retorted:

You know, that’s hardly the most insane concept ever.

It didn’t take long for the two businesses to reach an agreement, and everything got started. And it’s clear how wonderfully this turned out for Disney. Just consider how well-received films like Ratatouille, The Incredibles, and Toy Story 3 have been.

You can leverage your network, which is a strong resource, to realise even your loftiest goals.

Even if the purchase of Pixar was significant, Iger wasn’t finished. He had enormous ideas for Disney, and the next phase of his strategy was to acquire the Marvel franchise’s rights.

The stories that the firm possessed the rights to were obviously intriguing, and many of them hadn’t yet been adapted for the big screen. They had also been having financial difficulties for some time.

Yet acquiring control of Marvel wasn’t simple. Ike Perlmutter, the owner at the time, was a severe and reclusive guy. It would be challenging to persuade him to buy.

Iger did, however, have his interactions with Steve Jobs to his advantage. Jobs detested comic books, but he put his dislike aside to assist. Iger made a strong impression on Perlmutter when Jobs personally called to advocate for him, despite his stern exterior.

Disney finalised the $4 billion+ acquisition of Marvel in 2009.

Others criticised this choice because it was impossible to include many significant people in the transaction. For instance, Columbia Pictures owned the rights to Spider-Man. And The Incredible Hulk and X-Men belonged to Fox.

Iger was clever, however, and foresaw that fans would enjoy learning more about the characters from the Marvel Universe.

The Ride Of A Lifetime Book Review

Robert Iger, a former CEO of the Walt Disney Company, published a memoir titled “The Ride of a Lifetime.” In this book, Iger traces his rise from a lowly childhood to the pinnacle of the entertainment business. Through his tale, he emphasises the ideas and principles that contributed to his success as one of the world’s top leaders.

The book is structured around ten core concepts that Iger learned over his professional career. These guiding principles include, among other things, taking significant risks, making courageous decisions, maintaining interest, and prioritizing people. In-depth talks of one specific concept are intermingled with personal anecdotes and behind-the-scenes stories from Iger’s time at Disney in each chapter.

Readers can gain a distinctive understanding of one of the most recognisable companies in the world from these anecdotes.

Iger’s openness and sensitivity are two of this book’s most pleasant qualities. He doesn’t hesitate to acknowledge his errors and impart the wisdom he has gained from them. He discusses his struggles and how he overcome them on a personal and professional level. This openness not only serves as motivation, but it also helps readers from diverse backgrounds identify with the work.

Iger’s enthusiasm for storytelling is another strength of this work. He discusses how Disney has always been at the forefront of storytelling and holds the view that great stories have the potential to transform the world.

All things considered, “The Ride of a Lifetime” is a must-read for anyone with an interest in business, leadership, or entertainment. Iger’s ideas and principles may be used in every business, not only the entertainment one. The book serves as a tribute to the effectiveness of perseverance, hard effort, and dedication. Readers who finish it will feel inspired and equipped to go after their own “journey of a lifetime.”

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