Leadership Life Stories

Season Two of Leadership Life Stories examines Disney leadership as The Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida celebrates its 50th anniversary.
In this episode, Part 1 of a two-part interview, hosts Rebecca Morgan and J.B. Adams welcome Dave Vermeulen, 48-year Cast Member and former executive with leadership experience at every Disney theme park resort location around the world. Our guest describes his leadership philosophy of knowing the product and serving as a role model, his Disney leadership role models, his early years growing up in Southern California and working at Disneyland in the 1960s, and his perceptions of how Disney leadership changed over the years.

02:29 -- Leadership philosophy, Disney leadership role models
11:05 -- Self-Awareness Quiz
14:02 -- Growing up on a farm in Southern California, working at Disneyland
22:50 -- Walt Disney World Insider Free Association
26:28 -- Disney leadership through the decades, balancing focus on both results and people

Resources
The Awesome Leader League -- https://theawesomeleader.com/

Credits
Guest -- Dave Vermeulen, https://www.linkedin.com/in/dave-vermeulen-b56b90a/
Host -- Rebecca Morgan, https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccapmorgan/
Host -- J.B. Adams, https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamslearning/
Production by Victor Media Group, Inc. -- https://victormediagroup.co/
Creator -- J.B. Adams
Executive Producer -- Gerard Mitchell
Audio Design -- Michael Orlowski
Mixing and Editing -- Manni Simon

Season Two of Leadership Life Stories examines Disney leadership as The Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida celebrates its 50th anniversary.
In this episode, Part 2 of a two-part interview, hosts Rebecca Morgan and J.B. Adams welcome Valerie Oberle, 27-year Cast Member, former Vice President of Disney University and the first woman executive at Walt Disney Parks & Resorts. Our guest describes the adversity of being first and how she dealt with it; the sense of accomplishment that can come from getting employees involved in the development and execution of new business ideas; and her best business and career advice.

02:36 -- The adversity of being the first woman executive in Walt Disney Parks organization
17:52 -- Involving Cast Members in creating new revenue generating products
30:06 -- Best advice for leaders and closing comments

Resources
The Awesome Leader League -- https://theawesomeleader.com/

Credits
Guest -- Valerie Oberle, https://www.linkedin.com/in/valerie-oberle-657037180/
Host -- Rebecca Morgan, https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccapmorgan/
Host -- J.B. Adams, https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamslearning/
Production by Victor Media Group, Inc. -- https://victormediagroup.co/
Creator -- J.B. Adams
Executive Producer -- Gerard Mitchell
Audio Design -- Michael Orlowski
Mixing and Editing -- Manni Simon

Season Two of Leadership Life Stories examines Disney leadership as The Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida celebrates its 50th anniversary.
In this episode, Part 1 of a two-part interview, hosts Rebecca Morgan and J.B. Adams welcome Valerie Oberle, 27-year Cast Member, former Vice President of Disney University and the first woman executive at Walt Disney Parks & Resorts. Our guest describes her leadership philosophy of finding treasure in people, how she found her way to Disney, her perceptions of how Disney Parks leadership has changed over time, and how to build a culture of high engagement.

02:41 -- Leadership philosophy, being a barrier breaker, guest’s role model
13:25 -- The Self Awareness Quiz
17:56 -- Backstory and finding her way to Disney
25:42 -- WDW Insider Free Association
28:26 -- Perceptions of Disney leadership through the decades

Resources
The Awesome Leader League -- https://theawesomeleader.com/

Credits
Guest -- Valerie Oberle, https://www.linkedin.com/in/valerie-oberle-657037180/
Host -- Rebecca Morgan, https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccapmorgan/
Host -- J.B. Adams, https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamslearning/
Production by Victor Media Group, Inc. -- https://victormediagroup.co/
Creator -- J.B. Adams
Executive Producer -- Gerard Mitchell
Audio Design -- Michael Orlowski
Mixing and Editing -- Manni Simon

Season Two of Leadership Life Stories examines Disney leadership as The Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida celebrates its 50th anniversary.
In this episode, hosts Rebecca Morgan and J.B. Adams introduce themselves to listeners, discuss their leadership philosophies, and consider the impact that The Walt Disney Company has had on the leisure and entertainment industry as well as on their own careers as leadership consultants. Is Disney leadership a big deal? Tune in, listen, and decide for yourself.

03:09 -- Leadership philosophies and why Disney leadership is a big deal
07:08 -- The Self Awareness Quiz; hosts share backstories
18:56 -- WDW Insider Free Association; Disney leadership through the decades
23:00 -- The greatest accomplishment; hosts define success
25:27 -- Hosts share their greatest adversity stories
32:19 -- Leader’s best advice, hosts introduce each other

Resources
The Awesome Leader League -- https://theawesomeleader.com/

Credits
Host -- Rebecca Morgan, https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccapmorgan/
Host -- J.B. Adams, https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamslearning/
Production by Victor Media Group, Inc. -- https://victormediagroup.co/
Creator -- J.B. Adams
Executive Producer -- Gerard Mitchell
Audio Design -- Michael Orlowski
Mixing and Editing -- Manni Simon

Do you have a conflict situation in your life? How can you apply listening to be more effective in dealing with conflict? Today, host J.B. Adams poses these questions to listening expert Dr. Rick Bommelje, who currently serves as a speaker, consultant, and coach, and as a professor in the Department of Communication at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida. In part 4 of this interview, Dr. Bommelje responds to questions posed from listeners and discusses how to respond to conflict.

01:14 -- Introduction Dr. Bommelje
02:19 -- Why listening is difficult, listening strategies, and the Golden Pause
14:00 -- Responding to conflict, enhancing awareness, and staying on track

As an affiliate, Victor Media Group may earn from qualifying purchases.
Books
Listening Pays by Rick Bommelje -- https://amzn.to/335xapj
Listening Leaders by Lyman K. Steil & Richard K. Bommelje -- https://amzn.to/331OITj
Be Quick to Listen by Rick Bommelje -- https://amzn.to/2Kt8DEj

Resources
Listening Wisdom -- https://listeningwisdom.org/
Listening Pays -- https://www.listeningpays.com/
A Survival Guide for Leaders (HBR) -- https://hbr.org/2002/06/a-survival-guide-for-leaders
Thomas Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument -- https://kilmanndiagnostics.com/overview-thomas-kilmann-conflict-mode-instrument-tki/

Credits
Guest: Rick Bommelje -- https://www.linkedin.com/in/rickbommelje/
Production by Victor Media Group, Inc. -- https://victormediagroup.co/
Creator / Host -- J.B. Adams
Executive Producer -- Gerard Mitchell
Video Production -- Jeremy Harmsen

Leadership begins with awareness, and self-awareness is critical for effectiveness when servant leaders face adversity. In this show, host J.B. Adams interviews Dr. Rick Bommelje, who currently serves as a speaker, consultant, and coach specializing in the areas of listening and leadership, and as a professor in the Department of Communication at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida. In Part 3 of this interview, Bommelje discusses personality self-awareness and shares how he overcomes his greatest adversity.

01:09 -- Introduction
01:35 -- Personality self-awareness
10:43 -- The greatest adversity

As an affiliate, Victor Media Group may earn from qualifying purchases.
Books
Listening Pays by Rick Bommelje -- https://amzn.to/3Ahtlf5
Listening Leaders by Lyman K. Steil & Richard K. Bommelje -- https://amzn.to/3A3tBy1
Be Quick to Listen by Rick Bommelje -- https://amzn.to/2WSsxyR
The Anatomy of Peace by The Arbinger Institute -- https://amzn.to/3CcZcPQ
Nonviolent Communication by Marshall B. Rosenberg -- https://amzn.to/3ijEq9h

Resources
The Five Factor Model of Personality -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Five_personality_traits#Measurements
Thomas Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument -- https://kilmanndiagnostics.com/overview-thomas-kilmann-conflict-mode-instrument-tki/

Credits
Guest -- Rick Bommelje, https://www.linkedin.com/in/rickbommelje/
Production by Victor Media Group, Inc. -- https://victormediagroup.co/
Creator / Host -- J.B. Adams
Executive Producer -- Gerard Mitchell
Video Production -- Jeremy Harmsen

Leaders are made not only through the things that happen to them, but also in how they respond to the things that happen to them. In this show, host J.B. Adams interviews Dr. Rick Bommelje, who currently serves as a speaker, consultant, and coach specializing in the areas of listening and leadership, and as a professor in the Department of Communication at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida. In Part 2 of this interview, Bommelje discusses the early influences and lessons that shaped his development and helped him become the leader he is today.

01:45 -- Early Influences
04:54 -- Parental influence
14:27 -- Turning points & takeaways

As an affiliate, Victor Media Group may earn from qualifying purchases.
Books
Listening Pays by Rick Bommelje -- https://amzn.to/3Ahtlf5
Listening Leaders by Lyman K. Steil & Richard K. Bommelje -- https://amzn.to/3A3tBy1
Be Quick to Listen by Rick Bommelje -- https://amzn.to/2WSsxyR

Resources
Listening Wisdom -- https://listeningwisdom.org/
Listening Pays -- https://www.listeningpays.com/

Credits
Guest -- Rick Bommelje, https://www.linkedin.com/in/rickbommelje/
Production by Victor Media Group, Inc. -- https://victormediagroup.co/
Creator / Host -- J.B. Adams
Executive Producer -- Gerard Mitchell
Video Production -- Jeremy Harmsen

When leaders don’t pay attention to the signals they get from their environment, they risk disaster. In Part 1 of this series of interviews, host J.B. Adams talks with Dr. Rick Bommelje, “the Listening Doctor.” In addition to serving as a speaker, consultant, and coach specializing in the areas of listening and leadership, Bommelje is also a professor in the Department of Communication at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida. He reminds us that listening is a key characteristic of servant leadership.

01:08 -- Introduction
04:50 -- The Greatest Accomplishment, Part 1: Healthy marriage
11:10 -- The Greatest Accomplishment, Part 2: Becoming a listening expert
20:19 -- The Greatest Accomplishment, Part 3: Coaching philosophy

As an affiliate, Victor Media Group may earn from qualifying purchases.
Books
David and Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell -- https://amzn.to/3gNbsfq

Resources
Crummer Graduate School of Business -- https://www.crummer.rollins.edu/
PowerDMS -- https://www.powerdms.com/
Joy & Tom Studios, Inc. -- www.joyandtomstudios.com
The Center for Advanced Entrepreneurship -- https://crummer.rollins.edu/centers-excellence/advanced-entrepreneurship/
Cari Haught Coats -- https://www.accendoleader.com/

Credits
Guest: Rick Bommelje -- https://www.linkedin.com/in/rickbommelje/
Production by Victor Media Group, Inc. -- https://victormediagroup.co/
Creator / Host -- J.B. Adams
Executive Producer -- Gerard Mitchell
Video Production -- Jeremy Harmsen