Here are some reasons why the book The Ride of a Lifetime by Robert Iger might be of interest to you. In this book, Robert (Bob) Iger, who was CEO of Walt Disney from 2005 to 2020, shares the lessons he learned from his rise in the company and his career that spanned nearly 45 years. Iger, who led the acquisitions of Pixar, Lucas Film, 21st Century Fox and Marvel, explains what it’s like to be a CEO after more than 15 years at the helm of the Walt Disney multinational corporation. He made some good moves but also weathered some storms, crises and failures.
Some highlights of the book
- The Pixar acquisition: On the day that Disney was going to announce the acquisition of Pixar from Steve Jobs, a transaction valued at more than $7 billion, Iger found out that the cancer of the co-founder of Apple had recurred and spread to his liver. The story he tells is very touching and gives us a glimpse of Steve Jobs at his most sensitive and emotional.
- The Marvel acquisition: Iger began looking for the owner of Marvel, as he wanted to make him an offer. No one knew the man and he was considered untraceable. However, not only did Iger manage to spot him on the other side of the world, he also managed to sell him the idea that Disney was the best company to buy Marvel.
- Death of a toddler at an amusement park: Iger takes us through every minute leading up to and following the alligator attack at Orlando Disneyland that killed a two-year-old boy. The story is incredibly sad and shows how much guilt such an event can cause, even for the president of the company.
Inspirational quotes from Robert Iger’s book
“Now more than ever: Innovate or die. There can be no innovation if you operate out of fear of the new.” “Take responsibility when you screw up. In work, in life, you’ll be more respected and trusted by the people around you if you own up to your mistakes.” “Be decent to people. Treat everyone with fairness and empathy.”
