Disney is revolutionizing Audio-Animatronics, Again!

Some people may have been fortunate enough to see the first animatronics ever created when Walt Disney himself was at the 1964 world's fair in New York City. I was very little, but I remember my parents talking about visiting and enjoying it. And what an impact it had in the future of many different aspects, not only in animatronics but also in park attractions, robotics, electronics and many other areas.

I have been able to read about the innovative part of the Walt Disney Company and in one of my trips to EPCOT Center in 2011, I was invited to a ‘behind the scenes’ tour at the American Pavilion at the very same moment when one of the shows depicting important people in US history brought them alive. It was audio-animatronics seen from below the surface, looking at their every movement, motion and facial expression. For me, it was another wonderful experience during my visit to a Disney Park. Over the years we have seen the many improvements at the many attractions such as ‘It's A Small World’, ‘The Hall of the Presidents’ or ‘The Pirates of the Caribbean’. We even saw Jack Sparrow having a better positioning after the hit movies Pirates of the Caribbean. It is a kind of a Celebrity audio-animatronics Branding for Jack Sparrow, as my friends at the DNA agency would refer to it.

Well, Disney is doing it again. It is not just the more real leg or better facial expressions; it is making the whole attraction look more real. A recent article about the new ride at the Magic Kingdom, the Seven Dwarf's Mine Train attraction, mentioned that it will feature the original seven Snow White dwarfs, and showing them in a more realistic and better way. Disney "imagineers" as they are known, constantly use new ideas and improvements in the key components that make each individual part of the animatronic figure. The article by Sarah Sekula (Heigh-ho, heigh-ho! It's off to Orlando they go!, USA Today, May 2, 2014, LIFE section, page 3D), indicated that "... it features toe-tapping new music, a first of its kind ride system and audio-animatronics that would make Walt proud." Year after year these audio-animatronic figures show improvements, such as better facial expressions, new movements and in this case they are using "the best and most advanced animatronics ever created by imagineers."

Walt Disney was always taking care of the details and we should all be doing the same in both, our personal and professional lives. We lead by what we do, we motivate our team with our example, and we inspire others while doing an excellent job every single day. And we all need to innovate. This is what I want you to take out of this article: you and I, we all need to innovate constantly and continuously. It is the only way by which we make ourselves and our companies competitive in an ever more complex business environment, in every corner of the world. As consumers become more demanding, with little time and many more options to choose from, we need to remind them that we are here for them. It does not matter which product we sell or which service we provide, as long as we keep innovating and improving.

This new ride will open next spring; but please realize that we are all open for business today and our businesses and companies need to grow and get better. So I urge you to take action, innovate, improve, grow, plan and set your strategies to always keep the details working in order to surprise your customers and clients in new and more innovative ways.

Luis Vicente Garcia is a Business Consultant, a Business Performance Coach with FocalPoint Coaching, and a Trainer with Brian Tracy International, who helps entrepreneurs reach their goals faster and improve their performance.

www.luisvicentegarcia.com

lgarcia@focalpointcoaching.com

@lvgarciag

Understanding Business Coaching

For centuries, people have sought some kind of help or advice from others who may know more on certain subjects, understand different some important issues or that may have a different perspective. Since the Renaissance, to the French monarchy, to the English literary scholars, to the inventors in new world, they all sought the advice and guidance of monks, cardinals, other scholars, philosophers, or scientists, when they wanted to learn about new topics or find out new ways of doing and learning things.

Today we see many people who use the figure of a "coach" when they want to improve in some area or aspect of their physical, mental, or spiritual side, or need to obtain knowledge on issues related to wellness, wealth or financial management, new knowledge, learn about management issues or embark in a process of personal development and continuous improvement. Great leaders, athletes, business owners and other people seek advice and support from a coach in each of the areas in which they need or believe that they need to improve. The coaching field is very wide, and it goes from subjects such as physical or spiritual well-being, to general consulting, to today’s business coaching. As you may know, there are different methods and different specialties where the theme of “coaching" is being used and has been used for many years. In 2003, in an article published by the Washington Post, the coaching process was defined as “a process that does not look back, but it is for those who want high performance enhance your life in some way" (The Washington Post, June 2003).

Not everyone needs a coach and not all people can become one; it requires - as most things do – work and dedication on both sides, the coach and the person that is being coached. To achieve growth in an effective way, we all have to focus on the needs of the potential client and what the coach can offer at a certain time. Business Coaching is a new and growing industry, it is evolving; as such, it is continuing to develop and in most cases it will focus in areas that are really of interest to the potential client and where we are always looking to a relationship between a coach and client that add value.

Just 10 or 15 years ago, companies hired the services of a coach to correct behavioral issues at the senior levels of organizations. That has changed and coaching has been guiding the development of the skills and capabilities of people and individuals who have a high development potential. So as coaches, we need to look to develop the potential of all the clients (athletes, authors, speakers, business owners and entrepreneurs) that we have. The process of choosing a coach should not be a complicated one, but it must be done with care and caution; and needs always to be focused on the real needs of the company or person that is looking to be guided.

Coaching sometimes has been confused with the work of a consultant, a practice that has been working for many years. However, a coach’s work is different from what a consultant does, as the coach guides the person and usually will work to improve productivity and efficiency. A saying about coaches mentions: ‘a manager manages, a leader inspires, a coach walks on the side of the leader, accompanying him’.  You see it very commonly in athletes who have coaches for a variety of needs. For example, top athletes or actors have a nutrition coach, as well as coaches on performance, improving techniques and sometimes even one that keeps them motivated and with a positive attitude; athletes, teams, business, and many other losses from time to time. And we learn from those experiences, not only when we gain or do things the planned and the correct way. So it is a constant learning process.

Coaching has worked for many people. Do not wait until it is late in the game, or in the life of your business or in your personal development. Work with a coach: a coach will guide you at the moment you need them most, even without realizing it. Top performers have their own professional coaches to keep improving. Are you next?

Luis Vicente Garcia

Business Coach and entrepreneur, Best-selling Author and International Speaker.

coachluis@luisvicentegarcia.com

www.luisvicentegarcia.com

@lvgarciag

Celebrating Earth Day 2014

I know this is a blog for entrepreneurs. But as ones, we need to manage and take care of our resources. As managers and leaders usually we take care of our human, capital and financial resources, but this is a different article; this is dedicated to taking care of our natural resources, for our environment.  For four years now I have written articles about an important subject: the World’s Earth Day celebration on April 22, as there is too much to do and to care for in our planet Earth.

It is true that every day we see more people, organizations and regional or national governments carry out new activities and/or programs that somehow make people aware about the importance of caring for our environment; but we all know that, by itself, it is not enough. We, the citizens of this beautiful planet, are the ones required to care for, to improve and maintain the wonderful world around us.

Some of us live in the Caribbean surrounded by a beautiful sea, while others live in beautiful mountains and valleys. Some live in heavily contaminated and polluted cities while others live in environments with a very clean and pure air. Regardless, we must ask ourselves, what are we doing - each of us - to maintain and even better improve our environment? This year, thanks to an initiative (which has partially worked in the school of one of my children), we started in our house a recycling program; and we have seen an stunning change in ourselves and have started to do things automatically, because we now realize what we must do in this sense. In many of our countries we do not see a major recycling awareness. And like everything in life, recycling is also something we can learn. Now you know what to do with the plastic bottles and plastic caps; with newspapers once we read them; with carton boxes or other materials; with the plastic we use; sometimes we unnecessarily consume too much energy or waste water, so close the taps or sinks in your bathrooms; and there are many other things and activities that we know today that in a sense, we are obliged to learn how to make, do and use better. Recycling is a new kind of awareness we need to develop, a new way of acting on our daily lives. Ask yourself: What actions can I do today to improve the environment? I do not think we're talking about very big things but of little things, one after another, which together make a small difference. And small differences, as we know, generate large differences!

Among the many interesting conversations we have throughout the day, a friend recently told me that he and his daughter have started a modest campaign to reduce the use of straws, as these are an important factor in the death of animals, especially birds. Something I consider a very important initiative. And maybe, each one of you have ideas or have friends and family with ideas not only on recycling but about activities for taking care of our environment.

In most developed countries, there are countless types of waste cans or baskets for recycling different materials such as plastic, paper, aluminum and other materials; and recently I saw dispensers for recycling liquids, such as the sodas, juices and other liquids that are not finished and thus we just throw away. Well, do something about it and not just wait for others who do something about the environment.

There are many organizations that are carrying out activities for Earth Day. The Environmental Protection Agency of the United States, for example, has a campaign of daily actions to carry out during the entire month of April (for more information visit the link http://www.epa.gov/earthday). Earthday.com, like every year, has established a series of activities to raise awareness on this important issue; for this year they have set the goal of reaching two million actions that contribute to the better caring for our environment. I recommend that you visit their website http://www.earthday.org/takeaction/ and see the everyday simple actions that we can all do.

Similarly, the Disney Company, through Disney Nature, in an effort to continue raising awareness of the world we live in, this year brings to the screen a wonderful new movie: BEARS, which premiered on April 18^th. Part of the proceeds from the collection of this movie will help the Disney organization make a significant donation to the National Park Foundation in the United States. I suggest you see the movie and watch the trailer of the film in the following link: http://nature.disney.com/bears

Earth Day is celebrated every April 22. Are you doing something about it?

I think we should all seriously ask a question: how many of us and the people that surround us really know that every year the World Earth Day is celebrated? How many of us do something for it, not only that day but actually throughout the year? Last year CNN indicated that only 3% of respondents knew that there is a special day in our calendar dedicated to the care of our planet Earth. I do not think that number has changed too much, so it is now - like every day – our responsibility to do something about it and help others become aware as well.

Taking care of our planet for our children and grandchildren so that they can enjoy it for many years is a very important task. So please go out and make Earth Day not only on April 22, but every day of the year. Just start today.

Luis Vicente Garcia

@lvgarciag

Working on your ideas.

We usually have many ideas on our minds. Some might be vague, while others may need a little help. However, every so often we come up with an inspiring idea that is worth taking care of, for it is clear that the most important thing right now is to focus and clarify our ideas and our thoughts. None of it is easy.

Walt Disney once said, "A dream is a wish come true." But let's go further. A dream is something that we want to achieve and thus we need to work on making it a reality. Our minds are full of words, lists, ideas, plans, dreams, thoughts, activities, previous or future commitments and so many other things that we seldom stop to think what we really need and have to do to achieve our dreams and our goals and our objectives. And we need to develop a process for putting those ideas into action, even mentally, which we then need to develop into a plan.
I do not want to sound over simplistic, but everything has a methodology, steps that if followed, will help you get in the right direction. We are allowed to believe in what we want and we just need to work on them. Most people never start! Do your list and create a plan. Have all your ideas set up like actions, one by one, and make the necessary commitment to achieve them, meaning, you need to believe in yourselves.
If we want a better job, work harder on your skills, start planning, be proactive, and learn how to market yourselves and your ideas and do new things; never stop. If you have your dream job (so that the best possibility is doing what you love and loving what you do), you then need to improve and innovate continuously. Be creative and generate results. Do it as a student and as a professional; do it as an employee and an entrepreneur. Always be alert, attentive and seeking new opportunities for learning, understanding, reading and so many things to keep improving, being alive, and being able to enjoy life.
Believe in your dreams and take action on them. Decide what you are going to do in order to achieve them; work constantly on your goals. Then put your dreams into actions, do not live them as ideas in your head. So define what you want, be clear and specific on how to get it, work on your goals and above all, make a plan to achieve your dreams. 

Luis Vicente Garcia

Keeping things simple, for a start.

One sometimes wonders why other people seem to have more time or manage to do much more than what we do. Reality is that the day has 24 hours to each and every one of us. Then, why did Henry Ford, Walt Disney, Bill Gates or Steve Jobs achieved so many wonderful things and it seems we run of time always? Why were they so successful? While there are many answers that can be given to these questions, one of the easiest ones to grasp is that we need to always be able to do the simple things, one at a time.

For example, if we were asked to lose 30 pounds in a year, what will our first reaction be? Or if we are asked to read 15 books until the end of the year? Often we will think this is impossible. Well, it might not be. In order to achieve something great, you just have to do it consistently over a long period of time; it is kind of creating a new habit. To read 15 books in a year only, we have to read 10 pages a day; it is that simple. To lose 30 pounds in a year, break it down into simpler activities, like losing 3 pounds per month. Not hard in reality, we just need to start doing it, step by step. The truth is that it will not be that hard on us. We are only required to do simple, small things, one after the other and doing it continuously.

It's easy to make things simple, but it is also easy not to make them that simple as we like, by nature, to complicate things. It is equally easy to make simple decisions, but also easy not to make them. It all depends on our attitude. If today we decided to do the simple things and make simple decisions, we can do it also tomorrow and every day thereafter. If we do not read 10 pages a single day, the truth is that nothing will happen. However, if we do not do it for days, weeks or a month, it will take its toll and it may begin to affect our daily routines, our habits. Eventually, most likely we will never do it again or if we do, we might have to start from scratch. But the opposite is also true. If today I start reading 10 pages, to walk for 10 minutes, to slightly lose weight, or start anything, the idea of doing something new and acting towards a new goal might start working, as I am likely to repeat it again tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow and so on. We need to make those new habits part of our own daily life. And after regularly exercising, eating a healthy diet, reading 10 or 15 books a year, you will probably have a new vision and a new perspective on what you need to do on a continuous basis.

Successful people have achieved success in part because they chose to; because they decided to do things in a simple and organized way. And doing simple things or taking simple decisions after all, will create a positive environment for you to work and live in. And it will fill you with knowledge and will allow you to eventually make increasingly complex and more difficult actions. But you need to start at the beginning, at the simple steps. A marathon runner does not run 42 miles in two hours and 20 minutes without years of training. Like a baseball or football player, or a successful business person or entrepreneur: they have done the right things for years and have been determined to do so.

Most people choose not to make things simple. Success takes in the process of training, preparation and continuous improvement that allow the person to succeed in everything he wants and decides to succeed on. The important thing here is to realize and understand that all successful people achieved success just starting to do the simple things!

Luis Vicente García

A Coach that makes all the difference!

A coach is a coach is a coach. Right? Maybe not.

Skylar Diggins USA Today’s article on the Head Coach of the Notre Dame University women's team and her staff reveals it. There are personal coaches, life, wellness, sports, business, financial coaches and many in between. As Ms. Diggins reports, the difference in this year Notre Dame's women’s team going to the NCAA Tournament is in the coaching staff. Or at least part of it.

As a business performance coach I see it every day: the most successful teams have talent and skills; dedication and endurance; great players becoming excellent players. And they have an amazing characteristic: they have incredible coaches. We help people, push athletes, guide businesses and the likes. We are there whenever they need us and we know they can perform better, so that is why we strengthen their skills, help them find new ones, work to develop their new abilities and create better professionals in every field.

We also saw that when Andy Murray first greeted his coach, Ivan Lendl, when winning Wimbledon last June. Something else to think about on what coaches can do for great teams and amazing people.

Thanks Skylar for pointing out that coaches go a long way in helping our clients to reach new heights and perform better. You can read her article at http://usat.ly/1iWOKRe

Luis Vicente Garcia


Skylar Diggins is a ESPN contributor, an All American Player and the No. 3 draft pick from Notre Dame in 2013. You can follow her at @skydigg4  

Luis Vicente Garcia is a FocalPoint Business Performance Coach, best-selling author, international speaker and a Brian Tracy International certified trainer. You can follow him at @lvgarciag

Becoming more positive

Day after day we find people who have different behaviors and different attitudes. Some are optimistic, some very negative, while a large number of people have a neutral mood. This is the reason why we have to change and become much more positive if we want to succeed. Of course, like everything in life, becoming positive is neither easy nor fast, but if we start now going in the right direction we will get there sooner than later.

In the seminars I teach, I ask participates if they know of someone, anyone, who has been successful being negative or pessimistic; so far, no one has been able to give me an example. Therefore, being successful has a direct relationship to being positive and having a good attitude. Being positive, especially in a difficult environment is no easy task; however, it can be done.

There are a number of actions we can take to become more positive:

Wake up early. There is nothing healthier than waking up early to have the whole day ahead of you to do what you really have to do. And above all, the first hour of the day, called 'the golden hour', is the most important. You are more relaxed and calm, and it's time that you take some time to read, meditate and exercise. Try it for a few days and you will notice the change.

Plan ahead. The night before start planning your next day. By doing that, you will avoid running around, which is part of what causes us stress; you will know in advance all your appointments and tasks of the day and you can plan ahead in a more effective manner. Of course there will be emergencies in many cases, but you will know how to deal with them since you will have more control over your time.

Be kind. There is nothing more rewarding than being kind to others without expecting anything in return. Open a door to let someone go by; say good morning and thank you. Simple things that people say or do, are not expected and thus they generate smiles. And you should be grateful for what you have with those around you.

Help others. During your day help your friends and colleagues. Become a trusted person for those who work with you and you will become a support for them. Helping others will make you feel better.

Share. We all know more than we imagine. We can all do more than what we can. If we share our knowledge and our way of being positive, we will help other people to be better every day. A word of support, a guide for someone who solves a problem, teaching, and so, little by little, going to work on something that can be very incredible: become a mentor or a teacher to go out helping others.

Today there are many ways to be in excellent physical, mental and spiritual form, and much of it we can do it ourselves. If you do, you'll have a better day, more positive, more optimistic and more inspiring for you and those around you.