Career Magic

By: Lee Cockerell

Narrated by: Jody Maberry

Length: 6 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's Summary

Executive career development secrets from a life at Disney.

Career Magic is a unique audiobook full of priceless advice and insightful experience. Lee Cockerell chronicles how he went from being a college dropout, rose through the ranks at both Hilton and Marriott, and ultimately became the executive vice president of operations for the Walt Disney World Resort. As the senior operating executive for more than a decade, Lee led a team of 40 thousand cast members and was responsible for the operations of 20 resort hotels, four theme parks, two water parks, a shopping and entertainment village, and the ESPN sports and recreation complex.  

After spending more than 40 years in the hospitality industry developing skills, learning lessons in management and excellence in customer service, people were always asking Lee, "How can I climb the corporate ladder? How can I get into management? How can I get promoted? How can I make more money?" It was these persistent questions that led Lee to create this audiobook.  

Lee candidly shares the specific things he did to experience such dramatic success in the corporate world, but he also shares the mistakes he made along the way and the million-dollar lessons he learned that ultimately led him to the top spot at the number one vacation destination in the world.  

It was not Disney magic that made Lee Cockerell's career so successful, but the way he dealt with the ups and downs that made it magical. It's the same with your career. Through this book, you will learn how to navigate the ups and downs along your own career path and zero in on your ideal job – and ultimately, the life you desire. When Lee Cockerell says, "If I can do it, so can you," he truly means it. 

No matter where you are along your career path, you have an opportunity to climb the ladder of success by paying attention, asking questions, and having a passion for your chosen career.

©2016 Lee Cockerell (P)2018 Lee Cockerell

It’s basically a biography

Overall there is good info but I have a few problems with it.

The title and book description were misleading.

Lee restates the same topics over and over again in each chapter. Basically “do your best” “have integrity” and “never stop learning.” It could be ¼ the length and still incorporate the necessary information he was trying to convey. Interesting anecdotes but reads more like a biography than a book about “how to achieve a stellar career.” Ironic because Lee states several times how he has learned to be straight forward with information.

I find the point of view a bit unrealistic. Hindsight is 20/20 and everything looks better from the future when we can understand why things happen. The way the anecdotes and stories are constructed make it seem as if there was a master plan only to be turned upside down in the last chapter when he states “nothing was planned and I’m surprised at my career and success.” It’s confusing and basically discredits the entire book. Lee also discredits everything in the first chapter in much the same way.

Good, relatable voice performance except the audio fades out a lot and then picks back up. Must be where the recording is cut??? It’s aggravating and leads me to believe something is wrong with the app or my earphones when it’s actually the recording. Every few minutes the fades have me reaching for my iPod only to have the recording pick up again.

Another great book by Lee with a wonderful message for everyone!

This is the 3rd book I have purchased from Lee and as always it did not disappoint. Lee tells stories from his life to address everyone’s challenges in day to day life. Sometimes it really is that simple, as Lee has said, “just be nice and you’ll go a lot further in life”.
I greatly appreciate Lee’s honesty and transparency in his message.