The Wisdom of Walt

Leadership Lessons from the Happiest Place on Earth

By: Jeffrey A. Barnes

Narrated by: Al Kessel

Length: 7 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's Summary

Put Walt to Work for You

How do you go from dreaming of a theme park to building one? Walt Disney laid the blueprint. Learn how he did it, and how his wisdom can guide you toward achieving the things that you dream of.

The experts told Walt it'd never work. A giant theme park, where parents and children could play together? Crazy! So Walt put all of his money into this crazy dream of his. He put his reputation on the line. Anyone else would have quit, discouraged and disillusioned, but Walt built Disneyland. How did he go from dreaming to doing? And how can you do the same, no matter what your goal?

In The Wisdom of Walt, Professor Jeffrey Barnes distills Walt Disney's vision, his knowledge, and his methods into a series of actionable lessons. Through historical vignettes about Disneyland, as well as plentiful examples and exercises, Barnes creates a framework through which you can apply Walt's wisdom to improve your career, your company, and your life.

Learn to:

Listen to your "Walter ego" and start trusting yourself

Go "beyond the berm" with the secrets of Disneyland's success

Make a "Main Street impression" on everyone you meet

Create "E-ticket experiences" that keep them coming back for more

WITH THE WISDOM OF WALT, YOUR SUCCESS IS JUST A DREAM AWAY!

©2015 Jeffrey A. Barnes (P)2015 Jeffrey A. Barnes

Please listen to this audiobook from Jeff Barnes

Jeff Barnes audiobook version of "The Wisdom of Walt" is truly inspirational and thought provoking. The book (and audiobook) is easy to understand and follow along with.
Soooo many interesting Disney facts and tidbits intertwined with great stories from Jeff's personal experiences.
I HIGHLY recommend this book (and audiobook)!!

Great Lessons

I really enjoyed listening to this book and was engaged straight away - because of the subject matter and the performance. The principles put forth in the book are original and give a lot of food for thought. I would wholeheartedly recommend listening to this book over reading it as Al's voice adds so much more than if you read it yourself!

Edutainment at it's finest! 💕✨

I always prefer audiobooks read by the author, but I will say the narrator did a great job, overall. I could tell when quotes we're being read, and there were plenty of vocal inflections made throughout.

As far as the book itself goes, this was AMAZING. It was everything I hoped and expected it to be after hearing an interview with the author on a Disney podcast. I really got a lot out of this book from history to life lessons to action steps. The organization of the book is also extremely well thought out.

This book would be best experienced in physical form as there are actions steps at the end of each chapter and it's meant to be read through a span of time. That being said, I enjoyed the convenience of hearing it first and in large chunks (because I didn't want to stop experiencing it). I plan to purchase the physical copy to reference going forward--it was THAT good. But again, do not regret purchasing the audio version first. Really, so great!

With my whole ❤️... Loved it

Loved this whole book! There is so much wisdom to learn from Walt Disney and this book was a great a way to learn it! The narrator was easy to listen to and Jeff is a funny writer! Definitely recommend!

Great premise

Great idea and well executed. Narrator was easy to listen to and engaging. Can't wait for the next one.

Amazing Quality & Book. Highly Recommended!

Would you listen to The Wisdom of Walt again? Why?

Yes, I would listen to The Wisdom of Walt again. The narrator Al Kessel pulls you into the story beautifully with his strong, smooth, natural, and easy-to-understand voice. He paints a vivid picture of each scene and picture, and clearly articulates the lessons of the book. This is top-notch work and I loved listening to it.

What other book might you compare The Wisdom of Walt to and why?

I would compare the Wisdom of Walt to 7 Ways to Know You Were Meant to Lead. The reason for this is because the Wisdom of Walt is filled with success principles and key leadership insights. What I love about this book is it not only tells the story of Walt in detail, but also extracts the key success and leadership principles in a clear and easy-to-understand fashion.

Which scene was your favorite?

My favorite scene was when Jeffrey Barnes (through Al Kessel's narration) talked about visualizing the details of his wedding. He told his wife-to-be all of the details of the wedding, including where it would occur and what they would be wearing. This was so inspiring because Jeffrey and his wife Nikki came from extremely different backgrounds and thought they would never be able to get married. Nikki said to Jeffrey in response, half-jokingly and half-seriously, "you're out of your mind". Guess what? Nearly every detail that Jeffrey pictured of his wedding to Nikki came true. This was amazing to listen to. I'm a huge fan of visualization and I can attest to the enormous power of this practice. I'm so glad to hear Jeffrey benefited from it, just like Walt did, and I hope more people implement visualization into their lives.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, it was a book I wanted to listen to all in one sitting. I wasn't able to do that due to time constraints in my schedule, but the story was so exciting, entertaining, and enlightening that I easily could have listened to it in one sitting.

Any additional comments?

Overall, this is amazing work. A top-notch book by Jeffrey Barnes coupled with excellent narration from Al Kessel makes this a book you must listen to.

Excellent and Insipiring

What did you like best about this story?

A well written, and well spoken, inspirational book that encourages us to go for our dreams, even if others think we're crazy. Great information about Walt, but even better is the connection the writer makes to the listener by turning Disney (both the park and the man) into much more than just a theme park.

What about Al Kessel’s performance did you like?

Perfect match of voice and text. Al's voice is excellent and very well suited to the material.

Great Lessons

I've read a lot of leadership books as well as personal development books, but there were few that I enjoyed as much as this.

One of the Happiest Audiobooks in My Ears!

Jeffrey A. Barnes provides a series of lessons intertwined with fascinating Disneyland history in this book. Anyone who has enjoyed a visit to a Disney property or wondered how a host of theme parks evolved from a single drawing of a mouse will appreciate the lens that Barnes offers. Part history and part self-help, this book provides poignant information without being preachy and highlights multiple strategies that can be used in a wide variety of situations.

The narrator, Al Kessel, matches the author's tone and evident love for Disneyland with his own enthusiasm and upbeat performance. Kessel's easygoing embodiment of Walt Disney's love for storytelling is apparent in the multiple anecdotes sprinkled throughout the book. It's easy to miss the nuances of Kessel's voice with a simple pair of earbuds, so I recommend listening in the car or with a quality set of headphones for greater appreciation of the performance.

Well-written

I loved the way this book reflects Disneyland in every aspect. The format of the chapters remind you of the entire day in the parks. If you have any curiosity about Walt Disney and how he made such an impact on the world, then this is a must read. I learned a lot about how to approach challenges in my own life and the story of Disneyland.

Unusual tale of success

Would you consider the audio edition of The Wisdom of Walt to be better than the print version?

I haven't read the print version

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Wisdom of Walt?

The success principles, refreshingly like nothing you've ever read in other books about following your dreams or success.

What does Al Kessel bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

Al doesn't get in the way of the story, allowing you to interpret it for yourself.

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Walt's surprising secrets to success

Any additional comments?

Really got into this book & enjoyed listening.

I was given a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.