The 4 Keys to become 5

[yulilin3]

Really hard to pick where to place this
Any hard core Disney fan knows that Disney operates under 4 keys, Safety, Courtesy, Show and Efficiency, this is the staple of every new CMs training and what Disney abides to on their day to day operations, as you can see Safety is first so for example Show will suffer if Safety is an issue, if you take the Keys to the Kingdom tour all of these are explained in depth.
Anyways they are adding a 5th key, Inclusion, there will be an extensive panel to see where this new key will be placed in the gran order of things. Inclusion came about from the need of a true cultural transformation. This might not seem like a direct impact on day to day life for guest but I think it's key (pun intended) for an overall more enjoyable experience by everyone visiting and working on property

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Thanks for sharing, and I find this really intersting, and will be interested in the details as they come out (if they come out).

I assume part of this is the Diversity element of Inclusion (or as many firms have a "diversity and inclusion" initiative) which I think is obviously great and I think will help with guests seeing representation in the parks and things like that and hopefully also thinking of people with special needs (even more than they do) and different types of families (maybe more focus on families with more than 4 people or non-traditional family units .... also maybe more on adults only groups, etc.) and just ensuring everyone feels welcome (but obviously this is just me speculating.

And while I am speculating, as to the order, I gotta figure Safety stays first. I would think put it in the middle, after Courtesy and before Show (but could see it at any of the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th position


quick question - is this public now? Are we able to talk about this elsewhere? Don't want to betray any inside info sources

edit: guess to answer my own question, saw it posted on twitter already so guess it is out there:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1309201661823418369

 

[rteetz]

Thanks for sharing, and I find this really intersting, and will be interested in the details as they come out (if they come out).

I assume part of this is the Diversity element of Inclusion (or as many firms have a "diversity and inclusion" initiative) which I think is obviously great and I think will help with guests seeing representation in the parks and things like that and hopefully also thinking of people with special needs (even more than they do) and different types of families (maybe more focus on families with more than 4 people or non-traditional family units .... also maybe more on adults only groups, etc.) and just ensuring everyone feels welcome (but obviously this is just me speculating.

And while I am speculating, as to the order, I gotta figure Safety stays first. I would think put it in the middle, after Courtesy and before Show (but could see it at any of the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th position


quick question - is this public now? Are we able to talk about this elsewhere? Don't want to betray any inside info sources

edit: guess to answer my own question, saw it posted on twitter already so guess it is out there:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1309201661823418369

Was just going to post the tweet.

 

[andyman8]

I know this may be one of those things that people see as more symbolic or just talk but this is a really big deal in my opinion. Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products CMs, employees, and leadership take the "Keys" really, really seriously. Hard core Disney fans sometimes think of them as just more "virtues of Walt" that the Company touts but the reality is that -- of all the "virtues of Walt" that Disney touts -- these still remain very, very relevant. Every CM, no matter what level, is intimately familiar with and trained based on these Keys, so adding a key to represent an important facet of 21st century Guest service will go along way in helping cultivate the culture -- both for Guests and CMs -- that Disney has said it's striving for over the last few months.

 

[Krandor]

Really hard to pick where to place this
Any hard core Disney fan knows that Disney operates under 4 keys, Safety, Courtesy, Show and Efficiency, this is the staple of every new CMs training and what Disney abides to on their day to day operations, as you can see Safety is first so for example Show will suffer if Safety is an issue, if you take the Keys to the Kingdom tour all of these are explained in depth.
Anyways they are adding a 5th key, Inclusion, there will be an extensive panel to see where this new key will be placed in the gran order of things. Inclusion came about from the need of a true cultural transformation. This might not seem like a direct impact on day to day life for guest but I think it's key (pun intended) for an overall more enjoyable experience by everyone visiting and working on property

I do really like this since we should be as inclusive as we can be and try to encourage that and we should give plenty of opportunities to minorities. .

Bring in Mulan... bring in Moana... I am 100% behind that. I am not for changing the race of any existing characters and I hope they don't go that route.

 

[New Mouse]

So where was disney lacking in these already that they decided an entire culture change was necessary?

 

[Douglas Dubh]

Seems like it should already be covered by Courtesy.

 

[rteetz]

Seems like it should already be covered by Courtesy.

I have seen this brought up and while I would agree I think separating it puts more emphasis on it. I am interested to see where the committee takes it and places it within the keys and how CMs will go about this new key.

 

[andyman8]

Seems like it should already be covered by Courtesy.

I have seen this brought up and while I would agree I think separating it puts more emphasis on it. I am interested to see where the committee takes it and places it within the keys and how CMs will go about this new key.

Also, the Courtesy "Key" generally refers to what you the CM *should* do, not what you *need* to do. It's about going out of your way and making the distinct proactive effort to make a Guest's day easier and more enjoyable. I would imagine the Inclusion "Key" will be more about what the Company expects that you need to do.

 

[Douglas Dubh]

It’s my understanding that Courtesy also includes how cast members should treat each other.

 

[paradesintherain]

I think this is fantastic, and hopefully it facilitates a more positive, accepting atmosphere for CMs and guests, alike!

 

[Disney Bobby]

These diversity and inclusion policies usually just devolve down to some HR person figuring out ratios basing on factors that we have been told shouldn't matter at all, like race, gender, sexual orientation, and others. Basically a way to de-"straight white male" their organization.

Hopefully that isn't Disney's agenda. I've taken many trips to Disney, and I've never seen an issue with negative, unaccepting atmosphere. Quite the opposite. Seems more like another marketing push than anything. Most big companies formalized these policies years ago.

 

[Disney Bobby]

Maybe Disney should make a fat, ugly princess or pack a few pounds on Cinderella. That's really what it boils down to. It doesn't matter what race, gender, sexual orientation, or anything else you are. If you are beautiful, people treat you better. That's just reality, and I think, a much bigger factor than the ones I listed.

 

[yulilin3]

I think it's important to point out that this decision was not something made recent, spur of the moment, last year leadership from different departments and groups got together. They have been having seminars and town halls all around the different areas that encompass The Disney Company, through Business Employee Resource Groups (BERGs) that formed around a shared identity, interest, or pursuits, focused on eight dimensions of diversity: Women, Black/African American, Indigenous/Native American, Hispanic/Latinx, Asian American and Pacific Islander, Disabilities, Veterans, and LGBTQ+. and they decided to include this fifth key "to unlock more potential within the company by supercharging the other 4" (Disney's words not mine) so although Disney has always been one of the most inclusive companies out there, they saw a need to bring awareness and attention to inclusivity, to allow their CM and guests to be their most authentic self without fear and to team up and work together for a common goal, and that's inclusion

 

[tlmadden73]

Seems like it should already be covered by Courtesy.

.. agree ... I have felt Disney has always been "inclusive" (on the outside, I can't speak from their internal culture). Using the word "inclusion" is just politically and culturally relevant (in recent years) and in the social consciousness, so it makes sense including it as it is important to a lot of people. Using a single word seems a way to easily explain that philosophy.

 

[yulilin3]

.. agree ... I have felt Disney has always been "inclusive" (on the outside, I can't speak from their internal culture). Using the word "inclusion" is just politically and culturally relevant (in recent years) and in the social consciousness, so it makes sense including it as it is important to a lot of people. Using a single word seems a way to easily explain that philosophy.

I don't know, you can be courteous and still hate their living guts and all that they stand for, lol
Inclusion means you accept everyone for who they are and try and understand and relate about where everyone is coming from, idealogically and physically
I can tell you this news is being well received by all CM I know, they are all super excited and can't wait where on the order of keys will it be put into

 

[Alicefan]

Seems like it should already be covered by Courtesy.

So where was disney lacking in these already that they decided an entire culture change was necessary?

I was thinking the exact same thing. Seems more like a PR move to have to add this in. Common sense would put inclusion under the umbrella of the other 4 keys but we all know that common sense seems to be few and far between these days. I'm pretty sure Disney never taught it's employees to exclude ANY of their guests, nor have I ever witnessed any kind of exclusion on their behalf in the 30 years I've been going to the parks. This seems a bit of overkill IMO.

 

[ClapYourHands]

Seems like it should already be covered by Courtesy.

To me, Courtesy means I'm nice to you. I'm polite to you. It doesn't mean I understand you.

To me, inclusion means I make an effort to recognize and value those who are not white, straight, English-speaking, cis-gendered, Christian, and neurotypical.

You can behave with Courtesy towards everyone, and still create a culture in which the majority is the "norm" and treated as the "universal" template. Within Courtesy there's still a lot of room for unintentional, but preventable, mistakes to occur, and/or for some people to feel invisible.

Inclusivity obviously includes having characters who don't look like Cinderella, but it also includes being sensitive and thoughtful in how you present those who are traditionally underrepresented minorities.

 

[Disney Bobby]

It's funny. The movement that started by demanding that everyone be completely blind to superficial aspects like skin color and gender and lifestyle is now entirely obsessed with it. Seems pretty hypocritical.

 

[gottalovepluto]

I think it's important to point out that this decision was not something made recent, spur of the moment, last year leadership from different departments and groups got together. They have been having seminars and town halls all around the different areas that encompass The Disney Company, through Business Employee Resource Groups (BERGs) that formed around a shared identity, interest, or pursuits, focused on eight dimensions of diversity: Women, Black/African American, Indigenous/Native American, Hispanic/Latinx, Asian American and Pacific Islander, Disabilities, Veterans, and LGBTQ+. and they decided to include this fifth key "to unlock more potential within the company by supercharging the other 4" (Disney's words not mine) so although Disney has always been one of the most inclusive companies out there, they saw a need to bring awareness and attention to inclusivity, to allow their CM and guests to be their most authentic self without fear and to team up and work together for a common goal, and that's inclusion

I’m always highly skeptical of moves like this by a company but I really like this one. It sounds like it will truly be a core part of company by doing it this way, not an overnight initiative that will lose steam quick. I hope that it being spelled out like so in training gives new CMs confidence that it’s ok to be who you really are.