I recently had the opportunity of presenting virtually for a podcast summit, and I shared something near and dear to my heart: How to Use the Park Ranger Interpretation Method. I was introduced to this method after giving my first campfire talk as a park ranger. I have never forgotten it.
When creating a course, hosting a podcast, or delivering a talk, this method will help you engage your audience. It will also help them to take your content and apply it in their lives. You can remember this structure by keeping the S.W.A.P. acronym in mind. This flexible format allows for customizing the time you spend on each piece.
Pro tip: Keep a story inventory to pull from when you develop your content.
Whether you are doing an interview, or a monolog, remembering to S.W.A.P. will help you from preparation to delivery.
Resources:
Interpreting Our Heritage by Freeman Tilden
Everything You Need to Launch a Podcast Download
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Kary Oberbrunner is back for the anticipated follow-up podcast. When I have the pleasure of interviewing a guest, I always have them back and let them ask me any three questions they choose. My first time hearing them is during the interview, so you get the raw answers.
What would you regret not doing if you died today? This might be the most loaded question I’ve had on the show. Not publishing a book? Not making a big enough impact? Never traveling to Alaska? I may be changing some things up after this question.
What is the book that is pretty uncommon to most people, but life-changing to you? I don’t ever hear anyone talk about this book, but I do have a fun family connection to the author.
What music do you listen to when you want to be productive? I’ll give you a hint – It is a movie soundtrack and it’s far from Rotten to the Core.
Resources:
Made in America by Sam Walton
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Kary Oberbrunner returns to the Jody Maberry Show to talk about becoming unhackable.
In 2016, Kary published The Elixer Project, a fiction book about how the truth can get hacked.
Now, Kary has turned the lessons from The Elixer Project into a 30-day plan to help you maintain focus and get more done in life. The new book is Unhackable.
Our conversation goes beyond the books, as we discuss how you and I get distracted from who we are and what we are supposed to be by the everyday activities and priorities of other people.
Kary offers insight into how we can focus on what is important and not longer give priority to what doesn't matter. Kary even opens up and talks about challenges as a parent.
You can get more information about the new book at unhackablebook.com.
Every time Kary is a guest on the show, he leaves us with at least one memorable saying. This time, he said:
"Everyone wants the stage. No one wants the struggle."
Ray Edwards is back again for our regular follow-up podcast. When I have the pleasure of interviewing a guest, I always have them back and let them ask me any three questions they choose. Ray has some great questions, including one I have never heard before.
What do you carry in your pocket every day? There are a few things I carry every day that I am sure everyone can relate to. I mean, who doesn’t have a handcuff key on them at all times?
What did you discover about your backyard during the pandemic that surprised you? I’ll give you a hint – what do settlers, silver mines, and plane crashes have in common?
What is the one thing you are looking forward to the most in the next 6-12 months? I don’t want to give too much away. There are a few things I am looking forward to, but the thing I am most excited about how to do with you and connecting…in person. Excited? Me too.
Resources:
Permission to Prosper by Ray Edwards
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Author and speaker Ray Edwards joins me to dive into the true meaning of prosperity and why you should want to do it.
Helping others find the freedom to prosper is something near and dear to Ray. It started as an event in 2015. In 2021, Ray channeled it into a new book. Our ability to make a difference in the world and the lives of those around us is the purpose of prosperity. Often, we reduce prosperity to something as trivial as money. When we do this, we run the risk of missing out on the true purpose prosperity holds in our life.
Prosperity is experienced in its purest form when filtered through gratitude and contentment. We need to tend to the everyday activities with the same passion we apply to pushing the boundaries and expanding our borders. When you can be grateful for the things you take for granted, you will encounter true prosperity.
Resources:
Permission to Prosper by Ray Edwards
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At my desk, I keep five note cards. Each card has a saying or quote I want to be reminded of.
With a new year, I replace two to three of the cards with new cards. When I select a new quote, it is geared toward something I want to remind myself of or an attitude I need to work on.
Here are the five things I remind myself of every day for 2021:
"Excellence is the next 5 minutes"
-Tom Peters
"Trade your expectations for appreciation."
-Tony Robbins
"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."
-Theodore Roosevelt
"What you appreciate appreciates."
-Jim Kwik
"Do your best and forgive yourself."
-Admiral Payne
In this special episode, renowned author Rick Bass joins me to explore the current challenges facing wild places in our nation, especially the Yak Valley in Montana. Not surprisingly, these challenges are also present in our own social climate.
As with many challenges currently facing our nation, our community, our connection, and shared history hold the key. Whether that is partnering with the scientific community to raise awareness of climate change and its impact or lending your voice to important movements like Black Lives Matter or 350.org – the need for passing the torch is rising with every passing year.
Sharing our stories, passing on our experiences, allowing the next generation to learn from our failures and successes takes courage. Making a difference takes courage, especially when it relies on one generation changing the trajectory of the previous.
In his book, Traveling Feast, Rick connects older and younger generations of authors over a meal. As we dive deeper into that concept, we see the importance of fostering generational connection. You don’t want things you value to be lost. It is necessary to connect the generations. Share what you love. That love promotes and generates generosity. Life is full of convergences. The more opportunities we have to fulfill our obligation to pass on the knowledge and wisdom we have gained, the more stories we share, the more hope we can hold on to.
Resources:
Books by Rick Bass
The Traveling Feast by Rick Bass
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As a former park ranger, the Wilderness Lodge at Walt Disney World was the perfect place to stay.
Based on Yellowstone's Old Faithful Inn, Wilderness Lodge looks, feels, and smells like a historic National Park lodge. Many cast members are even in custom resembling park rangers complete with the iconic flat hat.
During my stay at Wilderness Lodge, I learned a few things, as I do anytime I spend time at Disney.
Dan Cockerell, retired Vice President of the Magic Kingdom, spent two years as the Wilderness Lodge General Manager. Dan joins me on this episode of the Jody Maberry Show to give his perspective on what I learned at the Lodge.
Create a memorable first impression. When you walk into the Wilderness Lodge, you know you are someplace special.
If you are going to copy, add your own personality. Wilderness Lodge has the feel of a National Park lodge but is full of unique touches of Disney. It taught me to be inspired by something but always add my own touch to it.
You are as happy as you decide to be. Even at the happiest place on earth, you won't be happy unless you decide to be.
Make it easy for people to do business with you. Magic Bands are a good example of making it easy for a customer to do business with you. Magic Bands make the experience better but also make it easier to spend money.
Solve the problems you know guests will have. When we checked into our room, there was sun relief gel waiting for us with our soap and shampoo. Sure enough, we got sunburns and used the sun relief gel. Disney anticipated we would have a problem and provided a solution before knowing we would need it.
You can find out more about Dan Cockerell at www.dancockerell.com.
You may want to listen to the audio version of Dan's book, How's the Culture in Your Kingdom. I narrate the book, so if you enjoy this podcast, you will enjoy the book. You can find it here.
Sometimes the wisdom we need to hear is found in conversations we’ve already had. In my last episode, Jeff Brown and I shared our book recommendations. One author mentioned was Rick Bass.
I had the pleasure of interviewing Rick in 2016 for The Park Leader’s Podcast. Although that conversation was through the lens of parks and for the park leader audience, the overarching theme is one for us all.
At the very core of who we are as humans, our connection to nature and “wild” places holds our history. We have a rich past of preservation in our country. Whether you are a scientist, a politician, an author, or an everyday average person, we have a responsibility to speak up about those values we hold, especially in public. Our words, our financial investments, our time…all of our modern resources can be engaged in stewarding and caring for our natural resources. Whatever the industry or arena, silos are detrimental to growth and improvement.
Resources:
Books by Rick Bass
Grizzley Years by Doug Peacock
The Lost Grizzlies: A Search for Survivors in the Wilderness of Colorado by Rick Bass
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Jeff Noel and I talk about the opportunity for you to join us on a retreat at Glacier National Park.
As is our tradition when we have guests on, Andy Storch is back with me with three questions, which I have no prior knowledge of:
What are your favorite and least favorite aspects of running my business? I am a people person and that heavily influences my answer to this question.
What is your favorite national park and what is one you haven’t been to? If you force me, I can boil it down to two, but the winner depends on which park I am standing in at the time. I also have a few honorable mentions I need to fit in.
What is the biggest mistake podcasters make and what is the most annoying thing some podcasters do and should stop? Podcasters aren’t radio hosts, but often they try and do this one thing like a radio personality and it can be detrimental to their show.
What do post-production, monetizing podcasts and grizzly attacks have in common? These are the answers to the bonus three questions Andy snuck in by adding a part two to each question.
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If there is anything 2020 has taught us, it is the importance of connection. Whether in personal relationships or professional endeavors, investing in connecting with people should be a top priority. Andy Storch, a podcaster, new author, and fabulous trainer just released his first book and we are unpacking the importance of investing in your network.
Reading Andy’s book, Own Your Career and Own Your Life, chapter 10 jumped out at me. The topic and challenge of purposely investing in building a network resonated. Networking can be an intimidating topic, but as Andy so eloquently explains, it isn’t doing things or making a connection for the quid pro quo. All networking is...is being intentional about showing up, genuinely, for those you connect with. Be it in person or via social media, be present, give lift to others and let them into your life. Lead with curiosity and generosity. When you can, give people a platform. Offer help without expecting anything in return.
Expectations will lead to disappointment. By building real, trusting relationships with others (without being motivated by what you can get out of it) is what networking is all about.
Resources:
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Let's spend a day together. This episode of The Jody Maberry Show documents a day of recording podcasts, videos, and other content.
People often ask me how I get so much done with 7 active podcasts and the other work I do. To answer the question, I spent a day and documented it.
Throughout the episode, you will get to join me as I record podcasts and have some conversations with some of the people I work with regularly.
In our time together, we will be joined by:
Jeff Noel: We record 3 episode of If Disney Ran Your Life.
Lee Cockerell: We recorded some promotional videos for the Cockerell Academy and recorded one episode of Creating Disney Magic.
Andy Storch: We record a couple of episodes of The Jody Maberry Show.
Dan Cockerell: We had a call about promoting The Perch Community.
Mike Simmons: We recorded an episode of the Catalyst Sale Podcast.
You will hear some behind the scenes conversation about what goes into each of the shows and projects we are working on.
Too often, we live a story someone else told us we should.
But you get to choose the character you want to be in the story you are living. Don't hang onto expectations of your parents, boss, a high school bully, or anyone else who told you who and what you are.
Who you are is completely up to you.
This episode, I use an interview from the podcast Foreward with Joe Pomeroy. During my conversation with Joe, we talked about some topics I had never discussed on the Jody Maberry Show.
Since the conversation with Joe was so good, I am sharing the interview from his podcast. This conversation will help you understand how your life is a story that is written by you. Your actions should be deliberate so your life is a story worth telling your kids about.
Disney VIP tours are a unique way to experience the theme parks.
My first VIP tour was in Disneyland. Not only did we get on more attractions than we would have otherwise because of the logistics of having a guide and the ability to get into FastPass lines, I learned more than I expected.
Our tour guide knew so much about Disneyland and Walt Disney. Nearly every ride, I learned a piece of history I would not have otherwise. She also had a story about topiaries, ticket booths, and the Tiki Room. It made for an exceptional day.
But during VIP tours, I learned some lessons.
Focus on Experiences. For people like me and you, a VIP allows us to feel like a celebrity for the day. For celebrities, a VIP tour allows them to experience the park like a normal person. In both cases, people are paying for the experience.
Make People Feel Special. This is the real charm of the VIP tours. A guide doesn't just take you around the park, they make you feel special. Disney selects tour guides who are good with people with a focus on service. Of the four guides I have been on a VIP tour with, each one has been different which led to a completely different experience. But the one thing that has been the same is how they make you feel special.
Exclusive is Valuable. I admit, one of the cool things about a VIP tour is that not everyone else is on one. You feel like you are getting an exclusive experience you would not get otherwise. Exclusive is another form of entertainment and Disney does it well.
There are people who want more and are willing to pay for it. Most people are happy with your basic offering. But there are some people who are willing to pay more to get more products, better service, or more access to you. Offer them more and let them pay for it. It is a service.
Thank you to Lee Cockerell and Dan Cockerell for contributing to this episode.
My guest today is Jeff Noel, a 30-year Disney veteran with over a decade of experience teaching at the Disney Institute. We are discussing practical tips for new speakers based on observations from past Podcast Movement keynote presentations.
As we discuss, there are many best practices in the world of public speaking. Some of the lessons we explore include vetting material in advance, giving the audience renewed hope, and relating to the crowd. With years of experience, Jeff shares in detail the ways he's matured these approaches from on-the-spot audibles on stage to preserving stage authority.
In any scenario, the key behind any tip is helping the audience come away with something. Whatever you do in practice or in the heat of the moment, act as if you've been there before.
Resources:
If Disney Ran Your Live - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/if-disney-ran-your-life/id1450061482
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On a recent trip to Nevada, I had the pleasure of staying at the Whitney Peak Hotel in Reno. Reno, much like Las Vegas is a town of noise and neon. Surprisingly, the Whitney Peak Hotel is neither of these two things…and that is exactly what makes them stand out. Every other hotel tries to compete by upping the anti-so to speak-and offers more of the same: noise and neon. The Whitney Peak Hotel is a no-neon, dog, and eco-friendly facility with a focus on customer service, not filling their lobby with unending slot machines.
This got me thinking. Just because others are doing something, doesn’t mean it is the best way to do something. How do you stand out in a world of noise and neon? Look around and see what others are doing and then do the opposite or put your twist on it. Look for what makes you you, what fits you, and do it your way. Be different in the way you are different.
In a world where every arena is crowded with more of the same, dare to be the one who dances to the beat of your own drum.
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As is our habit, when we have the honor of having a guest on the podcast, we have them back to ask me three questions. Reggie Williams returns today to rapid-fire the three questions on his mind:
What is your favorite song and why? I can’t give you a specific song, but you may be surprised at the current combo we have been enjoying in the Maberry household.
Who are the most famous people from Peoria, IL that you know? Hint – besides my granny, they include an actor, an athlete, and a government official from the Obama administration.
What was your biggest thrill in sports and your biggest disappointment in sports? From hat tricks to cheap shots, it is a pretty interesting array of experiences. We all have our Uncle Rico moments and today I’m sharing mine.
“The best day of my life is when I manage a winning game and the second-best day of my life is when I manage a losing game.” Tommy Lasorda
Resources:
Resilient by Nature – Reggie Williams
Reggie on Park Leaders:
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My guest today is Reggie Williams, former NFL linebacker and Disney executive turned author. We are discussing what it means to be “Resilient by Nature” and how we can turn negatives into positives.
How we deal with missed opportunities and being overlooked is proof of what we are made of. When you have been treated unfairly or experienced major disappointment, you can fill the void by strengthening yourself and others. Reggie share’s his experiences with us, from running into a childhood hero when he was ready to throw in the towel or seeing how the choices he made had ripple effects beyond his wildest dreams. Reggie’s story shows us our response to adversity is what sets us apart.
Our ability to give back and influence the next generation will require us to do better, to rise above our circumstances, and embody resilience.
Resources:
Resilient by Nature – Reggie Williams
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How often do we learn great lessons and write them down, only to walk away and forget them? It is always a good idea to review notes. Dan Cockerell and I revisit and expound on some notes I put together on a return flight from a trip to Buffalo in April of 2018.
This event in Buffalo provided food for thought, ranging from how we care for the people that always show up to the importance of mixing up the way we approach tasks. When we allow others to be part of the story and present valuable information with enthusiasm, we provide a five-star experience. Creating your own luck and being open to the unexpected are key practices, especially when paired with enjoying the experience. In life, we often fear mistakes, but the ability to do what you need to do, even when you don’t know what that is will allow us to live life with forward momentum, even if we encounter failure along the way.
Resources:
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Quotes:
“If you have a good story and you tell it very well, that may matter more than what an expert you are on your subject.”
How do you remain in the present moment when responsibilities start to pull at you?
Jeff Noel and I are on a final day in Glacier National Park. We are recording from a beautiful location, and I already start feeling drawn to everything I have to do.
Instead of focusing on the beauty in front of me, I am thinking about driving home. I am thinking about all of the work I have to do once I get home.
Jeff and I discuss how we can remain in the present moment when other responsibilities start to pull at us.
Just like most things you are good at, it takes practice.
Jeff explains one of the keys is recognizing you are being pulled out of the present moment. Then you can ask yourself if you can let off the gas.
One way to help you remain in the present moment is to add some margin in your schedule. That way you have less to worry about if something gets in your way and causes a time delay.
When you have invested time, money, or hope into something, how do you know when it is time to turn around?
Jeff Noel says it takes practice. You need experience before you know when you should turn around.
Experience also helps you realize when you should say No. Saying no is a good time management tool. And it can help you not sink too much time into something you wouldn't be able to stick with.
This episode will give you some consideration of knowing when it is time to turn around and walk in a different direction.