What did Bob Iger learn from Steve Jobs about authenticity?

Iger learned that Steve Jobs was always authentic, conveying what he truly believed without pretense. Jobs would offer honest, sometimes harsh, critiques, but Iger never felt threatened, appreciating Jobs's directness and the genuine nature of their relationship. This allowed for candid conversations, even about Disney's films.

Who was Roone Arledge and what impact did he have on Bob Iger's career?

Roone Arledge was the president of ABC Sports and later ABC News, and a significant mentor to Bob Iger. Arledge was known as a massive risk-taker, innovator, and the father of modern television sports coverage. He taught Iger the importance of perseverance and ingenuity in overcoming seemingly impossible tasks, such as acquiring rights to the World Table Tennis Championships in North Korea.

What qualities define a great negotiator according to Bob Iger?

A great negotiator gets the deal done efficiently and effectively, in a way that is satisfactory to both sides. Iger emphasizes honesty, getting to the heart of the matter quickly, and being willing to walk away if terms are not sensible or justifiable. The goal is not just to 'win' every point, but to achieve a beneficial outcome that aligns with the value proposition.

How did Bob Iger overcome being told he was 'unpromotable' early in his career?

After being deemed 'unpromotable' by a corrupt boss at ABC, Iger actively sought other opportunities within the company. He found a job posting at ABC Sports, leveraging previous relationships from a Frank Sinatra concert he worked on, which led to a new role and ultimately a 13-year career there, thriving under Roone Arledge.

What are Bob Iger's three reasons for exercising?

Bob Iger exercises for three main reasons: health, vanity, and sanity. Health is a priority due to his parents' early heart attacks. Vanity in wanting to look good also plays a role. Most importantly, exercise provides him with crucial quiet, alone time for dreaming, thinking, creating, organizing, prioritizing, and reflecting, which he describes as both energizing and calming.

How does Bob Iger manage anger, influenced by his father's manic depression?

Witnessing his father's severe mood swings and frequent outbursts of deep-seated anger from a young age taught Iger to control his own temper. He learned to suppress expressions of anger effectively and is now able to recognize its build-up, taking steps to contend with it in a healthy way that avoids aggression or harm to himself or others.

What key life lessons does Bob Iger emphasize for his children?

Iger focuses on teaching his children humility, perspective, and appreciation for their privileged life. He stresses the importance of not taking things for granted, working hard, and being true to oneself. He and his wife try to be transparent, admitting to pain, chagrin, or not being in a good mood, showing their children that parents are human beings.

What is Bob Iger's perspective on career planning and luck?

Iger believes life is not as planned as young people often think. He emphasizes that his career path, while appearing a straight line of successes, was built on hard work, facing unknowns, rising to challenges, and getting lucky. He notes the importance of walking through doors of opportunity when they open, even if it means taking risks or being a 'fish out of water.'

What quote serves as a mantra for Bob Iger?

Bob Iger's mantra is Theodore Roosevelt's 'The Man in the Arena' quote, which speaks to the credit belonging to those who strive valiantly and dare greatly, even if they fail. He values the sentiment that one's place should 'never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat,' emphasizing courageous effort over passive observation.

Key Moments

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Key Moments

TL;DR

Bob Iger discusses leadership, deal-making, resilience, and lessons from his career at Disney.

Key Insights

Embrace calculated risks and persevere through challenges, as long shots often are not as long as they seem.

Authenticity and transparent communication are crucial, especially during difficult negotiations or when facing doubt.

Cultivate optimism and resilience, learning to metabolize fear and drive forward despite uncertainty.

Develop strong deal-making skills through mentorship, observation, and a focus on win-win outcomes.

Integrate exercise into your routine for health, vanity, and crucial quiet time for reflection and problem-solving.

Learn from life's challenges, including personal adversity, to build character and manage emotions like anger effectively.

THE ART OF THE DEAL AND STRATEGIC ACQUISITIONS

Bob Iger emphasizes the importance of creative deal-making and calculated risk-taking, citing the acquisition of Pixar as a prime example. He collaborated with Steve Jobs on a whiteboard session to dissect the pros and cons, learning that a few significant pros can outweigh numerous cons. This approach, combined with perseverance and ingenuity, was crucial in securing deals for Pixar, Lucasfilm, and Marvel, businesses that were not initially on the market. Iger learned negotiation from mentors like Roone Arledge and Michael Eisner, focusing on efficiency, effectiveness, and ensuring mutual benefit.

LEADERSHIP THROUGH CHALLENGE AND RESILIENCE

Iger defines optimism not as blind faith, but as a persistent belief in the possibility of positive outcomes, a trait he strives to instill in his children. He advocates for a realist's approach, acknowledging challenges while maintaining a proactive and persistent mindset. This resilience was tested during his pursuit of the CEO position at Disney, where he faced significant doubt but remained focused on his goal, preventing external negativity from eroding his self-belief. He stresses that success rarely follows a straight line and involves hard work, facing unknowns, and seizing opportunities.

THE FOUNDATION OF HEALTH AND WELL-BEING

Exercise is a cornerstone of Iger's routine, pursued for three key reasons: health, vanity, and sanity. Witnessing his parents' health issues at an early age motivated him to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Beyond physical health, exercise provides essential alone time for thinking, dreaming, strategizing, and gaining perspective, acting as a crucial de-stressor during demanding periods. He dedicates six days a week to exercise, often incorporating cardio like the VersaClimber and strength training with a trainer, viewing it as a vital component of sustained performance and mental clarity.

NAVIGATING PERSONAL ADVERSITY AND EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

Iger reflects on his childhood experiences with his father's severe mood swings and anger, which deeply influenced his own emotional regulation. This upbringing taught him to control and manage his anger, recognizing its destructive potential and learning to express emotions constructively. By observing his father's behavior, he developed a desire to avoid similar patterns, leading to a lifetime of conscious effort to contain and process anger in healthy ways. This self-awareness and emotional discipline have been critical throughout his career.

CULTIVATING CHARACTER AND AUTHENTICITY

Key character traits Iger aims to pass on to his children include humility, perspective, and authenticity. He emphasizes the importance of appreciating privilege, working hard, and not taking things for granted. Leading by example, Iger practices transparency with his sons, admitting his own anxieties and shortcomings to foster honesty and human connection. He believes that being true to oneself is fundamental to being true to others, a principle he actively works to instill, even when it's challenging to convey to teenage boys.

THE NON-LINEAR PATH AND CAPITALIZING ON OPPORTUNITY

Iger's career trajectory, as detailed in his book 'The Ride of a Lifetime,' is portrayed not as a pre-planned ascent but as a series of opportunities seized. He highlights his willingness to take on new responsibilities, move geographically, and face challenges head-on, often without a clear long-term vision. This ability to walk through open doors, even when they lead to unfamiliar territory, is presented as a key differentiator. He credits mentors and a proactive approach to embracing experiences as crucial, alongside luck, in shaping his remarkable journey.

THE POWER OF 'DARE GREATLY' PHILOSOPHY

A guiding philosophy for Iger is Teddy Roosevelt's quote on 'daring greatly,' which encourages striving valiantly, accepting that error and shortcoming are part of the process, and embracing the triumph of high achievement or, at minimum, failing while attempting something significant. This mantra emphasizes action over inaction and prevents individuals from becoming 'cold and timid souls.' Iger shares this philosophy as a means to encourage bold action and resilience in the face of potential failure, a principle he also inscribed for his senior management team at Disney.

Mentioned in This Episode

●Supplements

●Products

●Software & Apps

●Companies

●Organizations

●Books

●People Referenced

Common Questions

Bob Iger approached Steve Jobs with the idea of Disney buying Pixar. Jobs created a whiteboard list of pros and cons, which initially seemed heavily weighted with cons due to his concerns about Disney's culture and its potential impact on Pixar's creativity. Iger, however, recognized Jobs's underlying intrigue and persisted, ultimately leading to the successful acquisition.

Topics

Mindset & Self-Improvement Business & Entrepreneurship Leadership & Management Emotional Regulation Career Development Personal Resilience Personal Productivity Negotiation Strategies Corporate Acquisitions Optimism In Leadership

Mentioned in this video

Companies

Lucasfilm

Acquired by Disney in 2012, another significant acquisition during Bob Iger's tenure.

Disney

Disney's new streaming service, part of Bob Iger's ambitious direct-to-consumer strategy.

Pixar

Acquired by Disney in 2006, the acquisition was a key topic of discussion during Bob Iger's initial meeting with Steve Jobs.

ESPN

A streaming service under the Disney umbrella, contributing to Bob Iger's direct-to-consumer strategy.

ABC News

Roone Arledge also became president of ABC News after ABC Sports.

The Walt Disney Company

One of the world's largest media companies, led by Bob Iger, which has seen its value quintuple under his leadership due to strategic acquisitions and a direct-to-consumer strategy.

Home Slice Pizza

A pizza restaurant in Austin, Texas, mentioned by Tim Ferriss.

Marvel Entertainment

Acquired by Disney in 2009, a major deal under Bob Iger's leadership.

21st Century Fox

Acquired by Disney in 2019, a gigantic deal that further expanded Disney's media empire.

Paulie Gee's Slice Shop

A pizza place in downtown Brooklyn, mentioned in The New Yorker article about slice renaissance, which Bob Iger plans to visit.

Apple

The company co-founded by Steve Jobs, where the initial discussion about Disney acquiring Pixar took place.

Media

Iron Man 2

A film that Steve Jobs watched with his son and strongly disliked, leading to a candid phone call with Bob Iger.

ABC's Wide World of Sports

A program Bob Iger worked on as a programmer, for which he was tasked with getting rights to the World Table Tennis Championships in North Korea.

People

Michael Eisner

Former CEO of Disney, cited by Bob Iger as a talented negotiator and mentor.

Theodore Roosevelt

Author of the 'Man in the Arena' quote, which is a mantra for Bob Iger.

LeBron James

Basketball player who keeps 'The Man in the Arena' quote in his locker.

Jim Spence

One of Bob Iger's bosses at ABC Sports, considered particularly good at negotiation.

Adam Grant

Host of a podcast, mentioned by Tim Ferriss as someone Bob Iger recently spoke with at Wharton.

Ike Perlmutter

Former CEO of Marvel Entertainment, whom Bob Iger convinced to sell Marvel to Disney.

Winston Churchill

Former Prime Minister of Great Britain, whom Bob Iger studied carefully as a role model, admiring his persistence through adversity and colossal mistakes.

Bob Iger

Chairman and CEO of The Walt Disney Company, known for major acquisitions (Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm, 21st Century Fox) and launching Disney+.

Ken Burns

A documentarian, mentioned by Tim Ferriss, whose father also suffered from what would now be diagnosed as bipolar disorder, drawing a parallel to Bob Iger's experience.

Steve Jobs

Co-founder of Apple Inc. and a significant figure in Bob Iger's career, particularly during the Pixar acquisition. Described by Iger as authentic and challenging, but not threatening.

Roone Arledge

President of ABC Sports and later ABC News, a mentor to Bob Iger. Known as a gigantic risk-taker, innovator, and 'father of modern day television sports coverage,' who taught Iger to never take no for an answer.

George Lucas

The creator of Star Wars, whom Bob Iger convinced to sell Lucasfilm to Disney.

Concepts

The Man in the Arena

A famous quote by Theodore Roosevelt, kept by LeBron James and given to senior management by Bob Iger, emphasizing the importance of daring greatly and avoiding timid souls.

Software & Apps

99designs

A global creative platform mentioned as a sponsor and resource for design needs, including logos, branding, packaging, and book covers. Tim Ferriss uses it for his book covers and illustrations.

Hulu

A streaming service, part of Disney's direct-to-consumer strategy.

Organizations

Ithaca College

Bob Iger's alma mater.

Wharton School

Where Bob Iger recently spoke with students.

ABC Sports

Where Bob Iger started his career in the mid-70s, under the leadership of Roone Arledge.

US State Department

Mentioned in the context of sanctions that prevented ABC Sports from paying North Koreans directly for broadcast rights.

The New Yorker

A publication from which Bob Iger saved an article about pizza renaissance in New York City.

Books

The Ride of a Lifetime

Bob Iger's autobiography, subtitled 'Lessons Learned from 15 Years as CEO of The Walt Disney Company', recommended by Tim Ferriss for its insights into deal making and overcoming fear.

Tao of Seneca

A multi-volume work that Tim Ferriss produced, using 99designs for illustrations and cover design.

The 4-Hour Body

Tim Ferriss's book, for which he used 99designs for mock-ups, which became a #1 New York Times bestseller.

The 5-Minute Journal

Tim Ferriss mentions using 99designs to update illustrations and layout of his '5 morning rituals ebook'. This could be a typo and likely refers to '5-Minute Journal'.

Products

VersaClimber

Bob Iger's go-to cardio exercise machine, simulating climbing a ladder or stairs, used almost daily.

Supplements

HumanN BeetElite

An 'endurance superfood' or nitric oxide activator recommended by world champions and athletes, used pre-workout for endurance training to potentially boost performance by 10-20% and aid recovery.

Locations

Shanghai Disney Resort

Disney's first theme park and resort in mainland China, opened in 2016 under Bob Iger's watch, recognized for its incredible magnitude.

Pyongyang, North Korea

The location of the World Table Tennis Championships in 1979, which Bob Iger had to secure broadcast rights for, navigating US State Department sanctions and logistical challenges.

Austin

Mentioned as a city with good pizza, including Home Slice.