Doug Lipp

Doug Lipp, an internationally acclaimed expert on customer service, leadership and diversity, motivates and challenges audiences around the world as a consultant and speaker. Doug has spent over 30 years working from the front lines to the boardrooms of corporations around the world, and has been a featured guest on National Public Radio and Bloomberg News. He addresses the topics of global and domestic customer service, leadership and cultural diversity with his clients in North America and abroad.

Formerly the Head of Training at Disney's Corporate Headquarters, Doug provided the famous Disney University "Traditions" program and developed leadership courses for Disney executives. Pivotal in Doug's career with Disney was his experience in the mid-80's when the corporate culture changed from the arrogant: "We're the best; why change?" to the progressive: "Don't rest on your laurels" powerhouse corporation that Disney remains today. Doug found that even strong organizations, like Disney, must embrace change and be willing to innovate.

Fluent in Japanese, Doug was on the start-up team for Tokyo Disneyland, Disney's first international theme park. After leaving Disney, he co-founded, with a Stanford University professor, the Intercultural Relations Institute. Based upon his rich career at Disney, plus his work as an international consultant for some of the world's most admired corporations and business leaders, Doug explores the strategic necessity of why all companies must now think globally, and act locally. Learn how companies such as IBM, Starbucks, Procter & Gamble, Siemens and Intel have benefited from those lessons.

He is the author of numerous articles and seven books on leadership, customer service and international business, including his two most popular: "The Changing Face of Today's Customer: How to Attract and Retain a Diverse Customer and Employee Base" and "Even Monkeys Fall from Trees: The Art and Science of Outstanding Customer Service", which focuses on a balanced approach to service, leadership and teamwork.

Doug customizes every keynote presentation or workshop to the client's specific needs. Known across corporate America and around the world for his captivating and humorous story-telling style of delivery, Doug challenges his audience to take action and get results!

• 4. Global Competitiveness & Diversity

  Popular Titles for Global Competitiveness Speeches:
  
  ·Common Sense Versus Cultural Sense-The 6 Mistakes Every Global Company Makes and What to Do About It.
  ·The Changing Face of Today's Customer- The Globe is Shrinking, Is Your Business Expanding?
  ·Customize your own title to fit your conference theme
  
  
  The globe is shrinking... is your business expanding? All companies that expand globally, or provide products to culturally diverse customers, eventually run into problems. Learn what companies such as IBM, Starbucks, Procter & Gamble, Intel and Disney have discovered (often the hard way) and how you can benefit from those lessons. This session gives real-life examples that support the concept of think globally, but act locally, and is a "must" for groups that serve a culturally diverse customer or employee base either domestically or internationally.
  
  Doug's international experience began at the age of 16 when he began studying Japanese. He developed a passion for the study of other cultures and after earning a graduate degree and becoming fluent in Japanese, Doug was hired by Disney. Fast-tracked into management, Doug was on the start-up team for their first international theme park, Tokyo Disneyland, a rousing success story. Doug this time, Doug worked with Disney's top executives and board members, preparing him for leading their training division upon returning to headquarters.
  
  Following his work with Disney, Doug became a founding member of an international consulting firm with a professor from Stanford University. Their work focused on helping multinational corporations succeed in the global marketplace. In addition to his speaking career, Doug currently works as a consultant to organizations interested in addressing the needs of their diverse employee and customer base. He has coached numerous Fortune 500 companies in adapting their approach to dealing with a changing market and an international audience. As with all his presentations, Doug personalizes this presentation to address the specific needs of the client by including thought-provoking activities, success stories and learning modules to reinforce key messages. As a result of attending this session, participants will learn:
  
  ·How world-class organizations have turned "cultural sense" into a vital component of their global success.
  ·The six most common mistakes made by companies in this age of globalization and how to avoid them.
  ·How embracing "backyard globalization" leads to market growth and dominance.
  

• 3. Change Management - Change/Creativity/Innovation

  Popular Titles for Change/Change Management Speeches:
  
  ·Moving Beyond Stuck in the Middle Seat® - Welcome Change and Take Control
  ·The Changing Face of Today's Customer
  ·Even Monkeys Fall From Trees – Learn from Mistakes and Embrace Change – Lessons From Disney
  ·Customize your own title to fit your conference theme
  
  
  Even the best and the brightest make mistakes. However, the ability to deal with setbacks, then bounce back even stronger, is the hallmark of consistent market leaders. Join Doug as he takes you on a "behind the scenes" tour of the Walt Disney Company to learn about both its successes and how it overcame spectacular obstacles by challenging the status quo and embracing change. Doug's Disney career included the landmark period in the mid-80's when Disney changed their corporate culture changed from the arrogant: "We're the best; why change?" to the progressive: "Don't rest on your laurels" powerhouse corporation that Disney remains today.
  
  The vast majority of continually successful organizations are those where the prevailing attitude is "change or perish." Competition is fierce but the companies that are willing to reinvent themselves will survive and thrive. Constant growth and change, from the executive levels to the front lines, is what drives sustainability. An attitude of arrogance, indifference, or the victim mentality can bring an organization to its knees. How do the best organizations overcome such growth traps as: turf wars, hierarchical barriers and creative stagnation?
  
  In this thought-provoking presentation, Doug gives multiple examples of how world-class organizations have eliminated barriers to improvement and enthusiastically embraced change. Doug constantly challenges his audience to ponder the questions: The world is changing, are you? The globe is expanding, is your business? Participants will learn to assess their organizations by blending existing knowledge and skills with improved attitudes, strategies and habits.
  
  By conducting a personalized needs assessment for every client, Doug develops a presentation that addresses his client's specific growth and change issues. What are the prevailing market realities? What strategies are in place to address them? Is change embraced or avoided? What is working and what is failing? Doug assures that his client's most important challenges are conveyed by weaving into his message specific client history, plus related examples from other organizations. As a result of attending this session, participants will learn:
  
  ·New tools for assessing the flexibility and creativity of their organization.
  ·Strategies for turning diversity of customer and employee base into a competitive advantage.
  ·The seven "musts" for moving from merely surviving ... to thriving!
  ·From observation-to-domination: How and why the best see more than the rest.
  

• 2. Leadership & Teamwork

  Popular Titles for Leadership Speeches:
  
  ·Lead the Way, Your Customers and Employees Will Follow
  ·Great Leadership = Great Customer Service
  ·The "Magic" of Exceptional Leadership, Teamwork & Service
  ·Customize your own title to fit your conference theme
  
  
  Very few people are "natural born leaders." So, what are the rest of us to do? This presentation demonstrates how the best leaders in the world infuse their organizations with the unbeatable combination of vision, extraordinary communication skills and an uncompromising commitment to quality. Great leadership = great customer service. The best leaders also recognize that exceptional customer service breaks down if they don't model the desired attitudes and behaviors with their internal customers ... their employees. Doug reinforces these concepts through a combination of amusing, yet thought-provoking stories from his career at Disney and as a consultant to Fortune 100 corporations.
  
  Top and middle-managers are responsible for creating the culture of the organization and building the team that "lives and breathes" the culture. Successful leaders get it: employees, and customers, sense sincerity and respond to it. Doug gives numerous examples of how successful leaders become role-models of excellence, leading to both personal and professional success.
  
  Doug always personalizes his presentations to include interactive learning activities that match the client's most important challenges. Plus, Doug's engaging style and "hands-on" exercises keep participants on their toes and ensure the message will remembered!
  
  This is a high-content presentation that will educate and dig deep into your organization's specific goals. Doug is often asked to design this presentation for executive retreats, building and customizing his learning modules to include the client's innermost corporate mission, culture, language and development goals. This popular and impactful leadership session is often expanded into half-day and all-day retreats for leadership teams and boards of directors. As a result of attending this session, participants will learn:
  
  ·The vital importance of creating and sustaining an organizational "culture."
  ·The power of execution, consistency and transparency.
  ·How to ensure top-level strategies and values are embraced by front-line employees
  ·How to build, and benefit from, creating "global sense" in a local market.
  

• 1. Customer Service - Customer Service/Communication/Motivation

  Popular Titles for Customer Service Keynote Speeches:
  
  ·The Magic of Exceptional Customer Service
  ·All Business is Show Business – Disney's Formula for Success
  ·The Balance of Art and Science for Outstanding Customer Service
  ·Creating Service Magic - Attracting, Motivating & Retaining Employees & Customers During Tough Times
  ·Pixie Dust! – Creating a Guest Service Attitude with Disney Basics
  ·Customize your own title to fit your conference theme
  
  
  What is the magic of Disney? Doug's Walt Disney University training experience provides fascinating stories, unique insights, and invaluable lessons. Learn how certain skills, attitudes and behaviors contribute to exceptional performance to build, win, and keep market share. Customer service keynote speeches and workshops are customized to include service modules that meet the client's specific needs.
  
  Service and attitude affect your bottom line. Doug's active listening strategy, R.A.P.S., introduces techniques for improved communication, building internal and external relationships, and handling unpleasant confrontations. His well-known "Life as Tigger" story animates how employees can positively address inter-departmental strife. Doug shares Disney's "SCSE" comprehensive service philosophy to illustrate how Disney achieves and maintains service excellence. Other popular customer service modules include Disney's show business service language and concepts, including why the terms "on-stage and off-stage behavior", "cast member", and "costumes" encourage employees to put on their best "show" in front of the "guest".
  
  Using a variety of activities and approaches, Doug keeps the attendees energized and engaged. He clearly conveys his ideas by including individual and group exercises that illustrate his enthusiastic message. This keynote speech is a great choice for an opening session at your conference. Clients often choose customer service as a topic to set the tone for their meeting and Doug is a master at creating a high-energy and memorable kick-off message. Also, this topic is equally effective for a closing keynote speech. Doug studies conference curriculum and breakouts, then masterfully incorporates vital learning themes into his wrap-up keynotes. Either as a closing or opening keynote presenter, Doug inspires participants to return to their job and share these best practices. As a result of attending this session, participants will learn:
  
  ·The secret for creating Disney-style "magic" in their own organizations.
  ·How to dramatically distance themselves from their competition.
  ·How to Key management and teambuilding strategies used by world-class organizations.
  ·The power of balance. How the strongest organizations attain and sustain market dominance. The four "musts."
  

• Your witty Disney experiences offer invaluable lessons in client service... You left the participants enlightened and energized.
  Merrill Lynch
• I can say with certainty that you were the best speaker we've had in recent years. You were easy to follow and your illustrations were most interesting. The audience stayed with you the entire hour that passed far too quickly.
  Merry Maids
• Your engaging style and personal experience supported your key topics of communication, leadership and the need for constant change. We are in a hugely competitive market and your stories of how Disney differentiated itself from the competition were inspiring to all.
  PepsiCo
• You gave what was without a doubt the best presentation we have ever had. I would like to commend you on your pre-event research. Anyone hearing you would assume that you are a long term Remedy employee due to the skilful way you meshed our company culture, vocabulary, and methods into your presentation.
  Remedy Intelligent Staffing
• The key to your successful presentation was your ability to blend an important message with an approach that is effective to an international audience. The examples you shared from your days with Disney in Japan and the U.S. made your message all the more enjoyable.
  IBM

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  May 2008

  Stuck in the Middle Seats: Why Traveling Can Really Suck!

  Join our two luckless travelers, Bob and Lucy as they experience one travel nightmare after another. Like you, they've been "on the road" one too many trips and never seem to catch a break. So, if you think you're having a rough time right now, just look at them and realize things could be a lot worse! Written by the former head of corporate training at Disney Studios, and full of illustrations by a former Mad Magazine artist, Stuck in the Middle Seat will become your welcomed oasis during a stress-filled journey.

  
  
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  October 2003

  The Changing Face of Today's Customer

  This book, written by a former head trainer at the Walt Disney University, tells readers how to design an individualized customer service system for their industry.

  
  
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  March 2001

  Even Monkeys Fall from Trees

  M

  Monkeys takes the concept of learning from our successes and mistakes – the concept of keeping your balance on the tree -- and applies it to customer service. And, references to customers include not only your external customers, who buy your goods or services, but your internal customers as well, including your co-workers, managers, and subordinates. So, Monkeys addresses the topics of leadership and teamwork, as well.  Whether you are an executive heading up a company or a front-line employee, reading the book and doing the exercises will help you assess your current approach, so you can identify areas of strength and areas for improvement.

  
  
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  January 1998

  Danger and Opportunity: Resolving Conflict in US-Based Japanese Subsidiaries

  Foreign subsidiaries in the US are in crisis. Cross-cultural misunderstandings and ineffective communication leave managers and employees frustrated, confused and angry. In Danger and Opportunity, authors Lipp and Clarke examine these crises and suggest that within them can be found opportunities for growth and development into stronger organizations.