Where is Dana Walden? According to her lightly used Instagram, she attended the premiere of the new season of Only Murders in the Building. She also appeared to be at D23, but I never saw her onstage. While her co-chairman of Disney Entertainment took the stage during their entertainment showcase and Josh D’Amaro led his presentation, Walden’s lack of public exposure was noticeable. I can’t imagine it is intentional, but is she ghosting us Disney fans?
Not everyone needs to be a personality to be a successful businessperson. There is no question that Walden is a success. She has found critical accomplishment at Disney as evidenced by reaching a company record of 183 Emmy nominations. But while you don’t need to be out-in-front to lead a Disney business, you have to if you want to lead The Walt Disney Company. This legacy, which goes back to Disney hosting his television show, has caused the role of Disney CEO to be a household name. Michael Eisner famously took acting classes in order to be more telegenic upon getting the position. Bob Iger transitioned from a stiff executive to one who was focused on fan engagement through acts such as acquiring Oswald and creating D23. Bob Chapek, who did not succeed in the role, attempted outreach, but often used corporate speak. He also could be defiant and closed to feedback on ways he could improve his engagement. Much like being President of the United States, it is not enough for you to be effective at managing your responsibilities — you have to have the presence to be engaging to your audience.
Puck recently reported that Dana Walden and Josh D’Amaro are the front-runners to become Disney’s next CEO. While pitting two colleagues against each other makes me uncomfortable, it is clear that when it comes to engagement, D’Amaro has the edge. He pioneered the now-required concept of being a Disney executive on Instagram. He has also become a celebrity at the parks where he will not hesitate to stop to pose for a selfie or get some feedback from fans. His recent D23 presentation also included a healthy dose of self-deprecating humor which has the result of humanizing an executive.
Now, Walden is at a disadvantage as she doesn’t have a theme park to walk through to engage with the Disney-faithful. Also, much of what she oversees doesn’t even fall under the Disney umbrella. That being said, she does oversee Disney Branded Television and all of its output for Disney Channel and Disney+. This includes Television Animation, which has developed a long legacy for The Walt Disney Company, so she does have opportunities to engage with Disney content. She did not appear to be at recent D23 fan events for Shogun or Only Murders in the Building, which could have served as good opportunities to win over fans.
So what is my hope for someone who may be leading Disney in the near future? My biggest desire for Dana Walden is that I want to know that she understands Disney is different from 21st Century Fox, where she spent the majority of her career. In fact, it is different from any other company in the world. Disney holds a special place in American culture as well as the hearts and minds of families around the globe. It is not just another entertainment company that requires an entertainment executive. Disney needs someone who respects Disney’s legacy and culture and wants to continue pushing it forward in new and exciting directions. It also needs someone who can be an ambassador to the public who can communicate Disney’s biggest dreams.
Perhaps, she does understand what makes Disney special. But my unsolicited advice is to start communicating her passion for Disney. While I don’t expect to get an interview with such a high-ranking executive, there are many prestigious outlets who would jump at the chance to help Walden tell the world what Disney means to her. While I don’t expect her to prematurely outline her vision for Disney’s future, I would like some insight into the place Disney holds in her heart.
I once was told that a smart leader can be trained to execute any business, but you can’t train leadership and you can’t train heart. Bob Chapek did not fail because he ran the parks and not the studios, he failed because of his leadership and heart. Michael Eisner learned the theme park business, Jeffrey Katzenberger learned animation, and Bob Iger learned how to lead a branded business. When it comes to my eventual worthless endorsement for the next Disney CEO, I will care less about how they managed their fiefdom, and more about how they lead their teams and how they value Disney, its legacy, and its people. I hope to learn more about all the candidates in this regard, in the near future.