“Don’t be in the business of playing it safe. Be in the business of creating possibilities for greatness.”
– Bob Iger (The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned from 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company)
I have been through many different memoirs, biographies, and autobiographies. With some, you get to take an interesting journey down memory lane with someone truly spectacular. With others, you get a front-row seat to the long-winded recording of an individual who loves nothing more than the sound of their own voice. You don’t always know what you will get, but with The Ride of a Lifetime by Bob Iger, the truth is in the title.
The Ride of a Lifetime is exactly what it sounds like. Sure, there have been ups and downs since the passing of Walt, but this was undeniably a 15-year journey upward for one of the most beloved media organizations on the planet. Dynasties rise and fall for a variety of reasons, but the legacies they create and leave behind depend entirely upon the vision that created them.
I would never compare Bob to Walt. That is not a comparison that can be reasonably expected or made. But there is no denying that, of the many leaders that have followed in the footsteps of Walt Disney, few have made anywhere near the level of contributions that Mr. Iger made. The Ride of a Lifetime almost reads like fiction. You want to blame it all on luck, but there was also plenty of patience, smarts, humility, and determination.
Most importantly, in my view, The Ride of a Lifetime is about the vision of a man who saw beyond the profitability of a company and understood the responsibility that was bestowed upon him. He wasn’t just put in charge of a company. He was entrusted with the dreams and the legacies of a visionary. Every choice made was weighed against the vision he was responsible for and he wasn’t afraid to take risks on wild ideas.
Whether you are looking for an inspirational business figure or even just a story about a wild ride through the ranks of various media organizations, I definitely recommend giving this book a try.
Journeyman's Legacy 