A leader can effectively distance themselves from the mistakes of their predecessors by focusing on the future and outlining their own plans and strategies. They should refuse to dwell on past mistakes and instead demonstrate their own vision and integrity. Building trust and maintaining good relationships at the top also matter.

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Tom Murphy and Dan Burke, who bought ABC in 1985, taught Robert Iger that true integrity – being guided by your clear sense of right and wrong – can be a secret weapon in a competitive business. In Iger's words: "The way you do anything is the way you do everything." Iger still has a note that Dan Burke handed him early in his career: "Avoid getting into the business of manufacturing trombone oil...the world only consumes a few quarts of trombone oil a year!" In other words, only invest in building things that people need. When Disney's board was considering Iger to be the new CEO, they questioned how he could be trusted when he'd been Michael Eisner's number two throughout several poor business decisions. Iger refused to rehash the past and determined to focus on the future: "You want to know where I'm going to take this company, not where it's been. Here's my plan." Relationships at the top matter. Former CEO Michael Eisner and company President Michael Ovitz constantly clashed. This...

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The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned from 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company

Chairman and CEO of the Walt Disney Company, Robert Iger, tells his story and lays out the principles that successfully guided the legendary brand thr...

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