Robert Iger's pragmatic risk-taking played a significant role in his success as CEO of Disney. One of the key examples of this was his decision to repair the relationship with Pixar after taking over as CEO. Despite the previous tension between Disney and Pixar, Iger recognized the value of Pixar's creative output and the potential benefits of a strong partnership. This decision was a risk, given the acrimonious history, but it was a calculated one, based on a clear understanding of the potential rewards. This approach to risk-taking, which combines boldness with careful analysis and planning, was a hallmark of Iger's tenure at Disney and a key factor in his success.

Asked on the following book summary:

resource preview

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...

Download, customize, and translate hundreds of business templates for free

Start for free ⬇️

Go to dashboard to download stunning templates

Download

book summary Preview

View all chevron_right

Question was asked on:

In the mid-1990s, Disney had a co-production and distribution deal with Pixar, but the tension between then-Disney CEO Michael Eisner and Steve Jobs at Pixar led to the two companies acrimoniously parting ways in 2004. Once it was announced in early 2005 that Iger would be taking over as the next CEO of Disney, he decided that one of his first tasks was to repair the relationship with Pixar, which meant building a new relationship with Steve Jobs.

stars icon
Questions and answers
info icon

Yes, there are several examples of companies that have successfully repaired strained business relationships. One such example is Apple and IBM. In the 1980s, Apple ran an ad campaign portraying IBM as the enemy. However, in 2014, they announced a partnership to create business apps for iPhones and iPads. Another example is Microsoft and Sun Microsystems. They had a decade-long dispute over Java, a programming language developed by Sun. In 2004, they settled their differences and announced a collaboration to make their products work better together.

stars icon Ask another question