Welcome to Edition #83 of Gorick's newsletter, where Harvard career adviser and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Gorick Ng shares what they don't teach you in school about how to succeed in your career.
Sign up now to receive weekly career strategies!
→ Read time: 9 min
STORY
How the team behind Moana 2 wowed the CEO of Disney
When Moana came out in 2016, it made a solid $643 million in global box office sales. In the world of movies, success pretty much guarantees one thing: a sequel. But there was just one problem: Moana was successful, but it wasn’t quite successful enough—at least for Disney.
With movies like Frozen making over $1 billion, Moana looked small. So, Disney put the Polynesian musical adventure on the shelf to collect dust.
Then, in the middle of the streaming wars in 2019, Disney revived Moana—but as a TV series. Having a TV series isn’t shabby, but the destiny of a TV show just isn’t as bright as the destiny of a feature film. Shows don’t get the same launch or fanfare and are also more easily forgotten than a movie.
Nevertheless, Disney assembled the team, which spent nearly five years working on the script, animations, and set pieces.
Then, one day, Disney CEO Bob Iger and Disney Entertainment co-chair Alan Bergman came calling: they wanted to see a draft.
Believing that Moana’s sequel “deserved to be on the big screen”—but disappointed that the higher-ups at Disney had decided otherwise—the team handed Iger their very best work. Upon seeing it, Disney’s CEO immediately had a change of heart: indeed, Moana 2 “deserved a theatrical release.”
Fast forward, and, as of December 8, Moana 2 reached #1 in global box office sales and achieved the biggest opening of all time for an animated film.
UNSPOKEN RULE
You’re always selling yourself, even when you least expect it
Moana 2’s destiny was not yet decided… even though it seemed like it was. If you’re trying to change your fate, your luck, or whatever it might be, you just need to get in front of the right people and show your best work. Approach every interaction intentionally—no matter how informal it might appear—and you might just get what you want.
What’s an “unspoken rule”? They’re what separate those who get ahead in their careers from those who fall behind. Learn more in my Wall Street Journal bestselling book called—you guessed it—The Unspoken Rules.
STRATEGY
How to wow the people who matter
Gatekeepers are people who stand between you and whatever you want to achieve.
Applying for a job? Your gatekeeper is whoever you’re having a coffee chat with, followed by whoever’s screening your resume, followed by whoever’s interviewing you.
Want to get promoted? Your gatekeeper is whoever writes your performance evaluation, followed by whoever’s on the promotion committee.
At Disney, if you want an idea to become a movie, the most important gatekeeper is the CEO.
Gatekeepers rarely tap you on the shoulder and invite you to chat. So, if a gatekeeper offers to chat, make sure you wow them at every step. This means:
- Respond quickly (the other person can be slow, but you can’t)
- Offer every availability (the other person can be unavailable, but you can’t)
- Show up early (the other person can be late, but you can’t)
- Always bring something (the other person can be empty-handed, but you can’t)
“Bring something” doesn’t mean “buy an expensive gift”; it means “have something you’re ready to show that demonstrates that you prepared for the conversation.”
Meeting with a recruiter? Bring your resume and know what to say when you’re asked to “Tell me about yourself.”
- Here’s a template: “My name is _____ and ever since _____, I've wanted to do _____. So, I took it upon myself to _____, where I did _____. This led me to _____, where I did _____. Now, as I think about what I'd like to do next, I'd love to [combine _____ and _____ / take what I've learned from _____ and apply it to _____ / do more of _____ / focus more on _____], which is what brings me here today.”
Meeting with your manager? Have your work pulled up and know what to say when you’re asked to give a status update.
- Here’s a template: “I'm working on _____ where the goal is _____. So far, I've done _____ and still need to do _____. I anticipate finishing by _____. Could I ask you a question about _____?”
Meeting with someone for a “casual” coffee chat? Research the other person and be ready to ask questions that demonstrate that you’ve done your homework and aren’t wasting time on questions you could have found the answer to online.
- Here’s a template: “In my research on [their organization / initiative], I learned _____. Can you tell me more about [who / what / where / when / why / how]?”
Pitching an idea to a higher-up like the Moana 2 team and the CEO of Disney? Research what the other person cares about and be ready to share how your idea helps them achieve their #1 priority.
- Here’s a template: “I [wanted to share _____ / recently came across _____] and found it relevant to our work because _____. Have we ever considered _____?”
When trying to achieve a goal, it’s easy to put your head down and focus on the work itself, whether that means clicking “submit” to more applications or simply working harder in your job. This was my tendency as a first-gen, at least. My working-class single mom always told me: Put your head down, do the hard work, and let your hard work speak for itself.
So, I did… not realizing that my coworkers were off saying the right things to the right people—which led to them getting ahead with only a fraction of the effort.
Don’t just work hard!
Ask yourself: Who do I need to impress and what are they going to be impressed by?
ASK GORICK
Help! My manager keeps defending my underperformer
Q:
One of the juniors I manage consistently misses deadlines, and when her work does come in, it’s rushed and sloppy. This has been going on for almost two years, and others have raised concerns with our boss. While he defends her, he leaves the management to us [middle managers]. I’ve tried various approaches—adjusting deadlines, offering guidance, and being patient—but nothing seems to stick.
I’m ultimately accountable for the work, and while excluding her isn’t an option, her performance is becoming a reputational risk for me. I don’t want to sound like I’m complaining, but I need to address this with my manager. How would you suggest bringing this up effectively?
—J
Gorick:
Hi J—Thanks for your question, but sorry to hear about these circumstances! This sounds like a frustrating experience, especially given how long it’s been going on.
You mentioned that your manager defends her, which I consider to be the critical detail.
Is this because your manager (a) has a personal relationship with your direct report, (b) has otherwise had positive interactions with her, (c) doesn’t see you as a credible messenger, (d) can’t be bothered / is too busy to care, or (e) something else?
I ask because if (a), then we’ll need to brainstorm a bit because right off the bat you’re fighting a bit of a losing battle. Another professional I met recently has the tough job of managing an intern who happens to be the son of his own manager’s manager’s manager. That’s rough!
Regardless of the circumstances, though, here are 3 ideas:
1. Is there an opportunity for your direct report to submit a deliverable or present to your manager directly without you being the middleman (without you being blamed for not having checked her work of course)? That way, your manager can see their work product in its raw form without you being there to save her.
2. Is there someone else that your manager considers to be a more credible manager who can relay the message / reinforce your message? That way, they’re hearing it not just from you but from someone they trust more.
3. Is there another team or project that interests your direct report more than your current work that you could encourage her to pursue instead of staying with you? That way, they’re happier and you’re happier.
Just a few initial thoughts without knowing the full story. Best of luck!
—Gorick
Gorick Ng
Harvard career advisor | WSJ bestselling author
Follow me on LinkedIn
4 things from me you might find useful:
1. HOW TO SAY IT: Flashcards that teach you to know what to say in every high-stakes professional setting.
2. The Early Career Success Masterclass: My online course that takes you from day 1 in a new role through to a promotion with 28 modules and 28 cheatsheets (3.5 hours of content). Want this course reimbursed by your company? Here’s an email template.
3. The Unspoken Rules: My Wall Street Journal Bestseller that Arianna Huffington calls “a blueprint for anyone starting their career, entering a new role, or wanting to get unstuck." Used by top companies and MBA programs.
4. Keynote speaking: Including workshops and fireside chats for schools, companies, and non-profit organizations. Let’s connect!
You may also like
> What this unofficial Star Wars director can teach us about doubling down on your strengths
> What the CEO of Walmart can teach us about working your way to the top
> What Fei-Fei Li can teach us about not being complacent
Sources
