Reverence vs Respect

As I mentioned a couple of days ago, I am currently watching the MasterClass by Bob Iger, the former (and once again current) CEO at The Walt Disney Company.  I really enjoyed his book on leadership, The Ride of a Lifetime, and so far his MasterClass has been wonderful!  When Iger took over as CEO in 2005, one of his first priorities (remember "Your focus determines your reality") was to revitalize (maybe resuscitate is a better word?) Disney's famed animation studio, which he felt was really the lifeblood of the entire company.  

Iger talks about having to confront the traditionalists who felt that Disney's past was to be revered - in other words, Disney brand should be not be touched.  He argued that there is a big difference between respecting the traditions of an organization versus revering those same traditions.  "If you revere something, you work hard to protect it so that it stays the same.  You may as well place it in a museum case so that it doesn't change."  Respecting a brand, conversely, "considers all the reason why it was so valued in the first place."  By respecting the proud traditions of an organization, Iger would argue that you can still keep it relevant in modern times.  There is no question that what made an organization successful in the past may not work in the present.  By respecting these traditions - not revering them - an organization can maintain the ties to the past, embrace the present, and look forward to a new future.

There is a subtle difference between reverence and respect, but I believe it is an important one.  Take a look at the following quote by Abraham Lincoln.  He said, "Let reverence for the laws be breathed by every American mother to the lisping babe that prattles on her lap - let it be taught in schools, in seminaries, and in colleges; let it be written in primers, spelling books, and in almanacs; let it be preached from the pulpit, proclaimed in legislative halls, and enforced in courts of justice."  Reverence, used in this kind of context, sounds a lot like placing something on a pedestal or in a museum so that it is honored, cherished, idolized, and most importantly, not changed.  

Albert Einstein said, "Everyone should be respected as an individual, but no one idolized."  The definition of the word respect says it all.  Respect is defined as a feeling of deep admiration for someone or something elicited by their abilities, qualities, or achievements.  We can respect what an organization has accomplished in the past by remembering and holding a deep admiration for it, but we don't have to idolize it to the point where we ignore the need to change it.  As I stated previously in an older post, "The need for change is not an indictment of the past."

So how did the Disney brand evolve under Iger's leadership?  During his tenure as CEO, Disney acquired Pixar, Marvel Entertainment, Lucasfilm, and 21st Century Fox and increased its market capitalization fivefold.  Disney once again was the entertainment leader.  Iger changed the brand to make it more modern, while simultaneously respecting the proud traditions of the past.