Eisner talks success in entertainment industry

The Ringling College Library Association kicked off the Town Hall 2016 Lecture Series with former Disney CEO and entertainment industry expert Michael Eisner Tuesday, Jan. 19 at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall. 

After leaving Disney in 2005, Eisner stayed active in the industry of entertainment and founded the Tornante Company. Tornante is a private company that invests, acquires and operates companies in media and entertainment. 

Eisner also incorporated his book "Working Together: Why Great Partnerships succeed," into the lecture with some of his business tips to success. Among the tips was the use of creativity and why micromanagement is necessary. 

"Now, I realize that conventional thinking has come to depict micromanagement as something of a pejorative. Nothing could be further from the truth," Eisner said. "Micromanagement is really just short hand for saying that managers should be very involved in every level of operations and should assume a high degree of responsibility for everything within their oversight."

He described the founder of Disney, Walt Disney, as being one of the best micromanagers in business. 

"Whether he was coming up with a gag for a cartoon or picking up trash up off the streets in Disneyland," Eisner said. "Nothing was too small for his attention."

The relationship between The Walt Disney Studios and Ringling College of Art and Design is one that President Larry Thompson sees as a source of pride for the college. 

"It's really fantastic that he's here," Thompson said. "So many of our students throughout the years have gone on to work for Disney Studios and Disney animation."