"You feed off of the energy that is happening around you. You can turn that into a positive experience. As the leader, the outcome has a greater chance of becoming a positive outcome or a negative outcome because you're personally involved and based on the way you handle a situation."

Djuan Rivers is a former Disney executive whose retirement journey is anything but typical. When Djuan left Disney, he didn’t settle into a quiet life. He packed up and moved to Paris, fully immersing himself in French culture. He even became a student again at the prestigious Sorbonne University.

Listening to Djuan’s stories, I couldn’t help but smile as he shared how he mastered a thick French accent to fit in. Or remember him attending a Seattle Kraken hockey game wearing the wrong jersey. But beyond these adventures, Djuan’s insights on leadership is always on point. He emphasizes the importance of authenticity and transparency. Those are the traits he says carried him through his time at Disney and continue to guide him today.

Djuan believes that true leadership means being transparent. You let your team see the successes as well as the challenges. This honesty builds trust and strengthens connections within a team. Adaptability and openness to new experiences make us stronger leaders. If you’re ready to explore how authenticity and adaptability can transform your leadership, this episode is packed with insights and inspiration. 

Being a leader means you are willing to stay curious and embrace new challenges. Djuan's ability to balance adventure with reflection shows that great leaders never stop learning, even when they’ve stepped away from their formal roles.

Djuan’s journey proves that the best chapters often come after the expected ending.

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