This presentation examines leadership through the lens of L. Frank Baum’s ‘The Wonderful Wizard of Oz’. The reader will learn that a leader’s success is dependent upon a belief in oneself, having a goal for a better future, wisdom, emotional intelligence, and a willingness to take action. Throughout this presentation you will learn that developing these combined capabilities is a journey, a road filled with difficulties and obstacles. Baum’s fantasy provides a platform for leaders and students of leadership to reflect and gain perspective on their own journey down the yellow brick road of leadership.
2. Let’s start here…
• If you could select among these leadership attributes and only
have one, which would you choose and why? Why are they
important?
• Confidence and determination
• Vision: a goal for a better future
• Brains: intelligence developed into wisdom
• Heart: empathy and compassion
• Courage: commitment transferred to action
ACTION: Select one and write it down now
3. Do you have everything you need?
• Among the listed leadership attributes below, what
attributes, if any, are missing?
• Why are they important?
• Confidence and determination
• Vision: a goal for a better future
• Brains: intelligence developed into wisdom
• Heart: empathy and compassion
• Courage: commitment transferred to action
4. The power you hold within
• Glinda warns Dorothy, “Keep
tight inside of them – their
magic must be very
powerful, or she wouldn’t
want them so badly!”
• “When I gain those ruby
slippers, my power will be
the greatest in Oz!” – The
Wicked Witch of the West
5. The Power Within:
Confidence and Determination
• “Nothing in the world can take the
place of Persistence.
• Talent will not; nothing is more
common than unsuccessful men
with talent. Genius will not;
unrewarded genius is almost a
proverb. Education will not; the
world is full of educated derelicts.
• Persistence and determination
alone are omnipotent. The slogan
'Press On' has solved and always
will solve the problems of the
human race.”- Calvin Coolidge
6. The Power Within:
Confidence and Determination
• “One cannot teach a man anything. One can only enable
him to learn from within himself” - Galileo
• Christopher Robin to Pooh bear, “Promise me you’ll always
remember: You’re braver than you believe, and stronger
than you seem, and smarter than you think” - Milne
7. Dorothy’s Goal:
“There’s no place like home”
• Clarity of purpose: I want to go
home
• Commitment and the power of
repetition:
• Tell everyone about your goal
• Driving commitment requires
repetition
• Authentically engage your
followers in the adventure
• Take the time to understand
your follower’s goals – What’s in
it for me? (WIIFM)
8. Dorothy leads through a participative
leadership style
• Relations-oriented
• Achieve the tasks
• Implement the changes
• Benefits of Participative
Leadership
• Higher decision quality
• Higher decision acceptance
• Greater satisfaction with the
decision process
• Greater development of decision-
making skills
9. Leaders – Nature vs. Nurture?
• What is ‘a born leader’?
• Do born leaders exist?
• If so, provide examples.
10. The Scarecrow’s Brains:
Intelligence developed into Wisdom
• Highly reflective thinking
• A capability to reflect in the
moment
• It’s not “thinking”, it’s
“contemplating”
• Listening to followers is a
difficult but important task
11. The Tin Man’s Heart:
Empathy, Compassion and Authenticity
• An ability to motivate and inspire
• Vulnerability-based Trust
• Asking for support is an act of
courage, heart and thoughtfulness
• Having heart is the pinnacle of
susceptibility
• Followers want to see the real you
• Yes, positive leaders have heart,
more importantly, they share their
heart and encourage the hearts of
others
12. How Leaders can Lead with their Heart
1. Connect work to a mission, for example,
to journey to Oz and meet with the
Wizard
2. Connect to your co-workers – build
strong relationships through a shared
experience on the journey
3. Leave no employee behind – inviting
people to participate to achieve your
shared goals
13. How Leaders can Lead with their Heart
4. Insist on work/life balance – such as
taking time for self-care and grooming
before meeting the Wizard of Oz for the
first time
5. Share the wealth (the success)
6. Have more fun – happy employees are
more productive and singing along
journey is fun (“We’re off to see the
wizard, the wonderful wizard of Oz”)
7. Believe in the power of each person –
one person can make all the difference
14. Authentic Leadership
• Core Values of Authentic
Leaders:
• Honesty….Altruism…Kindness…Fairness…
Accountability…Optimism
• The traits and characteristics of
heart-centered leadership are:
• High mutual trust
• Transparency (open and honest
communication)
• Guidance toward shared objectives
• Emphasis on follower welfare and
development
15. The Lion’s Courage:
Commitment transferred to Action
• Change management
• Enabling change by taking action when
the risks are apparent and the likelihood
of failure is very real
• We experience courage when our
commitment to change enables us to
overcome our fear of failure
• Perseverance: Leading change against
walls of resistance
• It takes courage to challenge the status
quo and stay the course
16. Let’s end here…where we began
• If you could select among these leadership attributes and only
have one, which would you choose and why?
• Confidence and determination
• Vision: a goal for a better future
• Brains: intelligence developed into wisdom
• Heart: empathy and compassion
• Courage: commitment transferred to action
ACTION: Select one and write it down now.
Did your response change? If so, how and why?
18. The Yellow Brick Road of Leadership
• Success as a leader depends upon:
• A belief in oneself
• Having a goal for a better future
• Wisdom
• Emotional Intelligence
• A Willingness to Take Action
• Leadership is a Journey, filled with
Difficulties and Obstacles
• Reflect and Gain Perspective on Your Journey
19. References
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20. References, Cont’d
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21. References, Cont’d
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22. References, Cont’d
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