When Frank Baum wrote The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in 1900, little did he know that the desires of Dorothy’s friends were the exact traits that would determine a leader’s success or failure on the road of both professional and personal life.
Except for courage, we are all born with a heart and a brain. But it is how we chose to use each of these traits that will mark our ultimate destiny.
Brain
On her trip down the yellow brick road, Dorothy first meets the character who will become her most beloved friend - the Scarecrow. He tells her:
“I am a failure because I haven’t got a brain”.
Dorothy inquisitively asks:
“What would you do if you had a brain”.
The scarecrow recites all of the things he could do with a brain. In essence, he would use it for the greater good.
In today’s world of “the computers are coming to get your job,” we may wonder if having a brain is an essential part of being a successful professional. Maybe that is where we fall short. Professionals who don’t use their brains to logically think through issues and difficulties will face challenges. Artificial Intelligence has come a long way but there is still a real person behind much of the programming of that artificial intelligence. The ability to use your brain and maintain a “questioning mind” is essential to succeeding in today’s workforce. We need leaders who have conscious, can reason through complex problems and situations, and develop innovative solutions that meet our demanding and changing workforce. We need individuals that not only have a brain but recognize how to use it.
Heart
Next, Dorothy and the Scarecrow stumble upon the Tin Man. With a little grease lubricant, the Tin Man wakes up to the relief of being able to lower his arm that is holding the heavy ax. But the Tin Man also feels he is missing something. He proclaims to Dorothy that due to his empty chest:
“I'm presuming that I can only be a human if I only had a heart”
Of course, in real life, no person can live without a heart. But in the business world, we find all too often how individuals may have a heart but do not recognize its purpose outside keeping their blood flowing.
A heart is more than a functioning organ. Professionals, leaders, and managers who look to find the true road to success must learn the practice of utilizing the emotional portion of the heart when considering situations that emphasize integrity, truthfulness, and moral behavior. Many leaders overlook the “human” side of employment and treat workers in a manner that does not encourage a positive culture. In a way, these leaders can truly be heartless. Life should not be all about corporate profits. It is about caring for our world and the people in it to advance our culture in a way that will provide future generations with a bright yellow brick road to travel down.
Heartless leaders can be cancer in the workplace. A recent study by a major university indicated well over 70% of workers do not respect their supervisors and regularly exhibit some type of stress during their workday. All individuals have a different sense of right and wrong and that will continue to remain a part of our culture. But if leaders do not display a true sense of caring, empathy, and “heart” for their employees, the working world will continue to face the many ethical dilemmas that have plagued our society for decades.
Courage
Last, the friends stumble upon the cowardly lion. He has grown up very much alone. He feels that to get by in the world he needs a sense of courage.
Courage can be an underestimated necessity in today’s business world. For many, it takes courage to get up each morning, face the day and make it to an assigned job. This feeling also can be perpetrated by the organization's culture and style. I came out of school in the early 80s when women were not as prevalent in the workforce. For a young girl from Kansas, to move to a large city and work for a predominately male-dominated professional firm - well, it took courage beyond expectations. But today’s culture has matured far beyond this concern. However, courage in everyday actions is still an important element of success.
We must empower our employees with the ability to make decisions and have a questioning mind. This takes courage on the part of both the employee and employer. Compare this thought to having a young child question an adult. Inherently there is always the concern on the child’s part that the adult is older and will squash the child’s idea as being wrong. Professionals are the same way, and it doesn’t have to relate to age. If a new professional tries to inquire about an issue that has been long-standing, they may inherently feel it isn’t their place to question a legacy process. That is where courage comes in. Having the courage to question as well as accept questions will pave the way for professionals and companies to venture past the flying monkeys or the other elements that may prevent reaching the land of OZ.
It is amazing how concepts that have been in our world for decades can be dismissed or overlooked regarding their usefulness in building a strong organization and strong leaders. Think about these concepts and how they are applied in your organization. You may surprise yourself with things that seem obvious but are blocking the clear path of the yellow brick road.