The Yellow Brick Road of Teamwork: Lessons from the Wizard of Oz
Nothing evokes more nostalgia than a family tradition. My fiance’s family, for example, had a tradition of making cherry cheesecake on his father’s birthday. They also had an interesting tradition of putting their Christmas cards directly on the Christmas tree, as decorations. In my house one of our great traditions was to make predictions on New Year’s Eve of what was going to happen next year, not only in the nation and the world but also in the family. (I remember always predicting that this would be the year my father would publish his book and my brother Brian would finally have a girlfriend.) On birthdays at my house, it was traditional to choose between an egg breakfast with sausage or bacon, or a dim sum lunch at our favorite restaurant. Ah, sweet caloric memories.
Most family traditions seem to be annual in nature (birthdays, holidays, etc.), pinned on the calendar, but one of my all-time favorite traditions was relatively random in nature: the ritual of watching “The Wizard of Oz “on television. . In the past (before DVDs, Netflix and TiVo), you relied on networks for your small screen entertainment when one of the big three (was it NBC?) Deemed it time to show “The Wizard of Oz”, the Blum. the family would cancel all other plans, gather around the tit tube and spend the next 4 hours watching Judy Garland, Bert Lahr, Ray Bolger and all those munchkins traveling the Yellow Brick Road. Could all those repeat visits from The Wizard of Oz be responsible for my current career as a coach and team builder? It’s certainly possible, because the 1939 classic is quite simply the best teamwork parable in film history!
Think about it. Here you have your typical low-level “manager”, Dorothy Gale, under the control of benevolent but controlling Aunt Em. Upon request, she is transferred (in a kind of whirlwind) from her comfortable but boring position in monochrome Kansas. Department to the new colorful Department of Oz. It is an extravagant place, this Oz, with a very different culture than its original division. People speak differently here; they have a different dress code. Adjusting to her new environment will take some time and effort, and to top it all, Dorothy is accidentally responsible for the elimination of her predecessor, a certain Wicked Witch of the East. Dorothy’s new colleagues seem mostly happy about the changing of the guard, but Dorothy discovers that she has also made some powerful enemies. It doesn’t take long for her to decide that this place on the rainbow is not for her. But moving back to Kansas isn’t that easy. It appears that all transfer requests must be approved by the Corporation, later in Emerald City. Dorothy then takes her request to the big boss, one Mr. Wizard, accompanied as always by her loyal assistant, Toto.
As Dorothy soon discovers, it is a long and winding road to the executive offices, riddled with yellow tape at every corner. She will need some allies: some like-minded colleagues who have their own requests to address with management. So Dorothy assembles her team, a wildly diverse group of individuals with complementary talents and abilities. There’s Scarecrow, a flexible and instinctive guy, not very thoughtful, but with the substance of greatness in him, someone you definitely want on your side. And there’s Tin Man, a little stiff at first but full of heart when you let go. And finally there’s Lion, full of swagger on the outside, but deep down a real pussycat, with hidden depths of courage. Together, the team will overcome incredible obstacles, fighting through a forest of thorny telephone trees and bureaucratic obstacles until they finally reach the Emerald City Industrial Complex, the offices of the Wizard himself.
Like many CEOs, the magician hides behind a veil of wealth and power, never showing his true face. Their spokesperson, a terrifying face filled with sound and fury, insists the team must complete an impossible project before their requests are approved. Dorothy and her colleagues must sweep the competition and land the account of the most challenging client in their industry: Wicked West Unlimited. The task is dangerous; minimal resources. But with courage and determination and the valiant efforts of Dorothy’s assistant, the team fulfills its mission, on time and on budget.
But still, the Wizard is recalcitrant. It seems that he is much less powerful than he claimed, hidden in his ivory tower, clinging to his position with smoke and mirrors. In the end, the team realizes that putting all their hopes in management was a mistake. Rather, meeting your needs would only be achieved through your own efforts and determination. Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Lion leave to found Brain startup Heart & Courage, relying only on their own innate abilities. And Dorothy, well, pulls a few strings, draws on her own equity capital, and manifests a transfer back to her old apartment. But with all the experience you’ve gained on the trip, things are different in Kansas. Dorothy is the boss now, and Auntie Em better take care of her.
At least that’s how I remember it, at Blum’s house. There is no place like home.
Lessons from Oz for Team Leaders:
1. Build as diverse a team as possible.
2. Encourage greatness in peers.
3. Keep moving, even when you prefer to stop and smell the poppies.
4. Trust the special abilities of your teams; even your most novice employee can turn a witch into a pool of water if given the chance
5. Watch out for burning bridges (or falling houses); you can make powerful enemies.
6. Consider the resources available to you; you may be able to avoid administration.