Remember how the Scarecrow wanted a brain? How the Cowardly Lion looked for courage? How the Tin Man searched for his heart? While all along, Dorothy longed for home.
They went on a journey together in search of the Wizard, thinking he had what they desired. At the end of the journey, they realized they already had inside what they were seeking, all along.
Our clients often land at our doorstep seeking answers. But, we don’t claim to be wizards.
We support you finding what you are seeking within — your organization, your team and within yourself.
We bring our curiosity and evoke yours. Together, we explore and uncover, question assumptions, and peer into and around the dark corners. We examine your long-held beliefs, values, automatic behaviors and attitudes.
Together, we get deeply curious.
Some of the challenges we face in organizations have to do with our ability to work together effectively. We often have stories about who we work with and many of those stories are not empowering of the person or what we are out to accomplish.
What if David wasn’t just the arrogant know-it-all who shows up to every meeting with his brilliance on broadcast?
What if you learned that Leigh’s pessimism and anxiety stemmed from a deep sense of responsibility to keep the team aware of potential pitfalls in a project?
What is motivating the way you act and react? And what else might be possible?
It takes courage to be willing to step back and take an objective look at ourselves, or a difficult relationship, or a challenging team situation or dynamic.
It requires compassion, too.
None of us needs an extra helping of judgment or criticism, do we? Most of us have it in abundance, focused both inwardly and outwardly.
In a heated moment, a client once described one of her direct reports as the Wicked Witch of the West, and she said even harsher things about herself. This gave her a very limited view into this woman’s talents, and her own.
To be compassionate toward ourselves and others gives us permission to be imperfect, forgiving and gentle. We can pause to reconnect with our hearts and each other, rather than react and criticize or lash out. A measured response has the possibility to bridge rather than create separation.
Most often we ruffle people’s personalities — the surface — rather than evoke the best of who they are.
When we are curious about ourselves, others and circumstances; when we are courageous enough to examine our assumptions and beliefs; when we extend compassion and empathy to ourselves and one another, we tap into gifts and talents.
We all grow bigger.
What if Dorothy, the Lion, the Scarecrow and the Tinman had looked within? They would have realized they had the power all along. So will you.
