In This Issue

Following the yellow brick road: Leadership lessons from The Wizard of Oz

Leadership vs. Management: Knowing the difference

Get team members on the same page

Activating HOPE

Random wisdom

September 2025

Following the yellow brick road: Leadership lessons from The Wizard of Oz

For my birthday this year, my husband and I decided to go see The Wizard of Oz at Sphere in Las Vegas. It wasn’t just a movie; it was an immersive, sensory experience that wrapped me in nostalgia, wonder, and reflection. As the dazzling visuals unfolded and Judy Garland’s iconic voice echoed through the venue, I found myself thinking less about the spectacle and more about the timeless leadership lessons tucked inside this beloved story.

The journey through Oz is more than a fantastical adventure—it’s a masterclass in personal growth. Each character embodies a trait essential to leadership: the Scarecrow longs for brains, the Tin Man for heart, and the Cowardly Lion for courage. Dorothy, though young and unsure, leads with empathy, resilience, and a deep sense of connection. Watching their journey play out in such a grand setting reminded me how often we, as leaders, forget that these qualities aren’t just aspirational—they’re foundational.

Brains aren’t just about intellect—they’re about curiosity, problem-solving, and the ability to think critically under pressure. The Scarecrow believed he lacked intelligence, yet he was often the one who came up with clever solutions. It’s a reminder that self-doubt can cloud our perception of our own capabilities.

Heart speaks to compassion, emotional intelligence, and the ability to connect with others. The Tin Man’s yearning for a heart wasn’t about sentimentality—it was about the power of empathy. In leadership, heart is what builds trust, fosters loyalty, and creates environments where people feel seen and valued.

Courage, as the Lion discovered, isn’t the absence of fear—it’s the willingness to act in spite of it. Leaders face uncertainty, criticism, and high stakes. True courage is showing up anyway, especially when the path ahead is unclear.

And then there’s Dorothy, whose journey is anchored by one simple truth: “There’s no place like home.” That line hit me harder than I expected. It reminded me of my mom, who used to say it every time I let her know I’d arrived safely after traveling. Her words were a gentle nudge to remember where I came from—and who I am. As leaders, we often chase goals, titles, and recognition, but it’s our roots, our values, and our relationships that keep us grounded.

Leaving Sphere that afternoon, I felt more than just birthday joy—I felt clarity. Leadership isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about embracing the journey, leaning into our strengths, and remembering that the most powerful leaders are those who lead with brains, heart, courage, and connection.

Because in the end, there really is no place like home.

~Written by Dr. Hope Zoeller

Leadership vs. Management: Knowing the difference

While leadership and management often overlap, they are not the same—and knowing the difference can transform how you approach your role.

Management is primarily about doing and directing. Managers focus on planning, organizing, and controlling resources to achieve specific goals. They create systems, assign tasks, track progress, and ensure work gets done efficiently and effectively. In short, management is about execution—making sure the train runs on time.

Leadership, on the other hand, is about serving and selling. Leaders serve by putting the needs of their team, organization, and mission above their own. They listen, remove obstacles, and invest in people’s growth. They sell—not in the traditional “sales” sense, but by inspiring others to believe in a vision, buy into a shared purpose, and commit their best energy to the cause. Leaders create emotional connection and momentum, sparking motivation rather than merely enforcing compliance.

Strong organizations need both. Without effective management, even the most inspiring vision will fall apart in execution. Without strong leadership, even the most efficient systems will eventually stall due to low morale or lack of direction.

The key is to balance both skill sets—direct when you must, but serve and inspire at every opportunity. When leaders can manage well and managers can lead with vision, the result is a culture where people are both productive and passionately engaged.

~Written by Dr. Hope Zoeller

Get team members on the same page

When you're leading a task force or project team, you need everyone to move in the same direction. Get started as soon as possible. At your first meeting, ask everyone to write down five goals for the group. Collect the goals and display them on a flip chart.

Although chances are slim that everyone will list the same five goals, you can use the list as a springboard for discussion. Nail down a set of goals everyone understands and supports.

~Adapted from DNA Leadership Through Goal-Given Management

Activating HOPE

Season 2 of the Activating HOPE podcast kicks off!

There’s a reason Horrible Bosses made us laugh (and cringe)—most of us have worked for a boss who seemed to have a talent for making life miserable. Unrealistic demands. Emotional abuse. Petty power plays. Toxic leadership can crush motivation and morale.

In our first episode of the season, I sit down with author, speaker, and entrepreneur Kate Colbert for a candid conversation about:

• Lessons we can learn from bad bosses
• Practical skills to survive (and even thrive) in hostile workplaces
• The surprising communications secret that can turn ugly interactions into peaceful paths forward

If you’ve been there, done that—or want to be prepared if you ever are—you won’t want to miss this episode.

Listen now: hopeforleaders.com/podcast or search Activating HOPE wherever you get your podcasts.

#ActivatingHOPE #Leadership

Random wisdom

Any virtue to an extreme becomes a vice.

~Aristotle