Roger Connors - The Wisdom of Oz: Using Personal Accountability to Succeed in Everything You Do

O THER B ESTSELLING B OOKS BY THE A UTHOR S

The Oz Principle

Journey to the Emerald City

Change the Culture, Change the Game

How Did That Happen?

PORTFOLIO / PENGUIN

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First published by Portfolio / Penguin, a member of Penguin Group (USA) LLC, 2014

Copyright 2014 by Roger Connors and Tom Smith

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Above the Line; Accountability Training; Below the Line; By When; Culture of Accountability; Do It; Own It; Oz Principle; Partners in Leadership; See It; Solve It; Steps to Accountability; and The Wisdom of Oz TM are trademarks of Partners In Leadership, used with permission. The models, charts, and lists used in this book are owned by Partners In Leadership, used with permission.

Excerpts from The Wizard of Oz granted courtesy of Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All rights reserved, 1939.

eBook ISBN 978-0-698-15255-7

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The Wisdom of Oz is not just a book about the power of personal accountability; its a book about whats at the root of succeeding in everything you do. Simply put, when you unleash the power of personal accountability, it will empower you in life-altering ways. Were not talking fictional superhero-type powers but about a real, concrete power that enhances your ability to think, to withstand adversity, to generate confidence, and to increase your own natural emotional, mental, and intellectual strength to help you do what you need to do. We know this works because weve seen it in our own lives and witnessed it in the lives of countless others.

We first introduced this powerful accountability philosophy in our book The Oz Principle. Since then, millions have come to know us as the Oz guys. Over the years weve helped leaders all over the world teach and apply the principles youre about to learn to those they work with, to generate billions of dollars of wealthalong with a host of even more important results. They got better results... a lot better results. And with those improvements they were able to dramatically impact their ability to deliver on their missions: such as bringing life-saving medications to market, improving education in community colleges, greatly surpassing charity fund-raising goals, and improving medical practices in battlefield hospitals.

You may not be looking to make any great changes in your life, but you may want to accomplish some great taskat least, a task that seems great to you. If this is the case, unleashing the power of personal accountability can be your best strategy. Our accountability philosophy is all about helping you accomplish what you want or need to do. The Wisdom of Oz will show you how others have done it and how you can do it too.

At the heart of the message lies this one simple truth: You cant let your circumstances define who you are and what you do. That kind of thinking only brings a sense of victimization that paralyzes your ability to think clearly, creatively, and quickly. Instead, you have to take accountability in order to take charge of shaping your circumstances. Do this and good things, positive things, game-changing things will begin to happen.

Easy to say, maybe harder to do.

To help bring these principles to life, we will share stories about people just like you who were able to overcome their challenges, like the New Yorkarea fisherman who fell off his lobster boat and was adrift at sea for twelve hours in the chilly Atlantic... but survived. You will learn the traits that allowed a college senior, who fell flat on her face in a six-hundred-meter race, to jump up and win, or a thirteen-year-old soccer player to move from the bench to the starting lineup. You will discover that, while no one will ever wave a wizards wand and magically solve all your problems, there is a way to experience the near-magical impact of personal accountability on what you want in life.

So why use the story of The Wizard of Oz to deliver the message? Because it is the story about the power that comes from taking personal accountability to deal with the circumstances you face. Dorothy, the Tin Man, the Scarecrow, and the Cowardly Lion all come to realize one important truth: no magic can give them what they want. In the end, they have to do it for themselves. We love their story and even suspect that author L. Frank Baum had the journey to greater accountability in mind when he first wrote The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

The Wisdom of Oz lays out a clear path to unlocking the empowering influence of greater accountability in your own life. By the end you will feel more capable, more motivated, and more powerful. While you wont get many guarantees in life, you do get one here: The act of taking greater personal accountability, laid out in the pages ahead, will empower you to achieve what you most desire.

Dorothy: The Wizard of Oz? Is he good or is he wicked?

Glinda: Oh, very good; but very mysterious. He lives in the Emerald City, and thats a long journey from here. Did you bring your broomstick with you?

Dorothy: No, Im afraid I didnt.

Glinda: Well then, youll have to walk....

Dorothy: But how do I start for Emerald City?

Glinda: Its always best to start at the beginning. And all you do is follow the Yellow Brick Road.

F rom the day L. Frank Baums novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz first appeared in 1900, it has captivated audiences around the world. Most of us have seen the iconic 1939 movie so many times that we know the story and songs by heart. Why do Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion touch us? Like all great entertainment, the story resonates. It hits home. We see ourselves in the characters and wish we possessed the power, the brains, the heart, and the courage to make our own dreams come true.

Think about what you want. What you really want. If I only had a... Is it a promotion or raise? Finding the love of your life? Improving a relationship? Rescuing a child? Saving a marriage? Getting a degree? Finding a new job? Making a difference in your community? Overcoming a persistent challenge or obstacle? We call the worthwhile things we want in life results, and this book is all about helping you get them. But they dont come easily.

Get Off the Couch!

On March 22, 2012, thirty-five days before the countrys presidential elections, the Malian army stormed the presidential palace, overthrowing the western African countrys twenty-year-old democracy. In the turmoil Islamic militants took control of two-thirds of the country and crushed Malis democratic elections. It was a tragic moment when the coup happened, says Yeah Samake, mayor of the small town of Oulessbougou, located approximately forty miles from the chaos. I came into my living room and completely collapsed on the couch. [Then] my wife came and kicked me. I couldnt believe it. I told her, I am looking for sympathy here. Why are you kicking me? She only said, Get out there and go do something.