The Wizard of Oz

After 30+ years of leading healthcare organizations, I've come to the conclusion that organizational behavior and leadership, particularly during times of crisis & turmoil, is best illustrated by the story of the Wizard of Oz.  I won't rehash the entire story--almost everyone has seen the movie at least once--but to recap, Dorothy gets swept away and finds herself in the strange land of OZ.  She asks the Glenda, the Good Witch, how to get back home and Glenda says that only the Great Oz can help her.  So Dorothy sets out to find the Great Oz and along the way faces many obstacles but, in the end, reaches her goal.

The story has what I believe are the four key components of leadership & crisis management in healthcare organizations:  (1) CRISIS...in this case, being lost in OZ, (2) JOURNEY...in this case, setting out on the Yellow Brick Road, (3) LEADER...in this case, the Great Oz, who all believe has the power to solve the crisis, and (4) TASKS...Dorothy and her friends are given a challenge by the Great Oz--bring back the broom of the Wicked Witch--and he will grant their wishes, i.e., solve their problems.

Now let's apply the metaphor to a hospital reeling from a bad accreditation review and subsequent threat of losing their accreditation.  The CRISIS is the bad survey and the fear that it could cripple or even shut down the hospital...the Quality Department feels particular heat that their jobs may be on the line, along with the clinical leadership.  So they begin the JOURNEY to resolve the crisis but they're fearful and not sure how to solve the crisis so they go to the LEADER who, most believe, has the knowledge and power to solve their problems.

But does he?  No!  Like the Great Oz himself, the LEADER is the man behind the curtain...not all powerful and all knowing, but simply in the titular position of appearing so by virtue of his office.  But does he appear weak and unknowing in the face of the crisis?  No again.  Like the Great Oz, he listens to the plight of the staff and then suggests/assigns a series of TASKS they must undertake before "he" can grant their wishes.

So the team sets /off to complete their assigned tasks and, once completed, return to the LEADER so he can grant their wishes/resolve the conflict.  But what do they find?  Like Dorothy and her friends returning to Oz, in completing the tasks they find THEY had the power all along. 

Perhaps most of us in leadership positions hope that no one ever pulls back the curtain to reveal that we are not the Great Oz, but simply the man behind the curtain, but in understanding the dynamics of crisis management in an organization also understand the journey by which is may be resolved.

NEXT:  THE RULES