[.ca] Oz Principle Revised Edition (ISBN 1591840244)

Revised, Updated, and Invaluable:
In this revised and updated edition, the co-authors share with their reader what they have learned since their book was first published in 1994. Then and now, their objectives are the same: "...to help people become more accountable for their thoughts, feelings, actions, and results; and so that they can move their organizations to even greater heights. And, as they move along this always difficult and often frightening path, we hope that they, like Dorothy and her companions, discover that they really do possess the skills they need to do whatever their hearts desire." In this volume, Connors, Smith, and Hickman invoke once again a core concept of a "Line" below which many (most?) people live much (most?) of the time. Theirs is the attitude of victimization: They get stuck on a "yellow brick road" by blaming others for their circumstances; they wait for "wizards" to wave their magic wands; and they expect all of their problems to disappear through little (if any) effort of their own. What to do? Connors, Smith, and Hickman explain (step-by-step) how to Live Above the Line by assuming much greater accountability for whatever results one may desire. This can be achieved through a four-step process: "See It": Recognize and acknowledge the full reality of a situation "Own It": Accept full responsibility for one's current experiences and realities as well as others' "Solve It": Change those realities by finding and implementing solutions to problems (often solutions not previously considered) while avoiding the "trap" of dropping back Below the Line when obstacles present themselves "Do It": Summon the commitment and courage to follow through with the solutions identified, especially when there is great risk in doing so How easy it is to summarize this four-step process...and how difficult it is to follow it to a satisfactory conclusion. (When composing brief commentaries such as this, I always fear trivializing important points.) Connors, Smith, and Hickman have absolutely no illusions about the barriers, threats, and challenges which await those who embark on this "journey" to accountability. As they indicate in this new edition of their book, they have accumulated a wealth of information during the past decade which both illustrates and reconfirms the importance of making a personal choice to rise above one's circumstances and assume the ownership of what is required to achieve desired results. This is precisely what Theodore Roosevelt had in mind when praising "the man in the arena" and what W.E. Henley asserts in the final stanza of "Invictus": "It matters not how straight the gate, How charged with punishments the scroll, I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul." Organizations are human communities within which everyone involved must somehow balance personal obligations to themselves with obligations to others. For me, the interdependence of these obligations best illustrates the importance of the Oz Principle: "Accountability for results at the very core of continuous improvement, innovation, customer satisfaction, team performance, talent development and corporate governance movements so popular today." Connors, Smith, and Hickman go on to observe, "Interestingly, the essence of these programs boils down to getting people to rise above their circumstances and do whatever it takes (of course, within the bounds of ethical behavior) to get the results they want," not only for themselves but also for everyone else involved in the given enterprise. Connors, Smith, and Hickman cite Winston Churchill's admonition, "First we shape our structures, and then our structures shape us." Were the Steps to Accountability easy to take, if everyone lived and labored Above the Line, there would be no need for this book. There is much of value to be learned from L. Frank Baum's account of the perilous journey which Dorothy and her companions share. What they finally realized -- and so must we -- is that, to paraphrase Pogo, "We have met the Wizard and he is us."

The Oz Principle...transforming Corporate America:
"Victor Hugo once said, "There is one thing stronger than all the armies in the world, and that is an idea whose time has come.' I believe The Oz Principle is that idea which will transform Corporate America and prepare us for the 21st century." --MICHAEL L. EAGLE, Vice President, Pharmaceutical Manufacturing, Eli Lilly and Company

Positive Progress!:
"We tried for several years to make some basic changes in our Global Manufacturing Group and just couldn't get there. We finally internalized the concept of the accountability process as defined in The Oz Principle. It has really turned us around in the direction we wanted and we're now making the progress we've been trying to make for years." Bill Smith Executive Director Global Manufacturing Services, Eli Lilly

Managerial Effectiveness:
"The Oz Principle has really made accountability very easy to understand and has improved our effectiveness in obvious ways. Our entire organization has not only embraced the concept, but has also made it our culture to operate Above The Line. Most importantly, The Oz Principle made it very easy for a new representative joining the organization to quickly understand what Pfizer Pratt Pharmaceuticals is all about, both in terms of our culture and how we operate as a group." --Dick Reggio Vice President, Sales Pratt Pharmaceuticals, A Division of Pfizer, Inc.

Accountability all around:
"All year long we struggled to show some increase in store sales with no real success. However, after applying The Oz Principle Accountability Training, store sales climbed and continued to climb for the next eleven weeks thereafter. Numerous obstacles presented themselves throughout the year, but the team remained 'Above The Line' and nailed our year-end budget." --Kenneth White Regional Vice President Smith's Food and Drug