Leaders Focus on a Whole New World

I was going through my old email account one day and happened upon this gem of advice from my late mentor, Dr. Jim Cashman:

Date: February 28, 2006 at 6:04:09 PM CST

Mary Ila: Remember the last meeting of MGT 300. I went over the test and then played a segment of the Wizard of Oz, stressing the importance of leaving the university with a brain (scarecrow), the courage to present and defend your ideas (lion), and to be loved by getting involved in your community (tin man/it is not how much you love, but how much you are loved by others). Finally, you remember that I said we had to do better than Dorothy and not think of Kansas the ideal. Rather be like Aladdin and take a Magic Carpet Ride. I hope you remember that from the last day of my part of the MGT 300 class. I love doing it.

You have done all of the first three (Brainy, Courageous, and Greatly Loved) , now I want you to get on the carpet and let yourself feel that it is A WHOLE NEW WORLD, AND IT HAS A MAGICAL POINT OF VIEW.

You are the best.

Love,

Dr. C

First, man I miss this man. Second, he was hopelessly optimistic and mind-numbingly encouraging (case in point him saying I was already brainy, courageous and greatly loved- I still have a long way to go with all of these), but what stuck out the most to me, was to question whether or not have I would have made this man proud by getting on the “magic carpet”? In other words, have I taken risks and thought outside of the box?

I’m not sure that I can answer that question for myself fully, but it has led me to consider these few points to aid in striving for a “whole new world” and my recent viewing of Aladdin with my four year old has helped with this:

1. Living in fear serves no purpose.

2. Surrounding yourself with people who challenge you and make you better is key.

3. You define what your whole new world is, don’t let anyone else do it for you.

4. Comparison is the enemy of discovering a whole new world.

5. The whole new world is only important if it creates a whole new world of opportunities for others. The whole new world isn’t selfish.

 

Thank you, Dr. C. for challenging countless students to get on the magic carpet (not the one sung about in the song, yes, I know what that whole magic carpet was about). If we all take the challenge, we can truly create a whole new world. Even better, we can act as leaders to help others learn these truths and create a multiplying whole new world.

What is keeping you from discovering a whole new world or from challenging someone else to discover one for his/herself today?