Oh, I see;" said the Tin Woodman. "But, after all, brains are not the best things in the world." Have you any?" enquired the Scarecrow. No, my head is quite empty," answered the Woodman; "but once I had brains, and a heart also; so, having tried them both, I should much rather have a heart.
Interpretation
This quote emphasizes the value of compassion and emotion over mere intelligence.
In this exchange, the Tin Woodman and the Scarecrow reflect on the importance of having a heart compared to having intelligence. L. Frank Baum suggests that while brains may provide knowledge, it is the heart that brings true understanding and empathy to our experiences, indicating that emotional depth is more vital than intellectual prowess.
In practice
In a speech about emotional intelligence in leadership, quoting this can illustrate the importance of empathy.
A curious thing about Ugu the Shoemaker was that he didn't suspect in the least that he was wicked. He wanted to be powerful and great, and he hoped to make himself master of all the Land of Oz that he might compel everyone in that fairy country to obey him, His ambition blinded him to the rights of others, and he imagined anyone else would act just as he did if anyone else happened to be as clever as himself.
I believe that dreams - day dreams, you know, with your eyes wide open and your brain machinery whizzing - are likely to lead to the betterment of the world.
I am Oz, the Great and Terrible," spoke the Beast, in a voice that was one great roar. Who are you, and why do you seek me?
You have plenty of courage, I am sure," answered Oz. "All you need is confidence in yourself. There is no living thing that is not afraid when it faces danger. The true courage is in facing danger when you are afraid, and that kind of courage you have in plenty.
That proves you are unusual,' returned the Scarecrow; 'and I am convinced that the only people worthy of consideration in this world are the unusual ones. For the common folks are like the leaves of a tree, and live and die unnoticed.
Everything in life is unusual until you get accustomed to it -The Scarecrow - The Marvellous Land Of Oz by L. Frank Baum pg 103 chapter 13
To agree without understanding is inane. To disagree without understanding is impudent.
You must not only learn to live with tension, you must seek it out. You must learn to thrive on stress.
Being self-critical is good; being self-hating is destructive. There's a very fine line there somewhere, and I walk it carefully.
As a reader and a writer, I'm happiest when apparently mutually exclusive states can somehow coexist.
My best mentor is a mechanic - and he never left the sixth grade. By any competency measure, he doesn't have it. But the perspective he brings to me and my life is, bar none, the most helpful.
For values or guiding principles to be truly effective they have to be verbs. It's not "integrity," it's "always do the right thing." It's not "innovation," it's "look at the problem from a different angle." Articulating our values as verbs gives us a clear idea - we have a clear idea of how to act in any situation.
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