#Zak November 6

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 I previously wrote about a fantastic commencement speech made at UNC Pembroke in 2013 by Tim Ritter. He framed his remarks around a Dr. Zeuss book called “Oh The Places You Will Go“.

There are all types of genres of books. Some people enjoy a harlequin novel describing how people in love deosculate. (30 Day Vocabulary Challenge)

It is really amazing the life lessons that children books can teach adults. Earlier this week I came across another Dr. Zeuss book called The Zax.

Stubbornness is a fairly prevalent problem that many leaders have to overcome. Insecure leaders will do everything to hang on to make sure they are perceived as right regardless of the harm it may to do the team they lead.

The ZAX tells us about a group of people called The ZAK who live on The Prairie of Prax. If you are a ZAX you are very prone to stubbornness.

The story focuses on two people in particular named North -Going -Zax and South-Going-Zak. They meet on the prairie and they refuse to go in any direction other than their assigned directions. They just won’t collaborate, compromise, or step aside. They have to be right. This goes on for years. The funny thing is the world does not care. A highway is built over them.

Watch their interaction and the long term results.

The ZAK can teach us all a lesson about the dangers of pride and stubbornness from a leader who just has to be right.