Harris III, an illusionist and storyteller, spent much of his life traveling the world performing his unique brand of magic and storytelling for more than two million people on five continents. His book, “The Wonder Switch: The Difference Between Limiting Your Life and Living Your Dream,” discusses rediscovering wonder and transforming your life. He highlights the concept of “starting with wow” and the intersection of wonder, and storytelling as crucial roles to effective leadership, stressing the need to reconnect with our initial sense of wonder to find purpose and beat burnout. He advocates for curiosity in leadership, emphasizing the difference between “wow people” who focus on vision and “how people” who analyze problems, while this would also increase creativity to people. He promotes a shift in leadership perception, encouraging individuals to take charge of their stories and challenge the status quo, which he termed as WoW (Wonder-oriented Worldview) level leadership. Harris III asserts that worry is a misuse of imagination, and wonder is the antidote to apathy.
Key Takeaways:
[2:48] Harris III points out that magic often doesn’t receive the recognition it deserves as an art form, particularly in the realm of social media. With the limitations imposed by COVID-19, magicians and illusionists had to adapt to continue making a living. Some turned to revealing the behind-the-scenes of magic online, transforming it into humor or pranks. Additionally, Harris III mentions Simon Sinek’s book, ‘Start with Why,’ which emphasizes that effective leaders inspire action in others rather than simply leading them.
[4:42] He discusses the “Start with Wow” book, highlighting its perspective that leadership is intertwined with communication, both with others and oneself. The book emphasizes the significance of revisiting the purpose behind your actions, bringing you back to a grounded state. It underscores that wonder is the pathway to achieving something remarkable. The book suggests that unexpected opportunities may arise when you least anticipate them, and staying vigilant is crucial. In times of losing focus or forgetting your initial motivation, the advice is to return to the mindset of wonder, symbolized by “wow.”
[10:30] Harris III details how curiosity is essentially a wonder in action, describing it as a genuine physiological state that sparks interest in our surroundings. The connection between wonder and storytelling is highlighted, where wonder inspires belief in the potential of new narratives, and storytelling influences behavior. Emphasizing that effective leadership begins with self-leadership, he stresses the importance of fostering curiosity without facing ridicule. Leaders are encouraged to understand that curiosity doesn’t mandate blind belief, and it’s acceptable to question things even without personal observation.
[18:16] He talks about two kinds of negative people: the “wow” people, who are usually pessimistic, and the “how” people, who try to handle their own fears. In meetings as an example, they tend to divide the two, usually choosing how people. But, to come up with a great end, the two must collide – wow playing the role of vision while how plays the role of mission. Harris III relates it to a Ping pong game, where wow will do the action of wonder and how ill do the action of executing.
[25:51] Harris III shares the significance of collective creativity within a group. Emphasizing that team members utilizing their creative thinking can result in superior outcomes. He also delves into the notion that a leader’s most valuable asset is their imagination, aligning it with the concept of storytelling. Although everyone is inherently born with a natural inclination toward wonder, there is a tendency to lean towards a how mindset. Furthermore, creativity is not an exclusive trait but a fundamental quality inherent in all individuals, as imagination is an ever-present and open aspect of our nature. He draws a distinction between anxiety as a product of imagination and worry and irrational fear as misapplication of imagination.
[29:41] Harris III offers his perspective on leadership, focusing primarily on self-leadership, asserting that everyone has the capacity to lead themselves and others. This involves taking charge of your actions and not leaving things to fate, actively pursuing your goals instead of waiting for circumstances to dictate your path. Harris III distinguishes between leaders and managers, noting that leaders are accountable for the future, whereas managers handle present responsibilities. He defines great leadership as excelling in self-leadership, encapsulated in what he terms “WoW level leadership,” comprising self-leadership, team leadership, and marketplace leadership.
[43:05] Harris III shares his 30-second thoughts if given the chance to speak in front of a crowd: Roald Dahl famously said that those who don’t believe in magic will never find it. And that’s because we think that seeing is believing. And if seeing is believing is true, that means that we will be able to believe once we see. But seeing is not believing. Believing is seeing. Because what we believe has the power to change what we see. Wonder is the state in which we have permission to believe. And if we can live wide awake to a state of wonder, we can always start with WoW. And if we start with WoW in leading ourselves and the way we lead others, and the way we lead in the marketplace at large, we can create a better future both for ourselves, for others and the world. Because great leadership, wow level leadership, always starts with wow.
[49:45] Closing Quote: Remember, he who can no longer pause to wonder and stand wrapped in awe is as good as dead. His eyes are closed. – Albert Einstein
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Quotable Quotes:
“Wisdom and wonder are intertwined.” Share on X “Leaders believe and invited us to step up in leadership.” Share on X “The quickest way to find our way back to it is to start with wow. Understand that that wow gives birth to your why, and it can help you pave the way.” Share on X “You were meant for more. So lean in, pay a little bit closer attention.” Share on X “It's the wow moment that whispers to us and says, there's more going on here than meets the eye.” Share on X “Wipe the fog from your glasses so that you can see a little bit more clearly because something is trying to wake you up to a new reality.” Share on X “Understand that curiosity is simply wondered in action.” Share on X “Great leadership in the marketplace is the result of leading a team, that all starts with leading yourself.” Share on X “Only in a state of wonder where our brain loosens its grip on those stories and opens us up to the possibility of what could be.” Share on X “Curiosity is essential, not just in leadership, but in every form of coaching. When we are cynical instead of curious, when we are worried instead of in wonder, what ends up happening is we push off the stories we're being invited… Share on X “Cynicism is the fear posing as confidence. What you see is not always what you get.” Share on X “Human beings are not very good at determining what is real or true based on what our senses perceive. Our senses are so easily fooled, and even our emotions can easily lead us astray.” Share on X “Believing isn't about seeing; it's navigating reality through the lens of our own stories.” Share on X “When we choose to believe something, it's what we choose to believe, which is a narrative that changes the story.” Share on X
This is the book mentioned in our discussion with Harris III:
Resources Mentioned:
- The Leadership Podcast | theleadershippodcast.com
- Sponsored by | www.darley.com
- Rafti Advisors. LLC | www.raftiadvisors.com
- Self-Reliant Leadership. LLC | selfreliantleadership.com
- Harris III LinkedIn | www.linkedin.com/in/harris-iii
- Harris III Website | www.harrisiii.com
- Harris III Twitter | @harrisiii
- Harris III Instagram | @harrisiii
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