What the Movie Wicked Teaches Us About Workplace Culture

The Land of Oz may be fictional — but the workplace dynamics are not. 

With the release of Wicked and the upcoming sequel Wicked: For Good, audiences are once again captivated by the unlikely friendship between Elphaba and Glinda. Beneath the music, costumes, and spectacle lies something far more familiar to HR professionals: 

Culture
Power
Belonging
Reputation
Leadership 

Let’s start with the first film. 

Act I: The Making of a “Wicked” Employee 

Elphaba arrives at Shiz University already labeled — misunderstood, judged, and excluded. Her talent is undeniable, but her differences make her an outsider. 

Sound familiar? 

In the workplace, we often underestimate talent that doesn’t “fit the mold.” We need to look beyond pedigree.  

It’s about belonging. 

Employees don’t thrive when they’re tolerated.
They thrive when they are valued. 

When Glinda chooses to stand beside Elphaba on the dance floor, something shifts. Inclusion is no longer theoretical — it’s visible. 

HR leaders know this truth:
Belonging is not a program.
It’s behavior. 

Act II: Sponsorship Changes Trajectories 

Elphaba’s future changes because Madame Morrible sponsors her. 

Not mentors.
Sponsors. 

There’s a difference. 

Sponsors advocate.
They use influence.
They open doors. 

In organizations, how many Elphabas never meet their Morrible? 

How many high-potential employees go unseen because leadership is comfortable promoting the familiar? 

Talent development is not accidental.
It is intentional sponsorship. 

Act III: When Values Don’t Align 

When Elphaba reaches The Emerald City, she discovers that the Wizard’s mission is not what it appeared to be. 

Here is where HR’s lens sharpens. 

Employees care deeply about mission alignment.
Nearly 6 in 10 employees choose employers based on shared values.  

When organizational values are performative rather than authentic, trust fractures. 

And fractured trust is far harder to repair than it is to build. 

Wicked: For Good — The Leadership Reckoning 

The sequel raises even more powerful workplace questions. 

Elphaba becomes “wicked” because of public narrative.
Glinda becomes “good” because of public positioning. 

But what happens when public reputation is built on incomplete truth? 

HR professionals live in this tension every day: 

  • Internal Reality vs. External Brand 
  • Politics vs. Principle 
  • Popularity vs. Integrity 

In For Good, Glinda must decide whether to continue benefiting from a flawed system or confront it. 

That is leadership. 

Real leadership is not about image.
It is about courage. 

Sometimes it means: 

  • Challenging power 
  • Restoring rights 
  • Correcting narratives 
  • Owning difficult truths 

Everyone Deserves the Chance to Fly 

One of the most powerful lines from Wicked is: “Everyone deserves the chance to fly.” 

In HR terms, that means: 

  • Everyone deserves development. 
  • Everyone deserves belonging. 
  • Everyone deserves clarity about mission and values. 
  • Everyone deserves ethical leadership. 

And sometimes… the “wicked” employee is simply the one willing to speak uncomfortable truths. 

Reflection Question for Leaders 

In your organization: 

Who is being labeled?
Who is being overlooked?
Who is benefiting from the narrative?
And who is courageous enough to defy gravity? 

2026 FUN Series: F = Feelings Aren’t a Distraction

Before we go any further, a reminder of what FUN means in this series. 

FUN is not about forced smiles, mandatory participation, or trying to make work something it isn’t. FUN is about creating workplaces where people are allowed to be human — where emotions are acknowledged, curiosity replaces assumptions, and connection is offered without pressure. 

That’s why FUN stands for Feelings · Understanding · No Pressure. 

And today, we start with Feelings. 

 

Feelings Aren’t a Distraction 

Let’s clear something up right away: 

Feelings do not distract from work. 
Ignoring them does. 

Every organization is full of people managing deadlines, decisions, family responsibilities, uncertainty, pride in their work, frustration with systems, and the occasional “I just don’t have it today” moment. Those feelings show up whether we acknowledge them or not. 

FUN organizations choose to notice. 

This does not mean turning work into group therapy.
It does not mean oversharing.
And it does not mean fixing emotions. 

It means recognizing that emotional awareness belongs at work because people do. 

 

What Happens When Feelings Are Ignored 

Unacknowledged feelings tend to resurface as: 

  • Disengagement 
  • Short tempers 
  • Silence in meetings 
  • Increased mistakes 
  • “Mysterious” morale issues 

When organizations skip past how people are experiencing work, they often end up managing the symptoms instead of the cause. 

FUN takes a different approach. 

 

What FUN Looks Like with Feelings 

In FUN organizations: 

  • It is okay to name stress without apologizing 
  • A tough week can be acknowledged and still move forward 
  • Appreciation is not reserved for perfect outcomes 
  • Managers pause long enough to notice tone, energy, and context 

None of this slows work down.
It actually helps work move more smoothly. 

 

The FUN Challenge: Feelings 

This month, try one small act of emotional awareness. 

No fixing.
No follow-up plan.
No “at least…” statements. 

Just notice and acknowledge. 

Examples: 

  • “That sounds frustrating.” 
  • “I can see how much effort went into that.” 
  • “It looks like this week took a lot out of you.” 

Then let the moment be what it is. 

That’s it. 

 

Why This Matters 

People don’t expect work to be easy.
They do hope it will be human. 

When feelings are acknowledged, trust grows. And when trust grows, FUN has room to exist — quietly, naturally, and without pressure. 

 

Coming Up Next in the FUN Series… 

Next, we move to U = Understanding — and why assuming positive intent and leading with curiosity can change the entire tone of a workplace conversation.