When Toy Story was released in 1995, shockwaves were sent through the movie theaters. Never had there been computer-generated imagery (CGI) like this. Toy Story was a fantastic feat from everyone involved with the project at Pixar. It’s a film that holds up well today.
What’s Toy Story about? Toy Story tells of the rivalry and eventual friendship between two toys: Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) and Woody (Tom Hanks). When Woody’s owner, Andy (John Morris), has his birthday party, the lives of his toys change forever. He receives the latest and greatest toy ever: Buzz Lightyear.
From that moment on, Woody is on a mission to prove himself. Especially after he accidentally knocks Buzz out of the window and into the yard.
The other toys believe Woody purposely knocked Buzz out of the window to take out the competition. Woody’s plan wasn’t as sinister; he only wanted to knock him beneath the bed. To return to their good graces, Woody begins a journey to find Buzz, rescue him, and bring him back to Andy.
Woody and Buzz’s journey is one that every child from the 90’s remembers. It’s one that’s spawned multiple additional films. It’s one that will help you become a better leader. Let’s look at those lessons today.
Quotes And Leadership Lessons From Toy Story
1. Leaders are able to change quickly:
Toy Story opens with Andy playing cops and robbers with his toys. There are cardboard boxes designed to mimic buildings in a town. Drawn on the boxes are buildings such as the local bank.
Once Andy finished playing cops and robbers, he switched to playing cowboy with Woody. He turned the boxes to reveal cows drawn on the other side of the boxes.
Andy begins to rope the cows, playing a new game. Andy was quick to change.
What if we were more like Andy? What if we could quickly adapt and change to fit our current situation?
Leaders need to learn how to turn on a dime. To pivot, as Ross screamed in Friends.
By quickly changing, you can adapt to the ever-changing landscape of business. When something needs to be adopted, you evaluate and adjust as needed.
Be willing to change quickly.
2. There’s more going on behind the scenes than most people realize:
Andy leaves Woody on his bed. He then proceeds to leave the room. When he does, something magical happens.
The toys come to life.
Andy begins to lead the other toys. They shuffle around the room. They have lives Andy and others don’t see.
Organizations are like this. People see the surface-level actions. They don’t see what goes on behind the scenes.
Decisions are made behind closed doors, where days, weeks, or months worth of discussions take place. Many that people never see.
There’s movement behind the scenes. There’s life behind the scenes.
Understand organizations are living organisms. There are parts you’ll never see move, but they are.
3. Woody:
What matters is that we’re here for Andy when he needs us. That’s what we’re made for, right?
There’s a toy staff meeting held before Andy’s birthday party. Not only was there a move on the horizon, but there was a birthday party to bring in new toys.
Toys were nervous. Rex (Wallace Shawn) fretted about another dinosaur being brought in. Mr. Potato Head (Don Rickles) hoped for a Mrs. Potato Head. The other toys had their own concerns.
Woody called them to attention. He reminded the toys of their purpose. The toys were to be there for Andy when he needed them.
Leaders were made to be there for their people when they need them. Leaders may be needed by their people for:
- Comfort and understanding in the loss of a loved one
- Help in personal development
- Guidance in tackling a challenging assignment
- Growth within the organization
Be there for your people. It’s what you were made for.
4. Leaders can be confused:
Buzz Lightyear was the gift of the year for Andy. He became Andy’s favorite toy, replacing Woody.
However, Buzz was confused. He believed he truly was a space ranger. He didn’t understand he was a toy.
He constantly talked about his mission to defeat Zorg. But that’s not what he was. Buzz was just a toy. He was confused over his purpose.
Leaders become confused, too. They see themselves as more important, valuable, or knowledgeable than others. They think more highly of themselves than necessary.
It’s a form of confusion.
If you have a business buddy, they can help knock sense into when you get confused. They’ll point you back in the right direction. They’ll help you to see what you were made for.
Be willing to reach out if you get confused.
5. Woody:
Snap out of it, Buzz!
Buzz loses an arm at Sid’s house. He fell off the railing when he tried to fly. Crashing to the ground, his arm pops off.
Hannah finds Buzz and dresses him up in an apron. Hannah begins to call Buzz Mrs. Nesbitt.
You can see Buzz is shaken. He’s not himself (he has begun to realize he’s not really a Space Ranger).
Woody pretends to be Hannah’s mom. He calls out to her, and she leaves Buzz in the room. Woody enters, sees Buzz is out of it, and tries to talk sense into Buzz.
He wants Buzz to snap out of it.
Your people will experience shellshocking situations. These are situations that cause trauma. Your people may not be able to process fully what happened.
You can be a voice of reason to your people during these times. You can help them snap out of it.
Remind your people who they are. Help them to see their past successes and what the future brings.
Great leaders help their people snap out of it.
6. We misjudge people who are different than us:
Buzz and Woody thought Sid’s monstrous creations were cannibals. After all, they looked like it!
As Sid’s creations surrounded the duo, they began to freak out. What happened next surprised Buzz and Woody.
The toys came together to repair Buzz’s arm. They helped him put it back into the socket and become whole.
They weren’t monsters. They were misjudged.
When people are different than us, we don’t understand where they come from or why they act the way they do. We judge them as a potential threat.
What if we chose to judge them based on their merits instead? Not how they talk, their hairstyle, or if they’re covered in tattoos?
We will soon discover that those different from us have just as much skill and talent as we do. Maybe even more so.
Give people who are different than you the benefit of the doubt. Find out just how good they are.
7. Great leaders leave a mark on their people:
Buzz looks at his green foot. There’s a marking. Andy has written his name on Buzz.
Woody has the same marking. Andy marked Woody as well.
Why? Because Andy cared for the toys. They were his. They were a part of his life.
Great leaders leave a mark on their people. Their people look back and remember the impact of a great leader.
What mark are you leaving on your people? Let it be a positive mark.
8. Leaders may have to become scary:
Sid’s toys join Woody outside as Sid has a rocket strapped to Buzz’s back. Woody throws himself on the ground for Sid to find.
When Sid picks him up, Woody breaks the toy rule. Woody begins to talk to Sid.
He tells Sid the toys have had enough. They don’t like being smashed. They don’t like to be blown up. They won’t take it any longer.
Woody then does a head twist ala The Exorcist. Woody’s actions scare Sid straight, at least for a period.
While I don’t like encouraging leaders to be scary, there are times when you will have to be scary. You may have to threaten repercussions for poor performance, lack of care for other employees, or gossip in the workplace.
Be willing to put on the scary leader hat when needed.
9. Slinky Dog (Jim Varney):
What have we done?
The toys believed they were doing the right thing by pushing Woody out of the van. They soon see RC and Buzz making their way toward the van.
Their actions were based on Woody’s past behavior. They made a bad decision.
What they did next was to spring into action. They implemented a quick plan to get the three toys back into the van.
When you make a bad decision, you must ask yourself, “What have I done?” Examine the choices you made. What made you make them? How did they impact others? What would you change next time?
Bad decisions will make you question yourself. It’s not a bad thing. It’s a growth thing. Learn from your decisions. Make better ones next time.
10. You don’t have to be scared of change:
The end of the movie cuts to the next Christmas. This was another time of more presents and new toys.
The toys gather around. They’ve got their eyes and ears peeled for what is being opened. Except this time, they’re not afraid of what’s coming. They’re excited.
Rex says he hopes there’s another dinosaur toy added to the toy collection. The other toys are hopeful as well. They know they won’t be left behind.
Leaders experience a lot of change in their organizations. So do their people.
Change is scary, but it doesn’t have to be that way.
When you view change as something positive, change is no longer scary. Change is something you look forward to.
Find the good in change.
