The movie "Wicked" is about authenticity, relationships and transformation, and the characters, from Glinda to Elphaba to even the townsfolk, hold lessons for leaders in effective communication, writes Kim Markus, the senior director at Inspire PR Group. From Elphaba, leaders can learn how to control their own story, Glinda teaches how to embrace uniqueness and the townsfolk are a reminder to build strong relationships with stakeholders, Markus writes.

Put it into practice: The Wizard is a cautionary tale for leaders that "short-term gains from misleading messaging are never worth the long-term damage to trust and reputation," Markus writes. "Honesty and transparency are essential for building trust."

Move your career as a leader forward by creating a personal board of directors composed of mentors and colleagues who can offer diverse perspectives, help navigate challenges and support professional growth, writes Tammy Perkins, the chief people officer with ProService. "By choosing board members with strengths that complement yours, you can create a valuable resource to guide your decision-making throughout your career," Perkins notes.

Put it into practice: Change up the members of your advisory board from time to time as your goals and interests change, Perkins recommends. "This proactive approach ensures that your board remains dynamic and adaptable, ready to meet the changing demands of your professional journey."

Lone wolves in the workplace can hinder innovation and create resentment, but leaders can encourage a team-oriented mindset by defining clear goals and behaviors, negotiating new agreements, measuring key performance indicators and recognizing success, writes leadership consultant Michael Timms. Regular one-on-one meetings and enforcing consequences for noncooperation are also crucial for fostering a cohesive team culture, Timms writes.

Put it into practice: Hold regular one-on-one meetings with those who prefer to work alone to hold them accountable to the team and help them feel like they're part of something bigger than themselves, Timms advises. "Trust is the foundation of teamwork, and you can't build it by meeting infrequently or only when there's a problem."

Organizations can dramatically increase productivity by embracing AI through four stages, writes Josh Bersin. The stages are making existing work easier, eliminating major steps in tasks, re-engineering processes with AI agents and managing autonomous AI agents. "Our thesis is that AI is not a 'job-replacement' technology, it's a 'SuperWorker empowerment' technology," Bersin writes.

You may sing along to your favorite tunes while you're driving but several famous performers are taking to car interiors to record songs and entire albums. UK singer Sinéad Harnett recently recorded one of her songs in a Renault for a promotional video, Skepta recorded in a Rolls Royce while driving through the Swiss Alps in 2017, The Gentlemen Mutineers recorded in a Chevy Impala in 2014 and way back in 1997, Ben Vaughn recorded an entire album in a 1965 Rambler.

I have not yet seen the movie adaptation of "Wicked," but I recall being quite moved by the Broadway play. I had yet to consider what kind of leadership lessons the play and movie may offer, so I'm glad to read Kim Markus' take on this.

As she offers, Elphaba's journey shows us the power of embracing who you are, even if it makes you stand out from the crowd. Like Elphaba, authentic leaders can inspire loyalty and build trust by being genuine and consistent with their values.

Glinda's shift from a self-absorbed socialite to an empathetic and wise leader can teach leaders how to leverage their experiences to grow and be adaptable.

The friendship between Elphaba and Glinda shows how empathy can bridge divides between people and demonstrates the power of valuing different perspectives and fostering inclusivity and collaboration.

These lessons from "Wicked" remind us that effective leadership is a balance of authenticity, courage, empathy and resilience, paired with a commitment to growth and justice.

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