It’s Not Easy Being Green–The Leadership of Kermit the Frog

The ability to lead, to dream, and to help others see your vision is a true gift.  The ability to do it while green and being lusted after by a pig, becomes an even great accomplishment.  Throughout the years, Kermit the Frog has brought not only humor and warmth from the small and big screen, he has demonstrated an amazing sense of leadership, of drive, and inspiration that is a model for those looking to lead their organizations to new heights.

Through multiple adventures, Kermit has found himself alone, at the end of his rope, with few friends, and even fewer resources.  Nevertheless, he has persevered, risen above his troubles, brought the Muppets together and created successes where others would have found failure.  Ok, I get it–he’s a Muppet and these are all movies.  While that is true, it doesn’t detract from the lessons on leadership that Kermit can teach us all as we try to set goals, rally those around us, and work hard to climb to the top.  These are the true lessons of Kermit the Frog.

”I’ve got a dream too, but it’s about singing and dancing and making people happy. That’s the kind of dream that gets better the more people you share it with.”

Most everyone has dreams–things they’d like to accomplish, experience, or share.  Dreams are what motivate us to achieve more and work harder.  They give us hope in the midst of darkness and give us a sense of accomplishment when we achieve them.  What Kermit brought to the table was a desire to not only share his dream, but share it with a great number of people (or Muppets).  This is a critical piece, because a person may have a dream that they truly embrace.  A leader, however, will take that dream, share it with others in such a way that it becomes their dream, too.  One of the most powerful techniques that a leader looking for change can make is to sell the idea to people that makes them want to buy into it.  When people believe they have a personal stake in a goal, they will work that much harder to achieve it.

“Listen everybody, we’ve got nothing to be ashamed of. And you know why? Well because, thanks to Walter here we tried. And if we failed, we failed together and to me that’s not failing at all. And I don’t care what anybody says, I don’t care if no one believes in us because… I believe. I believe in you. And you. And you.”

Kermit understands that not all goals will be achieved.  He understands that not all dreams will be realized.  Most importantly, though, he understands the journey to achieving a dream is just as important as actually achieving the dream.  This is not to say that failing to meet a goal should be celebrated.  It is, however, important to learn from failure and just because a goal was not achieved doesn’t mean that many acts involved weren’t excellent and can’t be incorporated in other activities.  Another important piece to Kermit’s perspective is the ability to fail as a team.  The bond, the camaraderie, and the synergy created by a strong team is a critical piece to long-term success.  Through failure, many times, teams have grown closer and found better ways to work together.  Teams that overcome adversity together and much stronger are better motivated for the longer run.  The ability to translate the strength built from failure into a victory makes leaders great, it makes teams successful.

“What? No! No, they cannot watch the show from backstage. That’s it! That’s what’s been missing from the show! That’s what we need! More frogs and dogs and bears and chickens and… and whatever! You’re not gonna watch the show, you’re gonna be in the show! Come on, everyone!”

When everyone is involved in a project, everyone feels they own the project.  As a discussed above, when people feel they own something, they will work harder to see the project or goal achieved.  An important additive to this thought, though, comes into play in organizations, especially large organizations, where there is a support or administrative piece that while critical to ensuring success, may not be directly involved, and thus, may feel disconnected from the goal.  To be sure, I am not equating this support structure to frogs or dogs or bears or chickens or…or whatever!  What I am saying though, is that in order for the organization to buy into a dream, the entire organization must buy into it.  Failure to do so will leave an important segment alienated and possibly set up a perceptions of a class system, which is poison to any organization (see my commentary, Is There “T-E-A-M” in Your Team? at https://dmcohen01.wordpress.com/2012/02/19/is-there-t-e-a-m-in-your-team/).

“The swamp will always be a part of me, and not just because I can never quite get that wet, sticky smell out once it soaks in. (Believe me, I’ve tried!)”

Kermit’s famous quote, “It’s not easy being green,” is a mantra for anyone who has overcome adversity to achieve success.  What is equally important once success has been achieved, though, is to not forget the journey that brought that success.  While achieving goals is critical, remembering the problems, solutions, processes, failures, and techniques necessary to get to the goals will keep a person grounded.  The same is true for an organization.  Becoming successful was likely not an overnight event.  It occurred over months and years.  The journey was plagued with adversity and failure.  It was the ability to overcome the adversity and failure that made the organization win.  It was the glue that kept it together and driver behind the emergence of the true leaders.  It is important to not forget these for not only do they serve as reminders of how success was achieved, they are also road maps to meeting future challenges.

Since his introduction in 1955 by the late Jim Henson, Kermit has been involved in the entertainment and education of children.  His transition to a wider demographic has built on his fame and influence.  Through it all, though, Kermit has been a shining example of the reward of hard work and dedication.  He is the true leader of the Muppets (Miss Piggy not withstanding) and has so often put the group’s needs ahead of his own.  Kermit the Frog is leader whose past can teach us about how to achieve our dreams and the organization’s goals, and he is a leader for the future constantly reminding us of the truth to the song, “Rainbow Connection”:

Who said that every wish/Would be heard and answered/When wished on the morning star

Somebody thought of that/And someone believed it/And look what it’s done so far

What’s so amazing/That keeps us star-gazing/What so we think we might see

Someday we’ll find it/That Rainbow Connection/The lovers the dreamers and me