Later this month, Wicked hits the big screen — but this story is more than flying monkeys and emerald lights. It’s a masterclass in leadership, power, and integrity.

In this episode, we explore how the world of Oz mirrors our own: how “good” can become a brand, how organizations (and families) create scapegoats to protect illusions, and how integrity often comes at the cost of belonging.

From the Wizard’s manipulation to Elphaba’s courage to defy gravity, this conversation dives deep into what it really means to stand for truth in systems that reward performance over principle.

Here’s the Lesson: Freedom, not approval, is what changes the world for good.

Two years ago, Jon ran for city council as a write-in candidate — and lost.
But that loss became one of the most meaningful experiences of his life.

In this episode, Jon unpacks what that experience taught him about courage, leadership, and why comfort never leads to growth. He shares how losing publicly taught him to show up, to let his kids see failure modeled with grace, and to find purpose in discomfort.

Because the truth is: comfort doesn’t create transformation — discomfort does.

🎧 Subscribe to Here’s the Lesson for weekly reflections on leadership, loss, and the lessons that shape us.

In this first episode, Jon Lefrandt shares the story behind Here’s the Lesson — and the simple truth that every experience, good or bad, carries something worth learning. No music, no production — just raw reflection on what it means to grow through what you go through.