When Wicked Left Me Wearing The Coach Hat

I walked into Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre over the weekend expecting spectacle as usual. What I walked out of was Coaching notes in my head. What prompted it was the show called Wicked – The Musical. While I can go on and on about the show based on the two movies which in turn in based on the books, the show was nothing less than stupendous and while I had a complete background of the storyline, revisiting it with a live theatre group activated my brain cells to realise how story telling can impart the choicest of lessons in life.

So this is what happens to me. Even in moments designed purely for entertainment, I find myself observing human behaviour, inner narratives, and the masked truths we all carry. Art just amplifies the thought process and what really impressed me was the uncomfortable honesty of the characters.

1. ”No matter what I do, it is never good enough for you…”
   Elphaba says this to Nessa, her younger sister, the voice carrying years of trying, failing, and still showing up. And yet when Nessa needs her, Elphaba returns without complaining, dutifully and with no hesitation. This one hit home really hard!

Coaching insight:

How many of us are stuck in relationships where approval is conditional? Where we feel like running away but just cannot because duty is a core value to us. We over-give. We over-explain. We over-compensate. And yet, we do not walk away.

And then I have found myself asking this in coaching conversations,
Are you acting from love or from a lifelong need to be “enough”? Know the difference and you may just know what is the investment in the relationship you are putting.

2. ”I truly feel… wicked.”
   This moment between Elphaba and Fiyero is intimate, vulnerable, unsettling with the pain of deep love.

She was declaring her love for Fiyero but it was not just that. When someone has spent their whole life being labelled “different,” “difficult,” or “wrong,” any form of love feels suspicious and unsafe.

Coaching insight:

Receiving love is often harder than giving it especially for those who have grown up feeling unseen or unloved.

I have witnessed high-achieving professionals deflect appreciation. Deflect kindness. Deflect connection. Even deflect compliments ( the easiest of them all!). Somewhere deep within, the belief still sits firmly that “This cannot be for me.” So, I ask “ Are you ready to receive everything that you ever wished for?”

3. Galinda’s betrayal
   Galinda, who is seen as “good,” “pleasant,” “acceptable” has her moment of truth. When she realises she cannot have the love she desires, she reveals Elphaba’s whereabouts to the Wizard and shares an insight that is only known to her about Elphaba. She is not evil but she operates from a place of hurt, ego and loss.

Coaching insight:

Good people make harmful choices when they are emotionally cornered. This is where self-awareness becomes non-negotiable.

In leadership coaching, this shows up as:

passive-aggressive decisions
withholding opportunities
subtle sabotage masked as “policy”

The question is not “Am I a good person?”. The question is: “What do I do when I don’t get what I want?”

4. The Wizard’s performance of being “wonderful”
   The Wizard’s almost five minute sequence is quite a performance and what he creates is an entire spectacle around goodness, power and perception. He highlights that the very feeling of being “wonderful” is when one is validated by others. Even if the feeling of wonder is created so that others perceive him in a certain way. This one hit home even harder!

Coaching insight:

Perception is powerful and we live in a world where being seen as competent, kind, or successful often takes precedence over actually being those things.

In organisations, I see this. Leaders curating image over substance. Making others believe things about them that may not necessarily be them. The belief is created to serve a purpose. However, I believe one can perform “wonderful” only for so long before reality catches up. Being real and honest and being oneself is the best way to feel “wonderful”

5. ”Are people born wicked? Or do they have wickedness thrust upon them?”
   This question sits at the heart of the story. It is the base at which all relationships are built.

Coaching insight:

Behaviour is often only what the belief is. Calling someone a “difficult” employee, the “cold” partner, the “arrogant” leader is so easy but if we look closer, there is always a story beneath the surface. No one needs to know the story and knowing it will not change behavior overnight. It is a lot about understanding and where the person is coming from. It is truly simple. When people feel seen and not judged, change becomes possible albeit slowly.

My husband who watched the show with me and when I discussed my thoughts, he asked me “Do you ever switch off from coaching?”

The answer is no. Because being a Coach who is coached and is coachable, I feel insight is everywhere.

In boardrooms,in conversations, in travel, in reading, in experiences and sometimes… in a musical on a sunday afternoon..

The magic of Wicked was not just in its storytelling. It was in its reflection of us. We just need to keep seeing ourselves whenever the opportunity comes.

If you miss the show that’s playing in Mumbai, do read the book or watch the films. It will leave you utterly amazed and the music will haunt you forever when you pay special attention to the lyrics!

Closing the blog with what I consider my favourite line of all ”Because I knew you, I have changed for good”