The Yellow Brick Road of FinOps: A Journey of Organizational Transformation
Every organization dreams of achieving financial excellence in the cloud, optimizing costs, improving collaboration, and ensuring financial accountability. This journey is not unlike Dorothy’s search for the Emerald City in The Wizard of Oz – a place of clarity and reward waiting at the end of a long and challenging road. But as Dorothy faced resistance and obstacles on her path, so do organizations encountering the challenges of FinOps adoption. Along this road, we meet personas that resist change and embody the complexities of transforming cloud financial management.
The story begins with a tornado – a storm of spiraling expenses that spins wildly out of control, uprooting stability. Much like the tornado that swept Dorothy away, these runaway costs create chaos, forcing organizations to confront the reality that change is necessary. Yet, not everyone in the organization is eager to adapt. Some dig their heels in, refusing to leave the comfort of old workflows or traditional ways of thinking.
The journey to FinOps often begins with a dramatic confrontation: the destruction of the Wicked Witch of the East. In the movie, the Wicked Witch of the East is unseen, her demise quick and decisive. She represents something similar in FinOps – the costs you couldn’t see due to a lack of observability. When organizations first adopt FinOps principles, one of the earliest victories is eliminating these hidden inefficiencies. These are the expenses buried in shadow IT, redundant processes, and poor visibility. Cutting these costs feels like a major win, and in many ways, it is. But just as Dorothy’s journey was far from over after the Wicked Witch’s fall, so too is FinOps adoption only just beginning.
This initial triumph can create a false sense of security. Teams may celebrate the apparent resolution of their financial woes, believing they have tamed the tornado. But eliminating hidden costs is only the start of a much longer and more complex path. What lies ahead is a deeper cultural transformation, one that requires organizations to face resistance not just from unseen inefficiencies but from within their own ranks.
Take the Scarecrow, for example. A technical wizard in his own right, he’s an engineer who can solve almost any performance issue. But he lacks the brain to think about the broader financial implications of his work. To him, the world is measured in workloads and performance metrics, and the cost of running those workloads is someone else’s problem. He resists FinOps because he doesn’t understand how financial accountability enhances his own work. Without guidance, he remains narrowly focused, unaware of how his actions impact the organization’s financial health.
Then there’s the Tin Man, who has no heart. His detachment is not malicious, but his cold, task-driven approach leaves little room for empathy toward the organization’s financial goals. For him, the job is about completing tasks and maintaining workflows, and he resists FinOps because he views it as unnecessary and disruptive. He sees discussions about cost and value as irrelevant to his work and balks at anything requiring collaboration or emotional investment. Without showing him the human impact and tangible benefits of FinOps, he will continue to approach his role mechanically, disengaged from the bigger picture.
The Cowardly Lion, in contrast, is paralyzed by fear. His resistance comes not from apathy but from an intense aversion to change. For him, FinOps is terrifying because it introduces transparency and observability – and with that, accountability. He’s worried that increased visibility into workflows and spending might expose inefficiencies he’d rather keep hidden. Change threatens the comfort of routine, and he would rather avoid the journey altogether than risk stepping into the unknown.
And then there is Glinda, the well-meaning but detached advisor. Like Dorothy’s encounter with Glinda, organizations often turn to external consultants for guidance. But Glinda’s advice is flawed; she has no skin in the game and doesn’t share the risks of the journey. Her elaborate frameworks and theoretical solutions may sound insightful, but they lack practicality. Teams following her detached guidance often waste valuable time and resources on detours that achieve little, leaving them frustrated and disillusioned.
Finally, we meet the Wizard himself. He represents the overhyped solution, the quick fix that promises to solve all problems but rarely delivers. Like the man behind the curtain, these solutions often rely on smoke and mirrors, creating unrealistic expectations. They fail to account for the ongoing nature of FinOps, and those who buy into these illusions find themselves disappointed when the magic wears off.
Despite the challenges, the Yellow Brick Road offers hope. And through it all, there is Toto, a character who is often overlooked but vital to Dorothy’s journey. Toto represents the small, persistent reminders of loyalty, vigilance, and instinct that guide the way forward. In FinOps, Toto could symbolize the tools, processes, or even team members who help organizations stay grounded and focused on what truly matters. He may not be flashy or command attention like others, but Toto’s consistent presence ensures Dorothy stays on the right path, even when the journey becomes confusing or overwhelming. Each step forward brings the organization closer to financial clarity, cost efficiency, and improved collaboration.
Toto’s quiet role reinforces this idea. Much like an organization’s unnoticed yet essential processes or tools, Toto helps guide Dorothy back to where she belongs. His unwavering loyalty and instinct ensure she never loses sight of her ultimate goal, reminding us that the smallest factors can have the biggest impact.
The Emerald City is within reach for those who are willing to walk the path. But reaching the Emerald City is not the end of the story—just as Dorothy discovered. The true resolution wasn’t in staying at the Emerald City but in the realization that what she truly desired was to return home, changed and tempered by her journey.
For organizations, the destination of FinOps success isn’t merely about hitting metrics or achieving financial clarity. It’s about the transformation that occurs along the way: building collaboration, fostering accountability, and reshaping the culture to prioritize both performance and cost awareness. These changes redefine the organization, allowing it to navigate challenges with greater agility and purpose.
Dorothy’s journey taught her, and those around her, invaluable lessons. Similarly, the journey to adopt FinOps changes not just processes but people, encouraging growth, alignment, and resilience. In the end, the Emerald City is not the final goal; it’s the catalyst that prepares the organization to return to its metaphorical Kansas – stronger, wiser, and ready to thrive in its own domain.
