Garden Growth | Rooted in Leadership

What was supposed to be a quick task of preparing my garden for fall, turned into a multi-hour event of trying to get to the root of the plants so I could move them. From pruning sheers to shovels and trowels, it took all my strength and patience to separate the plant from the roots. Have you ever felt this way when you are working with a team on a new initiative? I know I have, especially when they are so deeply rooted in their practices and even more so their mindset. If instead of a manager, we assumed the role of a gardener, and instead of viewing our employees as people but plants, how would our approach to growing our business change?

Think about the gardeners in your life who have the greenest thumbs, the gardeners that adjust their routine according to each plant’s individual traits and life cycles, that pick and pair their plants with care, and tend to their gardens daily. What do you believe makes them successful at this craft?

Having a green thumb in gardening many consider just a natural gift, but for over thirty years I watched and listened to my grandmother as she tended to her garden just like she tended to the bank where she served as a manager; with patience, nourishment, and care. She also spent time reflecting, researching and learning every season of what worked and what didn’t work for her or her garden, not just independently but she also actively participated in a local garden club community.

Like perfecting a green thumb and your garden, developing as a leader requires this same commitment and the behaviors my grandmother demonstrated year after year. As humans, we strive to learn and grow from successes and mistakes; as leaders, we should consider acknowledging what techniques help accelerate growth and what behaviors destroy growth potential. Then we should respond accordingly.

Each plant grows in its own time, just like our colleagues, no two individuals will grow and learn at the same rate, which requires us as leaders to have patience with ourselves, the people we’re leading, and the process of growth overall. How patient are you with your growth?

As humans, we also need to spend time nourishing each other along the way. Think about how we feed our plants with water and supplements, why wouldn’t we do the same for our team? Expressions of gratitude; clear, kind communication; and inquiry-based questions are just a few ways to help nourish engagement and growth. Looking for more ways to nourish your team, connect with a community of leaders who share the same beliefs as you do that people matter.

In my opinion, care is one of the most underrated characteristics of a great gardener. Consider cilantro, an herb which I have had to try time and time again to grow until I realized it must have space to grow and it requires me to pay attention to when it needs to be clipped and reseeded time and time again. Our teams often have this same need, that at the onset of each new initiative we may have to re-inspire and re-engage or re-seed.

As leaders, we should embrace the skill gardeners do and pay attention to the details so that we can care for our teams collectively and individually to determine when it’s time to weed, prune, or reseed.

Last season, I witnessed my plants outgrow their pots and pepper plants that exceeded my 5’3 stature. Since I believe in sharing best practices, I’ll share a secret if you have limited space, learn to cross plant. Just like we match employees together who balance each other’s strengths, we can do the same with our plants.

Knowing our space at the townhome was limited, and that I had to be strategic early in the spring I researched which herbs and vegetable plants helped each other grow and which ones were not recommended for planting together. This worked out beautifully, at least that’s what our friends and family say who benefited from the growth as we shared our harvest with them. In addition to pairing plants together in certain pots, I also made sure to rotate the potted plants when I noticed some needed more sun than others.

This is just like our role as leaders, we often need to rotate our attention to one specific project that may need more encouragement or support. But we must remember this does not mean we can ignore the other plants, it just means our priority placement and energy levels may shift for a while, but the other plants still require nourishment and care.  

When mid-summer came, I was able to find the perfect spot for each plant’s growth, and that is when they took root. They rooted through their respective pot, into the mulch, and deep into the soil. This is also about the same time my boyfriend began to also help me care for the plants because he witnessed my excitement and pride in the continued growth of our garden. So, he joined me as the temperatures began to rise and the plants required watering twice a day, and the daily care of our garden became a joint endeavor.

As a gardener waters their plants daily, leadership behaviors should also be a daily practice. implementing those positive actions multiple times a day. Let's consider that leadership is a craft we should practice and strive to perfect for more than for only a season. Consider your colleagues and teams as the plants in your garden, shouldn’t they be watered or tended to daily? Now, to clarify, I am not encouraging micro-gardening and measuring every blade of grass or every leaf of basil, what I’m saying is we need to be more other-oriented. There are various levels of “daily care” or engagement we can demonstrate and practice to foster growth.

Like watering your garden daily, spend time spreading kindness by showing appreciation or being genuinely interested in offering support to your team daily.

Like weeding, if you notice that certain behaviors are starting to overtake the positive, draw attention to them, uproot them, and focus on what positive remains.

Like repositioning the plants, do not hesitate to reposition or reprioritize projects and your role so that every project can reach its optimal growth.

Like pairing plants, do not hesitate to research and learn what pairs of your teamwork best together.

Like altering your pruning technique, recognize that each person on your team requires a personalized approach to coaching and support.

Like having patience with the growth cycle, have patience with your team and yourself as you navigate each phase of the growth together.

Then as you continue to parallel your leadership behaviors like that of a seasoned gardener, you’ll soon have a team rooted in growth and blossoming under your care.