"I'm Just The Gardener"

I was taking my daily walk along the coastline of the Pacific Ocean in La Jolla, CA when I encountered a man watering some beautiful flowers in front of an elaborate estate. These flowers are gorgeous, and they flaunt their glory to hundreds of vacationers and locals that stroll by them every day. Like many others, I have been quite impressed and have been eager to meet the estate owners and thank them for their beautiful flower garden. When I saw the man I immediately asked, "Are you the owner of this property?" He quickly replied,

"No, I'm just the gardener."

With his response replaying in my mind, I continued my walk down the sidewalk. Then suddenly I realized that he was the very individual I have wanted to thank all along! With a smile on my face, I eagerly turned around and headed back to the gardener. When I approached him, he quickly reduced the stream of water flowing from the hose in his hand to hear what I was about to say. Looking directly into his eyes I said, "You are not JUST the gardener, but you are THE Gardener of this magnificent estate. Every day I walk by these flowers I am grateful to be able to experience their beauty. Thank you so much for taking such good care of them for me and many others to enjoy." He was shocked by my words and replied, "Well thank you. Thank you for actually coming back and sharing these words." 

Are there times that you feel like you're "just the gardener?" Maybe you are a call center rep, finance associate, IT analyst, retail associate, janitor, receptionist, supervisor, the dishwasher at a restaurant or another role wherein you feel your contributions are insignificant because you lack the big title and certainly don't own the business estate. 

"I am convinced that the roles that seem less significant are the very ones that are most impactful to the internal and external client experience."

Just like the gardener was the actual hero behind the beautiful display of flowers at the exotic estate, it is our non-management front line employees with the seemingly smaller titles that truly wow customers every day!

So why did the gardener not get this? Why did he say, "I'm just the gardener?" He could have easily stood upright, chest puffed out a little and responded to my question, "No, I am not the owner, but I am The Gardener. I water and fertilize these flowers weekly. I prune those that are dying and pluck those that are dead. My work creates an environment that the owner and visitors alike thoroughly enjoy. Don't you love what you see? Are they not beautiful?" 

Such a response requires a different mindset. So why did the gardener not have this perspective? Is it possible that he did not understand the tremendous impact his work had on others every day? Maybe he thought that just because he was not the owner of the estate, his role was insignificant. In other words,

"…it is possible that he was more defined by who he was not vs. who he was and the impact his work had on others."

Although my new friend felt like he is "just the gardener" that cared for the plants of a wealthy estate owner, he is much more than that! He is the creator and sustainer of a beautiful flower garden for visitors to photograph, smell and enjoy. I've seen countless visitors stop and take in the exotic ambiance of the garden with their eyes gleaming with satisfaction! Such experiences were possible only because of the gardener!

You likely provide the same experience to your organization's internal and external customers. I hope that regardless of your title you recognize the value that you add to your team! Angela Felix, a fellow LinkedIn member who permitted me to refer to her post, recently published a LinkedIn post regarding how someone took a jab at her job title as an IT Help Desk Lead. She shared how she was initially bothered, but after reflecting on her role and why she loves what she does, she worked through it and felt even more confident and proud of her role. Over 40,000 LinkedIn members identified with Angela!

Like Angela, I encourage you to recognize and reflect on the value you bring to your organization. On those days when you feel unimportant, undervalued or discouraged, consider the following:

• Remind yourself of how your work contributes to the whole. Sometimes it's easy for us to forget why our work matters. Take a moment to reflect on how your work contributes to the internal or external customer experience. Afterward, take it a step further to consider how your work adds to the bottom-line. Your work is valuable!
• You are not defined by your title. I have observed hundreds of employees over my tenure who would not allow themselves to be defined by their title. These employees were leaders without direct reports, influencers who were confident in their contributions and employees who established personal brands that transcended their titles. Don't let your title limit your contribution!
• Your position would not exist if it were not important. You are needed! Be assured that an organization will not pay for a role they are not confident they require. Whether you feel like it or not, your role fulfills an important purpose for your organization. 
• No one can do you like you! You have a unique contribution to make to your organization. No one has the background, personality, gifts, and talents that you have. No one can do you better than you. Therefore, don't try to be someone else. Only they can fulfill that role. However, be the best that only you can be. Bring your unique talents to work daily and leave your personal stamp on your work. If you don't do you only like you can, your organization will miss out on your unique value proposition. Do you!

Regardless of your title, don't ever lose sight of the value you bring to your organization. Know who you are, what you do, why you do it and the impact you have on your organization. And when you feel like you're "just the gardener", rewrite the script to one that most accurately conveys your valuable contributions. Lead yourself and lead yourself well!