Im no peter drucker - Part 2 - Management lessons from Gardening
In the last edition we came out with management lessons from making an omelette. Learning happens at every step, every moment and from every source. So this time let’s try something new.. Yeah.. How about some lessons from gardening.
1) De-weeding: You want a beautiful garden you need to constantly de-weed. Dig out unwanted weeds, clear the clutter & make the garden bright & organized. There is so much of de-weeding that we need to do in our lives. Remove negativity & unwanted thoughts from our minds , remove unwanted clutter from our workplaces, unwanted information in our reports , unwanted words in our communication , we will end up with smart results in whatever we say or do or think . Smart minds, smart workplaces, smart documents, smart tasks, smart results!
2) Manuring : Just as the plants need to be fed with the right nutrients for good growth & yield , so also we need to enrich our minds , sharpen the axe and keep growing in knowledge , skills & attitude everyday . The steady & consistent growth in our knowledge, skills & competencies will have a direct impact on our performance and the quality of our deliverables. The quest for learning & the will to consistent development is the surefire road to success. Learn, Perform, And Succeed!
3) Pruning & Trimming: We trim our flower bushes now & then, cut off unwanted branches and give way for fresh shoots and enable flowering. So also, we may have to trim off a lot of things from our routine, let go of old practices, outdated ideas, technology and adapt ourselves to newer & smarter way of doing things. Allow fresh ideas to surface, dare to try new methods & welcome fresh initiatives. Rejuvenation in work & personal life is important to sustain positive energy. Fresh ideas, New methods, Innovation!
4) Watering: Why do we water our plants every day , sometimes even twice a day? Unless we nurture, care for & feed them every day they wilt & die. Why not liken that with encouraging our team mates. Try feeding them with positive thoughts, encouragement with positive motivation everyday and see them happily flower & bloom and deliver good results. More can be gained with less..a few positive words and the results can be really amazing .Care , Nurture , Reap !
5) Pest control : Any beautiful garden is always ridden with pests of all kinds .. Pests that destroy roots, pests that destroy the foliage, pests that damage the fruits or flowers.. all kinds. Even at the workplace , we face a similar situation. We come across various characters who try to hamper our work , steal our ideas , disturb our focus, distract us from our goals, criticize , put us down , damage our confidence. Try to identify such shady & negative characters & stay away from them . Let us do away with such people out of our lives & be associated with people who are positive ,pro-active & genuinely enthusiastic !