How is Leadership Like Gardening?
Organizations are incredibly complex. You might consider organization as a living organism rather than a static machine - an organism which is constantly growing and adjusting to the environment. Model your organization after a garden - a collection of plants growing together in a common environment. The leader, then, is the gardener.
Gardeners cannot directly force a plant to grow faster or produce more flowers. So how do gardeners create thriving gardens? By creating the conditions which allow the plants to thrive together.
Provide the right amount of sunshine and water
Give clear direction & goals (sunshine), balanced with just enough water to sustain growth (progress).
Prune frequently
Prioritize and focus on the highest value work
Kill off low-value initiatives and wasteful activities
Pull the weeds
Identify systemic roadblocks early and remove them quickly before they fester
Condition the soil
Proactively cultivate the organization’s culture.
Assess the current and desired culture - we recommend the CVF model
Use policies, structures & metrics to shape the culture
Role-model desired behaviors by demonstrating them as a leader
Ask yourself as a leader: Do I spend enough time cultivating my garden? Where should I invest more of my time and effort?
To cultivate your leadership skills, join our Applied Agility in Leadership program. In this three-month practice program, you’ll meet with a cohort of peer leaders once per week, and with the guidance of an expert coach like myself, practice new leadership behaviors on-the-job. Our next program starts in September, so sign up now while space is available!
Image by Pete via Creative Commons license.