Many people picture a strong leader as someone standing in front of a room, barking orders and demanding results. But that’s not leadership—it’s just volume. True leaders grow people. And great gardener leadership starts by tending to those people with purpose and patience.
You can always tell the strength of a leader by the fruit of their team. If your employees are thriving, loyal, and driven, it’s not by accident. Just like a good gardener, a strong leader knows when to nurture, when to challenge, and when to step back.
Observe Where Growth Begins
When you’re tending to a garden, your first task is to notice where sprouts are beginning to grow. Why did these seeds take root faster? Is it the sunlight, the soil, or something else entirely?
The same is true for your team. Take a moment to study what’s working. Which team members are thriving—and why? Once you understand that, you can begin to help others do the same. Modeling growth isn’t just helpful, it’s foundational to great gardener leadership.
Are You Nurturing or Hovering?
Spotting new growth is just as difficult as maintaining the new growth. Don’t rush the process. Don’t stare at the pot of soil hoping that your telepathic powers will make something grow. You are being too controlling.
The same applies to new growth within your team. Be patient. Trust the process! It’s hard not to hover over and make sure they get everything right. However, sometimes letting go of the steering wheel will allow them to branch out and trust themselves a little.
Think of it like this: did you learn how to drive while sitting on your mom or dad’s lap because they didn’t trust you? No! Because this would make you feel suffocated and out of control. Nurturing new growth, instead of controlling the new growth will lead to a more successful outcome.
Are You Planting Seeds?
When new growth becomes more visible, it’s time to turn up the heat! Nothing will get your team more excited and fired up about their job than when they are faced with a new challenge. Do not be afraid to hand over a responsibility or two. The risk of them possibly experiencing failure with a new task/project could be just the thing they need to get pumped up to learn more.
Failure does not always mean that they have failed. It just means that they hit a learning curve. Now they have an opportunity to take some notes. This is a good thing.
Planting seeds looks a lot like casting vision. Sharing what your goals and ambitions are to see your business grow can give an employee the chance to catch that vision and start running really fast.
There are many ways you can begin to become a successful leader. There is no better way to lead than to become a great gardener who enjoys bearing incredible fruit.