I was reading a book recently produced by the “Australian Open Garden scheme” where it features interviews and stories by the owners of some of our best private gardens. One comment that caught my eye was by Barbara Jennings, the owner of historic Ashfield house and garden in Tasmania. She believes that:

“Lots of garden writers talk of going through phases. When you start gardening, you go for the bright rather gaudy stuff, whether it’s annuals or big rhodos with lolly pink flowers – it’s colour, colour, colour and flowers, flowers, flowers. Then you progress with gardening experience to learn that flowers don’t make a garden – texture and vistas and other things do. Flowers are lovely but they are fleeting and foliage is always going to be more important.”

Leaders go through phases in their development. Often when they first start out they are keen to make their mark and do something that is big and showy so that everyone can see they are taking action. It could be the major change program, a new name for the department or re-arranging the office so everything is open plan. Over time they learn that real leadership isn’t about the overt actions, it’s the behind the scenes activities that are important. It’s about creating a culture that supports people and helps them to contribute. Like the gardener they eventually realise that the short term, colourful stuff is only temporary but the foundations of a good garden will last.

So what phase are you at in your leadership evolution? Are you still relying on the equivalent of showy flowers or have you progressed to see the value in adding texture and vistas to your team?

Tags: Karen Schmidt, Leadership and gardening, Leadership and management, Leadership is like gardening, Leading is like gardening, Purpose, www.letsgrow.com.au