Great Leaders Are Like Gardeners
Because tending a garden requires giving every plant exactly what it needs to thrive. It’s the same with people.
Having held leadership positions for the better part of four decades, I have come to know that the very best leaders are like gardeners, helping every person in their teams to be the best they can be.
Gardeners know that they do not make things grow. They realize that they are only there to create the conditions under which all the different plants in their care can flourish. Good leaders do the same so that their people can do the things they were hired to do in the best possible way.
And just as gardeners understand that different plants need different conditions and elements to thrive, good leaders know and understand people as individuals. They are also intensely invested in helping the members of their teams to achieve what matters most to them in life and at work.
And taking it one step further, truly great leaders live to get the best out of people, not just the most. It is why they get out of bed in the morning.
When pruning is indicated
Gardeners also understand that if one plant is taking over the garden by expanding into the space needed by its neighbor, it needs to be pruned. And if it is poisonous, it needs to be removed as soon as the threat is detected.
By the same token, good leaders know that no one person – no matter how senior or important or skilled – is more important than the group as a whole. This is especially true when that person is toxic.
And while it is certainly true that toxic people can often deliver results – why else would they be tolerated – it is almost always at the expense of other people’s sense of confidence and competence.
The damage they do to the team is insidious and far-reaching. And the “dead bodies” that they leave in their wake can be devastating to a team.
Living to be an enabler
Another way great leaders and gardeners are alike is that they take much more pride and pleasure in the end product than in their role in making it happen. They understand that it’s not about them; it’s about what they can make possible.
For exceptional leaders, this translates into a measurable impact on people’s careers and a ripple effect that lasts for years, even after leaving the company. Sometimes, I’ve seen that it lasts even after they have left this earth…
Great leaders are made, not usually born. They often had other great leaders in their lives that set an example for them. And they are not shy to acknowledge the role other people played in helping them achieve what they did. This is well illustrated by what Warren Buffet said recently about his management mentor, Tom Murphy.
Another thing I’ve learned in my 40-odd years holding leadership positions is summed up best by words that have been called both an ancient Chinese proverb and, and the same time, attributed to John Maxwell: “If you think you are leading but no one is following, then you are just taking a walk.”
Whatever its source, it’s a powerful statement and a reminder that leadership is not authority; and followership is much more than just compliance.
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