As spring comes into full force, I’ll be the first to admit, I’m not much of a gardener. Weeds are the primary plant growing around my house and outside of mowing/watering my lawn, the rest tends to not get much attention. With that being said, I have deep respect and admiration for people who tend to their yards and common spaces, making them beautiful for themselves and others to enjoy. I also think the process of nurturing something, watching it grow and bearing the fruits is incredibly impactful and fulfilling.

One of my favorite quotes is by author and inspirational speaker, Alexander Den Heijer. He said “When a flower doesn’t bloom, you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower.” It’s easy for us to fall into the trap of attacking the people in our organizations when things go wrong or you find your team falling below expectations. I suggest that these are precisely the times when we need to turn our focus around and examine the culture that exists in our businesses and the environment that we have created. We have to make sure the environment that we’ve created is indeed capable of growth for our team members and the organization as a whole.

While I don’t “garden” in the literal sense, I believe that there are many similarities between growing a successful garden and growing a successful business. I’ve realized my team and I do a lot of “gardening” activities here at Footers, specifically as it pertains to the people who work here.

Do You Have The Right Plants In the Right Places?

Certain plants grow in different climates and conditions. We don’t have too many palm trees here in Denver! In our organizations people also grow in different conditions. Do the needs, skills and desires of your team members match what your environment is able to provide? It’s also important to remember that just because someone struggled at a different company, doesn’t mean they can’t thrive in your organization.

Awareness of Needs

It rarely works to plant something and then walk away. You have to monitor the progress and provide different things at different times (protection, water, sunlight, etc). The same goes for our people. They may need more attention at times, especially early in their career or when starting a new position. Great leaders are acutely aware of what their people need at different times and then they deliver on providing that for them.

Diversity is Healthier

Monocropping has taken over our agricultural systems. It’s easy to have short term success when you grow the same thing year after year, however there are many questions about the long term ramifications of doing so. The toll it takes on the soil and the depletion of nutrients leads to over reliance on pesticides and chemicals that can be devastating to the environment. When we invite diversity of thought, backgrounds and beliefs into our companies, we have the potential to create a healthy environment that is better able to withstand challenges that arise.

Get Rid of the Weeds

When a few weeds appear in a garden, it usually doesn’t destroy everything, however if not dealt with they can multiply quickly and take over - preventing resources from going to the desired plants. It’s tougher than ever to hire right now, especially for the hospitality industry, so I understand the compounding difficulty of letting people go. We have to remember that allowing those “bad apples” to stick around, puts us in danger of them spoiling the bunch. When you sense that someone is not a good fit, or is actively working against the mission of the company, it’s time to “remove the weed”.

I hope you’ll take some time to take a look at your “garden”. Is it thriving and healthy? Or is it in need of some love and nurturing? If it’s the latter, it may be time to get out the gardening tools, put on the gloves and get to work!