What does transplanting raspberries have to do with leadership?

4/15/2015

I happily tend my garden in one of the only two remaining Victory Gardens in the country.

I love spring! In Minneapolis this week, trees are budding, tulips are blooming, lawns are greening up and raspberry shoots are coming up.

Sign for the Dowling Community Garden, founded in 1943.
I happily tend my garden in one of the only two remaining Victory Gardens in the country.

I have raspberry bushes in my backyard and in my plot at the Dowling Community Garden. The garden is one of only two remaining Victory Gardens in the United States. I love spending time there digging in the dirt, planting, tending and then harvesting carrots, kale, beans, kohlrabi, cucumbers and any new varieties I decide to plant each year.

Every spring, new raspberry plants sprout up within a 3-foot radius of the old bushes. Sometimes I let the new plants stay where they are. They fit into my vision for how much space I want to devote to raspberries compared to other fruits or vegetables in my garden.

Not aligned with my vision
This year, new raspberry plants appeared in my lawn and also in the strawberry bed next to the raspberry patch in my garden. The new plants were healthy and growing quickly, but they were not aligned with my vision. I do not want raspberries in my lawn, nor do I want raspberries crowding out the strawberries.

Find a place to flourish
Last weekend I decided to move the raspberry plants. They were beautiful green plants but they needed a new place to flourish. When I stepped back and looked at my entire backyard and garden, it became clear to me where those new plants belonged. There were bare spots in the raspberry patch at the garden that needed filling in. My garage and my neighbor's garage both had strips of ground next to them that were perfect places for raspberries to grow.

What's your vision?
As a leader, you need to have a clear vision. Do you know what fits inside your vision and what doesn't? Do you know how to use your vision to help you make decisions?

When your talents and the talents of those around you are planted in the right place, visions come alive and grow.

Find the right place
As a leader, you have a team of colleagues and direct reports. Are their talents and your own talents planted in the right place? Is everyone making their best contribution with their talents? Are your talents and your team's talents growing and flourishing so your vision becomes a reality?

If your answer is yes to each of these questions, congratulations! Engagement and success is flourishing on your team.

What's your answer?
If your answer is anything other than a resounding yes, you have some work to do.

Take the next step
One of my favorite resources on this topic is Dr. Faith Ralston's book Play Your Best Hand: How to Manage the Four Types of Knowledge Workers--and Stack the Odds for Maximum Success. Faith knows her stuff. The book is filled with practical steps you can take today to help talents flourish and visions grow.

Coaching is another resource you can tap. If you'd like to find out more about how coaching can help talents flourish, call me 612-722-9732 or email rita@wiseleader.net. Let's talk. I'd love to hear from you.

Have a great week!