organizational change, and performance.
I go out to my garden every morning to see what is what is happening. At the first
sign of a little hole in a leaf, I take immediate action. These tiny little caterpillars are very hungry and as they ravish the greens they grow exponentially fast. It is stunning.
If I skip a few days, a whole bed can literally be wiped out.
The leadership lesson:
Pay close attention and continue to dialogue with your people on a regular basis. Small rumors or discontentment grow rapidly into big issues and silently destroy your garden! Note: employee disengagement and turnover.
Be open about the change…Avoid caterpillar soup.
a delicacy in other parts of the world. Assuming the likelihood of caterpillars in my daughters’ bowls was low, I quietly walked over to the sink and removed the caterpillar from my soup.
My daughter Kye asked, “What are you doing mom?” I wasn’t forthright with her and brushed her question off.
Moments later she shrieked as she found a caterpillar in her soup! And, rightfully so, accused me of not being honest with her.
That story, while humorous now, will follow me forever. And I am not so proud of it.
Be proactive – Have a plan
In the garden, adding beneficial insects, carefully removing old plants and rotating crops proactively defends the garden from caterpillars. Make sure your plants have fresh air! This requires planning and minimal resources. The return on your investment has got to be 1000%.
Leadership lesson: Get beneficial support for your people, honor the past and rotate responsibilities, which keeps your people and processes fresh!.
Keep in mind, a well-fed caterpillar eventually flies away from the garden it devastates! What do you want a great garden (organization) or a temporary butterfly?!