Great leadership isn’t about doing it all—it’s about doing the right things.
Great leaders are like great gardeners. They nurture their organizations much as a gardener tends to their plants—by seeding ideas, feeding growth, and weeding out obstacles. This simple yet profound metaphor highlights three essential practices that high-performing CEOs and leaders consistently do to drive success.
Let’s break them down:
1. Seeding Ideas: Planting the Vision
Leadership starts with the seed—an idea, a vision, or a strategy. Like a gardener planting seeds, great leaders introduce and cultivate new ideas to inspire their teams.
They focus on the big picture by asking questions like:
- What should we be doing next?
- How would it feel if we tried this?
Seeding is not about micromanaging the how, but about communicating the why. This practice gives teams a sense of direction and purpose, anchoring their efforts in a larger vision.
2. Feeding Growth: Nurturing Progress
After planting seeds, a gardener ensures they’re nourished. Similarly, effective leaders feed initiatives by checking progress, providing support, and steering projects in the right direction.
Here’s how they feed:
- Regularly assessing what’s working and what’s not.
- Offering support with statements like, “I noticed this is paused—how can we get it moving again?”
- Suggesting adjustments, such as shifting resources or trying a new approach.
Feeding isn’t about micromanaging; it’s about enabling growth. Leaders help their teams overcome challenges by being active supporters rather than passive observers.
3. Weeding: Clearing Obstacles
A gardener’s job isn’t just to grow; it’s also to prune. Similarly, leaders must remove what hinders progress. Weeding involves:
- Ending projects that no longer align with goals or are consuming too much time without results.
- Reallocating resources to focus on higher-priority initiatives.
- Adjusting team dynamics by moving people to roles where they can thrive.
Weeding isn’t a sign of failure; it’s a necessary step to ensure focus, efficiency, and alignment with the organization’s vision.
Are You Seeding, Feeding, and Weeding?
Take a moment to reflect:
- Are you planting new ideas and inspiring your team with a compelling vision?
- Are you nurturing growth by actively supporting progress?
- Are you clearing obstacles to keep your team and organization focused on what truly matters?
Great leadership isn’t about doing it all—it’s about doing the right things. By mastering the art of seeding, feeding, and weeding, you can create an environment where your organization and your team can flourish.