Tammy Sons is the CEO of TN Nursery and an expert plant advisor who studied horticulture. She enjoys her family, the outdoors and nature.
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Gardening is a popular hobby. Even if you’re not a diehard plant enthusiast, there’s something relaxing about planting and watching a seed grow into a full-grown plant. The process is also satisfying when the plants finally produce flowers or fruit.
But did you know that the lessons you learn from gardening can also translate into the business world? Growing your company can mimic what you learn in gardening, sometimes in surprising ways.
Create A Strong Foundation
In the gardening world, a strong foundation refers to the soil. Yes, plants require adequate water and sunlight. However, the soil is crucial since it provides support while delivering water and nutrients to the root system. If you use poor-quality soil, the plant will suffer.
Think of your company as a plant. Your values are the soil. The values you instill in your company dictate the culture. For example, are you encouraging employees to work together to solve problems, or are your company values pushing staff members apart? What about technologies employed in your business? Are these technologies in place for your benefit or to improve customer satisfaction?
Your vision for the company, its mission and its values can all affect your decisions for years.
Expect The Occasional Pest
Even the most attentive gardeners will encounter occasional pests and bugs. Your vegetable crop looks excellent one day, and you’re excited about the upcoming harvest. Suddenly, holes are popping up on your tomatoes or peppers. Now, you’re fighting a battle that might seem impossible to win. Worse, you’re losing some or most of your expected harvest.
You’re probably not going to worry about bugs taking over your business, though; if an ant infestation suddenly appears in the breakroom, I’m sure you would get everyone cleaning and call an exterminator. That said, in the business world, pests often refer to those little voices that always seem to be whispering negatively in your ear. Every decision you make is questioned. Instead of receiving moral support, you’re offered words of discouragement.
It’s vital to tune out the harmful background noise to thrive under these types of pests. Start spending time with people who offer support and encouragement. These are the individuals who’ll be with you as your company grows.
Sometimes Things Die
There are times when the best care can’t save a dying plant. This is a fact of life and something every gardener has experienced at least once. You can start an evaluation by examining every minute detail of care, but the fact remains that the plant has perished and can’t be brought back to life.
In the business world, every decision isn’t going to produce the desired or expected results. Regardless of how well you plan for every contingency, something unexpected can still occur. Go ahead and mourn the death of a great idea; this is natural. But don’t wallow in grief for too long. Use it as a learning moment and to help avoid repeating the same mistake in the future. In other words, make the necessary adjustments and try again.
Enjoy The Journey Even If You Don’t Know Your Destination
It is easy to get caught up in the excitement of waiting for the plant to finally mature. Whether they’re waiting on a stunning flower or an edible, it’s easy to forget to enjoy the process of nurturing your plants.
However, you need to adjust your primary focus. In other words, don’t only concentrate on the end but stay focused on the present. This way, you’re less likely to miss unique moments and milestones.
Like gardeners, CEOs often forget to enjoy their present accomplishments, even for a few minutes. Instead, they tend to be primarily concerned with what comes next. They’re itching to score successive big wins, but this strategy rarely benefits your team.
Not only are you preventing your staff from celebrating their accomplishments, but you’re also placing your team under enormous pressure. Over time, this can negatively impact workplace culture. You often see a dip in performance and employee satisfaction. Next thing you know, your key team players are heading for the door.
When key staff start departing, you’re left with a skeletal team and mounting hiring expenses.
Instead of constantly pushing your team, give them time to celebrate a big win and catch their breath. Giving them time to decompress from the last big project allows them to recharge and be ready to tackle their next big challenge. Sometimes, it pays more to slow down and enjoy the process. You’ll still arrive at your destination, even if you’re unsure what it is.
Growth Takes Time
If you live with an avid gardener, you’re familiar with the morning rush to the garden. They want to see if a newly planted seed suddenly sprouted overnight. They may also watch juvenile plants for the first signs of buds, even if it’s too early.
Over time, and with plenty of experience, gardeners begin realizing growth takes time. This isn’t something that happens overnight. You also can’t measure a plant’s growth every few minutes. It’s a slow and steady process that can eventually produce impressive results.
This is also true for your business. After all, multimillion-dollar corporations don’t happen overnight. Take Tesla, for example. The electric car manufacturer now has a global presence and is a leader in the EV market. However, at its start, Tesla was considered a poor bet that would never realize its potential. Like a plant, growing a business takes countless hours of hard work.
So don’t rush the process. Give yourself and your company room to grow. You’ll quickly learn that surprises can surface, and some can benefit your business. So, the next time you’re fretting over a disappointment or feel that your business isn’t growing fast enough, take a page from a gardener’s experience.
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