It's the Little Things
Planting Seeds
Over the holiday weekend, my husband and I went to pick fruit at an orchard that’s not far from our home. As we did so, I found myself marveling at the abundance of fruit available for picking. I also found myself wondering about the time it took to produce such a bounty. A quick Google search yielded the answers that I instinctively knew: YEARS! It takes anywhere from 3-10 years for the seeds from the apples and plums we were picking to produce a tree with fruit.
This got me thinking about the seeds leaders plant, and how long it can be before the fruits of a leader’s labors are evident. The thing about seeds is that they are generally quite small; they can be easily overlooked, as insignificant specks. Do they really matter?
No doubt, some seeds are quick to germinate and flourish: A leader who smiles —genuinely smiles — and even greets people who come into their orbit, no matter who they are in the system: a CEO, a client, a director, a family member, an assistant, a janitor, or a delivery person, can have a relatively fast and powerful impact on the organization’s climate.
Other seeds take longer to sprout. A former assistant principal of mine, who is now a principal in another state, recently shared two specific “seeds” that were planted for her while working with me. She’s now carrying these forth into her new role. The first is delivering hand-written birthday cards to every member of her staff. The second is a personalized note of something (positive!) the principal “notices” about each teacher’s practice in the first week or so of school. These are written on an apple cut-out and delivered along with other meeting materials at the first faculty meeting.
What do these few “seeds” have in common? They all have to do with relationships. People want to feel seen. They want to feel that they matter to the system.
As a systems thinker, these “seeds” illustrate these two distinct habits:
Pays attention to accumulations and their rates of change - It really is the little things that accumulate and make a difference. Imagine a leader (or anyone for that matter!) who consistently tries to genuinely smile and greet others. Now imagine a leader who rarely does so. Who would you rather spend time with? Be influenced by?
Considers short-term, long-term and unintended consequences of actions - Life comes at us so quickly, it’s important to be intentional in how we choose to respond and move through the world. Our actions can have immediate consequences, both positive and not-so-positive. Those consequences may also not be evident for a long time. Think about the examples you’re setting for people in your system, whether in the workplace or at home.
Want to keep thinking about these ideas? Explore them further? Please reach out! I’d love to connect.