Thursday, May 30, 2013
I love watching the new sprouts and continued growth flourishing in our garden these days. Because this is our first year experimenting with a garden and because almost all of what we planted were seeds, it’s very exciting to not only see green sprouts come through the soil but to see how things are just taking off and growing rapidly now that the weather is finally warmer.
Our garden boxes were created with really good soil that drains well and is considered an ideal environment for growth. Although we knew this, we didn’t necessarily believe it until everything began to flourish in the past two weeks. All we did to promote the growth was prepare the best environment. We cleared out all the weeds, tilled the soil and then put fertilizer in with the seeds when we planted them. That and some water when necessary was really all it took from our end. The rest can be attributed to lots of sunlight, warm weather, some good rain, and a soil that is rich with all it needs for the garden to grow.
On the flip side of this success story is the story of the sunflower seeds and two new trees that were planted down by our pond, which have not bloomed and/or died. The soil and lighting at that end of our property is not very good. We knew that but decided to see if we could get something to grow anyway. They didn’t and now we know so won’t plant anything there again.
The same holds true for supporting the career growth of your employee; when you provide them with the right environment, they are more likely to flourish. When you engage them about their career development, provide them with encouragement and the opportunity to learn and take on new projects, they are more likely to grow. When you nourish them by providing them with both positive and constructive feedback and take time to tend to their development needs, they are more likely to thrive in your organization. If you, instead, leave them alone, do not communicate with or engage them about their career development, chances are they will not thrive or grow.
Just like all the flowers, fruit and vegetables in my garden require the right environment to thrive and grow, so do your employees. And, so do you. We can all tend to our own needs and take responsibility for growing our own careers but ultimately the environment we are in needs to be able to support and sustain that growth. So, the lesson from all my gardening the past few weeks is to remember to ensure that you are in the right environment for your own development and are also creating the right environment for the growth of your employees – it makes all the difference!
