Edition 463 – Unexpected Results
I’ve let the garden go a bit over the summer. Being away prior to, and over the Christmas break, didn’t help. A return home with illness, coupled with what’s been a hotter summer than we’ve encountered in recent years, dampened my enthusiasm for getting out amongst it.
The weeds were a bit longer than they should be. The hedges were more shaggy than usual. The pots that are spread around our back verandah, well, left a lot to be desired. I didn’t plant some annuals before we left, and some of the winter varieties that I left in too long, truly withered in the season of warmth.
One weekend recently, I decided to get out there and tidy things up. I’d bought some new plants, and they needed to be potted up. As I proceeded to get my hands dirty, I noticed one or two of the more dishevelled pots were looking not like weeds, but like summer annuals, sprouting of their own accord. A little odd, but rather than rip them out, I trimmed them up, gave them a feed and a drink, and left them on their way.
Suffice to say, a couple of them are just about ready to bloom the most magnificent abundance of flowers that they’ve ever done. I’m surprised more than anything. I left them alone, and they’re rewarding me accordingly. The results are truly unexpected.
It’s like that with the people in our business. We give them a role, but don’t give them the opportunity to shine. We don’t necessarily train them up right, or give them the encouragement they need, to blossom. At times, we set high expectations of what we want the individual to do in our business, without understanding, where and how it is they best perform.
For some, it might be a project that they’re best suited to. Give them clear instructions, a bit of autonomy, and the resources they need to succeed, and you might find that someone who you thought was an average performer, is actually a star, who has been waiting for the right opportunity, or the right moment, to shine all the time.
For others, it’s a role. They might have been a mediocre team player, but just might turn out to be the best team leader that you’ve ever had, simply because you’ve given them a chance to prove to you, they’re not just a cog in the wheel, but an integral part of the team, that has always felt they’ve got a bigger role to play.
For others still, it’s merely time. Some individuals take a little longer to hit their stride, than others. Rather than expecting instant results, if these individuals have walked through your front door, and their resume suggests to you they have the professional pedigree to perform the role, then give them time to make it happen. Support them. Coach them. Make sure they’ve at least got a shot at success. Then leave them to it.
I know of someone who, for many a long time, thought they were a poor public speaker. The self talk before any event, was all about how to not mess it up, rather than how to go out there, enjoy the experience, and just be themselves. What was once a weed, in terms of presenting to a group or an audience, blossomed, when the mindset changed, and time allowed them to say “I can do this”. For them, there’s no going back, these days.
This Week’s Tip
“Lead them and support them – then give them the freedom to shine.”
Keep an Eye Out!
On Tuesday 11th March, 2025, tune into to Insight on SBS with Kumi Taguchi, to hear me, and select others, offer our viewpoint on the current Cost of Living Crisis as we lead into the 2025 Federal Election