Leadership and tomato plants

My wife, daughter, and  I are vegetable gardeners. We have had a small garden in our back yard for 12 or 13 years now. It’s a great hobby for us, something that we all can participate in together, but it also provides us with some wonderful fresh vegetables. There’s nothing like a salad with freshly picked tomatoes and cucumbers right out of your garden.

As with most hobby gardeners, I find myself experimenting all the time with different varieties, techniques, and tools. We probably tried 10 different kinds of tomato cages until we finally found the type that works best for us. We’re also constantly fiddling with planting styles, pruning techniques, and general gardening stuff. As I read various hobbyist gardening blogs, forums, and articles, I find that we’re  not alone in the search for the ultimate backyard garden.

One technique that I have played with this year is my method of tying tomato plants. As any of you  who have ever seen tomatoes growing, they tend to get large and  rather wild. They need to have the branches tied to support them as the fruit gets larger, and also to protect the branches in case of storms and high winds.

In the past, I always tightly tied a knot around the branch, thinking that was the best way to secure it. In my mind, keeping a firm grasp on the plant would insure its safety and security. I would notice, however, that often the branch would get a bit stunted, since the tight loop would now allow the branch to grow any further.

This year, I have tried a different technique. Instead of a tight loop, I’m tying what I call a “bridle”. I make a much larger loop of twine that encircles the branch, but doesn’t choke it. It still provides support as the fruit is growing, and in the case of strong winds the branch still is protected from breaking or twisting. But it also allows the branch room to continue to grow. I find that this “bridling” technique takes a bit longer to tie on, but is yielding additional benefits to the plant as time goes on.

So I’m learning with leadership techniques. One way of leading people is to give them a very strict set of instructions that tells them what they should be doing, and will certainly get them to do what is needed. But it tends to choke off any room for them to act on any of their own initiative in the future.

Alternatively, we could give them more general direction, in essence a “bridle”, that supports and protects them, but gives them room to grow and mature. This technique, while taking more effort on the part of the person supplying the bridle, pays dividends in the long run in the sense of a person who is more willing to act on their own initiative, and who will develop a better sense of what is possible.

Nature can teach us a lot.

Mike




 

What a great message, Mike. This should be required reading for all new managers looking for a way to distinguish when to give instructions and when to just give guidance - or do nothing at all!

Mike-I like the use of a gardening example. When Susan Hockfiled became President of MIT there was an explicit discussion that military and sports metaphors were out and gardening and cooking metaphors were in.

In most cases when we give people more latitude they can take more initiative and take on a greater sense of ownership. 

keep experimenting!

Brian