How Does Your Leadership Garden Grow?

I’ve been reflecting on the parallels between gardening and leadership.

Just like in gardening, we don’t always get to choose the conditions we work in. The soil might be dry, the weather unpredictable, and the weeds persistent. But we do get to choose how we respond. We can dig deep, adapt, and nurture growth in even the most unexpected places.

Some days, leadership feels like planting seeds without knowing if they’ll sprout. Other days, it’s about pruning back what no longer serves - habits, assumptions, or outdated ways of working. And sometimes, it’s simply about standing back and admiring the blooms: the people who’ve grown, the ideas that have flourished, the culture that’s taken root.

When an organisation starts to outgrow its space in the potting shed, its leaders like to spread its roots somewhere bigger. But it’s important to consider how all the plants that need repotting will fit and support each other in their new space.

Naturally, once planted, some will receive more light, support and nutrients than others. This can create difficulties for gardeners, as, being plants, those growing the fastest might not consider how their growth is impacting those around it. It can create weak spots in the collective due to a lack of homeostasis, and it’s crucial to be aware of how each individual supports the entire dynamic.

One thing I’ve learned is that the most resilient gardens - and teams - are those which welcome diversity and nurture growth. Wildflowers don’t ask permission to grow. They find space, stretch toward the light, and bring colour to places that might otherwise be overlooked. In the same way, inclusive leadership creates space for every voice, every story, every strength to shine.

I’ve also learned that an underground root system is a crucial communication grid for the entire garden. Each plant can only take full advantage of the nutrients on offer if they are channelled and distributed in the right way.

Sometimes, and all too commonly, gardeners can become a little too enthusiastic when pruning back some branches, whilst feeding ‘miracle grow’ to those plants deemed to have the most potential to bear fruit.

This can be costly, as when a plant grows too fast, and fruits too early, it can quickly create heaviness, leaving the young branches unable to cope with the extra weight. The branches can break, and the plant often ends up having to start their growth cycle again.

On top of this, the surrounding plants, which could have stepped in to support those branches, are unable to do so, due to over-zealous pruning.

This is a common story for many organisations, especially in a sector where there is a cultural expectation of harshly cutting back as a necessary approach to delivery, growth and development.

It may sometimes be unavoidable, but to ensure everyone is supported to do their job effectively and efficiently - just like plants - each must be treated with consideration, care and attention.

Not all plants need support at the same levels of course. Each is unique, grows at its own pace, and requires different types of nurturing. It’s important to listen to the plant’s individual needs and to check in to stay aware of how they are progressing.

In nature, when a plant is not receiving optimal nourishment, it will gravitate towards a more suitable spot where it can develop and grow symbiotically with those around it. Healthy plants do not seek a competitive environment, but rather one where everyone can thrive and coexist in a mutually beneficial way.

To the inexperienced gardener, a plant that’s been kept in the wrong conditions may not look immediately like it has the potential to survive, thrive, and contribute as much to the collective. It can be easily overlooked amongst the faster, more aggressively growing plants competing for the light.

However, with the right environment, sometimes the most overlooked plants in the corner of the potting shed may just end up developing into the vibrant, healthy and most colourful element the collective patch needs.

When every plant is supported to grow healthily within an ecosystem, they each contribute a continuous cycle of nutrients to the plants around them, which helps everyone in the garden to thrive in a healthy way.

So, how does your leadership garden grow?

With intention, yes - but also with openness. With structure, but also with space. With the courage to plant something new, and the wisdom to let go when it’s time.

As you step into the next phase, I invite you to pause and consider:

• What are you nurturing?
• What needs pruning?
• And where might you welcome a few wildflowers?

Leadership isn’t only about outcomes and the bottom line. It’s also about cultivating environments where people feel safe to grow, thrive, and bloom.

Alma Sheren, Editor