Manager as a Gardener!
The bright and sunny summers in UK brought out the keen Gardner in me. With literally zilch knowledge or experience of even planting a pot, I had set out to make my garden a green haven for my family. My ambition and enthusiasm clouded my ignorance completely and off I went to a nursery to bring back few saplings of broad beans, broccoli, capsicums, a set of herbs and some flower bulbs. Of course, I should add that there were loads of pots to plant these in.
Anyways, this was a few months ago.
The sheer joy and contentment I have experienced as I continue to nurture my garden is something I can't capture in words. The growing blades of the green grass, the new leaves appearing overnight in the pots, the blooming of the first flower in the bedding - every morning would bring in a new smile to my face.
Interestingly, over the past many weeks of working on the pots, plants, flower beds, watering the grass, etc. another thought has struck me - the similarity between a supervisor / manager and a Gardner. So, here's a summary of thoughts that I experienced:
A. The Gardner chooses what to plant in his garden - The manager recruits his subordinates who then ornate his team (i.e. his garden)
B. The gardener takes full care of his plants; be it adding fertiliser, plant food and water; be it saving the plants from insects, bugs, animals, etc. - The manager is expected to train and coach his team, be the first line of defence against outside world, continuous nurture the talent of his team and enhance their performance through training, etc.
C. The gardener takes full responsibility of whatever happens to his plants in the garden. How well the plants bloom and grow, the buck stops at the Gardner. I do not think a gardener would tell the world that despite his best efforts, the plant would not produce results. - In the current corporate world, I wonder whether I can safely say the same for managers.
Which category do you belong to? In a figurative sense, "Are you a good Gardner?"
Anyways, this was a few months ago.
The sheer joy and contentment I have experienced as I continue to nurture my garden is something I can't capture in words. The growing blades of the green grass, the new leaves appearing overnight in the pots, the blooming of the first flower in the bedding - every morning would bring in a new smile to my face.
Interestingly, over the past many weeks of working on the pots, plants, flower beds, watering the grass, etc. another thought has struck me - the similarity between a supervisor / manager and a Gardner. So, here's a summary of thoughts that I experienced:
A. The Gardner chooses what to plant in his garden - The manager recruits his subordinates who then ornate his team (i.e. his garden)
B. The gardener takes full care of his plants; be it adding fertiliser, plant food and water; be it saving the plants from insects, bugs, animals, etc. - The manager is expected to train and coach his team, be the first line of defence against outside world, continuous nurture the talent of his team and enhance their performance through training, etc.
C. The gardener takes full responsibility of whatever happens to his plants in the garden. How well the plants bloom and grow, the buck stops at the Gardner. I do not think a gardener would tell the world that despite his best efforts, the plant would not produce results. - In the current corporate world, I wonder whether I can safely say the same for managers.
Which category do you belong to? In a figurative sense, "Are you a good Gardner?"
posted by Sandeep Gupta at
11:40 am
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