As a leader it is never to early to plant seeds to help support and grow your team members

This morning, I walked beneath trees that have stood for decades. Normally, they’d be heavy with hazelnuts in October, but this year’s harvest came early. Much earlier than expected. As a farmer’s daughter, I know my dad would have had a wise explanation, something about the weather, the soil, the rhythm of the seasons. He always understood nature’s timing.

But as I stood there, holding a handful of hazelnuts, I realised something: these aren’t just snacks for squirrels or toppings for my muesli. They’re seeds. Seeds of next year’s harvest. Seeds of something bigger.  Seeds that if nurtured like team members can grow into those who will follow you and be there long after you have stood at the helm.

And it made me think, how often do we forget that the seeds we plant today are the ones that shape our tomorrow, especially with those we nurture and lead in life.

Leadership Begins With Planting

Whether you’re leading a team, building a business, or navigating personal change, leadership starts with intention. It starts with planting. Bold leadership isn’t about waiting for the perfect moment, it’s about recognising that every moment holds potential, as well as everyone in your team has potential, and, by the way so do you.

Hazelnuts don’t grow overnight. Some of the trees I walked under this morning have taken 60 years to reach their full height. But someone planted them anyway, knowing they might never sit in their shade.

As Rabindranath Tagore said:

 “The one who plants trees, knowing that he will never sit in their shade, has at least started to understand the meaning of life.”

So I ask you:

What could you plant today?

 Is it a bold decision you’ve been circling for months?
A conversation you’ve been avoiding?

 Advice you know a team member may not want to hear, but would assist them in the future to help them and you?
A promise you’ve made to yourself but haven’t yet honoured? maybe about delegating, letting go of a piece of work someone else can do?

Whatever it is, start sowing the seeds. Because the sooner you plant, the sooner something begins to grow.

For Seeds to flourish and grow they need perfect conditions.

The environment must be right. 

Everyone needs to feel comfortable.

The atmosphere needs to be right. 

You need everyone to feel safe, emotionally and physically.

Everyone needs individual attention, every plant just like people need something slightly differernt, as a leader you need to know what each person in your team needs.

You need to think about pest control! what will get in the way of your team members flourishing?

You need to invest in each person.

This analogy may not work for you, but if you consider as a leader what you need to flourish, you could easily assume that all those who are in your care need the same thing.  As a leader have a think about what you could do differently so that each person in your team will grow to their full potential. 

If this is of interest to you and you want to explore how you can improve your leadership skills then get in touch.