I fought hard to secure the amaryllis in the office Secret Santa. I gave the bulb its own place in my office, planted it in its pot without reading the instructions, and left the country for two weeks. When I came back, I watered the sad-looking stump sitting at the corner of my desk and muttered an encouraging word or two. Since then I have seen no action. The amaryllis has failed to reach its full potential. It is not growing. It is not blooming. It is contributing very little to office life.
Does the fault lie with the amaryllis or with me?
How often do we make the same mistake with new hires, the bright young things packed with potential who we hope will blossom and bring life to our offices? Are you guilty of equipping your millennials with a nice new desk, computer and chair and then pretty much leaving them to fend for themselves in a cold, dark environment that is not conducive to growth? Do you fail to give them professional food and water, forgetting that without goals, shared vision, ongoing support and a way of making sense of their work world they cannot possibly flourish?
Next time you look at a team member at risk of shriveling up and dying, ask yourself how you can apply a green thumb to the problem of under performance and turn your dormant bulbs into the tall, strong radiant flowers they were meant to be.
Leadership Coach DC 