Tending the Garden
Religions would have us believe humans started their
existence in a garden and a garden awaits them at the end of their life. Earth
itself is cherished amongst all the planets of our solar system for its lush
plant life, which is home to an estimated 8.7 million plant and animal species.
The degradation of the earth’s environment is also gauged by its shrinking or
damaged forests.
For urban dwellers, liveability is determined to a large
extent by public parks, trees and domestic gardens, as nature is pushed out by
tarmac and concrete. As Singapore has shown, well maintained green spaces are a
factor in attracting increased financial investment and the promise of
prosperity.
The garden is also a metaphor, a philosophical concept, and
a spiritual, poetic and artistic symbol. Landscape painting and references to
gardens in poetry are time-honoured traditions. The British philosopher John
Wisdom called God the “Invisible Gardener”, who maintains all things, unseen by
humans. “He must have worked while people slept,”says Wisdom.
Many business magazines, such as Forbes and Inc.com, equate good leadership with gardening skills.
The writer John Brandon notes, “Get out your watering can and start praising
people. Then, watch them grow.” A leader, like a master gardener, fosters
growth rather than dominates his colleagues. He plants ideas like seeds,
ensures a nurturing environment for their growth, controls the weeds, and
protects his organisation during difficult conditions. As the author Jurgen
Appelo says, "Manage the system, not the people."
Some countries feel like neglected gardens, others may
complain of being overly controlled. Leadership coach Ger Driesen identifies
three types of gardens as metaphors for leadership. The first is the ‘let
nature take its course’ strategy. This can have unpredictable results and
encourage a ‘survival of the fittest’ culture.
The second is the orchard perspective. Goal-oriented, it is
planned and organised to be rational and predictable, yield expected results,
and financial gain. However, it loses out if the market changes its needs, or
if there is any unforeseen disaster, requiring starting from scratch with huge
new investments.
The third is an ecosystem strategy. It offers a wide range
of possibilities, driven by interdependence, a community approach, shared
experiences and idea generation, collective problem-solving, and an environment
that allows multiple leaders to emerge. While this system does not yield
immediate results and requires constant care, it easily adapts to changing
environments. Lao Tzu said, “Nature doesn't hurry, yet everything is
accomplished.”
Whichever system is adopted, the basic steps to planning a
garden are the same: understanding the land, its adjacent environment and the
climate; whether the soil is fertile or needs improving; which existing plants
are worth keeping, and which need to be removed or pruned back. Most
importantly, for whom it is designed, how it will be used, what budget is
available, and if skills are available to maintain it. The metaphor can be
extended to an individual, an organisation or even a state.
As you sow so shall you reap, is a common adage. If you do
not like what is growing, perhaps the wrong seeds were planted. The metaphor of
gardening is used extensively in Shakespeare’s play Richard II. His failure as a king is the result of a ‘disordered
spring’, where the state, like an untended garden, produced choking weeds that
made the land barren, and where wayward branches were not pruned. Flatterers
are likened to weeds that need to be removed ‘root and all’ — “All must be even
in our government.”
Tolstoy, in his novel War
and Peace, describes Napoleon’s armies retreating from Russia like a
stampeding herd of cattle trampling the planted fields. A wise gardener would
have known to close the gate, thus preventing the invasion and protecting the
land. Writer Stewart Justman suggests
the theory of statecraft as gardening applies more to a king than a warrior. The warrior protects the fences so the king
can plan and manage a productive garden.
Whether one views one’s own personal life or a business
through the metaphor of gardening, the most significant lesson is that growth
cannot be forced or sped up, but must be patiently awaited after creating the
best possible conditions.
Durriya Kazi
June 16, 2023
Karachi
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