My own gardening skills remain a work in progress. But since my days as a classroom teacher of lanky and emotional thirteen-year-olds, I have often considered my job as a “planter of seeds.”

Brian Eno compared the process of making music with gardening. 

Seed planting to be your best…

“One is carefully constructing seeds, or finding seeds, carefully planting them and then letting them have their life. And that life isn’t necessarily exactly what you’d envisaged for them.”
Brian Eno

Over the years, my students and classrooms have moved from children to adults of all ages and across all types of organizations. My own work often spans short spurts of time. This doesn’t always allow me to see the full outcome of the work of each member of the team or the group as a whole.

Thinking of my work as a planter of seeds has helped me reconcile the discomfort of knowing I’m often there for a season. I create fertile soil and plant a few conceptual and practical seeds. Now, ideas and good work can grow and flourish.

Sometimes, I am lucky enough to see the results and accomplishments of students, teams, or organizations.  I know that I did my small part as a “seed planter,” so others can create their best work.

Your own garden…

How will you create environments open to new ideas and innovation? What seeds will you plant today?

And always—

Be kind. Be brave. Be you.

Photo: © Kathryn LeRoy