Where are my tomatoes?
We’ve all heard it:
“I wish my team would do a better job listening to our customers.”
“People just aren’t loyal to a company anymore.”
“Millennials are so distracted.”
It is a reasonable expectation to have a team that listens, made up of people who are loyal and present.
However, reasonable doesn't always translate to realistic.
To make that leap, every leader must wrestle with a single question:
How do I demonstrate what I desire?
Wouldn’t it be strange if I complained about not having any tomatoes if I never planted any?
It’s a reasonable expectation for tomatoes to grow in a garden.
It’s only a realistic expectation once the seeds are planted.
So it is in business.
No leader is above the law of sowing and reaping:
If it's listening you seek: Be an effective listener.
If it’s loyalty you want: Demonstrate what loyalty looks like.
If it’s presence you crave: Live and lead in the moment.
It’s only realistic to expect your team to give what they get.