Sunday, April 29, 2007
April Aspens, Tales on Timing
The end of April. An early spring in Park City. Green everywhere. Snow remains on the ski runs to the south like icing drizzled on a pound cake.
Aspens stand out against a blue sky outside my sunroom office.
One tree is completely bare, with a darker bark. The tree to its left has a much lighter bark, symmetrical spreading branches, and only the hint of buds.
The next tree over, nestled in to the spruce outside our bedroom window, has both buds and leaves that are starting to unfurl.
And, the smallest aspen tucked further to the north has leaves the size of dimes already waving in the wind.
Same soil. Same trees. Same location. Different timing. It's like that with us too. My husband, Steve, a software architect and electrical engineer, is likely to take his time, study a problem intently, and craft a very structured solution. I'm as likely to rely on my intuition, experiment, and take the occasional blast or crash that comes with experimenting.
Maybe it's the same with our aspen trees. Some are slow to open up and seem to be assessing conditions and waiting until things "warm up" a bit more. Others are quick to open up and seem to enjoy dancing with the wind that catches the sails of their growing leaves.
In nature, it's easier to appreciate differences and speak of beauty with reverence.
In organizations and in relationships, we too often long for everyone else to see it our way, to do it our way. I've fallen in that hole many a time, pushing others to go faster, take more risks, learn out loud. And, I've been pushed to slow down, be more cautious, consider more options.
With aspens, the main thing we want to know is "are they growing?" There's a lesson here.
As leaders, we should be asking the same question about our people, "are they growing?" Aspens that seem frozen in time in April are quietly generating energy for brilliant bursts of green during the growing season.
Similarly, when we spring a new vision on our people, we must observe whether everyone is growing toward the same light, appreciate differences in timing, and continue to nourish the roots that give energy for growth.
Aspens stand out against a blue sky outside my sunroom office.
One tree is completely bare, with a darker bark. The tree to its left has a much lighter bark, symmetrical spreading branches, and only the hint of buds.
The next tree over, nestled in to the spruce outside our bedroom window, has both buds and leaves that are starting to unfurl.
And, the smallest aspen tucked further to the north has leaves the size of dimes already waving in the wind.
Same soil. Same trees. Same location. Different timing. It's like that with us too. My husband, Steve, a software architect and electrical engineer, is likely to take his time, study a problem intently, and craft a very structured solution. I'm as likely to rely on my intuition, experiment, and take the occasional blast or crash that comes with experimenting.
Maybe it's the same with our aspen trees. Some are slow to open up and seem to be assessing conditions and waiting until things "warm up" a bit more. Others are quick to open up and seem to enjoy dancing with the wind that catches the sails of their growing leaves.
In nature, it's easier to appreciate differences and speak of beauty with reverence.
In organizations and in relationships, we too often long for everyone else to see it our way, to do it our way. I've fallen in that hole many a time, pushing others to go faster, take more risks, learn out loud. And, I've been pushed to slow down, be more cautious, consider more options.
With aspens, the main thing we want to know is "are they growing?" There's a lesson here.
As leaders, we should be asking the same question about our people, "are they growing?" Aspens that seem frozen in time in April are quietly generating energy for brilliant bursts of green during the growing season.
Similarly, when we spring a new vision on our people, we must observe whether everyone is growing toward the same light, appreciate differences in timing, and continue to nourish the roots that give energy for growth.
# posted by Cindy Marteney @ 4:53 PM 
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