Five years ago I wrote up my thoughts on General Stanley McChrystal’s Team of Teams.
Since that time I have kept my opinion that “the book will most likely go down as one of the best management books of the century.”
What chapter speaks to me most recently as worthy of a revisit?
Chapter 11: Leading Like a Gardener
It merits noting that this chapter takes on and overturns the idea of the leader as the chess master moving all the pieces. As referenced on page 222, “The role of a senior leader was no longer that of a controlling puppet master, but rather that of an empathetic crafter of culture.”
Additionally, the gardener sets, maintains, and performs upkeep on the garden so that the vegetables are nourished.
A few quotes from page 225 bring this home, with my favorite in bold. “The gardener creates an environment in which the plants can flourish. Watering, weeding, and protecting plants from rabbits and disease are essential for success. The gardener cannot actually “grow” tomatoes, squash, or beans- she can only foster an environment in which the plants do so.”
Leaving the garden alone after the initial planting is out of the question. Maintenance and upkeep on regular intervals are important.
Page 229 has a great quote which I like. “Gardeners plant and harvest, but more than anything, they tend. Plants are watered, beds are fertilized, and weeds are removed. Long days are spent walking humid pathways or on sore knees examining fragile stalks. Regular visits by good gardeners are not pro forma gestures of concern- they leave the crop stronger. So it is with leaders.”