Grow

I have always had a fascination with watching something grow.  I am also a passionate gardener.  I enjoy growing flowers, vegetables, landscape plants, trees, houseplants- pretty much the whole tamale.  The process of growing differs from building in that growing lacks the control that you have when you build.  You nurture and guide, but ultimately growth comes from within.  The rewards are also different.  When you build, the best you get is the desired result. When you grow you can be really surprised with the results!  This is the component that brings me back.  A bumper crop, perfect rose, an explosion of green- the excitement of growing!

Growing can also be the maturing of a person or the growth of a company.  The growth of these items also have similar characteristics to growing plants or crops.  Here are some of my key components for growth:

• Good Soil-  If you are going to make an investment of time and effort in growing something, you need good soil.  This may be a person that is willing to learn or a company that has a good product.  If the soil is not good, then you must amend it.  This would be adding something to what you have to make it better.  This might be educational improvements, product improvements, or additional human resources.
• Water-  There are the basic needs that are required for growth.  This may be financial needs, time, basic skills training, etc.  These are the minimum requirements needed to sustain life.
• Fertilizer-  These are the additional elements that accelerate growth.  This could be personal development training and continuing education to enhance the skills and professional growth of a person.  This may be marketing efforts if you are growing a company.  This is an investment and it is subject to the risk/reward relationship.   However, like any investment, without the risk you will not receive the rewards.
• Nurturing-  You must provide care in order to maximize growth.  This requires personal attention and mentoring.  To properly nurture, you must get involved in their lives.  You have to be willing to get dirty- go beyond the surface pleasantries.  This is often difficult for many managers who lack the management skills and desire required for effective mentoring.
• Staking-  You must develop a growth plan that provides a road map and a plan on how to handle the growth.  Everyone should have a plan for growth- no one wants to be in the same position forever.
• Pruning-  Get rid of the dead stuff.  Encourage cutting things loose that are binding and restricting growth.  

Growing is a natural process that often seems to happen by itself.  Don’t loose sight that things can die if you do not take care of them.  Once it’s dead it won’t come back.  The truly amazing part of growing something is when the harvest is just unexplainable.  This is when God has taken over and He multiplies your efforts.  Growing is my passion!  What can you start to grow today?