When it comes to individual growth, the microclimate matters.
If you were a plant, what would your ideal growing conditions be?
If you think back to a time you felt stuck, stagnant, or unmotivated, was there something in your environment that was preventing your growth?
If you’re a cactus, you’re never going to thrive in a swamp. It’s just not the right environment for your growth. That doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with the cactus! It’s perfectly suited for different conditions.
But luckily, you’re not a plant! You have the agency to adjust your systems, habits, and routines to your own advantage.
As Jim Rohn said: “If you don’t like how things are, change it! You’re not a tree.”
That’s why all the personal productivity advice on the internet boils down to this:
What are you willing to do to create the personal microclimate in which you’re most likely to thrive, even if it doesn’t always feel pleasant or comfortable?
– What are your natural daily rhythms, and how can you use them to plan your day?
– What gives you energy, and what drains it?
– What stunts your growth, and how can you remove it from your environment?
Once your environment is in tune with your needs, growth happens naturally.
What about your team?
Once you’ve adjusted your own microclimate, the next step is to consider how you’re shaping the environment for others. After all, a great team isn’t all cactuses! A more diverse team makes for a more interesting and resilient garden.
That means your job as leader of your team has two distinct parts:
1. Know yourself, because you can’t pour from an empty cup.
2. Know your direct reports, so you can create the individual conditions they each need to thrive.
By paying attention to their individual microclimates, you’ll unlock a level of engagement and performance that would otherwise be impossible.
Here’s How:
1. Regular, scheduled one-on-one conversations about their career goals, ideal work rhythms, and motivators
2. Individual development plans that reflect all of the above. Keep in mind Kim Scott’s insights on rockstars (happy in their current role, force for stability) vs superstars (change agent, want new opportunities).
3. Hire carefully. Seek out candidates who are well-suited to your unique environment and culture.
4. Be open to role tweaks, task exchanges, and lateral moves that will help individuals each play to their strengths.
5. Be willing to prune back or weed out what’s no longer serving a purpose, even if it’s worked for others.
This Week’s Takeaway
As a business owner, your people are one of the biggest investments of money and time you’ll ever make. You’ll get the best return on that investment by creating the right conditions for each of you to do your best work.
What’s one small environmental shift you could make this week, for yourself or someone on your team?
Your success as a business leader reflects how well you allocate your resources. This article is part of a 3-part series about getting the most from what you’ve got:
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