Apple Trees and Leadership Development
My grandfather was an apple farmer. His life was about keeping his trees producing apples. As a child I would visit the farm and walk in the orchards with him. As we walked Grandpa would talk about what help the trees. Things like irrigation, pruning and thinning. Not really looking to become an apple farmer myself these topics didn't hold much interest but now, as I reflect on them, they hold important truths for our journey to become whole leaders. Irrigation: All plants need to stay connected to a source of water to grow and remain productive. Apples stop developing if they loose connection to their source of water and nutrients. If the tree is cut off from the water supply, the branch is cut off from the trunk or the fruit is pulled from the tree growth stops and death starts. (ripening isn't growth it's the start fruit's decomposition). Our ideal self is the compelling reason for us to continue to grow and develop. It is our source. Our progress depends on sta...