The bee-keeper’s diary. Leadership lesson #2
Anni Townend
Those of you who have read my earlier posting on bee-keeping will know that I am new to bees and have a lot to learn. One of the biggest challenges has been to trust that the bees are all right inside the hive over the winter months. During this time there have been no signs of them flying in or out, and it has been too windy and cold to look in. So I have had to trust, having provided them with the right conditions, that they would not only survive the winter but also thrive! So you can imagine my joy when one day last week, the sun-shining, I spotted my bees flying in and out of their hive.
In a recent Government report on engagement by David MacLeod and Nita Clarke there’s a quote that suggests the role of a leader is to create ‘a space in which people can do and want to do what needs to be done.’ That’s where the parallel with bee-keeping comes in. Leaders create the space in which others can flourish, grow and develop. They ensure that people have the resources and the environment in which to do what needs to be done and they have to have a level of trust and belief in their people to thrive.
So this week give some thought to the kind of leadership space that you create for your people. Do you give them what they need so that can do what they need, and want, to do? And when you have done this do you trust them to get on with it even though you may not always be able to see what they are doing?
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Dear Anni,
That’s a most insightful post – very profound and relevant in today’s hyper environment where the pressure is always on delivery and often unmindful of the consequences (on others). Do we really give our people enough leverage to get on with their jobs and more important do we then step out of their way and trust them to get on with it ! Would need to think this through. Thanks for the important message.
Best regards,
Deepak (Gurgaon)
Hi Anni,
Your bee-keeping experiences provide a powerful analogy / metaphor and it strikes me that they can be further extended and applied to some of your colleagues’ posts. For example, what can I learn from how your bees work together and are committed to each others’ success as well as how they have responded to the set back of a long, cold winter? Come to think of it, maybe they benefit from having absolute clarity and focus on the ‘something they are up to’.
I look forward to reading more of your insights.
Warm Regards,
Mike
Hi Anni
I enjoyed the post, it got me thinking. I was wondering how you would have felt if the bees had not survived. You say you had no choice but to trust that you had done enough. You obviously had, so maybe as a leader you were making an informed decision. Or maybe you just got lucky – an important part of many a great leader’s success. Either way, your decision not to brave the wind and cold to check on them displayed courage and confidence, and you should award yourself a bee keeper novice leadership medal!