Even during a drought, you have to water the trees

While California is in a drought, everyone is being asked to cut back on their water consumption.
Take shorter showers; if it’s yellow let it mellow; don’t wash your car; don’t water your lawn, and many other suggestions to cut our water usage. At the same time, we are also being told to water our trees.
If your lawn dies it’s an eyesore, but when the drought is over you can reseed and have a green lawn again in one season. If your trees die, however, it can be dangerous — it will take years for a new tree to grow in its place.
During the life of your company, you will experience a financial drought.
One CEO that I coach has initiated a pivot and substantial reorganization of her company.
Part of the process includes a substantial number of layoffs while at the same time launching a new division. In one of our sessions, we discovered she was challenged with wanting to train one of the employees she was keeping — an increase in spending — while laying off some of his peers — cutting expenses.
“How can I spend money on him while we are still negative cash flow and I am laying others off?” she thought to herself.
You’ve got to find a way
She believes in people — caring for them, nurturing them and inspiring them. It is this commitment to her people that results in employees that are dedicated, passionate and committed.
Her dedication to transparency and vulnerability is one of her greatest assets and at the same time, occasionally gets in her way. This was one of those times. Her fear of judgment, that people wouldn’t understand, was blocking her ability to invest in an employee who was key to her success.
She was afraid to water the tree.
Our conversation centered on the concept that he was one of her trees and investing in his training was similar to watering the trees at her house. While her lawn was dying and her car was dirty, she was still watering the trees on her property, keeping them alive. She understood she couldn’t let the trees die.
Could there be similar consequences by not training the individual she had earmarked to lead the new team?
Absolutely. In addition, the team that remained that was comprised of people who would be executing on her plan needed to know that in addition to knowing when to save money, she knew when to spend it as well.
Negative cash flow is a scary time that has more momentum than any of us expect. It is also a time when we can increase the commitment and dedication of those we are keeping on board.
So remember that even during a drought, you have to water the trees. ●
John B. Adams is Chair at Vistage International Inc.