Over the years I have heard this statement and to a certain extent I agree with it.  I believe that we can make the best of a not so perfect scenario by simply having the right attitude towards it.  We can grow.  We can bloom. But, I don’t believe we can thrive when we are planted in the wrong spot.  Your job as a People Gardener, Transformational Leader, is the make sure each person is in the best spot for them.  This may not equate to the best spot for you and you need to be okay with that. 

Below are 2 pictures of 2 different plants that were the same size when I planted them earlier this year.  They are planted in the same part of the garden about 10 feet apart.  They are planted in the same soil, have same amount of nutrients and received the same amount of fertilizer. 

The difference is the amount of sunlight!

THEY ARE BOTH BLOOMING WHERE THEY ARE PLANTED!

Which one would you rather have in your people garden?  A person that is robust, energized, brilliant and thriving or one that is sort of doing okay? It DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE where you are planted.

Do you have each person on your team planted in the right spot?  I equate sunlight for plants to the social preferences associated with each person. Maybe they need a bit of both. How much of each? Which is more dominant, sun or shade? Social or Antisocial? Extrovert or Introvert? Quiet or Loud? Do they want the spotlight, or do they prefer being behind the scene?

Let’s talk generalities here for a moment.  What do you think of when you picture a typical sales person?  Do you see them in a dark room? A quiet room?  A room by themselves? Probably not because most sales people are extroverts, they love people, they love to talk and they love to interact with others.  If we planted a sales person in one of those scenarios mentioned earlier they may bloom, but they absolutely would not thrive.

Every person has a required amount of sunlight that goes from none to always all the time.  Take time to check in with each person on your team and make sure that they are planted in the right spot.  The right spot is the spot that gives them what they need to thrive.

Care where each person is planted so they have opportunity to become their best self.