Preparing the soil — an ancient parable
There is an ancient parable told by Jesus about seed being sown in various kinds of soil.
Some seed is sown on a path, where it is quickly trampled, stolen and eaten by birds.
Some seed is sown on rocky ground. It sprouts immediately. But before it can put a root down, the sun rises, scorches it and kills it.
Some seed is sown among thorns, and the thorns choke it before it can bear fruit.
Finally, some seed is sown on rich soil and it yields a bountiful harvest — as much as a hundredfold.
Although the parable in its original context had a more particular purpose, it illustrates a general principle of development. Even the most fertile seed cannot be productive if it is not immersed in soil that provides adequate shelter and nutrients to grow.
So it is with people. Good people — talented and initially committed and motivated — will not thrive in an environment that does not nurture them.
Douglas McGregor (1906-1964) said there were two broad theories of management:
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Theory X — which contends that people have little ambition, basically dislike work, will avoid it if they can, and that they must be coerced or threatened before they will put out even a minimum effort to be productive.
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Theory Y — which contends that people generally want to contribute and do their best, that they often like and seek responsibility, that most people want to learn and grow, and that they will do their very best in the right circumstances.
The interesting thing is that both theories are right! And the accuracy of each theory can easily be empirically demonstrated.
How can that be?
It’s a simple Law of Agronomy: You reap what you sow. Both theories function primarily as self-fulfilling prophecies.
Leaders who treat their employees as dolts without intelligence or ambition, who focus only on compliance issues and who believe their people’s “only job is to do what they’re told,” will eventually wind up with people who generally conform to their low expectations. Those who are hungry to contribute and grow will leave for opportunities that provide those rewards.
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Leaders who treat their employees as bright, promising and potentially capable of much more than they can do at the moment, who look for opportunities to help their people excel and enjoy the satisfaction of superior performance, may be disappointed from time to time. But in the main, they will gradually experience the rewards of a good, loyal and constantly improving workforce.
LifeBreath Leaders recognize that it’s their responsibility to provide the environment — the soil — where the potentially fertile seeds who are the people around them can grow, develop and contribute to the harvest of great yields.
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If you would like to read the three versions of the Parable of the Sower and the Seed, go to the following places in the New Testament:
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Matthew 13:1-23
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Mark 4:2-20
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Luke 8:4-15
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